Patent Publication Number: US-6221317-B1

Title: Universal pipette tip box

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention provides a pipette tip box capable of accommodating a variety of different pipette tip configurations. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Pipette tips are typically small, plastic, cylindrical devices that are utilized for aspirating and dispensing variable liquid volumes. The length, diameter and shape of the tips vary in accordance with an individual manufacturer&#39;s specifications. Due to variations in pipette tip size, the boxes in which the pipettes are packaged and stored also varies. 
     The pipette tip industry has not, at this time, adopted standards with respect to the dimensions of pipette tip boxes or the bases of these boxes (footprints). Because of these variations, pipette tip box manufacturers are required to fabricate new molds in which to cast boxes that will accommodate the various pipette tip configurations. This would require each manufacturer to assume the cost involved with building molds capable of casting newly designed pipette tip boxes. 
     What is thus desired is to provide a universal pipette tip box design that provides a format capable of accommodating a wide variety of different pipette tip configurations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a universal pipette tip box having a format capable of accommodating a wide variety of different pipette tip arrays. 
     The interior portion of the box base possesses an open architecture that allows pipette tip manufacturers to package  24 ,  96 ,  384  or  1536  tips in a variety of physical arrangements within the box. This provides pipette tip manufacturers with flexibility in packing tips, and also decreases production expenses. 
     The interior of the box base is molded into a grid-like pattern, thus enabling the box to have vastly enhanced physical rigidity over conventional box designs. 
     The footprint of the box is fixed to a standard specification set for microplates (SBS standard). Because of compliance with standards, boxes of the present invention are compatible with the wide variety of hardware that is currently being used in automated microplate processes. This allows pipette tip end-users to incorporate the new tip box into their current procedures without purchasing additional processing equipment. 
     The box bases possess an asymmetrical distribution of deck plate locking pins providing the end-users of the pipettes with a visual means of loading pipette tip boxes into automated devices in an appropriate orientation and eliminates any molding variations that might occur in the box base and deck plate. By always forcing the orientation of the deck plate and box base, manufacturing errors are minimized. 
     The box utilizes an interlocking feature for mating pipette tip boxes within a stack of boxes. This feature provides enhanced stability of large stacks of pipette tip boxes that are frequently required for automated processes. 
     The present invention provides a universal pipette tip box capable of accommodating a wide variety of different pipette tip configurations, or arrays, thus reducing manufacturing costs, the box also having increased physical rigidity. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be read in conjunction with the drawing wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded assembly view showing the components of the novel pipette tip box assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pipette deck plate which can be used with the pipette tip box of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a view along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a view along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the assembled components of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, an exploded assembly view of the novel pipette tip box assembly  10  of the present invention is illustrated. 
     Pipette tip box  10  assembly comprises pipette tip box  12 , deck plate  30  and cover  50 . Pipette tip box  12  of assembly  10  comprises a housing  14 , preferably molded from plastic, having a plurality of hollow, square shaped elongated recesses  16  extending to the bottom lip  19  of tip box  12 . This grid-like design provides the tip box  12  with enhanced physical rigidity over prior art tip box designs and functions to recieve the bottom portion of pipettes inserted into deck plate  30 . Tip box  12  is designed so that a number of pipette tips extending through the bottom surface of deck plate  30  are received in coaligned recesses in tip box  12 . This increased rigidity is significant since it allows tip box  12  to withstand the high pressures that pipette tip boxes are subject to during various automated processes. It should be noted that although twenty four recesses  16  are shown, either fewer or greater number of recesses can be provided depending upon system requirements. In addition, the recesses can have different shapes, such as rectangular, circular, etc. 
     The upper surface  20  of tip box  12  has a plurality of deck plate locking pins  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  and  31 , asymmetrically positioned therearound as illustrated. This feature provides the end-users of the pipettes with a visual means of loading pipette tip boxes into automated devices in a proper orientation and minimizes any molding variations that might otherwise occur in the tip box  12  and deck plate  30 . By forcing the deck plate  30  and tip box  12  to be orientated in a particular direction, manufacturing errors are minimized. This enables high throughput processing since pipette tip box mishandling will be minimized. 
     Pipette deck plate  30  comprises a thin, rectangular shaped plastic lid member having holes  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46  and  48 . When assembled, pin  22  of tip box  12  extends into hole  40  of deck plate  30 , pin  24  extends into hole  42 , pin  26  extends into hole  44 , pin  28  extends into hole  46  and pin  31  extends into hole  48 . The deck plate  30  is thus friction engaged to pipette tip box  12  releasably securing the two members together. It should be noted that deck plate  30  of the same predetermined shape and dimensions can be designed with  96 ,  384  or  1536  pipette supporting holes  49 , depending upon user requirements thus effectively making the pipette tip box universal in function and use. The top surface  52  of pipette tip cover  50  has interlocking members formed thereon to allow for mating a pipette tip box with a stack of similar boxes. This feature provides enhanced stability of large stacks of pipette tip boxes that are frequently required for automated purposes. 
     The interlocking mechanism comprises four upwardly extending posts  60 , preferably located at the corners of top surface  52 , and a pair of cross-shaped protrusions  62 . 
     FIG. 2 is a more detailed view of deck plate  30 . It should be noted that the drawing illustrates the hole layout in a simplified format—as shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the hole arrangement is a series of repeating equal spaced holes formed in rows and columns and positioned over a recess  16  in tip box  12 . FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but shows a different pattern of holes  49  overlying recess  16 . 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the interlocking mechanisms  60  and  62 . 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the base of pipette tip box  12 , and illustrates vertical extending walls  70  separating recesses  16  and vertically extending receiving chambers  72 . 
     FIG. 7 illustrates assembled pipette tip boxes  10  in a stacked array. Correct and stable stacking is accomplished by having the interlocking mechanisms of one array interact with the box placed on top of cover  50 . 
     In particular, posts  60  (FIG. 7) extend into corresponding chambers  72  and cross-shaped members  62  fit into the adjacent portion of the grid pattern formed on the bottom surface  78  of tip box  12 . 
     In operation, the user first selects a deck plate  30  having the number of holes corresponding to the desired number of pipettes. The selected deck plate  30  is then secured to the pipette box  12  via locking pins  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  and  31 , the pipette tips then loaded into holes  49  therein and the cover  50  then placed over the deck plate  30 . A pipette tip  80  is shown positioned in the deck plate  30  for illustrative purposes. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teaching of the invention without departing from its essential teachings.