Specimen tube transfer carrier
AssigneeAutomed Corporation
InventorsGeorge E. Nelms, Charles Eumurian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A single cavity specimen test tube carrier especially adapted to connect to like carriers along one axis or a different axis or in a matrix. The carrier includes a test tube holder, a viewing slot, a side-to-side coupling mechanism and a front-to-back joining mechanism to attach the carriers together along a specified axis or in a matrix. The side-to-side coupling mechanism includes a boss and boss receiving cavity which snap together in a force fit. The front-to-back joining mechanism includes a plurality of knob-like protrusions that fit snugly into the viewing slot of an adjacent carrier and a horizontal bar that slides under a corresponding ledge of the adjacent carrier.
Claims6
A test tube holding device constructed and arranged selective intercoupling with other identical holding devices for organized storage of a plurality of test tubes, each of said test tubes presenting a test tube longitudinal axis, comprising:
- holding means defining an elongated test tube receiving cavity for carrying said test tube;
- coupling assembly means carried by said holding means for selective side-by-side and front to back coupling of said holding device to other identical ones of said holding devices;
- an elongated slot in said holding means for viewing of said test tube along a substantial portion of said test tube longitudinal axis;
- said holding means presenting a first holding means axis transverse to said elongated slot, said coupling assembly means including coupling means for coupling said holding device to other identical ones of said holding devices along said first holding means axis, whereby the longitudinal axis of each of said plurality of test tubes carried by a plurality of said holding devices joined together by said respective coupling assembly means along said first holding means axis are exposed for viewing;
- said holding means including a second holding means axis transverse to said first holding means axis and said slot, said coupling assembly means including joining means for joining said holding devices along said second axis for two dimensional coupling of said test tube holding devices and storage of said test tubes;
- and
- wherein said joining means includes at least one protrusion carried by said holding means opposite to said slot, said protrusion being constructed and arranged for mateble reception within the elongated slot of an adjacent one of said holding devices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.