Patent ID: 7857575
Filing Date: 2010-12-28
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A stacker adapted for storing a plurality of microplates in an about −80° C. environment, the stacker comprising a housing and a gate for loading a microplate into and removing a microplate from the housing, respectively, the microplates each having a top surface side and a bottom surface side opposed to the top surface side, the stacker being adapted to accommodate the plurality of microplates inside the housing in a stack such that adjacent microplates abut with their top and bottom surfaces, respectively, wherein the housing comprises four essentially perpendicularly arranged side walls completely surrounding the interior of the housing, a top longitudinal end closed by a cover and an open bottom longitudinal end where the gate is arranged, each of the side walls having a contoured section slightly extending into the interior of the housing for adjoining each microplate accommodated in the housing, and wherein the gate has holding means for holding the plurality of microplates inside the housing and for releasing them from the housing, the holding means including two angled, flat spring like sheets each having a mounting portion attached to one of two opposing side walls and a retention portion forming an acute angle with the mounting portion, said spring like sheets being mounted with their mounting portions to two opposing side walls of the housing, whereby in a closed state of the stacker said retention portions protrude over a border of said bottom longitudinal end into the interior of said housing and provide a rest for the microplates accommodated in the housing, said mounting portions being resiliently bendable partly away from the side walls such that the retention portions are moved sidewardly clear of said bottom longitudinal end of the housing thereby bringing the stacker into an open state in which a microplate can be discharged out of or loaded into the housing via said bottom longitudinal end, the mounting portions of the spring like sheets being relaxed when the stacker is in its closed state and being tensioned when the stacker is in its open state.