Sample tube racks having retention bars

• US 9,144,801 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Brett W., Pawlak, Kenneth E., Pawlak, Bryan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander, Lyle
• Assistant Examiner(s): KILPATRICK, BRYAN T
• Application Number:
  US12/872,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20120051987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 422/65, 422/562, 422/560, 422/561
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/021 Identification, e.g. bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/022 Transponder chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders

Abstract

Sample tube racks having retention bars to retain sample tubes in the racks during processing of the contents of the sample tubes are described. An example rack for holding sample tubes includes a sample tube carrier having an elongated body and walls defining apertures. Each of the apertures is configured to receive a respective one of the sample tubes. The walls define elongated openings, each of which corresponds to a respective one of the sample tubes and extends along at least a portion of a length of the respective sample tube, and the elongated openings enable viewing of information on the outer surfaces of the sample tubes. The example rack also includes an elongated retention bar to be pivotally coupled to one end of the sample tube carrier. The retention bar has openings, each of which is positioned over a respective one of the apertures, and the openings are dimensioned to prevent removal of the sample tubes from the sample tube carrier through the retention bar.

Claims

1. A rack for holding sample tubes, comprising:

a sample tube carrier having an elongated body and walls defining apertures, each of the apertures configured to receive a respective one of the sample tubes, wherein the walls define elongated openings, each of which corresponds to a respective one of the sample tubes and extends along at least a portion of a length of the respective sample tube, the elongated openings to enable viewing of information on outer surfaces of the sample tubes;

an elongated retention bar to be coupled to the sample tube carrier, the retention bar having a first end that includes a leg protruding downward toward the sample tube carrier when the retention bar is coupled to the sample tube carrier, the leg to be pivotally latched to one end of the sample tube carrier, the retention bar to couple to the sample tube carrier by rotating a second end of the retention bar relative to the first end while the first end is pivotally captured by the sample tube carrier via the leg, the retention bar having openings, each of which is positioned over a respective one of the apertures, wherein the openings are dimensioned to prevent removal of the sample tubes from the sample tube carrier through the retention bar; and

further comprising a guide rail to interface with a machine.

2. The rack of claim 1, wherein the retention bar is removably coupled to the sample tube carrier.

3. The rack of claim 2, wherein the retention bar has lateral portions extending downwardly from a top portion of the retention bar to cover at least a top portion of the each of the sample tubes.

4. The rack of claim 3, wherein the lateral portions comprise flanges to reduce contamination due to material escaping from one or more of the sample tubes.

5. The rack of claim 1, wherein each of the openings has a stepped profile to reduce contamination due to material escaping from one or more of the sample tubes.

6. The rack of claim 5, wherein the stepped profile comprises at least two different apertures such that at least one of the apertures is adjacent to a surface of the retention bar and has an aperture size that is relatively larger than another one of the apertures, wherein at least one of the two different apertures is to receive a portion of a sample tube.

7. The rack of claim 6, wherein the at least two different apertures enable passage of a pipette through a top portion of the retention bar.

8. The rack of claim 1, wherein the retention bar further comprises a visual indicator to provide a visual indication of whether the retention bar is properly engaged to the sample tube carrier.

9. The rack of claim 8, wherein the visual indicator provides the visual indication based on at least one of an orientation or position of the retention bar relative to the sample tube carrier or an amount of a top portion of one or more sample tubes that is visible when the retention bar is coupled to the sample tube carrier.

10. The rack of claim 1, wherein the leg includes an opening to receive a protrusion of the sample tube carrier to pivotally couple the retention bar to the sample tube carrier.

11. The rack of claim 10, wherein the retention bar is substantially prevented from sliding relative to the sample tube carrier when the retention bar is pivoted into engagement with the sample tube carrier.

12. The rack of claim 1, wherein the leg includes a slot to receive information associated with at least one of the rack or the sample tubes.

13. The rack of claim 12, wherein the slot is to receive a tag including the information.

14. The rack of claim 1, further comprising a latch opposite the leg to hold the retention bar in engagement with the sample tube carrier.

15. The rack of claim 14, wherein the latch is mounted to the sample tube carrier and is to engage an opening in the retention bar to hold the retention bar in engagement with the sample tube carrier.

16. The rack of claim 14, wherein the latch is biased toward a locked condition.

17. The rack of claim 14, further comprising a grip extending from the sample tube carrier to enable one-hand operation of the latch.

18. The rack of claim 1, further comprising a guide on one of the sample tube carrier or the retention bar and a guide-receiving aperture on the other one of the sample tube carrier or the retention bar, wherein the guide and the guide-receiving aperture are configured to align the sample tube carrier and the retention bar when the retention bar is in a locked engagement with the sample tube carrier.

19. The rack of claim 1 wherein the guide rail is to enable movement of the rack through the machine.

20. The rack of claim 1, wherein the guide rail is removably coupled to a bottom of the sample tube carrier.

21. The rack of claim 1, wherein the guide rail includes apertures to permit passage of liquid through a bottom of the rack.

22. The rack of claim 1, wherein the guide rail is composed of a metal and the sample tube carrier and the retention bar are composed of plastic.

29. The rack of claim 10, wherein the protrusion projects upwardly toward to the retention bar.

30. The rack of claim 1, wherein the retention bar and the leg define an L-shaped profile.

23. A rack for holding sample tubes, comprising:

a tube holder to hold the sample tubes in a substantially vertical orientation;

a retention cover to pivotally engage the tube holder at one end and to lock against the tube holder at another end, the retention cover having flanges to cover at least a portion of a top of each sample tube, the retention cover having openings, each of the openings has a stepped profile having at least two different apertures such that at least one of the apertures has an aperture size that is relatively larger than another one of the apertures, at least one of the apertures is to receive a portion of a sample tube; and

a rail to engage a machine in which the rack is to be disposed to process contents of the sample tubes.

24. The rack of claim 23, further comprising a lock at the other end and having a button and a finger grip to enable one-handed operation of the lock.

25. The rack of claim 23, wherein each of the openings corresponds to a location of the tube holder at which one of the sample tubes is to be loaded, the openings being dimensioned to permit passage of a pipette through the retention cover and to reduce contamination due to material escaping from one or more of the sample tubes.

26. A rack for holding sample tubes, comprising:

means for holding the sample tubes in a substantially vertical orientation;

means for covering at least a portion of a top of each sample tube, the means for covering and the means for holding having means for pivotally attaching the means for covering and the means for holding, the means for pivotally attaching having a leg extending in a direction toward one of the means for holding or the means for covering and is to engage a protrusion on the other one of the means for holding or the means for covering, the leg having means for engaging the protrusion, the means for covering to couple to the means for holding by rotating a first end of the means for covering relative to a second end while the second end is pivotally captured by the means for pivotally attaching; and

means for guiding the means for holding in a machine in which the means for holding is to be disposed to process contents of the sample tubes.

27. The rack of claim 26, wherein the means for covering further comprises means for permitting passage of a pipette through the means for covering and means for reducing contamination caused by material escaping from one or more of the sample tubes.

28. The rack of claim 27, wherein the means for permitting passage of a pipette comprises a dimension having at least two different cross-sectional areas.

31. The rack of claim 26, wherein the means for holding and the means for covering define a means for locking to restrict pivotal movement of the means for covering relative to the means for holding when the means for covering and the means for holding are in a closed position.

32. The rack of claim 31, wherein the means for locking comprises means for enabling one-handed operation of the means for locking.