Pipette tip system

1. A pipette tip system for use with a plurality of pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C), the system comprising:

a base ( 70 ) with a floor ( 70 - 1 );

a support card ( 50 A, 50 B) that mates with the base ( 70 ) comprising:

a support card top surface ( 56 ) comprising an array of pipette tip receiver openings ( 52 ) arranged in a N×M array, wherein the N is less than M and wherein each in the array comprises a receiver opening conical edge ( 55 ) extending from top surface ( 56 ), wherein the receiver opening conical edge ( 55 ) is steeper than the top surface, the receiver opening conical edge constructed to abut the pipette tip and provide the support to suspend the pipette tip above the base floor ( 70 - 1 );

a short-side card rail edge ( 66 B) on an edge of the support card along the N side of the array, the short-side card rail edge ( 66 B) flush with the support card top surface ( 56 ); and

a long-side card rail edge ( 66 A) on an edge of the support card along the M side of the array, the long-side card rail edge ( 66 A) flush with the support card top surface ( 56 );

a support card lid ( 60 ) comprising:

a long-side lid rail edge ( 65 A) extending from a support card lid first surface ( 61 ), which is adapted to slidably mate with the long-side card rail edge ( 66 A); and

a short-side lid rail edge ( 65 B) extending from a support card lid second surface ( 62 ), which is adapted to slidably mate with the short-side card rail edge ( 66 B);

a plurality of pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) disposed of in the array of pipette tip receiver openings ( 52 ).

2. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein when the long-side lid rail edge ( 65 A) slidably mates with the long-side card rail edge ( 66 A), the lid ( 60 ) can be positioned to expose fewer than all of the pipette receiver openings ( 52 ) in the array.

3. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein when the short-side lid rail edge ( 65 B) slidably mates with the short-side card rail edge ( 66 B), the lid ( 60 ) can be positioned to expose fewer than all of the pipette receive openings ( 52 ) in the array.

4. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein the support card ( 50 A, 50 B) and the base ( 70 ) comprise a tongue-and-groove mating system.

5. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein the base ( 70 ) comprises an interlocking structure ( 75 A, 75 B) constructed to mate with an adjacent base.

6. The pipette tip system of claim 5 , further comprising a second support card and a second base, wherein the second base comprises a second interlocking structure, wherein the interlocking structure of the base and the second interlocking structure of the second base are mated.

7. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein the support card comprises an apron ( 51 ) extending away from the top surface ( 56 ).

8. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein the array pipette tip receiver openings ( 52 ) is adapted to receive the pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) of different sizes.

9. The pipette tip system of claim 1 ,

wherein each in the plurality of pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) has a distal end ( 15 );

wherein the support card lid ( 60 ) is configured to prevent the distal ends ( 15 ) of the pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) from contacting one another when the support card lid ( 60 ) is mated to the support card ( 50 A, 50 B).

10. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein each in the array of pipette tip receiver openings ( 52 ) is constructed to receive and support a pipette tip ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) with a rim ( 27 ) such that when the pipette tip ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) is disposed in the pipette tip receiver opening ( 52 ), the rim ( 27 ) is flush with the support card top surface ( 56 ).

11. The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein the receiver opening conical edge ( 55 ) comprises a transition conical edge ( 57 ) extending away from the top surface ( 56 ).