Method and device for racking and sealing containers
First Claim
1. Rack for holding and sealing a plurality of containers having orifices, the rack comprising in combination:
- a. mounting means for supporting and indexing a plurality of containers in predetermined substantially horizontally spaced relationship;
b. a lid opposite the mounting means at least one rigid surface of which is broken with apertures, each aperture capable of receiving at least one of the orifices;
c. a flexible sheet for sealing the container orifices, said sheet disposed between the mounting means and the lid apertures; and
d. a spacing means for spacing the lid and mounting means at a distance predetermined to permit the orifices to penetrate the apertures without abutting the lid, and for removably fixing the sealing sheet between the lid apertures and the mounting means.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rack assembly comprising mounting means for containers, e.g., test tubes, a lid spaced from said mounting means which cooperates with orifices in the containers, a flexible sealing sheet for sealing the orifices interposed between the lid and mounting means, and means for spacing the lid from the mounting means and for gripping the sealing sheet. Containers are inserted in the mounting means. The sheet is then placed over the containers, and the lid in turn placed over the sheet so that the sheet seals the container orifices as the containers are maintained in substantially fixed position by the mounting means. By agitating the rack assembly the containers held therein are also shaken. The rack assembly is easily re-used by stripping off and discarding the sealing sheet.
52 Citations
22 Claims
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1. Rack for holding and sealing a plurality of containers having orifices, the rack comprising in combination:
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a. mounting means for supporting and indexing a plurality of containers in predetermined substantially horizontally spaced relationship; b. a lid opposite the mounting means at least one rigid surface of which is broken with apertures, each aperture capable of receiving at least one of the orifices; c. a flexible sheet for sealing the container orifices, said sheet disposed between the mounting means and the lid apertures; and d. a spacing means for spacing the lid and mounting means at a distance predetermined to permit the orifices to penetrate the apertures without abutting the lid, and for removably fixing the sealing sheet between the lid apertures and the mounting means.
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2. A rack for holding and sealing a plurality of containers each having a protrusion which includes an orifice, the rack comprising in combination:
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a. a base supporting the containers and preventing the passage of containers therethrough; b. an indexing means communicating with said base for maintaining the containers in predetermined lateral relationship; c. a lid having at least one rigid surface broken with apertures, each aperture capable of receiving at least one of said protrusions; d. a flexible sheet for sealing the container orifices, said sheet disposed between the indexing means and lid; and e. spacing means communicating with the lid, base and indexing means for i. orienting the lid apertures so that the apertures receive at least a portion of the container protrusion, and ii. clamping the flexible sheet to the perimeter of the rigid surface of the lid so that the sheet is rigidly clamped in place until becoming freely removable from the lid upon disengagement of the lid and spacing means. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A rack for holding and sealing a plurality of test tubes, the rack comprising in combination:
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a. a base having a pattern of dish-shaped depressions on its upper surface; b. at least one indexing plate above the upper surface of the base having a pattern of holes corresponding to the pattern in the upper surface of said base, each hole for holding a test tube upright; c. a lid opposite said at least one indexing plate and having one rigid surface broken with substantially square apertures in the same pattern as the holes in said at least one indexing plate; d. a flexible sheet for sealing the test tubes, said sheet disposed between said at least one indexing plate and the lid; and e. a plurality of posts having shoulders of incrementally decreasing diameter joining the perimeters of said base, said at least one indexing plate, said lid and said flexible sheet, for 1. spacing the base, the indexing plate and the lid; and 2. clamping the flexible sheet only between the upper post shoulders and the perimeter of the lid so that the sheet is freely removable upon disengagement of the lid and posts. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. The process for simultaneously sealing a plurality of containers, each of which includes an orifice, comprising,
a. placing a plurality of containers in a mounting means for supporting and indexing the containers; -
b. placing a flexible sealing sheet over the container orifices; c. placing a lid having rigidly-defined apertures over said containers so that the apertures correspond to the container orifices; d. forcing the lid down upon the containers to first rigidly clamp the sheet in place and then to stretch the sheet over the orifices as the orifices enter the apertures. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification