Rinsing tray system

• US 6,475,444 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CyBio AG (Noblex GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Cybio Instruments GmbH
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Peter, Naumann, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gordon, Brian R
• Application Number:
  US09/621,313
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 422/99, 422/100, 422/102, 422/104, 422/31, 738/63, 738/633.2, 738/64, 738/640.1, 738/641.1, 738/641.6, 738/641.7, 738/642.2, 436/180, 134/166.R, 134/168.R, 134/168.C, 134/167.C, 134/22.11, 134/23, 134/84, 134/85
• US Class Current: 422/551
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 13/02 for receptacle or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0275 Interchangeable or disposable dispensing tips
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/04 Cleaning involving contact with liquid

Abstract

A rinsing tray system for pipette tips or transfer needles, arranged in the form of a matrix and having a bottom tray and a top tray, protrusions which have through-apertures arranged perpendicular to the base of the top tray and at the same grid spacing from one another as the pipette tips or transfer needles, projecting into the interior of the top tray, wherein the bottom tray having at least one inlet in order to be continuously filled with rinsing liquid and at least one outlet being present on the top tray.

Claims

1. A rinsing tray system for pipette tips or transfer needles which are arranged in a grid spacing, the rinsing tray system comprising:

an arrangement in the form of a matrix and having a bottom tray, an intermediate tray, and a top tray;

the bottom tray having at least one inlet in order to be continuously filled with rinsing liquid;

at least one outlet being present on the top tray;

protrusions projecting into the interior of the top tray via holes arranged in a base of the top tray;

said protrusions having through-apertures orientated at the same grid spacing from one another as the pipette tips or transfer needles and said protrusions projecting into the interior of the top tray perpendicularly to said base of the top tray;

wherein the protrusions are narrow in an edge region around the through-apertures;

wherein the protrusions are formed by free end pieces of thin-walled tubes having a rim area over which the rinsing liquid emerges from the protrusions after rinsing from the bottom tray to form a rinsing motion; and

the protrusions are secured in the intermediate tray at a secured end.

2. The rinsing tray system as in claim 1, wherein the holes have a larger diameter than the external diameter of the thin-walled tubes, constituting said at least one outlet, and the intermediate tray having an end outlet in order for the rinsing liquid to be pumped out.

3. The rinsing tray system as in claim 1, wherein the tubes have an encircling chamfer at said edge region.

4. The rinsing tray system as in claim 1, wherein the protrusions form webs on the base of the top tray and the through-apertures are through-bores, in which system said edge region around the through-bores forms a plane'"'"'surface which is inclined with respect to the base of the top tray.

5. The rinsing tray system as in claim 1, wherein at least the top tray consists of a hydrophobic material or being coated with a hydrophobic material.

6. The rinsing tray system as in claim 1, wherein the grid spacing, that is, the center-to-center distance of the through-apertures, is smaller than 9 mm.

7. The rinsing tray system as in claim 6, wherein the grid spacing is 4.5 mm.

8. The rinsing tray system as in claim 6, wherein the grid spacing is 2.25 mm.

9. The rinsing tray system as in claim 6, wherein the grid spacing is 1.125 mm.