U.S. patent application number 10/301258 was filed with the patent office on 2004-05-27 for tilting liquid storage container for either oblique or vertical entry of pipets.
Invention is credited to Perlman, Daniel.
Application Number | 20040099672 10/301258 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32324509 |
Filed Date | 2004-05-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040099672 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Perlman, Daniel |
May 27, 2004 |
TILTING LIQUID STORAGE CONTAINER FOR EITHER OBLIQUE OR VERTICAL
ENTRY OF PIPETS
Abstract
A liquid storage container that includes a body, a neck, and a
neck opening in which the center axis of the neck may be oriented
at a substantially vertical angle. The container includes a bottom
wall that supports the container in a first substantially
horizontal position and a front wall that adjoins the bottom wall
and slopes upward at an obtuse angle from this bottom wall. This
obtuse angle allows complementary angular rotation, i.e., tilting,
of the front wall of the container beyond the obtuse angle, to a
second substantially horizontal position in which the front wall
supports the container. This rotation results in the center axis of
the neck tilting from a substantially vertical angle to an oblique
angle to provide variable angles of access to liquids stored
therein using liquid transfer devices.
Inventors: |
Perlman, Daniel; (Arlington,
MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WEINGARTEN, SCHURGIN, GAGNEBIN & LEBOVICI LLP
TEN POST OFFICE SQUARE
BOSTON
MA
02109
US
|
Family ID: |
32324509 |
Appl. No.: |
10/301258 |
Filed: |
November 21, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/631 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 25/56 20130101;
B65D 2501/0081 20130101; B65D 1/0223 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/631 |
International
Class: |
B65D 025/24; B65D
090/12 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. For use with liquid transfer laboratory devices, a liquid
storage container comprising: a body having at least two side
walls, a first support wall surface and a second support wall
surface angularly disposed in relation to said first support wall
surface; said body having an upper wall surface opposite said first
support wall surface; a neck extending upwardly about an axis from
said upper wall surface and defining a neck opening; wherein said
body can be positioned in a first resting position with said first
support wall surface in a substantially horizontal plane and said
neck disposed about a substantially vertical axis, and in a second
resting position with said second support wall surface in a
substantially horizontal plane and said neck disposed about an axis
tilted from said substantially vertical axis.
2. The container of claim 1 wherein said first and second support
wall surfaces are substantially planar.
3. The container of claim 1 wherein said first and second support
wall surfaces each have substantially planar portions.
4. The container of claim 1 wherein said second support wall
surface is disposed in relation to said first support wall surface
by a predetermined angle.
5. The container of claim 1 wherein each of two side walls have
volumetric graduation markings, respectively oriented for use with
the container in each resting position.
6. The container of claim 1 wherein said neck opening, when said
container is in said first resting position, allows vertical
insertion of a liquid transfer device downward through said neck
opening into said container.
7. The container of claim 1 wherein said neck opening, when said
container is in said second resting position, allows oblique
insertion of a liquid transfer device downward through said neck
opening into said container.
8. The container of claim 1 wherein the general three-dimensional
shape of said body of said container is essentially a
parallelepiped.
9. The container of claim 8 wherein the general two-dimensional
shape of said body of said container when viewed from above is
essentially a rectangle, and when viewed from the side is
essentially a rhombus or a rhomboid.
10. The container of claim 1 wherein the inner diameter of said
neck opening is between 0.50 and 5.0 centimeters.
11. The container of claim 10 wherein said inner diameter of said
neck opening is between 1.25 and 3 centimeters.
12. The container of claim 1 wherein said neck opening is sealed by
a closure selected from the group consisting of screw cap and snap
cap closures.
13. The container of claim 1 wherein the maximum volume of liquid
that can be stored in said container is between 10 ml and 1
liter.
14. The container of claim 1 wherein said container is fabricated
from a glass material or from a thermoplastic resin material.
15. The container of claim 14 wherein said thermoplastic resin
material is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene,
polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate,
polystyrene, polyvinylchloride and tetrafluoroethylene.
16. The container of claim 14 wherein said glass material is
selected from the group consisting of flint glass, soda-lime glass,
amber glass and borosilicate glass.
17. The container of claim 6 wherein said liquid transfer device is
selected from the group consisting of pipets and pipetter tips
removably attached to pipetter instruments.
18. The container of claim 17 wherein said pipets are selected from
the group consisting of glass pipets and plastic pipets.
19. The container of claim 18 wherein said glass pipets and plastic
pipets are selected from the group consisting of serological,
volumetric, bacteriological, transfer, dropping, milk, large-tip,
long-tip, dye-industry, Pasteur, Kahn, Kolmer, Mohr, and
Ostwald-Folin pipets
20. A liquid storage container comprising a body, a neck, and a
neck opening, wherein the center axis of said neck can be oriented
at a first substantially vertical angle, and wherein said container
also comprises a bottom wall that supports said container in a
first substantially horizontal position, wherein said container
further comprises a front wall that adjoins said bottom wall and
slopes upward at an obtuse angle from said bottom wall, allowing
complementary angular rotation of said front wall beyond said
obtuse angle to a second substantially horizontal position wherein
said front wall supports said container, and wherein said rotation
has tilted said center axis of said neck from said first
substantially vertical angle to a second oblique angle.
21. The container of claim 20 wherein said obtuse angle is between
120.degree. and 150.degree. and said complementary acute vertical
angular rotation is between 60.degree. and 30.degree..
22. The container of claim 20 wherein said obtuse angle is
approximately 140 .+-.5.degree. and said complementary acute
vertical angular rotation is approximately 40.degree..+-.5.degree.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] N/A
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] N/A
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to laboratory liquid storage
containers for use with pipets and other liquid transfer
devices.
[0004] Specialized laboratory flasks whose bodies and neck
geometries, and inner surfaces and wall materials have been adapted
for the culturing of living cells have been described in the prior
art.
[0005] Lyman in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,854 describes a laboratory
flask for cell culture that includes a wide-angled neck geometry
for improved accessibility to the corners of the flask.
[0006] Lyman et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,764 describe a cell
culture flask whose top wall includes a large opening to provide
access to the surface upon which cells are grown. The opening is
closed by a flexible transparent film sealed to the top wall, and
peelable to provide access to the interior of the flask.
[0007] Serkes et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,366 describe a cell
culture flask in which the media-immersed bottom surface includes
corrugated regions to increase the available growth surface area,
and also flat areas that allow visual and microscopic inspection of
the growing cells.
[0008] Stevens et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,583 describe a cell
culture flask that includes a neck, a portion of which is raised
above the upper surface of the flask to maximize the height between
the neck and the bottom wall of the flask. This geometry is
intended to increase the usable volume of the flask.
[0009] In addition to cell culture flasks that have been modified
in recent years, general purpose liquid storage containers used in
laboratories have also undergone changes in recent years. These
containers are now fabricated from a variety of thermoplastic
resins and glasses that each have desirable physical properties
and/or chemical resistances. Laboratory containers include narrow
and wide-mouthed bottles and flasks with short or long necks (and
jars without necks). These containers may be used for the storage
of liquids used in the laboratory such as aqueous buffers, acids
and alkalis, organic solvents, reagents, enzyme solutions, nutrient
media and the like. Liquid storage containers are described in many
different scientific catalogs [for examples see pages 149-191 in
the current Fisher Scientific Catalog 2002-2003 Edition
(Pittsburgh, Pa.)]. The geometries of storage bottles include
cylindrical, square and rectangular-shaped bottles with narrow and
wide mouth openings. Some bottles are designed with collapsible
walls to save space when empty, or may include handles and hand
grips. Most liquid storage containers have necks that extend
vertically upward from the top of the containers. This location is
considered practical since it maximizes the amount of liquid that
can be held within a container.
[0010] On the other hand, cell culture flasks (described above) are
typically incubated horizontally and have necks that extend
essentially horizontally. With this orientation, the lower interior
wall surface of the flask is covered by a thin layer of nutrient
medium. Cell culture flasks are generally coated on their interior
surface to promote cell adhesion, are costly, and are fabricated
from polystyrene that has poor resistance to organic solvents.
Thus, such flasks are not typically used for storing solvents and
reagents in the laboratory.
[0011] Applicant is unaware of any general purpose laboratory
container that has been designed so that its neck can be oriented
either vertically or an oblique angle to provide variable angles of
access to liquids stored therein using different liquid transfer
devices.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] This invention relates to the configuration and laboratory
use of a low profile liquid storage container that can be tilted
between two alternate stable resting positions. The container in
accordance with the invention employs a geometric shape, angles
formed between adjacent walls, and the positioning of the neck and
neck opening, which cooperate to allow the container to be tilted
between two different resting positions that are useful for liquid
transfer. For example, one resting position allows convenient
oblique-angled entry of a micropipetter instrument's short
disposable tip, while another position allows convenient vertical
entry of a longer cylindrical pipet.
[0013] The container is compact and allows storage where space is
limited. Preferably, milliliter volumetric graduation markings are
provided on respective side walls. One set of markings is employed
with the container in a first resting position, and the other set
of markings is employed with the container in a second resting
position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0014] The invention will be more fully described in the following
detailed description in conjunction with the drawing in which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a side view of an open container of the present
invention with the center axis of the neck oriented vertically.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a view of the opposite side of the container shown
in FIG. 1 after the container has been vertically rotated through
an acute angle to a second, i.e., alternate, stable resting
position;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a top view of the open container shown in FIG. 1;
and
[0018] FIG. 4 is a front view of the open container shown in FIG.
2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] Definitions. As used in this description and the
accompanying claims, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated, unless the context otherwise requires:
[0020] The term "liquid storage container" as used herein, is a
bottle, flask or other reservoir or vessel capable of holding a
liquid (e.g., either an organic solvent-based or a water-based
liquid) without leaking. Preferably, the container is transparent
or translucent for visualizing a liquid held within the container.
Occasionally, for storage of photosensitive liquids, the container
may be amber-colored or opaque. A variety of shapes and sizes may
be considered in the design of the container, and a variety of
different materials may be used for fabricating the container as
described below.
[0021] The container consists of two principal portions, namely the
body portion and the neck portion. The "body" constitutes the
principal liquid-holding portion of the container, i.e., the
reservoir, to which the neck portion is joined.
[0022] The terms "neck" and "neck opening" as used herein are their
common definitions. That is, the neck is the narrowed part of a
container running from the body of the container to the mouth,
i.e., neck opening, of the container. The neck also extends
upwardly about an axis (also termed the center axis) from the
"upper wall surface" of the body of the container. The neck and
neck opening elements of the container structure provide access to
the inside of the container for adding or removing a liquid, solid
or gaseous material. For practical reasons, the shape of the
container's neck is usually cylindrical and short, and the neck
opening is round to allow sealing of the neck opening using
commercially available round screw-cap or snap-cap closures. If a
screw cap closure is used, the neck is preferably fabricated, i.e.,
molded, with external screw threads having a standard pitch, and
the neck size is preferably selected to accommodate a standard
sized cap. For reasons of screw cap standardization, convenience of
use and cost, the externally threaded neck is usually preferred
over an internally threaded neck.
[0023] The "center axis" of the neck is the line traveling in and
out of the container along the centerline of the neck. A liquid
transfer device tends to approximately follow the center axis of
the neck when entering and leaving a container.
[0024] The container has two alternate surfaces upon which it is
designed to rest. These two surfaces (also referred to as "first
and second support wall surfaces") are angularly disposed to each
other and both located opposite, i.e., distal from, the neck
opening of the container. These two surfaces are either essentially
flat or include substantially planar outer wall surface portions
that are adequate for supporting the container. The flat surfaces
or substantially planar portions are located on the named "bottom"
wall and the named "front" wall of the container. By definition,
when the neck opening is oriented vertically upward, i.e., atop the
container, the container is resting on its "outer bottom wall
surface." Conversely, when the container is rotated, for example,
through a 40 degree complementary acute angle (180 degrees minus an
obtuse angle, e.g., 140 degrees, established between the bottom
wall surface and the front wall surface of the container), it will
rest horizontally on its former "outer front wall surface." For
this second angular orientation, in the present example, the center
axis of the neck is tilted downward to 50 degrees elevation (i.e.,
to a so-called "oblique angle" as defined herein) above the
horizontal, while the front wall surface is elevated 40 degrees
above the horizontal. These angles are more clearly illustrated in
the Figures herein.
[0025] The term "substantially planar" as used herein, means that
the wall surfaces upon which the container rests are sufficiently
flat (or possess sufficient areas that lie in the same plane) so
that the container is stable and exhibits little if any rocking
when the container is placed on a flat surface.
[0026] The term "adjoining front wall" as used herein refers to a
wall that again, is substantially planar and juxtaposed or nearly
juxtaposed (for example, it could be separated by a rounded corner)
to the outer bottom wall surface.
[0027] The term "parallelepiped" as used herein to describe the
three-dimensional general shape of the container refers to a 6faced
polyhedron all of whose faces are parallelograms lying in pairs of
parallel planes. A parallelogram is a quadrilateral with opposite
sides parallel. There are many different forms of parallelepiped.
These forms may vary from that of the simple cube to that of a
six-sided rhomboid in which pairs of opposite faces consist of
parallelograms whose angles are all oblique and whose adjacent
sides are unequal. In the present invention, a preferred shape for
the container is a parallelepiped having two pairs of rectangular
faces (top-bottom and front-rear), and only one pair of
rhombus-shaped faces (the two vertical side faces). These two side
faces are preferably nearly equilateral rhombuses with rounded
corners and angles of approximately 140.degree..+-.10.degree. and
40.degree..+-.10.degree.. In other words, when viewed from the top,
bottom, front, and back, the container has a rectangular outer
perimeter shape (ignoring the contribution of the neck). From the
two sides, the container has a rhombus or rhomboid shape. A
preferred set of rhombus angles are: obtuse angle of approximately
140.degree..+-.5.degree. and complementary acute angle of
approximately 40.degree..+-.5.degree.. With the exception of the
two faces of the container that are used as alternate horizontal
resting surfaces to support the container, the other faces of the
container need not have planar surfaces. For example, the
container's outer and/or inner surface may be curved, convex or
concave, smooth or rough, corrugated and the like.
[0028] As described herein, the "maximum volume" of liquid that can
be stored in the present container is between 10 ml and 1 liter.
This volume is not the total capacity of the container, but rather
a lesser volume held within the body of the container that causes
overflow at the neck opening when the neck of the container is
oriented at an oblique angle. The above range of volumes is meant
to span the range of common bottles and flask sizes found on
laboratory shelves, including the common sizes of clinical
centrifuge tubes (15 ml and 50 ml) currently used as "mini-storage
bottles" in laboratories.
[0029] Referring to the Figures, liquid storage container 10
(approximate length 3.6 inches, width 2.0 inches, and height 2.25
inches) designed to hold between 100 and 125 milliliters of liquid,
is typically blow-molded from virgin polypropylene, polyethylene or
polyethylene terephthalate with container body 11 that holds
liquids, threaded neck 12 and neck opening 14, that provide access
to the inside of the container by means of a liquid transfer device
such as a pipet or a pipetter instrument fitted with a disposable
tip (approximately 1-4 inches long). Referring to FIG. 1, container
10 is formed with a bottom wall 16 that includes a substantially
planar outer bottom wall surface 18, that supports the container,
an adjoining front wall 20, that includes a substantially planar
outer front wall surface 22, a rear wall 24, a top wall 26 from
which neck 12 extends upward, and two vertical side walls 28 and
30. The outer front wall surface 22, slopes upward at an obtuse
angle 32 from the bottom wall 16, and allows complementary acute
vertical angular rotation 34 beyond the obtuse angle 32 to a new
position that horizontally supports the container (see FIG. 2).
This vertical angular rotation also tilts the center axis of the
neck 12 from a vertical orientation 36 in FIG. 1 to an oblique
upward angle 38 in FIG. 2.
[0030] Preferably, milliliter volumetric graduation markings 40 and
42 (molded into the plastic or printed) are included on the side
walls 28 and 30 respectively, to facilitate estimation of liquid
volumes held within container 10. In FIG. 1, these graduation
markings 40 are oriented perpendicular to the vertically oriented
center axis 36 of the neck 12 so that any liquid meniscus will
align parallel to these markings. In FIG. 2, the center axis of
neck 12 has been tilted, i.e., rotated, approximately 40 degrees
downward from its position in FIG. 1. Therefore, graduation
markings 42 on side wall 30 must be set at an angle approximately
40 degrees upward from their orientation in FIG. 1 so that the
liquid meniscus will align parallel to these graduation markings
after the above-described tilting of the container has
occurred.
[0031] The present invention concerns a laboratory storage
container whose configuration and arrangement, i.e., size, shape,
and location of neck opening, are selected to improve physical
access, i.e., facilitate the transfer of liquids into and out of
the container. This liquid transfer is generally effected by using
either conventional cylindrical pipets or by using micropipetter
instruments ("micropipetters") such as the Pipetman.RTM.
micropipetter instruments manufactured by the Rainin Instrument
Company (Woburn, Mass.). These and many other similar devices have
become ubiquitous in laboratories. Micropipetters are generally
fitted with a short disposable liquid dispensing tip whose length
may vary between approximately one and three inches. A portion of a
cylindrical pipet 37 is illustrated in FIG. 1 for use with the
container in a first resting position with the neck opening
disposed about a vertical axis. A portion of a pipetter tip 39 is
illustrated in FIG. 2 for use with the container in a second
resting position with the neck opening tilted from the vertical
axis. It is recognized that the container in either resting
position can be used with a variety of pipets or pipetter
instruments.
[0032] The configuration of the presently invented container with
its obliquely angled neck opening is selected to minimize the
distance between the neck opening and the bottom of the container.
Minimizing this distance is important, for example, when using a
micropipetter instrument fitted with a removably attached
disposable sterile plastic dispensing tip (know as a "disposable
tip" or "tip"). Such tips range in length from approximately 1.25
to 3 or 4 inches. It is preferable that a liquid stored in a
container be accessible and removable when only the tip portion of
the micropipetter has entered the container. If the upper portion
of the micropipetter located above and proximal to the tip, and
known as the pipetter barrel (that is neither clean nor sterile) is
allowed to enter the container, contamination of the container and
its contents is very possible.
[0033] To facilitate transfer and mixing of relatively small
volumes of liquid (microliter and milliliter quantities) into and
out of a container, the low profile container of the invention
provides more convenient access to a liquid held therein. One
design parameter important for providing this convenience is
controlling, i.e., minimizing, the distance between the neck
opening of the container and the inner bottom wall surface of the
container where a quantity of liquid may be located. If a
sufficiently short distance is maintained in this design parameter,
then direct access to a liquid in the bottom of the container will
be feasible using the disposable tip (typically 1-3 inches long) of
the pipetter.
[0034] A second design parameter involves controlling the access
angle to the liquid in the container. Besides pouring liquid in and
out of a laboratory bottle, the most common means of transferring
milliliter and microliter quantities of liquids involve the use of
pipets and pipetter instruments or micropipetter instruments
(collectively termed "pipetters" or "pipetter instruments").
Traditional glass and plastic pipets are conveniently held and
operated vertically, and the liquid volumes held therein are read
and adjusted while the pipet is held vertically. Therefore, a
bottle having a vertically configured and arranged neck with a
horizontally configured neck opening is generally convenient for
use and manipulation of traditional pipets including serological,
volumetric, bacteriological, transfer, dropping, milk, large-tip,
long-tip, dye-industry, Pasteur, Kahn, Kolmer, Mohr, and
Ostwald-Folin pipets, for example. Descriptions and definitions of
these pipets as well as various others are provided in many
different scientific catalogs [for examples see pages 1047-1065 in
the current Fisher Scientific Catalog 2002-2003 Edition
(Pittsburgh, Pa.)]
[0035] On the other hand, pipetter instruments with their removably
attached short disposable tips are different in shape and in method
of use from conventional pipets. Descriptions of various
commercially available pipetter instruments, and in particular,
single-channel air displacement pipetters are provided in many
different scientific catalogs [see pages 1083-1090, for example, in
the current Fisher Scientific Catalog 2002-2003 Edition
(Pittsburgh, Pa.)]. Pipetter instruments are manually pre-set to a
desired liquid transfer volume, thereby obviating any need to view
the meniscus location, i.e., liquid level, in the device during the
transfer process. Accordingly, most laboratory workers using
pipetters prefer to hold the instrument at an oblique angle while
dispensing or withdrawing liquid from a test tube or other
container. Besides preventing muscular fatigue, the oblique angle
for holding the pipetter instrument during liquid transfer helps
prevent the possibility that a contaminating material on the barrel
of the pipetter could fall directly downward into the container,
since the barrel is angled obliquely upward and to the side of the
neck opening of the container while only the clean and/or sterile
tip that holds liquid enters the container.
[0036] Unlike a traditional bottle with a neck opening that only
extends vertically upward from the top of the container, the neck
portion of the presently invented flask can also extend obliquely
upward (laterally outward as well as upward) from one of the walls
of the container. That is, upon rotation of the container, the neck
portion rotates from the conventional vertical orientation to an
oblique angle of between approximately 40-60 degrees above the
horizontal. This neck angle facilitates manual use of pipetter
instruments by improving comfort and reducing muscular fatigue.
Furthermore, owing to the size and shape of the container, and the
location of the neck opening, the distance between the neck opening
and the bottom of the container is much less than if the neck were
located on the top wall of a traditional bottle. This proximity
allows the laboratory worker to only insert the clean disposable
tip of a pipetter instrument into the container (rather than both
the barrel and the clean tip of the pipetter) in order to retrieve
a quantity of liquid resting on the inner bottom wall of the
container. Additionally, the angled neck opening helps alleviate an
inherent problem of vertical neck openings. Vertical neck openings
can allow particulate contaminants on the barrel of a pipetter to
fall into the container.
[0037] The container differs in geometry from conventional
laboratory test tubes, centrifuge tubes, laboratory bottles and
flasks used for storing small volumes of liquid, e.g., 1.0 ml-1
liter volumes. That is, the container is distinguished by having
two faces upon which it may stand, and a width that may be
comparable to its height (hence its "low profile" description).
With the container's neck oriented vertically upward, the container
is convenient for liquid transfer using a traditional long
cylindrical pipet. On the other hand, pipetter instruments are
fitted with different sized disposable plastic dispensing tips
holding between approximately 50 ul and about 5 ml. A micropipetter
is adjusted to withdraw a pre-selected volume of liquid into the
dispensing tip. Aseptic retrieval of liquids stored in the
container is facilitated using the tip of a micropipetter. The
short distance between the container's opening and its bottom and
front walls is important because it allows a sterile disposable
micropipette tip that is removably fitted to a micropipetter
instrument to be inserted fully downward to the bottom of the
container without the non-sterile upper barrel portion of the
micropipetter instrument entering (and possibly contacting) the
sterile inner portion of container. Since conventional
micropipetter tips range in length from approximately 2 inches to
approximately 4 inches, the distance from the neck opening to the
container bottom is preferably kept to under 2 inches and in no
case greater than about 4 inches. This compares with conventional
storage of small volumes of laboratory liquids in clinical
centrifuge tubes (15 ml and 50 ml capacities) that range in length
from 4.5 to 5 inches. Such cylindrical tubes are currently used
throughout the world for storing between 2 and 50 ml of liquid. In
fact, to reach a liquid stored in the bottom of such a clinical
centrifuge tube using a micropipetter tip, it is necessary to
carefully tilt the tube (bringing liquid upward along the wall of
the tube) while simultaneously pipetting if one is to avoid
lowering the unclean micropipetter barrel down into the tube.
[0038] Thus in a first aspect, the invention features a liquid
storage container for use in the laboratory. The container includes
a body, a neck and neck opening, in which the center axis of the
neck can be oriented at a substantially vertical angle. The
container also includes a bottom wall that supports the container
in a first substantially horizontal position on a laboratory bench
or other work surface, and a front wall that adjoins the bottom
wall and slopes upward at an obtuse angle from this bottom wall.
The obtuse angle of the front wall allows complementary angular
rotation, i.e., tilting, of the front wall beyond this obtuse
angle, to a second substantially horizontal position in which this
front wall supports the container. This rotation has also tilted
the center axis of the neck from the original substantially
vertical angle to an oblique angle. The two alternate angular
orientations of the neck facilitate liquid transfer into and out of
the container using different means of liquid transfer (e.g.,
pipets versus pipetter instruments) as explained in the embodiments
below.
[0039] In a second related aspect, the invention features a liquid
storage container for use with liquid transfer laboratory devices.
The container includes a body having at least two side walls, a
first support wall surface and a second support wall surface
angularly disposed in relation to the first support wall surface.
The body has an upper wall surface opposite the first support wall
surface. A neck extends upwardly about an axis from this upper wall
surface and defines a neck opening. The body can be positioned in a
first resting position with the first support wall surface in a
substantially horizontal plane and the neck disposed about a
substantially vertical axis. Alternatively, the body can be
positioned in a second resting position with the second support
wall surface in a substantially horizontal plane and the neck
disposed about an axis tilted from a substantially vertical
orientation.
[0040] In one embodiment, the bottom wall and the front wall of the
container include substantially planar outer wall surface portions.
A flat or planar wall surface upon which the container rests,
allows the container to beneficially remain stationary and stable
on a laboratory bench or other work surface without the liquid
rocking or splashing during liquid transfer operations.
[0041] In another embodiment, the center axis of the neck of the
container is oriented at essentially a vertical angle, allowing
insertion of a liquid transfer device vertically downward through
the neck opening into the container.
[0042] In still another embodiment, the center axis of the neck of
the container is tilted to an oblique angle, allowing insertion of
a liquid transfer device obliquely downward through the neck
opening into the container. This tilting of the center axis lowers
the elevation of one side of the neck opening, improving access to
liquid in the container using short-lengthened pipetter tips that
are removably attached to pipetter instruments.
[0043] In yet another embodiment, the general three-dimensional
shape of the body of the container is essentially a parallelepiped.
The edges and corners of the container may be beneficially rounded
to facilitate manufacture and cleaning of the container as well as
facilitate access to liquids in these portions of the
container.
[0044] In a related embodiment, the general two-dimensional shape
of the body of the container when viewed from above is essentially
a rectangle, and when viewed from the side is essentially a rhombus
or a rhomboid. As above, the edges and corners of the container may
be beneficially rounded.
[0045] In another embodiment, the inner diameter of the neck
opening of the container is between 0.50 and 5.0 centimeters. This
range of neck opening dimensions allows entry of a wide range of
liquid transfer devices.
[0046] In a related embodiment, the inner diameter of the neck
opening is between 1.25 and 3 centimeters. A neck opening of
approximately 2 centimeters allows entry of many different liquid
transfer devices, ranging from small diameter transfer pipets to
much larger diameter serological pipets, e.g., 25-50 ml capacity
serological pipets.
[0047] In another embodiment, the neck opening of the container can
be sealed by a closure selected from the group consisting of screw
cap and snap cap closures. These closures are typically fabricated
by injection molding of thermoplastic resins such as polypropylene,
and are commercially available in many different diameters and
styles.
[0048] In yet another embodiment, the maximum volume of liquid that
can be stored in the presently invented container is between 10 ml
and 1 liter. The maximum volume is defined as that volume
accommodated without causing overflow of liquid when the container
is oriented with its neck extending upward at an oblique angle
(rather than the alternate vertical orientation).
[0049] In another embodiment, the obtuse angle between the outer
bottom wall surface and outer front wall surface is between
120.degree. and 150.degree.. With a complementary acute angle of
rotation [defined as 180.degree. minus (120.degree. to
150.degree.)=(60.degree. to 30.degree.)] beyond this obtuse angle,
a new or alternate horizontal resting position for the container is
established.
[0050] In a related embodiment, a preferred obtuse angle is
approximately 140.degree..+-.5.degree. and the complementary acute
vertical angular rotation is approximately
40.degree..+-.5.degree..
[0051] In another embodiment, the container is fabricated from a
glass material or from a thermoplastic resin material.
[0052] In a related embodiment, the container is fabricated from a
thermoplastic resin material selected from the group consisting of
polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate,
polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride and
tetrafluoroethylene.
[0053] In another related embodiment, the container is fabricated
from a glass material selected from the group consisting of flint
glass, soda-lime glass, amber glass and borosilicate glass.
[0054] In another embodiment, the liquid transfer device used with
the container for adding or removing a liquid is selected from the
group consisting of pipets and pipetter tips removably attached to
pipetter instruments.
[0055] In a related embodiment, the pipets are selected from the
group consisting of glass pipets and plastic pipets.
[0056] In another related embodiment, the glass pipets and plastic
pipets are selected from the group consisting of serological,
volumetric, bacteriological, transfer, dropping, milk, large-tip,
long-tip, dye-industry, Pasteur, Kahn, Kolmer, Mohr, and
Ostwald-Folin pipets
[0057] All patents and publications mentioned in the specification
are indicative of the levels of skill of those skilled in the art
to which the invention pertains. All references cited in this
disclosure are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if
each reference had been incorporated by reference in its entirety
individually.
[0058] One skilled in the art would readily appreciate that the
present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and
obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent
therein. The specific methods and compositions described herein as
presently representative of preferred embodiments are exemplary and
are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention.
Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the
art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention are
defined by the scope of the claims.
[0059] It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that
varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the
invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will
recognize that the invention may suitably be practiced using any of
a variety of sources of material, e.g., diverse plastics and
glasses, to fabricate the container, and any one of a variety of
body shapes, sizes and contours besides a flat-walled
parallelepiped container holding 100 ml of liquid for the body of
the container.
[0060] The invention illustratively described herein suitably may
be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation
or limitations which is not specifically disclosed herein. Thus,
for example, in each instance herein any of the terms "comprising,"
"consisting essentially of" and "consisting of" may be replaced
with either of the other two terms. The terms and expressions which
have been employed are used as terms of description and not of
limitation, and there is not intention that in the use of such
terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features
shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that
various modifications are possible within the scope of the
invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the
present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred
embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of
the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled
in the art, and that such modifications and variations are
considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by
the appended claims.
[0061] In addition, where features or aspects of the invention are
described in terms of Markush groups or other grouping of
alternatives, those skilled in the art will recognize that the
invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual
member or subgroup of members of the Markush group or other group.
For example, if there are alternatives A, B, and C, all of the
following possibilities are included: A separately, B separately, C
separately, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A and B and C. Thus, the
embodiments expressly include any subset or subgroup of those
alternatives, for example, any subset of the types of plastic or
glass materials used to fabricate the container. While each such
subset or subgroup could be listed separately, for the sake of
brevity, such a listing is replaced by the present description.
[0062] While certain embodiments and examples have been used to
describe the present invention, many variations are possible and
are within the spirit and scope of the invention. Such variations
will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon inspection of the
specification and claims herein. Other embodiments are within the
following claims.
* * * * *