Microplate assembly and closure

• US 6,106,783 A
• Filed: 06/30/1998
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Wheaton Industries Inc. (DURAN Group Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: MicroLiter Analytical Supplies, Inc. (DURAN Group Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Gamble, Kimberly R.
• Primary Examiner(s): WARDEN, JILL ALICE
• Application Number:
  US09/108,339
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 422/99, 422/100, 422/101, 422/102
• US Class Current: 422/553
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50825 Closing or opening means, corks, bungs closures for containers B65D; means for removing stoppers B67B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids

Abstract

A microplate assembly with closure comprises a microplate base 101 having a geometric array of wells 103. Vials 113 of borosilicate glass inserted into the wells comprise flanges on the top portion of the vials. Closure 117 comprises an array of caps 119 having a complementary geometric pattern to the wells of the microplate base. The caps each comprise a septum and are connected by a thin membrane 121. Each cap comprises a sidewall 403 having a vial engagement ring which snaps over the flange 115 of the vials. Septum openings 135 in the caps extend through the top of the caps and provide a means to fill and evacuate the vials with a penetration device passing through the septa of the caps of the closure.

Claims

1. A microplate assembly with closure comprising:

a microplate base comprising a plurality of sample containable wells arranged in a geometric pattern;

a plurality of glass vials comprising dimensions providing a predetermined fit in said plurality of sample containable wells in the microplate base, each of said plurality of glass vials comprising a vial opening, a flange, and a closed vial bottom;

a closure comprising a plurality of caps attached to a membrane, said plurality of caps arranged in the geometric pattern of said plurality of sample containable wells in the microplate base, each of said plurality of caps comprising a bottom cap opening, a top septum opening, a sidewall engageable to an outside surface of said each of said plurality of glass vials, the sidewall of each of said plurality of caps comprising a vial engagement ring on an inside surface of said sidewall for engaging the flange of each of said plurality of glass vials, and a septum between the top septum opening and the bottom cap opening.

2. The microplate assembly with closure of claim 1 wherein the microplate base is a 96 well base arranged in a twelve by eight array on nine millimeter centers.

3. The microplate assembly with closure of claim 1 wherein said plurality of glass vials are made of borosilicate glass.

4. A closure for a plurality of glass vials dimensioned for insertion into a plurality of sample containable wells of a microplate, the closure comprising:

a plurality of caps attached to a membrane, said plurality of caps arranged in the geometric pattern of said plurality of sample containable wells;

each of said plurality of caps comprising a cylindrically shaped sidewall, the sidewall comprising a bottom cap opening and comprising a vial engagement ring on the inner diameter of the sidewall, the vial engagement ring comprising a ring inner diameter sufficient to fit over and engage an outer diameter of each of said plurality of glass vials, a top septum opening, and a septum between the bottom cap opening and the top septum.

5. The closure of claim 4 wherein the sidewall of said each of said plurality of caps comprises a flange engagement ring on the inner diameter of the sidewall for engaging a flange on said each of said plurality of glass vials.

6. The closure of claim 4 wherein the septum of each of said plurality of caps comprises a resealable portion for sealing the top septum opening and a barrier portion for sealing the resealable portion from each of said plurality of vials.

7. The closure of claim 6 wherein the barrier portion is PTFE.

8. The closure of claim 6 wherein the resealable portion comprises silicone.

9. A microplate assembly with closure comprising:

a microplate base comprising a plurality of sample containable wells arranged in a geometric pattern;

at least one glass vial of dimensions providing a predetermined fit in said plurality of sample containable wells in the microplate base, said at least one glass vial comprising a vial top opening, a vial top flange comprising a top sealing surface, and a closed vial bottom; and

at least one snap cap insertable onto said at least one glass vial, said at least one snap cap comprising a top, a sidewall comprising a flange engagement element, and a septum comprising an upper resealable portion and a lower barrier portion, the septum disposed between the top and the flange engagement element;

whereby the barrier portion seals the top sealing surface of the glass vial when the flange engagement element engages the vial flange.

10. The microplate assembly with closure of claim 9 wherein the microplate base is a 96 well base arranged in a twelve by eight array on nine millimeter centers.

11. The microplate assembly with closure of claim 9 wherein said at least one glass vial is made of borosilicate glass.

12. A sample vial and cap assembly for insertion in a sample containable well of a microplate base, the sample vial and cap assembly comprising:

a glass vial of dimensions providing a predetermined fit in said sample containable well in the microplate base, the glass vial comprising a vial top opening, a vial top flange comprising a top sealing surface, and a closed vial bottom; and

a snap cap insertable onto said glass vial, the snap cap comprising a top, a sidewall comprising a flange engagement element, and a septum comprising an upper resealable portion and a lower barrier portion, the septum disposed between the top and the flange engagement element;

whereby the barrier portion seals the top sealing surface of the glass vial when the flange engagement element engages the vial flange.

13. The sample vial and cap assembly of claim 12 wherein the flange engagement element is disposed on the sidewall wherein the resealable portion of the septum is compressed to seal the barrier portion of the septum to the top sealing surface of the top flange of the vial when the flange engagement element is engaged to the top flange of the vial.

14. The sample vial and cap assembly of claim 13 wherein the flange engagement element is a flange engagement ring disposed on an inside surface of the sidewall and the flange engagement ring is made of a resilient material.