A specimen rack for specimen containers such as test tubes composed of M structurally identical holders for linearly receiving N specimen containers at a time as well as a stand for receiving the M holders, which stand has vertical side parts, so that a plurality of holders can be mounted on the stand parallel to one another and affixed there by means of a detent connection. With this modularly designed specimen rack, the stand enables secure holding of multiple containers, while contrarily the holders, in which the specimen containers can remain during all the stages of the procedure, may be an inexpensive disposable plastic part the purpose of which is merely the linear, spatial association of a number of specimen containers, and which after the measurement is ended can optionally be discarded along with the specimen containers. Because of the minimal design of such a holder, any disposal problems are also slight. The specimen containers can be inserted into the holders at the outset and remain there, so that tedious shifting operations, which could cause mistakes and mixups, are reliably avoided during the detection process. This is particularly significant in performing immunoassay measurements.
A pipette tip storage and dispensing system has a series of pipette tip holder cards each of which has a plurality of openings for holding a set of pipette tips extending partway through the openings in an upright orientation. The openings in each card match those in the other cards, and cards loaded with pipette tips can be stacked vertically with the pipette tips in one card extending into the open upper ends of the tips in the next adjacent card of the stack, to minimize storage space. An alignment device is arranged to hold the pipette tips in a card in a vertical orientation as the card is removed from the top of the stack and transferred to a pipette tip holder tray so that the pipette tips can be lowered into aligned openings in the holder tray with the card resting on the top wall of the tray.
A compound handling system handles a multiplicity of chemical or biological compounds or samples, and is especially adapted for high throughput screening of compounds that are stored and handled in aliquotted form. Aliquots are contained in individual containers and the containers are arranged in racks having holding spaces open at opposite ends. Insertion and removal of the containers is effected in either direction of movement, and each container may be sealed with foil to protect its integrity.
A magnetic capture rack is disclosed for holding a plurality of tubes, the magnetic capture rack including a primary housing member having a stepped upper surface, a substantially planar base surface, and a longitudinal bore formed in the primary housing. The longitudinal bore is open at least at one end thereof, and a plurality of linearly arranged wells are formed in the stepped upper surface of the housing on opposing sides of the longitudinal bore and along substantially an entire length of the primary housing. A slidable magnetic member is provided which conforms in outer surface shape to an inner surface shape of the longitudinal bore, the magnetic member being selectively slidable into and out of the longitudinal bore.
The pipette tip packaging and transfer system comprises a plurality of receiving plates and a transfer member. Each receiving plate includes a plurality of openings for receiving pipette tips in a substantially vertical alignment at a medial position thereof. The loaded receiving plates can be stacked one atop of another with the pipette tips contained within a first receiving plate being received in the top openings of the aligned pipette tips contained within the underlying receiving plate of the stack. The transfer member has a plurality of projections extending from the bottom surface of the transfer member at positions that correspond to the location of the openings of the receiving plate. The projections are configured and arranged to extend into the top openings of the pipette tips on the upper-most receiving plate and maintain the pipette tips in a fixed and substantially perpendicular alignment in relation to the transfer member and receiving plate. The pipette tip packaging and transfer system can further include a container or box which is sized to receive and securely hold the pipette tip packaging and transfer assembly.
The three dimensional shaker consists of a base box with shaking platform, magnetic holders for liquid containers, and a mounted temperature control chamber. The three dimensional rocking movement of the platform can mix and blend liquids thoroughly and rapidly. The strong magnetic holders and temperature-control chamber broadly extend the application of the new shaker in the fields of biology and chemistry. It is suitable for staining, cell culture, extraction, hybridization and particularly for propagation of microorganisms. It can be used for other general blending purposes such as mixing oil and water into emulsified fuel. Furthermore, the unique magnetic holders are able to provide much more convenience and flexibility to change liquid containers of different shapes (round, rectangular) and different sizes compared with conventional clamps or spring holders. Lastly, the removable mounted chamber makes the shaking platform easily adapted to other requirements such as putting inside a CO.sub.2 incubator.
