Patent ID: 8876367

Claim:
An apparatus for holding an Erlenmeyer flask, said apparatus comprising: a base that is adapted for temporary attachment to an oscillatory mixer, said base having a substantially planar upper surface, a plurality of finger attachment points, a plurality of base hold down attachment points, a sensor view port and a front to back symmetry line; a backstop that is fixed to said base, said backstop extending a first distance above said base; two opposing side fingers, each of said opposing side fingers extending a second distance above said base that is greater than said first distance and comprising a side finger snap fit protrusion which is adapted for snapping into and removal from said base at either of said finger attachment points that is located nearest to said backstop and each of said opposing side fingers comprising a surface that is disposed substantially parallel to said front to back symmetry line when said two opposing side fingers are removably attached to said base; a plurality of forward fingers, each of said forward fingers extending said second distance above said base and comprising a forward finger snap fit protrusion that is adapted for snapping into and removal from said base at another of said finger attachment points, none of said forward fingers being disposed symmetrically on the opposite side of said front to back symmetry line from another finger; a non-contact sensor that is mounted in said base under said sensor view port; and a sensor interface that is operatively connected to said non-contact sensor and that is mounted on said base; wherein said backstop, said opposing side fingers, and said forward fingers are operative to resist forces associated with said oscillatory mixer's imposing a vertical acceleration in the range from about 5 Gs to about 50 Gs on the Erlenmeyer flask.