Gel slab dryer with improved perimeter seal
AssigneeBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
InventorGeorge G. Fernwood
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for drying gel slabs which includes a porous support pad resting in a recess, a flexible vacuum-retaining cover sheet covering the support pad and the periphery of the recess, and means for pulling a vacuum down from underneath the support pad, is improved by adding a perimeter groove around the periphery of the recess, preferably spaced a small distance therefrom, with channels connecting the groove to the recess to transmit the vacuum. The perimeter groove provides a faster distribution of the vacuum, and provides a further means of sealing the cover sheet around the periphery of the recess, to provide more even and more reliable gel drying.
Claims13
In an apparatus for drying a gel slab, said apparatus including a base having an upper surface with a recess therein having a floor with a vacuum port passing therethrough, a ledge surrounding said recess, a porous pad sized to fit inside said recess and to support said gel slab, and a deformable vacuum-retaining cover sheet of sufficient size to cover said recess and extend over said ledge, the improvement comprising:
- a groove in said ledge encircling said recess;
- and
- means for communicating said groove with said recess;
- said groove being fully enclosed along bottom and sides except for said communicating means.
In an apparatus for drying a gel slab, said apparatus including a base having an upper surface with a recess therein having a floor with a vacuum port passing therethrough, a ledge surrounding said recess, a porous pad sized to fit inside said recess and to support said gel slab, and a deformable, vacuum-retaining sheet of sufficient size to cover said recess and extend over said ledge, the improvement comprising:
- a perimeter groove of substantially V-shaped cross section in said ledge encircling said recess and spaced apart therefrom at all points by a distance of at least about 0.6 cm;
- and
- a plurality of communicating grooves of substantially V-shaped cross section in said ledge joining said perimeter groove with said recess;
- said perimeter groove and said communicating grooves being sufficiently sharp-cornered that said deformable vacuum-retaining cover sheet when drawn into said perimeter groove and said communicating grooves by a vacuum of approximately 250 torr leaves a gap at the bottom thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.