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US 8,136,679 B2Granted
Tube reload system and components
AssigneeGenesee Scientific Corporation
InventorsKenneth Charles Fry, Scott Edward Curry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a tube loading system suitable for rapidly loading, handing, manipulation and storing large numbers of tubes.
Claims40
A tube loading system, which comprises:
- a first layer of tubes in an array, wherein each tube comprises a top, a bottom and one or more walls;
- and
- a plate comprising a plate base comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, a first set of plate projections extending from the inner surface of the plate base, and a second set of plate projections extending from the outer surface of the plate base;
- a tray comprising a tray base comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, and a first set of tray projections extending from the inner surface of the tray base, wherein:
- each of the plate projections in the first set of plate projections, or portion thereof, is in effective connection with the top of each tube in the layer,
- each of the tray projections is in effective contact with the bottom of two or more tubes in the layer of tubes, and
- each tray projection in the first set of tray projections comprises one or more surfaces and a terminus opposite the tray base, the one or more surfaces taper as they extend from the tray base to the terminus, and the first set of plate projections and the first set of tray projections positions tubes of the first layer in the array.
4 more elements
A method for loading an array of tubes in a tray, which comprises:
- (a) engaging a first layer of tubes with a tray, wherein:
- each tube comprises a top, bottom and one or more walls,
- the first layer of tubes is in contact with a plate comprising a plate base having an inner surface and an outer surface, a first set of plate projections extending from the inner surface of the plate base and a second set of plate projections extending from the outer surface of the plate base,
- the tray comprises a tray base comprising an inner surface and an outer surface,
- and a first set of tray projections extending from the inner surface of the tray base,
- wherein:
- each of the plate projections in the first set of plate projections, or portion thereof, is in effective connection with the top of each tube in the layer,
- each of the tray projections is in effective contact with the bottom of two or more tubes in the layer of tubes,
- each tray projection in the first set of tray projections comprises one or more surfaces and a terminus opposite the tray base,
- the one or more surfaces taper as they extend from the tray base to the terminus,
- each plate projection of the first set is isolated from other plate projections in the first set,
- the bottom of each tube in the first layer of tubes is in contact with the tray, and
- the top of each tube is facing downwards and the tubes are between the plate and the tray;
- (b) orienting the first layer of tubes with the top of each tube facing upwards;
- and
- (c) disengaging the plate from the first layer of tubes, whereby the first layer of tubes is loaded in the tray.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.