WO1992001514A1

WO1992001514A1 - Refilling unit with pipette tips seated in a detachable holding device for an autoclavable container

Info

Publication number: WO1992001514A1
Application number: PCT/DE1990/000551
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gert Schiedel
Original assignee: Gert Schiedel
Priority date: 1990-07-21
Filing date: 1990-07-21
Publication date: 1992-02-06

Abstract

A refilling unit comprises a holding device (28) which accommodates the pipette tips (20) in a grid which matches the openings (22) in a perforated plate (18) of the autoclavable container. The pipette tips (20) are released and inserted into the holes (22) in the perforated plate (18) by detaching the holding device (28). The holding devices (28) can be accommodated in individual collapsible boxes (26) or several holding devices can be grouped in a stock bundle (78). The holding devices (28) are preferably shaped like a grid (60, 62) which can be withdrawn from collapsible box (26) or torn up in order to release the pipette tips (20).

Description

Refill unit with pipette tips in a removable holder for an autoclavable container "

description

The invention relates to a refill unit with pipette tips for an autoclavable container, which contains a perforated plate with openings for the pipette tips.

According to the prior art, autoclavable containers with a perforated plate are known, in which a number of pipette ΞDitzeπ are held in such a way that they can be removed by simply putting them on the pipette without touching them by hand. To sterilize the pipette tips, the container and its contents are treated in an autoclave. The containers are filled with pipette tips in the trade. If the supply of pipette tips has been used up, it is possible to refill the perforated plate of the container with pipette tips that are sold loose in bags. However, this process is labor-intensive and time-consuming, so that in practice the container is often thrown away as soon as it is empty, although multiple autoclaving of the container would be easily possible. Since pipette tips are used on a large scale as disposable articles in a wide variety of laboratories, the use of the container only once is a waste of material on a large scale. fight. Disposal effort and pollution of the environment; due to the plastic container is high. _T ASK of the invention is to provide a refill unit with Pipet ^¬ least-peak to provide the above-mentioned type to the use thereof dung a material saving and better material utilization, a simplification of the disposal with less burden on the environment and generally accompanied by a reduction in costs.

This object is achieved by a refill unit with a holder which receives the pipette tips in an arrangement corresponding to the grid of the openings in the perforated plate and from which the pipette tips can be released by releasing the holder and dispensed into the openings of the perforated plate.

The holder according to the invention enables simple and convenient refilling of autoclavable containers with pipette tips. Instead of the entire container, the holder remains to be disposed of, for which little material is required, so that the disposal burden is reduced. The holder can also be made from a recyclable material, in particular cardboard or plastic, and can be fed to environmentally friendly recycling. A variant of the invention provides a supply container which contains a plurality of holders equipped with pipette tips, preferably in such a way that the holders can be gripped individually next to one another and / or in layers one above the other and the pipette tips then lie one inside the other with play. Such a supply container, which also represents a cheap shipping unit, accommodates a larger number of equipped pipette tip holders in a very small space.

The holders can be provided with spacers which ensure that the stack spacing determined by the length of the pipette tips is maintained. In a preferred embodiment, the spacers are also designed as a handle. In addition, when a holder is placed on the autoclavable container, they can perform a guiding function, in particular a vertical guiding function, and thus advantageously combine several functions.

Another variant of the invention provides a folding box which receives a holder equipped with pipette tips and has a bottom which is open at the bottom and by means of which it can be placed over the autoclavable container in order to pass through Loosen the holder to dispense the pipette tips in it. The cardboard folding box forms a waste that can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner and sent to a paper recycling facility. The holder can also be made of cardboard, so that the whole refill unit can be made of cardboard alone.

The holder can be separated from the folding box in a suitable manner and / or can be separated into itself in order to release the pipette tips.

In a preferred variant, the holder includes at least one grid with a plurality of parallel webs, between which the pipette tips are located. The grille can preferably be pulled off to the side of the folding box in the longitudinal direction of the web. For this purpose it is advisable to provide the grating in the area of at least one end of the webs with a handle protruding from the folding box.

A handle can only be at one end of the webs. The holder is then released by pulling out the grille with one hand while the other hand holds the folding box. But there is also the possibility of providing handles on both ends of the webs. The holder is then released with both hands by pulling on the handles in the opposite direction.

In order to ensure easy separation of the webs, they are preferably provided with predetermined breaking points.

The webs can be provided with notches, noses or the like for positioning the pipette tips. This opens up the advantageous possibility of specifying receptacles for the pipette tips in two mutually perpendicular directions with a single grid, which can be made of cardboard in a straightforward manner and with good material utilization. The pipette tips are released in a very user-friendly way with a handle.

In another variant, in order to position the pipette tips in a two-dimensional grid, the webs of the grid are covered with a film or the like extending over them and perforated in the grid of the perforated plate. When the grid is pulled out, the film tears open, so that the pipette tips are released. The advantage here is that the webs can have parallel edges that pull the 6 -

Allow grids with minimal effort. Of course, there is also the possibility of providing the webs with an edge structure which serves to position the notches and, moreover, to cover them with a perforated film.

A further possibility for positioning the pipette tips in a two-dimensional grid is to use two gratings, preferably one above the other, the webs of which intersect at 90 °. The pipette tips are released by pulling out the grids in the respective longitudinal direction of the web. The grids can have parallel edges to ensure that they can be pulled out with little effort. Of course, there is also the possibility of providing the webs with an edge structure that serves to position the pipette tips and / or to cover them with a perforated film.

In another variant, the webs of the two grids are brought together. As a result, the holder is stabilized and the grid of the receiving places for the pipette tips is precisely specified. The webs of one grid can be embedded in the webs of the other grid in such a way that a flat contact surface is formed for the pipette tips. This has the advantage that the pipette tips are exactly positioned with a well-defined axis direction.

It is possible to form guide grooves and / or guide openings on the webs of one grid, into which the webs of the other grid fit.

The outer webs of the one grid can have at least at their ends an insertion opening for the outer webs of the other grid in order to stabilize the grid in the assembly position.

There is also the possibility of locking the grids together in the loading position for stabilization.

The webs of the grids are preferably stiffened, in particular by one or more beads or the like running in the longitudinal direction of the web. The detachable holders for the pipette tips described can consist of cardboard. They can be manufactured separately and connected to the folding box in a suitable manner, e.g. B. glued to the handles. In a production-technically preferred embodiment, however, the holders are formed in whole or at least in part in one piece with the folding box, ie part of the folding box blank. A construction of the brackets from plastic, in particular polystyrene, is also possible. The latter material can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section through an autoclavable

Container with a refill unit for pipette tips, which consists of a folding box with a lid and a detachable pipette tip holder with a number of parallel webs;

2 shows a view from above into the autoclavable container alone; 3 shows a view from above into the folding box, the lid of which is not shown for the sake of clarity;

4 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a second embodiment of the refill unit;

5 shows a section according to V - V of FIG. 3;

6 shows a view corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4 of a third embodiment of the refill unit;

Fig. ~ A section along VII - VII of Fig. 6;

8 shows a cross section through webs of the pipette tip holder;

Fig. 9 shows a detail IX of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 shows a detail X of Fig. 5;

11 shows a view corresponding to FIG. 7 of a fourth embodiment of the refill unit; and

12 shows a section through a storage container which contains several stacks of equipped pipette tip holders.

1 and 2 show an autoclavable container with a housing 10 which is rectangular in plan and open at the top and which can be closed with a cover (not shown in more detail). The housing 10 has the shape of itself its bottom 12 tapering trough, the four side walls 14, 16 of which are slightly inclined. This trough shape makes it particularly easy to slip on the refill unit described below.

The housing 10 contains a perforated plate 18 made of autoclavable material that receives and carries pipette tips 20 that are to be autoclaved. The perforated plate 18 has a flat plate body which is rectangular in plan, which fits into the housing 10 and is supported in an upper region in an arrangement parallel to the bottom 12. The plate body is provided with a larger number of openings 22 arranged in a square grid, in which the pipette tips 20 are seated for charging and removal from above. The openings 22 taper conically towards the inside of the housing 10. The pipette tips 20 are thus centered when the refill unit is slipped on.

The refill unit consists of a folding box 26 which is rectangular in plan and open at the bottom 24 and which fits over the housing 10 of the autoclavable container 10. The folding box 26 contains a set of pipette tips 2u with which the autoclavable container is loaded. The pipette tips 20 are held in the box 26 in a grid which corresponds to that of the perforated plate 18. The holding tion 28 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. It consists of cardboard and has the shape of a grid which essentially spans the clear opening of the folding box 26 and has a number of parallel webs 30 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the folding box. At the transverse ends of the webs 30 there are two grip tabs 32 connecting them to one another. The transverse side walls 34 of the folding box 26 are slotted in the upper area thereof. The slots are oriented parallel to the standing surface of the folding box 26 and they take up almost the full width of the transverse side walls 34. The grip tabs 32 protrude outward through the slots. They are in contact with the transverse side walls 34 bent down and releasably attached to the transverse side walls 34, for. B. glued to these.

The pipette tips 20 are received in the spaces 36 between the webs 30. The edge of the webs 30 is structured in such a way that receiving spaces 38 for the pipette tips 20 are formed in a two-dimensional square grid. In the illustrated embodiment, trapezoidal lugs 40, between which a distance remains, protrude between the pipette tips 20 in an opposing arrangement. However, the webs 30 can also be structured in another suitable manner. As shown in FIG. 1, the pipette tips 20 sit with their heads 42 on the webs 30 of the holder 28. The folding box 26 has a hinged lid 44 which extends above the pipette tip heads 42 and closes the folding box 26 at the top. The hinged lid 44 is opened only for feeding the refill unit with pipette tips 20, but not for removing them.

The folding box 26 can be slipped with its bottom opening 24 forward over the housing 10 of the autoclavable container. The webs 30 of the holder then extend at a short distance above the upper edge 46 of the housing 10. The pipette tips 20 protrude through the openings 22 of the perforated plate 18, in which they are broadly positioned while they are still carried by the webs 30 of the holder 28 become. The conical shape of the openings 22 in the perforated plate 18 facilitates the threading of the pipette tips 20 when the folding box 26 is slipped on.

The webs 30 of the holder 28 have a predetermined breaking point 48 in the middle, through which the holder 28 is divided into two symmetrical halves assigned to the handle straps 32. 3 and 9, the predetermined breaking point 48 can be designed as a punched hole in the webs 30. Other forms of local material weakening are also possible. In order to dispense the pipette tips 20 into the autoclavable container, the grip tabs 32 are detached from the transverse sides 34 of the folding box 26 (cf. FIGS. 1 and 3 on the left). The grip tabs 32 are gripped with both hands and pulled apart in the longitudinal direction of the webs 30. The webs 30 tear open at the predetermined breaking point 48, so that the holder 28 is broken down into two computational half parts. These can be pulled out of the folding box 26 past the pipette tips 20. The pipette tips 20 do not follow this movement because they already have a hold in the perforated plate 18 of the autoclavable container. When the heads 42 of the pipette tips 20 come free from the webs 30, the pipette tips 20 fall down into the autoclavable container until they find a hold on the perforated plate 18 (cf. the dashed illustration in FIG. 1). The pipette tips 20 then come to lie completely under the upper edge 46 of the housing 10.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment variant of the holder 28. This again has the form of a grid with parallel webs 30 extending over the opening of the folding box 26. To release the pipette tips 20, the holder 28 is pulled out of the folding box 26 with only one hand . A grip tab 32 is therefore only provided at one end of the webs 30. Located at its other end there is a flap 52 which, as in the previously described exemplary embodiment, projects outwards through a slot in the transverse side wall 34 of the folding box 26, and is folded over and glued in contact with the transverse side wall 34. Breaking points for the webs 30 are formed by notches 54 on the fold-over edge of the tab 52, where the webs 30 end. The tab 52, which is not designed as a handle, can also be glued to the inside of the transverse side wall 34, as is indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The webs 30 of the holder 28 according to FIG. 4 have parallel, straight outer edges. The holder 28 is covered with a film 56 made of cellophane, metal or plastic, which covers the webs 30 and their interstices 36 and is adhesively bonded to the webs 30 in a suitable manner. The thickness of the film 56. is exaggerated in the drawings. The film 56 is provided with holes 58 which come to lie in the grid of the perforated plate openings 22 over the spaces 36 between the webs 30 and each receive a pipette tip 20, the head 42 of which rests on the top of the film 56. The pipette tips 20 are positioned by the film 56 in the longitudinal direction of the webs 30. When the holder 28 is pulled out, the webs 30 are severed at their predetermined breaking point 54. The film 56 tears open, whereupon the pipette tips 20 drop into the openings 22 of the perforated plate 18. 6 and 7 illustrate a further embodiment variant of the holder 28 with two intersecting grids 60, 62 of the type described above. The grids 60, 62 come to lie one above the other, the webs 30 of one grating extending in the longitudinal direction and those of the other grating extending transversely. Both grids 60, 62 have at one end of the webs 30 a grip tab 32 which projects through a slot in the longitudinal side wall or transverse side wall of the folding box 26 and is angled and glued to the wall. At the other end of the webs ~> 0 there is a tab 52 which is not designed as a handle and which is unwound and glued to the inside of the folding box wall opposite the tab 32. The webs 30 are separated from the tabs 52 with predetermined breaking points.

The webs 30 of the grids 60, 62 have straight outer edges which are parallel to one another and which cross from grid to grid at 90 °. The spaces between the webs 30 thereby form square receiving spaces 38 for pipette tips 20 in a grid which corresponds to that of the openings 22 in the perforated plate 18. To release the pipette tips 20, the folding box 26 is placed over the housing 10 of the autoclavable container. The grids 60, 62 are then pulled out of the folding box 26 in the direction of their webs, which tear off at their predetermined breaking point. The one from the Webs 30 of pipette tips -20 that come free fall into the openings 22 of the perforated plate 18.

FIG. 8 illustrates the possibility of stiffening the webs 30 by means of a bead 64 which is stamped therein and preferably extends in the longitudinal direction of the web. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the bead 64 is curved downward so that the heads 42 of the pipette tips 20 come to rest at a well-defined height on the edge of the spaces 36 between the webs 30.

11 shows a further embodiment variant of a holder 28, as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. The grids 60, 62 of the holder 28 are made of plastic, preferably polystyrene. Guide grooves 68 are formed in the webs 30 of the lower grid 62, into which the webs 30 of the upper grid 60 fit in such a way that a flat contact surface 66 for the pipette tips 20 is formed.

The webs 30 of the upper grid 60 occupy approximately a third of the height of the webs 30 of the lower grid 62. The lower grid 62 thus has a predominantly load-bearing function, and the upper grid 60 has a predominantly stabilizing function. In order to stiffen the grids 60, 62 in the loading position, the outer webs 30 of the lower grid 62 can have insertion openings 70 for the outer webs 76 of the upper grid 60 which fit therein.

Another possibility is to lock both gratings 60, 62 together in the loading position. For this purpose, the webs 30 of the lower grid 62 can have recesses 74 and the webs 30 of the upper grid 60 can be provided with protrusions 72 which engage therein.

FIG. 12 shows a transport and storage container 78 which receives several stacks of holders 28 of the type described above which are equipped with pipette tips 20. The supply container 78 is a cuboid box, which can in particular consist of cardboard. The box has a closed base 80 from which supports 82 for several holders 28 arranged in a rectangular grid project. The supports 82 hold the lowermost brackets 28 of each stack at a distance from the floor 80 which is dimensioned such that the pipette tips sitting in the brackets 28 do not just touch the boder 80. In addition, the brackets are laterally spaced apart so that they can be easily gripped individually. The holders 28 are provided with spacers 84, which can be found in particular in the edge region of the holders 28 and serve to support an upper holder 28 of the stack on the next lower one. The ends of the pipette tips 20 of an upper holder 28 of the stack come with To lie play in the openings of the pipette tips 20 of the next lower holder 28, so that the pipette tips 20 do not adhere to one another.

The spacers 82 of the brackets 28 can also serve as a handle or perform a vertical guiding function when a fitted bracket 28 is placed on the autoclavable container.

List of reference numbers

60 top grille

62 lower grille

64 beads

66 flat contact surface

68 guide groove

70 insertion opening

72 bulge

74 recess

76 outer web

78 storage containers

80 floor

82 supports

84 spacers

Claims

- 20 claims

1. Refill unit with pipette tips for an autoclavable container which contains a perforated plate with openings for the pipette tips, characterized in that it has a holder (28) which the pipette tips (20) in a grid of the openings (22nd ) in the perforated plate (18) and the arrangement from which the pipette tips (20) can be released by releasing the holder (28) and can be dispensed into the openings (22) of the perforated plate (18).

2. Refill unit according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a storage container (78) which contains a plurality of holders (28) equipped with pipette tips (20), preferably in such a way that the holders (28) are individually accessible next to one another and / or one above the other and the pipette tips (20) then come into contact with one another with play.

3. Refill unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the brackets (28) with spacers (84) are provided, which also serve as a handle and / or when placing a bracket (28) on the autoclave container one Leadership function, in particular vertical leadership function can perform.

4. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 3, da¬ characterized in that it has a folding box (26) which receives a holder (28) equipped with pipette tips (20) and has a bottom open bottom (24) with which it can be put over the autoclavable container.

5. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 4, da¬ characterized in that the holder (28) from the folding box (26) can be separated and / or is separable in itself.

6. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least one grid (60, 62) with a plurality of parallel webs (30) belongs to the holder (28), between which the pipette tips

(20) fit.

7. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that the grid (60, 62) can be pulled off in the longitudinal direction of the web, preferably to the side of the folding box (26).

8. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the grid (60, 62) in the region of at least one end of the webs (30) with a handle (32) protruding from the folding box (26) is.

9. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 8, da¬ characterized in that handles (32) are located at both ends of the webs (30).

10. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by the fact that the webs (30) are provided with predetermined breaking points (48, 54).

11. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the webs (30) with notches, noses (40) and. Ä. Are provided for positioning the pipette tips (20).

12. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to n, da¬ characterized in that the webs (30) with one over their gaps (36) extending, in the grid of openings (22) in the perforated plate (18) perforated (58) foil (56) u. are occupied.

13. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that two, preferably superposed grids (60, 62) belong to the holder (28), the webs (30) of which cross at right angles.

14. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the webs (30) of the grid (60, 62) are guided together.

15. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the webs (30) of one grid (60, 62) are embedded in the webs of the other grid (60, 62) in such a way that an essentially flat one Contact surface (66) for the pipette tips is formed.

16. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 15 _f d _a _ characterized in that guide grooves (68) and / or guide openings are formed on the webs (30) of a grid (60, 62) into which the webs (30) of the other grid (60, 62). 24

17. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the outer webs (76) of one grid (60, 62) at least at their ends an insertion opening (70) for the outer webs (76) of the other grid (60 , 62).

18. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the grids (60, 62) can be locked together in the loading position.

19. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the webs (30) are stiffened by at least one bead (64) which preferably runs in the longitudinal web direction.

20. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the holder (28) consists of cardboard and is preferably part of the folding box blank.

21. Refill unit according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the holder (28) consists of plastic, preferably polystyrene.