Patent ID: 8136679

Claim:
A tube loading system, which comprises: a first layer of tubes in an array, wherein each tube comprises a top, a bottom and one or more walls; and a plate comprising a plate base comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, a first set of plate projections extending from the inner surface of the plate base, and a second set of plate projections extending from the outer surface of the plate base; a tray comprising a tray base comprising an inner surface and an outer surface, and a first set of tray projections extending from the inner surface of the tray base, wherein: each of the plate projections in the first set of plate projections, or portion thereof, is in effective connection with the top of each tube in the layer, each of the tray projections is in effective contact with the bottom of two or more tubes in the layer of tubes, and each tray projection in the first set of tray projections comprises one or more surfaces and a terminus opposite the tray base, the one or more surfaces taper as they extend from the tray base to the terminus, and the first set of plate projections and the first set of tray projections positions tubes of the first layer in the array.