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US 6,669,911 B1Granted
Frame for multiwell tray
OwnerDavid W. Swansoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rigid frame (10) for holding thin, flexible tray top (82) of injection-molded multiwell tray (81) planar. Multiwell tray (81), such as a titre or PCR plate, includes apertures (86) spaced apart in peripheral wall (85). Frame wall (20) of frame (10) includes a plurality of barbs (41) spaced apart on interior surface (40). Apertures (86) and barbs (41) cooperate to retain tray (81) within tray (10).
Claims23
In combination:
- a multiwell tray, comprising:
- a plurality of wells for holding chemical reactants;
- and
- a thin, substantially planar tray top connecting said wells;
- comprising:
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface opposite said top surface;
- and
- a perimeter;
- and
- a peripheral wall connected to the perimeter of said tray top and enclosing it and extending downward from said top surface of said tray top;
- including
- a plurality of retaining features;
- and
- a rigid frame for holding said tray top planar;
- comprising:
- a frame wall;
- including
- a plurality of retaining means, whereby said tray is removable retained in said frame by engaging said retaining features of said tray by said tray and said frame being moved relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to said tray top;
- and whereby said tray top is maintained planar such that the longitudal axes of said wells are maintained parallel.
17 more elements
In combination:
- a multiwell tray, comprising:
- a plurality of wells for holding chemical reactants;
- and
- a thin, substantially planar tray top connecting said wells;
- comprising:
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface opposite said top surface;
- and
- a perimeter;
- and
- a peripheral wall connected to the perimeter of said tray top and enclosing it;
- including:
- retaining features;
- and
- a rigid frame for holding said tray top planar;
- comprising:
- a frame wall;
- including:
- an inward-facing interior surface;
- including:
- retaining means comprising a plurality of barbs attached to and spaced apart on said interior surface for engaging said retaining features of said peripheral wall.
18 more elements
In combination:
- a multiwell tray, comprising:
- a plurality of wells for holding chemical reactants;
- and
- a thin, substantially planar tray top connecting said wells in an ordered array;
- comprising:
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface opposite said top surface;
- and
- a perimeter;
- and
- a peripheral wall connected to the perimeter of said tray top and enclosing it, said peripheral wall being substantially perpendicular to and extending downward from said top surface of said tray top;
- including
- retaining features;
- and
- a rigid frame for holding said tray top planar and facilitating automated handing thereof;
- comprising:
- a frame wall;
- including:
- an inward-facing interior surface;
- and
- a plurality of barbs spaced apart on said interior surface for engaging said retaining features of said peripheral wall.
18 more elements
In combination:
- a rectangular, injection-molded multiwell tray, comprising:
- a plurality of wells for holding chemical reactants;
- and
- a thin, substantially planar tray top connecting said wells into an array;
- comprising:
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface;
- and
- a perimeter;
- and
- a peripheral wall connected to the perimeter of said tray top and enclosing it;
- including
- retaining features;
- and
- a rigid rectangular frame for holding said tray top planar;
- comprising:
- a frame wall;
- including
- an inward-facing interior surface;
- including
- retaining means for removably retaining said tray in said frame by engaging said retaining features by movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to said tray top and for maintaining said tray top planar such that and the longitude axes of said wells are maintained parallel;
- and
- an outward-facing exterior surface;
- including:
- handling features for cooperating with a handling means of an automated machine.
22 more elements
In combination:
- a rectangular, injection-molded multiwell tray, comprising:
- a plurality of wells for holding chemical reactants;
- and
- a thin, substantially planar tray top connecting said wells into an array;
- comprising:
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface;
- and
- a perimeter;
- and
- a peripheral wall connected to the perimeter of said tray top and enclosing it;
- including
- retaining features;
- and
- a rigid rectangular frame for holding said tray top planar;
- comprising:
- a frame wall;
- including
- an inward-facing interior surface;
- including
- retaining means for retaining said tray in said frame by engaging said retaining features by movement in a direction substantially perpendicular to said tray top;
- wherein said peripheral wall is substantially perpendicular to and extends downward from said top surface of said tray top;
- and said retaining features comprise a plurality of apertures in said peripheral wall.
20 more elements
In combination:
- a multiwell tray, comprising:
- a plurality of wells for holding chemical reactants;
- and
- a thin, substantially planar tray top connecting said wells;
- comprising:
- a top surface;
- a bottom surface opposite said top surface;
- and
- a perimeter;
- and
- a rigid frame for holding said tray top planar;
- comprising:
- a frame member;
- including
- a frame wall;
- including
- an inward-facing interior surface;
- including
- retaining means for removably retaining said tray in said frame by engaging said perimeter of said tray top such that said perimeter cannot move upward or downward and such that said tray top is maintained planar and the longitudinal axes of said wells are maintained parallel;
- said retaining means comprising a plurality of barbs spaced apart on said interior surface of said frame wall.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.