Support element for a plurality of animal semen packaging straws and assembly comprising said support element
A support element for a plurality of packaging straws, the support element comprising a plate ( 31 ) and two flanges ( 37 ) rigidly connected to said plate ( 31 ) and comprising a fluted surface ( 53 ) having a plurality of similar grooves ( 36 ), each flange ( 37 ) comprising a central part as well as a first projecting part ( 42 ) and a second projecting part ( 43 ), each extending from one side of the central part, characterised in that the first projecting part comprises a bracket ( 42 ) having a bearing face and the second projecting part comprises another bracket ( 43 ) having another bearing face, said bearing face and said other bearing face being upwards facing and, in the direction of height, said bearing face being further from said plate ( 31 ) than said other bearing face. The assembly comprises the support element and a freezing rack ( 4 ).
1 . A support member for a plurality of straws for packaging animal semen, each straw having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length, the support member comprising a plate and two flanges rigidly connected to said plate and separated from each other by said plate, which has a width less than said predetermined length and comprising a fluted surface having a plurality of similar channels each of which is oriented in the direction of the width of the plate and each delimited by a surface having a curvature according to said predetermined diameter, said channels being disposed side by side with a predetermined pitch, said flanges being configured such that said support member can be placed on a horizontal reception surface with said fluted surface located atop the plate at a predetermined level above said reception surface, whereby each said channel can receive a straw of which an end section projects from said plate on each side, each flange comprising a central part as well as a first projecting part and a second projecting part each extending on one side of the central part, characterized in that the first projecting part comprises a first foot having a first bearing face and the second projecting part comprises a second foot having a second bearing face, said first bearing face and said second bearing face being turned upward when said support member is placed on said horizontal reception surface, said first bearing face being farther from said plate than said second bearing face in the upward direction,
wherein the first projecting part and the second projecting part of each flange extend from the central part of each flange in directions that are not perpendicular to each other.
2 . The support member according to claim 1 , characterized in that a cut-out is provided in the central part of each flange perpendicular to said first bearing face.
3 . The support member according to claim 2 , characterized in that said cut-out has a predetermined depth and said first bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
4 . The support member according to claim 3 , characterized in that said second bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
5 . The support member according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plate comprises between seventy and two hundred and five channels.
6 . An assembly comprising a support member for a plurality of straws for packaging animal semen, each straw having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length, and further comprising a freezing rack of said plurality of straws, wherein:
the support member comprises a plate and two flanges rigidly connected to said plate, which has a width less than said predetermined length and comprising a fluted surface having a plurality of similar channels each of which is oriented in the direction of the width of the plate and each delimited by a surface having a curvature according to said predetermined diameter, said channels being disposed side by side with a predetermined pitch, said flanges being configured such that said support member can be placed on a horizontal reception surface with said fluted surface located atop the plate at a predetermined level above said reception surface, whereby each said channel can receive a straw of which an end section projects from said plate on each side, each flange comprising a central part as well as a first projecting part and a second projecting part each extending on one side of the central part, characterized in that the first projecting part comprises a first foot having a first bearing face and the second projecting part comprises a second foot having a second bearing face, said first bearing face and said second bearing face being turned upward when said support member is placed on said horizontal reception surface, said first bearing face being farther from said plate than said second bearing face in the upward direction; and
the freezing rack comprises two toothed walls extending along a central free space, said support member and said freezing rack being configured such that said plate and a central part of each of the flanges of said support member can be inserted into said central free space, each toothed wall having a set of toothing at its apex comprising a succession of teeth and hollows, the sets of toothing of said toothed walls being identical, each hollow being delimited by a surface having a curvature according to said predetermined diameter, the pitch of said sets of toothing being identical to the predetermined pitch of said channels of said plate, the central free space of the freezing rack being configured to receive said plate and the central part of each of the flanges of the support member, each flange comprising, in addition to its central part, two projecting parts respectively a first projecting part and a second projecting part, extending on each side of said central part and being configured to receive the freezing rack, characterized in that said first projecting part comprises a first foot having a first bearing face and said second projecting part comprises a second foot having a second bearing face, said first bearing face and said second bearing face being turned upward when said support member is placed on said horizontal reception surface, said first bearing face being farther from said plate than said second bearing face, in the upward direction, such that the freezing rack disposed on the support member is inclined.
7 . The assembly according to claim 6 , characterized in that the freezing rack and the support member are configured to have a relative position of putting in place the straws and a position of aligning the straws, a cut-out being provided in each of the flanges perpendicular to the first bearing face.
8 . The assembly according to claim 7 , characterized in that the cut-out has a predetermined depth corresponding to at least a distance between one of the toothed walls and a longitudinal wall of the rack, in said relative position of putting in place the straws, said one of the toothed walls is configured to come into stopped engagement against a back face of said cut-out holding the other toothed wall at a distance from the plate, and in said position of aligning the straws another longitudinal wall is configured to come into contact with the straws.
9 . The assembly according to claim 8 , characterized in that said freezing rack comprises a bottom wall of frame form surrounding the central free space, said bottom wall being configured to connect said toothed walls to the longitudinal walls.
10 . The assembly according to claim 9 , characterized in that the second bearing face is provided to receive one of the zones of the freezing rack located at the junction of the bottom wall and of one of the toothed walls.
11 . A support member for a plurality of straws for packaging animal semen, each straw having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length, the support member comprising a plate and two flanges rigidly connected to said plate and separated from each other by said plate, which has a width less than said predetermined length and comprising a fluted surface having a plurality of similar channels each of which is oriented in the direction of the width of the plate and each delimited by a surface having a curvature according to said predetermined diameter, said channels being disposed side by side with a predetermined pitch, said flanges being configured such that said support member can be placed on a horizontal reception surface with said fluted surface located atop the plate at a predetermined level above said reception surface, whereby each said channel can receive a straw of which an end section projects from said plate on each side, each flange comprising a central part as well as a first projecting part and a second projecting part each extending on one side of the central part, characterized in that the first projecting part comprises a first foot having a first bearing face and the second projecting part comprises a second foot having a second bearing face, said first bearing face and said second bearing face being turned upward when said support member is placed on said horizontal reception surface, said first bearing face being farther from said plate than said second bearing face in the upward direction,
wherein the first projecting part and the second projecting part of each flange are aligned with each other.
12 . The support member according to claim 11 , characterized in that a cut-out is provided in the central part of each flange perpendicular to said first bearing face.
13 . The support member according to claim 12 , characterized in that said cut-out has a predetermined depth and said first bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
14 . The support member according to claim 13 , characterized in that said second bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
15 . The support member according to claim 11 , characterized in that the plate comprises between seventy and two hundred and five channels.
16 . A support member for a plurality of straws for packaging animal semen, each straw having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length, the support member comprising a plate and two flanges rigidly connected to said plate and separated from each other by said plate, which has a width less than said predetermined length and comprising a fluted surface having a plurality of similar channels each of which is oriented in the direction of the width of the plate and each delimited by a surface having a curvature according to said predetermined diameter, said channels being disposed side by side with a predetermined pitch, said flanges being configured such that said support member can be placed on a horizontal reception surface with said fluted surface located atop the plate at a predetermined level above said reception surface, whereby each said channel can receive a straw of which an end section projects from said plate on each side, each flange comprising a central part as well as a first projecting part and a second projecting part each extending on one side of the central part, characterized in that the first projecting part comprises a first foot having a first bearing face and the second projecting part comprises a second foot having a second bearing face, said first bearing face and said second bearing face being turned upward when said support member is placed on said horizontal reception surface, said first bearing face being farther from said plate than said second bearing face in the upward direction,
wherein the first projecting part and the second projecting part of each flange extend in the direction of the width of the plate.
17 . The support member according to claim 16 , characterized in that a cut-out is provided in the central part of each flange perpendicular to said first bearing face.
18 . The support member according to claim 17 , characterized in that said cut-out has a predetermined depth and said first bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
19 . The support member according to claim 18 , characterized in that said second bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
20 . The support member according to claim 16 , characterized in that the plate comprises between seventy and two hundred and five channels.
21 . A support member for a plurality of straws for packaging animal semen, each straw having a predetermined diameter and a predetermined length, the support member comprising a plate and two flanges rigidly connected to said plate and separated from each other by said plate, which has a width less than said predetermined length and comprising a fluted surface having a plurality of similar channels each of which is oriented in the direction of the width of the plate and each delimited by a surface having a curvature according to said predetermined diameter, said channels being disposed side by side with a predetermined pitch, said flanges being configured such that said support member can be placed on a horizontal reception surface with said fluted surface located atop the plate at a predetermined level above said reception surface, whereby each said channel can receive a straw of which an end section projects from said plate on each side, each flange comprising a central part as well as a first projecting part and a second projecting part each extending on one side of the central part, characterized in that the first projecting part comprises a first foot having a first bearing face and the second projecting part comprises a second foot having a second bearing face, said first bearing face and said second bearing face being turned upward when said support member is placed on said horizontal reception surface, said first bearing face being farther from said plate than said second bearing face in the upward direction,
wherein the first projecting part and the second projecting part extend in opposite directions from the central part of each flange.
22 . The support member according to claim 21 , characterized in that a cut-out is provided in the central part of each flange perpendicular to said first bearing face.
23 . The support member according to claim 22 , characterized in that said cut-out has a predetermined depth and said first bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
24 . The support member according to claim 23 , characterized in that said second bearing face has a length at least equal to said depth.
25 . The support member according to claim 21 , characterized in that the plate comprises between seventy and two hundred and five channels.