초록 ▼

A well plate assembly includes a well plate with a base wall, a peripheral wall extending up from the base wall and spaced inwardly from the outer periphery of the base wall. A well array is formed on the base wall at locations inwardly from the peripheral wall. A lid is mounted on the peripheral wa

A well plate assembly includes a well plate with a base wall, a peripheral wall extending up from the base wall and spaced inwardly from the outer periphery of the base wall. A well array is formed on the base wall at locations inwardly from the peripheral wall. A lid is mounted on the peripheral wall of the well plate. The lid and the peripheral wall have areas that are indented from the outer periphery of the base wall to facilitate manipulation by robotic stacking equipment. The well plate and the lid further include substantially registered robotic gripper plates aligned with the outer periphery of the base wall to facilitate manipulation of the assembled well plate and lid by robotic grippers.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A plate assembly comprising: a well plate having a substantially rectangular base wall with a top surface and an outer periphery, a well array extending up from said top surface of said base wall and disposed inwardly from said outer periphery of said base wall, said well arr

What is claimed is: 1. A plate assembly comprising: a well plate having a substantially rectangular base wall with a top surface and an outer periphery, a well array extending up from said top surface of said base wall and disposed inwardly from said outer periphery of said base wall, said well array having at least one upwardly open well, a peripheral wall projecting up from said top surface of said base wall and extending around said well array, said peripheral wall including a pair of parallel sides extending between a pair of parallel ends, at least one robotic gripper pad being disposed along each said side spaced from said ends, wherein portions of said sides surrounding each said robotic gripper pad being spaced inwardly from said outer periphery of said base wall and spaced inwardly from said robotic gripper pads; and a lid mounted on said well plate so as to overlie said well array and having a peripheral skirt telescoped over said peripheral wall of said well plate and over said robotic gripper pads, at least portions of said peripheral skirt of said lid being spaced inwardly from said outer periphery of said base wall, wherein said lid includes robotic gripper pads substantially registered with said robotic gripper pads of said well plate. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each robotic gripper pad of said well plate is substantially coplanar with one of said robotic gripper pads of said lid. 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one well comprises a plurality of wells. 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least portions of the top surface of the base wall between said outer periphery of said base wall and said peripheral wall define a plane, said well array having a top surface defining a plane substantially parallel to said plane of said top surface of said base wall. 5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein said peripheral wall of said well plate includes a top edge substantially parallel to said top surface of said well array. 6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said ends having portions spaced inwardly from said outer periphery of said base wall. 7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said lid includes a top wall adjacent said peripheral skirt, said top wall being engaged with top edges of said peripheral wall of said well plate for substantially sealing said well array and limiting evaporation. 8. The plate assembly of claim 1, wherein said peripheral skirt of said lid is spaced from said base wall of said well plate. 9. The plate assembly of claim 1, wherein said well array and said peripheral wall are molded unitarily with said base wall of said well plate. 10. A plate assembly comprising: a well plate having a substantially rectangular base wall with an outer periphery, said outer periphery including first and second substantially parallel sides and first and second substantially parallel ends extending between said parallel sides, a well array formed on said base wall inwardly from said outer periphery, said well array including a top surface and at least one well extending into said top surface, a peripheral wall extending up from said base wall at locations between said well array and said outer periphery, said peripheral wall including indentations spaced inwardly of said outer periphery of said base wall, at least two opposed robotic gripper pads extending up from said base wall at locations substantially registered with said outer periphery; and a lid mounted to said peripheral wall of said well plate so as to overlie said well array, said lid including a peripheral skirt nested with at least portions of said peripheral wall of said well plate said peripheral skirt of said lid including indentations nested with said indentations of said peripheral wall of said well plate and spaced inwardly from said outer periphery of said base wall of said well plate, said lid further including at least two opposed robotic gripper pads substantially aligned with, and positioned to telescope over, said robotic gripper pads of said well plate. 11. The plate assembly of claim 10, wherein said robotic gripper pads of said well plate and of said lid are substantially registered with said sides of said outer periphery of said well plate. 12. The plate assembly of claim 10, wherein said indentations include indentations in said peripheral wall of said well plate and in said peripheral skirt of said lid such that said robotic gripper pads each are between a pair of said indentations. 13. The plate assembly of claim 12, wherein the robotic gripper pads of said well plate are spaced from said robotic gripper pads of said lid a sufficient distance to ensure that said lid is seated securely on said top edge of said peripheral wall of said well plate. 14. The plate assembly of claim 13, wherein said skirt of said lid is spaced from said base wall of said well plate to ensure that said lid is seated securely on said top edge of said peripheral wall of said well plate. 15. The plate assembly of claim 10, wherein said peripheral wall and said well array are molded unitarily with said base wall. 16. The assembly of claim 1, wherein outer surfaces of said robotic gripper pads are substantially registered with said outer periphery of said base wall.