Patent Publication Number: US-6212793-B1

Title: Apparatus and method for drying and storing laboratory containers

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to apparatus and methods for drying and storing laboratory containers such as beakers, flasks, etc. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     In laboratory applications, the introduction of contaminants onto inner surfaces of containers (e.g., beakers, flasks, etc.) during drying and storing of the containers is a problem. Contaminants include liquids and solids on countertop surfaces and particulates in the air. For example, integrated circuits being prepared for scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis are dipped in a mixture of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and water (H 2 O). A plastic beaker is typically used to hold the HF—H 2 O mixture. The beaker has a flat bottom surface and an opening in an upper portion surrounded by a lip. After use, the beaker is washed and rinsed. When the beaker is allowed to air dry by placing it right side up on a countertop surface such that the bottom rests on the surface, particulates in the surrounding air may fall into the beaker and cling to the inner surfaces. When the beaker is allowed to air dry by placing it upside down on the countertop surface such that the lip rests on the surface, liquids and solids on the surface may cling to the lip. Inverting the beaker and placing it over a vertical arm of a conventional drying rack allows substances on the surface of the arm to cling to the inner surfaces of the beaker. 
     Conventional shelves and available drying and storage racks do not significantly reduce the contamination problem. It would thus be desirable to have an apparatus and method for drying and storing laboratory containers which significantly reduce the introduction of contaminants into the containers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The problems outlined above are in large part solved by an apparatus and method for drying and storing laboratory containers which significantly reduce the introduction of contaminants into the containers. A laboratory container system in accordance with the present invention includes one or more containers and a rack for holding the containers in an inverted position. Each container has a base portion, a column portion, and a receptacle portion. The receptacle portion includes an upper portion having an opening surrounded by a lip. The column portion is connected between the base portion and a bottom portion of the receptacle portion. Each container may be one of several different types of laboratory containers, including various forms of beakers and flasks. 
     In one embodiment, the rack includes first and second flat members separated by several spacers. The spacers form channels within the rack into which the base portions of the containers are inserted. The first flat member has substantially parallel front and back surfaces, and has several slots extending from the front surface toward the back surface. Each slot has a pair of substantially parallel sides essentially forming elongated members. The sides of each slot are spaced apart to allow passage of the column portion of a container therebetween. The rack may be mounted such that the flat members are substantially horizontal. 
     A lateral (i.e., cross sectional) dimension of the base portion of each container is greater than a lateral dimension of the column portion. During use of the laboratory container system, a container is inverted, and the column portion of the container is inserted between the sides of a slot in the rack. The spacing between the sides of the slot is not sufficient to allow the base portion to pass therebetween. As a result, the base portion of the container contacts an upper portion of both sides of the slot, and the container is suspended from the rack by the base portion in an inverted position. This inverted orientation of the container significantly reduces the introduction of contaminants into the receptacle portion. 
     An apparatus for drying and storing laboratory containers in accordance with the present invention includes one or more base members, a corresponding number of means for attaching the base members to the laboratory containers (e.g., suction cups), and the rack described above for holding the base members in an inverted position. Each container may be a commercially available laboratory container, including various forms of beakers and flasks. Each container has an opening in an upper portion surrounded by a lip. A suction cup may be connected to a base member and used to removably attach the base member to a bottom surface of a container. 
     The sides of each slot of the first flat member (i.e., the elongated members) are spaced apart to allow passage of the suction cups therebetween. A lateral dimension of each base members is greater than a lateral dimension of the corresponding suction cup. During use of the apparatus, the bottom surface of a container is removably attached to a base member using the suction cup connected thereto. The container and the attached base member are inverted, and the suction cup is inserted between the sides of a slot in the rack. The spacing between the sides of the slot is not sufficient to allow the base member to pass therebetween. As a result, the base member contacts an upper portion of both sides of the slot, and the container is suspended from the rack in an inverted position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a laboratory container system in accordance with the present invention, wherein the laboratory container system includes one or more containers and a rack for holding the containers in an inverted position; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of the laboratory container system of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of an apparatus for drying and storing laboratory containers in accordance with the present invention, wherein the apparatus includes one or more base members, a corresponding number of means for attaching the base members to bottom surfaces of the laboratory containers (e.g., suction cups), and the rack of FIGS. 1 and 2 for holding the base members and attached containers in an inverted position. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to the figures, FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of a laboratory container system  10  in accordance with the present invention. Laboratory container system  10  includes one or more laboratory containers  12  and a rack  14  for holding containers  12  in an inverted position. Each container  12  includes a base portion  16 , a column portion  18 , and a receptacle portion  20 . Column portion  18  is connected between base portion  16  and a bottom portion of receptacle portion  20 . 
     Each container  12  has an opening  22  in an upper portion of receptacle portion  20 . Opening  22  is surrounded by a lip  24 . Each container  12  may be one of several different types of laboratory containers, including various forms of beakers and flasks. Containers  12  may be made from, for example, glass (e.g., borosilicate glass) or plastic (e.g., polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polyethylene, Teflon®, etc.). Containers  12  may be cast or molded from a suitable material as a single piece, or may be assembled by attaching two or more separate pieces together. 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 1, rack  14  includes a first flat member  26 , a second flat member  28 , and several spacers  30 . Flat members  26  and  28  are substantially rigid, and may be made of, for example, plastic, metal, or wood. Spacers  30  are intermediate first flat member  26  and second flat member  28 , forming channels within rack  14  into which base portions  16  of containers  12  are inserted. 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of laboratory container system  10  of FIG.  1 . First flat member  26  has a front surface  32  and a substantially parallel back surface  34 . First flat member  26  has several slots  36  extending from front surface  32  toward back surface  34 . Each slot  36  has a pair of substantially parallel sides  38  essentially forming elongated members. Sides  38  of each slot  36  (i.e., the elongated members) are spaced apart to allow passage of column portion  18  of the corresponding container  12  therebetween. Each slot  36  is preferably long enough to accommodate multiple containers  12  as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     Base portion  16  and column portion  18  are preferably cylindrical and have substantially circular cross sections. Base portion  16  and column portion  18  may also have other cross sectional shapes, including rectangular and triangular. As shown in FIG. 1, a lateral (i.e., cross sectional) dimension of base portion  16  of each container  12  is greater than a lateral dimension of column portion  18 . During use of laboratory container system  10 , a container  12  is inverted, and column portion  18  of the container  12  is inserted between sides  38  of a slot  36  (i.e., elongated members) of rack  14 . The spacing between sides  38  of the slot  36  is not sufficient to allow base portion  16  to pass therebetween. As a result, base portion  16  of the container  12  contacts an upper portion of both sides  38  of the slot  36 , and container  12  is suspended from rack  14  by base portion  16  in an inverted position. 
     Rack  14  may be mounted such that flat members  26  and  28  are substantially horizontal. For example, rack  14  may be mounted against a wall such that back surface  34  contacts the wall, allowing access to front surface  32 . Rack  14  may also be attached to an underside surface of a shelf such that second flat member  28  contacts the underside surface. 
     Containers  12  may be placed within rack  14  when dry or wet (e.g., following immersion in a liquid such as deionized water). When placed in rack  14  when wet, the free air circulation about the inner and outer surfaces of containers  12  provided by rack  14  speeds the air drying process. The inverted orientation of container  12  within rack  14  prevents airborne particulates from falling into opening  22  an clinging to an inner surface of receptacle portion  20 . No surface of rack  14  touches an inner surface of receptacle portion  20  or lip  24 , further preventing the introduction of contaminants. Laboratory container system  10  also saves counter space reserved for drying or storing laboratory containers. 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of one embodiment of an apparatus  40  for drying and storing laboratory containers  42  in accordance with the present invention. Each container  42  may be a commercially available laboratory container, including various forms of beakers and flasks. Each container  42  has a bottom portion  44  and an opening  46  in an upper portion surrounded by a lip  48 . Containers  42  may be made from, for example, glass (e.g., borosilicate glass) or plastic (e.g., polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polyethylene, Teflon®, etc.). 
     Apparatus  40  includes one or more base members  50 , a corresponding number of suction cups  52 , and rack  14  for holding base members  50  in an inverted position. Each suction cup  52  is connected to a corresponding base member  50 , and is used to removably attach the corresponding base member  50  to a bottom surface of a container  42 . Spacers  30  form channels within rack  14  into which base members  50  are inserted. Sides  38  of each slot  36  (i.e., the elongated members) of first flat member  26  are spaced apart to allow passage of suction cups  52  therebetween. 
     As shown in FIG. 3, a lateral (i.e., cross sectional) dimension of base members  50  is greater than a lateral dimension of suction cups  52 . During use of apparatus  40 , the bottom surface of a container  42  is removably attached to a base member  50  using the suction cup  52  connected thereto. For example, the bottom surface of the container  42  may be pressed against the suction cup  52  until a significant quantity of the air within the suction cup  52  is forced out. The vacuum thus formed between the suction cup  52  and the bottom surface of the container  42  removably attaches the container  42  to the base member  50 . The container  42  and the attached base member  50  are inverted, and the suction cup  52  is inserted between sides  38  of a slot  36  (i.e., elongated members) of rack  14 . The spacing between sides  38  of the slot  36  is not sufficient to allow base member  50  to pass therebetween. As a result, base member  50  contacts an upper portion of both sides  38  of the slot  36 , and container  42  is suspended from rack  14  in an inverted position. This inverted orientation of container  42  significantly reduces the introduction of contaminants as described above. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this invention is believed to be an apparatus and method for drying and storing laboratory containers which significantly reduce the introduction of contaminants into the containers. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such modifications and changes and, accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.