Pipette Tip System
A pipette tip system for use with a plurality of pipette tips is disclosed that includes a support card connected to a base, wherein the base comprises an interlocking structure constructed to mate with an adjacent base. This unique base can be used with the several embodiments disclosed herein.
1 . A pipette tip system for use with a plurality of pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C), the system comprising:
a support card ( 50 A, 50 B) connected to a base ( 70 ), the support card defining a top surface plane ( 56 );
the base ( 70 ) comprises a side that is substantially perpendicular to the top surface plane ( 56 ), the side comprising a female key ( 75 B) constructed to mate with a male key ( 75 A) from an adjacent base, when the base is moved towards the adjacent base in a direction that is perpendicular to the side;
wherein the female key comprises a slot, and the male key comprises a flared portion and a necked portion;
wherein mating comprises two steps: (1) the slot expands to allow the flared portion to enter, and (2) the slot closes around the necked portion when the male key fully mated with the female key.
2 . The pipette tip system of claim 1 , further comprising a tongue-and-groove mating system adapted to connect the support card ( 50 A, 50 B) with the base ( 70 ).
3 . (canceled)
4 . The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein the support card comprises an array of pipette tip receiver openings ( 52 ) arranged in a N×M array, wherein N is less than M, the support card ( 50 A, 50 B) further comprising: a short-side card rail edge ( 66 B) on an edge of the support card along the N side of the array; and a long-side card rail edge ( 66 A) on an edge of the support card along the M side of the array; the system further comprises:
a support card lid ( 60 ) comprising:
a long-side lid rail edge ( 65 A) extending from a support card 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 second surface ( 62 ), which is adapted to slidably mate with the short-side card rail edge ( 66 B).
5 . The pipette tip system of claim 4 , 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.
6 . The pipette tip system of claim 4 , 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.
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 support card comprises a plurality of pipette tip receiver openings ( 52 ) adapted to receive the pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) of different sizes.
9 . The pipette tip system of claim 1 , wherein the support card ( 50 A, 50 B) comprises a plurality of pipette tip receiver openings ( 52 ) and a plurality of pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) disposed therein, and each in the plurality of pipette tips ( 10 ,A, 10 B, 10 C) has a distal end ( 15 ), the system further comprising:
a support card lid ( 60 ) detachably attached to the support card ( 50 A, 50 B) and configured to prevent the distal ends ( 15 ) of the pipette tips ( 10 A, 10 B, 10 C) from contacting one another.
10 . The pipette tip system of claim 1 , the side comprises a male key ( 75 A) constructed to mate with a female key ( 75 B) from an adjacent base, when the base is moved towards the adjacent base in a direction that is perpendicular to the side.