# US 2018/0021784 A1 · Turn-Secure Rack

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- Number: US 2018/0021784 A1
- Document ID: US20180021784A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/549,127
- Filed: 2016-02-05
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-06
- Assignees: Cedrex A/S
- Applicants: Cedrex A/S
- Inventors: Lars Weber-Hovendahl; Michael Gabs Kaagaard Nielsen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021784A1

## CPC

- B01L 9/06: Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
- B01L 2200/087: Ergonomic aspects
- B01L 2200/12: Specific details about manufacturing devices
- B01L 2300/041: Connecting closures to device or container
- B01L 2300/0851: Bottom walls
- B01L 2300/123: Flexible; Elastomeric
- F16C 2300/14: Large applications, e.g. bearings having an inner diameter exceeding 500 mm
- G01N 35/028: {having reaction cells in the form of microtitration plates}
- G01N 2035/0405: {manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers}
- G01N 2035/0418: {Plate elements with several rows of samples}
- G01N 2035/0429: {Sample carriers adapted for special purposes}
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The present invention concerns a SBS-standard test tube rack which is suitable for use in automated capping and de-capping of flat bottomed test tubes, in particular of flat bottomed glass vials, both for individual test tube capping and de-capping as well as simultaneous capping and de-capping of all test tubes in the aforementioned SBS-standard test tube rack.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A SBS-standard test tube rack for receiving a SBS-standard test tube rack compliant screw-capped test tube of length (l) and diameter (d), said rack comprising:
a top tier, support structure and a bottom tier, said support structure located between said top tier and said bottom tier, said top tier and bottom tier being, when assembled to form said rack-, spaced apart a distance smaller than said length (l) by said support structure;
said top tier comprising a plurality of apertures of aperture diameter (da) larger than said diameter (d), said apertures arranged to form a 2-dimensional array of apertures in said top tier;
said bottom tier comprising a friction tier and a support tier;
said friction tier facing said top tier when said rack is assembled;
said friction tier comprising a high friction material;
wherein, when said rack is assembled, there is formed an array of rack wells, each rack well comprising an aperture, a well bottom of well bottom diameter (dw) larger than said diameter (d), located opposite said aperture, and optionally a well enclosure connecting said well bottom to said aperture either in a straight manner or conically tapering towards said well bottom, such that said aperture diameter (da) may be either slightly larger or of the same diameter as said well bottom diameter (dw); and
wherein when said rack is assembled, said well bottom is formed from said high friction material comprised in said friction tier.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A SBS-standard test tube rack of claim 1 wherein two or more of said top tier, said support structure, and support tier can be of unitary construction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A SBS-standard test tube rack according to either claim 1 wherein said aperture is enlarged by a guiding section; which has a second and larger diameter than said aperture diameter (da).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A SBS-standard test tube rack according to claim 1, wherein said well bottom is recessed a small distance into said friction tier, thereby forming a small, independent well in said friction tier.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A SBS-standard test tube rack according to claim 1, wherein said high friction material is selected from natural rubber, EPDM rubber, PVC-rubber, structured natural or silicone, nonslip silicone, nonslip autoclavable silicone, sticky silicone, or is a compression-induce adhesive.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A SBS-standard test tube rack according to claim 1, wherein said test tube is a standard laboratory 15 mm Ø×45 mm flat bottom glass vial mounted with a screw cap.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method of capping or de-capping a SBS-standard test tube rack compliant screw-capped test tube supported upright in a rack well comprising a well bottom in a SBS-standard test tube rack according to claim 1, said rack positioned in an apparatus for automated test tube capping and de-capping opposite in the upright direction a capping and de-capping gripper comprised in said apparatus, said method comprising engaging said gripper to said test tube and exerting a downwards force by said gripper on said test tube to create a frictional force between said test tube and said well bottom of said rack which exceeds a torsional force sufficient to cap or de-cap said test tube by rotation of said gripper in a direction suitable for capping or de-capping said test tube, without said test tube co-rotating with said gripper in the direction of said gripper's rotation.