U.S. patent number 3,853,217 [Application Number 05/279,259] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-10 for pipette tip package.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Medical Laboratory Automation, Inc.. Invention is credited to Jules Barry Cohen, Emil A. Scordato.
United States Patent |
3,853,217 |
Scordato , et al. |
December 10, 1974 |
PIPETTE TIP PACKAGE
Abstract
A package of disposable pipette tips in which tapered pipette
tips are supported on trays by projecting through apertures
provided in the tray and in which the trays have sidewalls that
extend downwardly from the tip supporting surface of the tray a
distance greater than the distance the pipette tips project through
the supporting surface. The sidewalls of the trays may be
configured such that the bottom edge of the sidewall of a tray is
supported by a shoulder formed in the sidewall of a tray on which
the first tray is stacked. When the trays are thus stacked, the
pipette tips on one tray project into the pipette tips on the tray
below.
Inventors: |
Scordato; Emil A. (Bronxville,
NY), Cohen; Jules Barry (Brooklyn, NY) |
Assignee: |
Medical Laboratory Automation,
Inc. (Mt. Vernon, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
23068257 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/279,259 |
Filed: |
August 9, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/223; 422/933;
29/282; 206/486; 206/499; 206/503; 206/557; 206/562 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01L
9/543 (20130101); B65D 71/70 (20130101); Y10T
29/53987 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
B01L
9/00 (20060101); B65D 71/00 (20060101); B65D
71/70 (20060101); B65d 085/30 (); B65d
021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;206/65K,65A,72,47R,223,486,503 ;225/93 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
269,367 |
|
Oct 1950 |
|
CH |
|
1,129,884 |
|
May 1962 |
|
DT |
|
1,475,924 |
|
Feb 1967 |
|
FR |
|
1,152,305 |
|
Sep 1957 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Summer; Leonard
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Keegan; William P.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A package of pipette tips comprising a first tray having a
planar tip supporting surface provided with a plurality of
apertures through which pipette tips can project, a first group of
tapered pipette tips projecting through the apertures of the tip
supporting surface of said first tray, each of said tips having
abutment means on the outside periphery of the tip for supporting
the tip on the tip supporting surface of said first tray so that
the lower part of said tip projects loosely through an aperture
thereof, a second tray having a planar tip supporting surface
provided with a plurality of apertures through which pipette tips
can project, each of said trays being provided with walls depending
from the tip supporting surface of the tray a distance at least
equal to the length of that portion of a pipette tip projecting
through the tip supporting surface of the tray, each of said
depending walls being provided with a shoulder below which the wall
lies in a substantially vertical plane and above which the wall is
inclined inwardly towards the tip supporting surface of the tray,
said second tray being supported by the shoulders provided on the
walls of said first tray, and a second group of tapered pipette
tips projecting through the apertures of the tip supporting surface
of said second tray, each of said tips having abutment means on the
outside periphery of the tip for supporting the tip on the tip
supporting surface of said second tray so that the lower part of
said tip projects loosely through an aperture thereof, the position
of the abutment means on said second group of pipette tips and the
taper and the thickness of the wall of the pipette tips included in
said first and said second groups of pipette tips being such that
when said second tray of pipette tips is supported on said first
tray of pipette tips the pipette tips supported by said second tray
nest loosely in the pipette tips supported by said first tray.
2. A package of pipette tips according to claim 1 including a cover
for covering the pipette tips supported on the uppermost tray in a
stack of trays of pipette tips, said cover resting on the shoulders
provided on the walls of the uppermost tray.
3. A package of pipette tips according to claim 1 wherein the
bottom edges of two opposite side walls are provided with notches,
and including an adhesive strip securing a stack of trays of
pipette tips together as a unit, said adhesive strip being adhered
to the vertical portions of the walls of the trays and aligned with
the notches provided in said walls.
4. A package of pipette tips according to claim 3 including a cover
for covering the pipette tips supported on the uppermost tray in a
stack of trays of pipette tips, said cover resting on the shoulders
provided on the uppermost tray and being secured to the stack of
trays of pipette tips by the adhesive strip.
5. A package of pipette tips according to claim 2 including carton
means in which said trays and pipette tips are stacked.
6. A package of pipette tips according to claim 5 including an
adhesive strip securing a stack of trays of pipette tips and a
cover together as a unit.
7. A package of pipette tips according to claim 5 including a
plurality of sleeves into which trays of pipette tips separated
from the stack of trays can be placed.
8. A package of pipette tips according to claim 5 wherein said
carton means is provided with an opening and including a de-tipping
member mounted in said opening.
9. A package of pipette tips according to claim 8 wherein the
carton means is provided with a pair of slits adjacent the opening
in the carton means and wherein said de-tipping member is mounted
on said carton means by being slipped into said slits.
Description
This invention relates to disposable tips for pipettes and to
packaging means for such tips.
With the introduction of disposable items in the medical equipment
supply field there has come a need for convenience packages for
such items. By convenience, it is meant that an appropriate number
(depending on the item and its rate of use) of items must be
package in a compact volume, the items must be readily accessible
to the technician or other person using the item, the item
preferably is to be put in use without the necessity of a
technician handling the item, particularly if the item is to
contact biological fluids or the like, and if possible the original
package is to serve as a receptacle for the disposable item after
its use.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a
package for disposable pipette tips which has the foregoing
convenience features.
In carrying out the invention, there is provided a disposable
pipette tip having a plurality of circumferentially spaced
supporting ribs that support the tips as they are stacked one
inside another so that they do not wedge together, preferably
without the walls of one tip contacting the interior of the tip
into which it is stacked. The tips are placed in apertured trays
such that the tips project through the tray but are supported
thereon by their supporting ribs. The trays are provided with
depending walls that support the tray above a surface a distance
that slightly exceeds the length of the portion of the pipette tip
projecting downwardly through the tray. The tray walls are sloped
and provided with a peripheral shoulder so that the trays may be
stacked. When the trays are stacked one above another, each tray is
supported by the shoulder of the wall of the tray below and the
downwardly projecting portion of a pipette tip in one tray nests
freely within the pipette tip stored in the tray next below. One or
more stacks of pipette tip loaded trays may be placed in a carton
for shipment and distribution. A tip removing member is provided
for removing a tip from a pipette after it has been used and for
depositing it in the original carton from which the stacked tip
trays have been removed.
Features and advantages of the invention may be gained from the
foregoing and from the description of a preferred embodiment of the
invention which follows.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disposable pipette tip;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the pipette tip tray;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the pipette tip trays;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged segmental detail view partly in section
showing especially how the disposable tips nest one inside
another;
FIG. 6 is an isometric exploded view showing a stack of pipette tip
trays and the carton in which the trays are packed;
FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a cover for a stack of tip
trays;
FIG. 8 is an isometric exploded view showing a sleeve that may be
used with an individual pipette tip tray;
FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the tip remover member; and a
segment of the tray carton;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the tip remover
member in place in the tray carton; and
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side view of the carton showing the tip
remover member in place.
Reference is now made to the drawings wherein FIG. 1 shows a
pipette tip 10 of the disposable type which is wedge-fitted onto a
manually operated pipette and into which a biological fluid is
drawn. The tips are conically shaped and are provided with external
ribs 11 that serve to support the tips in their packaging trays.
The general configuration of the tips is well known in the art to
which they pertain.
FIGS. 2 to 4 show in various views a tray 12 in which the
disposable pipette tips are stored. The tray is of generally
rectangular outline when viewed in plan and is seen to have side
walls 13 and end walls 14 each of which comprises a lower vertical
segment 15 and an upper tapered segment 16. Each sidewall is
provided with a notch 18, the purpose of which will be made clear
hereinafter. Below the top edge of the tray walls is a tip
supporting surface 17 which is provided with a plurality of
apertures through which tips 10 project. The centers of the
apertures are shown by crosses in FIG. 3 and several apertures 20
are illustrated. The apertures are sized so that the tapered
pipette tips will project through the apertures and be supported on
surface 17 by the ribs 11 provided on the tips; the sidewalls of
the tips will not contact the aperture sides so there is no
possibility of the pipette tips becoming wedged in the apertures.
Thus, the pipette tips will always be freely removable from the
tray by the laboratory technician using the same. Also, it will be
observed that the apertures are arranged in a substantially
60.degree. honey comb pattern for maximum packing density. It will
be observed (FIG. 4) that tray 12 will be self standing and the
ends of the tips therein will be held out of contact with a
supporting surface.
A plurality of strengthening ribs 21 extend from sidewall to
sidewall of tray 12 to give rigidity to the tray which preferably
is molded of a suitable plastic material.
The wall configuration of tray 12 is explained with reference to
FIG. 5 which illustrates how the trays can be stacked one above
another even when loaded with pipette tips. The lower segments 15
and the upper segments 16 of the tray walls, and the pipette tips
10 with their supporting ribs 11 are dimensioned such that when the
trays with tips are stacked as shown, the tips in one tray will
nest into the tips placed in the tray below, preferably with the
outside surface of the upper tips not contacting the inside surface
of the lower tips. The trays are supported one on another by
vertical segment 15 of one tray nesting on the shoulder 22 formed
where the tapered upper segment 16 of the lower tray is connected
to the vertical lower segment 15 of the same tray. It will be noted
that there is a small clearance between the tops of the pipette
tips in one tray and the underside of the supporting surface 17 of
the tray next above it. This is preferable to the upper trays
nesting directly on the pipette tips in the trays below although
the latter can be done by lowering the height of the vertical
segments 15 of the walls of the trays.
Attention is now directed to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 for a description of
the compact manner in which the disposable tips are packaged and
the manner in which they can be put in use directly from their
package. FIG. 6 shows a plurality of trays 12 containing pipette
tips stacked one above another (the tips in the top tray are not
shown since to do so would unnecessarily complicate the drawing)
with a cover 23 (FIG. 7) placed over the top tray. The cover rests
on shoulder 22 of the top tray. An adhesive band or tape 24 is
placed on the stack of trays and cover 23 so that it runs down one
side of the stack, across the bottom and up the other side of the
stack. In this fashion the stack of trays and cover 23 are held
together as a single unit. A cardboard insert 28 is provided to
close the bottom of the stack of trays and thus aid in keeping the
pipette tips clean. Instead of a single tape running completely
across the bottom of the stack, two separate pieces of tape can
each run down one side of the stack and just sufficiently onto
insert 28 to hold the latter in place. The notches 18 provided in
the sidewalls of trays 12 facilitate slitting tape 24 with a
fingernail or knife to permit the separation of a tray from the
stack. Alternatively, the band 24 may be perforated or otherwise
weakened (as at 25) where the lower edges of the sidewalls of the
trays rest on the shoulders 22 of the tray below so that the
adhesive band can be easily severed at that point and again enable
one tray at a time to be removed from the bottom of the stack while
leaving the remaining trays joined together as a unit.
The stack of joined trays are placed in a carton 26 which is
fabricated in the conventional way. An opening 27 is die cut in one
upper edge of the carton; this opening is shown in more detail in
FIG. 9. A pair of slits 30 is also cut in one end flap of the
carton in proximity to opening 27. The purpose of the slits and
opening 27 will be disclosed hereinafter.
When a stack of trays and pipette tips are placed in carton 26, a
detipping element 31 and a plurality of sleeve member 32, one for
each tray of pipette tips, are also packed in the carton.
De-tipping element 31 is a molded plastic piece which is of a
complex design that probably can best be understood by reference to
the drawing. This element and sleeves 32 will further be referred
to in the description of the use of the pipette tip package.
In use, disposable pipette tips are packaged as shown in FIG. 6.
For example, five trays, each containing two hundred pipette tips,
would be stacked, a cover 23 placed over the top tray and the trays
and the cover secured together by an adhesive band 25. This unit,
plus a number of sleeves 32 and a tip removing element 31 would be
placed in a carton 26 for distribution to laboratories. At a
laboratory the joined together stack of trays are removed from
carton 26, and the tip removing element 31 is inserted in the
carton as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The pipette tips will remain
clean outside of carton 26 since the walls of the trays, plus cover
24 make the stacked trays practically dust tight. When tips are to
be given to a technician, the bottom tray is removed first simply
by severing the adhesive band at the shoulder 22 of the tray and
lifting the remaining trays off the tray to be used. The tray of
pipette tips plus a sleeve 32 which can be slipped over the tray
are then given to the technician. The tips are then used by
pressing a pipette into a tip which is thus wedged onto the
pipette. The pressure applied to the pipette tip in securing it to
the pipette will not wedge the tip into the aperture of its tray
because as previously noted the tips are supported in the trays by
their external ribs 11. To remove the disposable tip from the
pipette 33, the end of the pipette is placed in the slot formed in
tip-removing element 31 with the disposable tip 10 inside carton
26. By moving the pipette downwardly, the tapered shape of element
31 wedges the tip from the pipette and permits the tip to fall into
carton 26 which now serves as a receptacle for the used tips; no
prying or wrenching motion is necessary to remove a tip, thus
eliminating the need to secure the carton with the technicians
second hand when removing a tip. It will be noted that the
disposable tips 10 are placed on pipette 33 and removed from the
pipette without the need for the technician to touch the tip. Thus
the technician will not contaminate the tip before its use, nor be
in danger of infection or illness due to touching the tip after its
use.
Having thus described my invention, it is to be understood that
many apparently different embodiments thereof can be conceived
without departing from its spirit and scope, and, therefore, it is
intended that the foregoing description and the commpanying
drawings be interpreted as illustrative rather than in a limiting
sense.
* * * * *