Patent ID: 7135101

Claim:
A method for preparing a pre-cast electrophoresis gel comprising: inserting at least one spacer into the top of a cassette for electrophoresis gels, the cassette comprising: a first planar wall member having inner and outer surfaces, top and bottom edges, and bottom edges and lateral edges; a second planar wall member having inner and outer surfaces, top and back edges, and lateral edges, wherein the first and second wall members are oriented generally parallel to each other and such that the inner wall of the first wall member is proximate to the inner wall of the second wall member; spacing means disposed between the inner walls of the first and second wall members and adapted to provide a space for an electrophoresis gel between the inner walls of the first and second wall members, wherein the cassette has an interior which is defined by the space between the first wall member and the second wall member; and locking means adapted to prevent locking engagement of the first and second wall members unless the inner surface of the first wall member and the inner surface of the second wall member are substantially parallel to each other and are separated by a predetermined distance and, when the first and second wall members are in locked engagement, to substantially prevent any movement of the wall members away from such locked engagement; wherein the spacer comprises a protrusion projecting from the side of the spacer proximate the interior of the cassette, wherein such protrusion defines two wells within the interior of the cassette, and wherein one of the wells is larger than the other well; providing a gel-forming material into the interior of the cassette; allowing the gel-forming material to form a gel within the interior of the cassette; removing the spacer from the cassette; and inserting a removable plug in the smaller well.