Disposable vessels or tips having ultra-thin areas therein, and methods for manufacture of same
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a disposable vessel or tip product, having a thin area with a thickness of less than 100 microns, said area present in at least one portion of said vessel or tip product, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a mold shaped to form the image of the walls of said product;
said mold including a pin component being the negative of the interior of said vessel or tip product;
said mold further including a first opening for allowing introduction of molten polymer and a second opening for formation of a thin area of said vessel or tip product;
b) placing a thin film of polymeric material having a thickness of less than 100 microns, in contact with said second opening of said mold, for forming the thin area of said vessel or tip product;
c) introducing molten polymer into said mold;
d) allowing sufficient time for cooling of said polymer and for fusing of said polymer and thin film to an integral product;
e) optionally, removing said pin component;
f) optionally, cutting excess film projecting from the outside of said vessel or tip product;
g) removing said mold to obtain a vessel or tip product having a thin area therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention discloses disposable polymeric vessels or tip products, having a thin area upon at least a portion of the vessel or tip, for use in medical and scientific laboratories. The thin area has a thickness of less than 100 microns. Examples of such products are test-tubes, microtubes and multiwell plates. The thin area is transparent, and is advantageous for performance of optical assays, and in performance of attraction and transfer of magnetic particles. Methods for manufacturing the polymeric vessel and tip products are disclosed.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a disposable vessel or tip product, having a thin area with a thickness of less than 100 microns, said area present in at least one portion of said vessel or tip product, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a mold shaped to form the image of the walls of said product;
said mold including a pin component being the negative of the interior of said vessel or tip product;
said mold further including a first opening for allowing introduction of molten polymer and a second opening for formation of a thin area of said vessel or tip product;
b) placing a thin film of polymeric material having a thickness of less than 100 microns, in contact with said second opening of said mold, for forming the thin area of said vessel or tip product;
c) introducing molten polymer into said mold;
d) allowing sufficient time for cooling of said polymer and for fusing of said polymer and thin film to an integral product;
e) optionally, removing said pin component;
f) optionally, cutting excess film projecting from the outside of said vessel or tip product;
g) removing said mold to obtain a vessel or tip product having a thin area therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of manufacturing a disposable vessel or tip product, having a thin area with a thickness of less than 100 microns, said area present in at least one portion of said vessel or tip product, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a mold shaped to form the image of the walls of said product;
said mold including a pin being the negative of the interior of said vessel or tip product;
b) introducing molten polymer into said mold;
c) compressing a portion of said molten polymer using said pin, to obtain a thin area on said vessel or tip product at the site of said compression;
d) cooling said polymer;
e) removing said mold to obtain said vessel or tip product. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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- 15. A disposable polymeric vessel or tip product for use in a laboratory, having a thin area with a thickness of less than 100 microns, said area present on at least one portion of said vessel or tip product.
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31. The multiwell plate of clam 28, wherein in at least a portion of the wells, the lower peripheries of the bottom walls of adjacent wells are joined together.
Specification