An element and a vial transport assembly made of a plurality of elements joined together to form a unitary row for storing and transporting vials and other such containers is disclosed. The elements are pivotally joined together to form the row, and a means for receiving and retaining a vial is remo
An element and a vial transport assembly made of a plurality of elements joined together to form a unitary row for storing and transporting vials and other such containers is disclosed. The elements are pivotally joined together to form the row, and a means for receiving and retaining a vial is removably seated on an inner face of the element. Complementary magnets arranged to secure adjacent elements in registration maintain the assembly in a closed position.
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1. An element for a vial transport assembly, the assembly comprising a plurality of the elements joined together to form a unitary row of elements, each element comprising: an elongate member having inner and outer faces with a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges, the end edges shorter than t
1. An element for a vial transport assembly, the assembly comprising a plurality of the elements joined together to form a unitary row of elements, each element comprising: an elongate member having inner and outer faces with a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges, the end edges shorter than the side edges, and the inner and outer faces spaced apart to define a thickness;means for receiving and retaining a vial, removably seated on the inner face to align an elongate axis of the vial received there in parallel to the side edges;a pair of end members, each end member arranged at one of the end edges extending normal to the inner face and having lateral edges; andcomplementary means, arranged along the side edges, for pivotally joining the element to another of the plurality of elements with the lateral edges of the end members of adjacent elements in registration. 2. The element of claim 1, wherein the means for receiving and retaining the vial comprises a gripper comprising: a portion having a bottom face in registration with the inner face when seated thereon;a pair of angled sides, each angled side in the pair of angled sides oriented substantially parallel to a lateral edge and extending away from the bottom face and toward one another thereby forming a pair of congruent, interior, acute angles with respect to the bottom face; anda channel having a cross section adapted to receive and retain the vial extending between the pair of angled sides in parallel to the pair of side edges of the elongate member. 3. The element of claim 2, wherein the cross section of the channel comprises a circular arc subtending an angle greater than π radians. 4. The element of claim 2, wherein the elongate member further comprises one or more apertures extending through and normal to the inner and outer faces, and wherein the gripper further comprises, for each aperture, an attachment leg comprising: a base extending normal to the bottom face and having a width equal to or smaller than the aperture and a length equal to or greater than the thickness of the elongate member; anda retention tab extending from a distal end of the base and having a width greater than the aperture. 5. The element of claim 3, wherein the gripper is formed of a unitary cast of silicone material. 6. The element of claim 3, wherein the gripper is formed of a unitary injection molded thermoplastic elastomer. 7. The element of claim 1, further comprising complementary means, arranged along the lateral edges of each of the end members, for reversibly maintaining the lateral edges of the end members of adjacent elements in registration. 8. The element of claim 1, wherein each end member further comprises a pair of complementary magnets arranged for reversibly maintaining the lateral edges of the end members of adjacent elements in registration, each complementary magnet being inset within one of the lateral edges of the end member. 9. The element of claim 1, wherein each end member further comprises a pair of complementary magnets arranged for reversibly maintaining the lateral edges of the end members of adjacent elements in registration, each complementary magnet being secured to one of the lateral edges of the end member. 10. A vial transport assembly, comprising: a first end element comprising: an elongate member having inner and outer faces with a pair of side edges comprising a free edge and a pivot edge, and a pair of end edges, the end edges shorter than the side edges and the inner and outer faces spaced apart to define a thickness; anda pair of end members, each end member arranged at one of the end edges extending normal to the inner face and having an outer lateral edge and an interior lateral edge;a plurality of interior elements, each comprising: an elongate member having inner and outer faces with a pair of pivot edges and a pair of end edges, the end edges shorter than the pivot edges and the inner and outer faces spaced apart to define a thickness; anda pair of end members, each end member arranged at one of the end edges extending normal to the inner face and having a pair of interior lateral edges;a second end element comprising: an elongate member having inner and outer faces with a pair of side edges comprising a free edge and a pivot edge, and a pair of end edges, the end edges shorter than the side edges and the inner and outer faces spaced apart to define a thickness; anda pair of end members, each end member arranged at one of the end edges extending normal to the inner face and having an outer lateral edge and an interior lateral edge;complementary means, arranged along the pivot edges, for pivotally coupling adjacent elements into a unitary row by joining together the pivot edges of the first end element, the plurality of interior elements and the second element in succession, wherein the free edge of the first end element forms a first end of the unitary row and the free edge of the second end element forms a second end of the unitary row;complementary means for reversibly maintaining the outer lateral edges of the pair of end members of the first end element in registration with the outer lateral edges of the pair of end members of the second end element; andmeans for receiving and retaining a vial, removably seated on the inner face of one or more elements. 11. The vial transport assembly of claim 10, wherein the complementary means for reversibly maintaining the outer lateral edges of the first and second end elements in registration comprises a plurality of complementary magnets arranged for reversibly maintaining the outer lateral edges of the first and second end elements in registration, each complementary magnet being inset within one of the outer lateral edges therein. 12. The vial transport assembly of claim 10, wherein the complementary means for reversibly maintaining the outer lateral edges of the first and second end elements in registration comprises a plurality of complementary magnets arranged for reversibly maintaining the outer lateral edges of the first and second end elements in registration, each complementary magnet being secured to one of the outer lateral edges therein. 13. The vial transport assembly of claim 10, wherein the means for receiving and retaining the vial comprises a gripper comprising: a portion having a bottom face in registration with the inner face when seated thereon;a pair of angled sides, each angled side extending away from the bottom face and toward one another thereby forming a pair of angles congruent, interior and acute with respect to the bottom face; anda channel having a cross section adapted to receive and retain the vial extending between the pair of angled sides in parallel to the pair of side edges and/or pivot edges of the elongate member. 14. The vial transport assembly of claim 13, wherein the cross section of the channel comprises a circular arc subtending an angle greater than π radians. 15. The vial transport assembly of claim 13, wherein the elongate member of each element in the plurality of elements further comprises one or more apertures extending through and normal to the inner and outer faces, and wherein the gripper further comprises, for each aperture, an attachment leg comprising: a base depending normally from the bottom face and having a width smaller than the aperture and a length equal to or greater than the thickness of the elongate member; anda retention tab extending from a distal end of the base and having a width greater than the aperture. 16. The vial transport assembly of claim 15, wherein the gripper is formed of a unitary cast of silicone material. 17. The vial transport assembly of claim 15, wherein the gripper is formed of a unitary injection molded thermoplastic elastomer. 18. The vial transport assembly of claim 13, wherein the plurality of interior elements comprises exactly four interior elements. 19. The vial transport assembly of claim 18, wherein each angle in the pair of angles is less than or equal to 60 degrees. 20. A method of making a vial transport assembly comprising the steps: providing a plurality of elements, each element comprising: an elongate member having inner and outer faces with a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges, the end edges shorter than the side edges, and the inner and outer faces spaced apart to define a thickness;one or more apertures extending through and normal to the inner and outer faces;a pair of end members, each end member arranged at one of the end edges extending normal to the inner face and having lateral edges; andcomplementary means, arranged along the side edges, for pivotally joining the element to another of the plurality of elements with the lateral edges of the end members of adjacent elements in registration;pivotally joining the side edges of the plurality of elements together wherein a unitary row of elements is formed having a first end element and a second end element each with a free edge not pivotally joined to an adjacent element, and defining four lateral edges that are outer lateral edges;providing a gripper for each element in the unitary row of elements comprising: a portion having a bottom face in registration with the inner face when seated thereon;a pair of angled sides, each angled side extending away from the bottom face and toward one another thereby forming a pair of angles congruent, interior and acute with respect to the bottom face;a channel having a cross section adapted to receive and retain the vial extending between the pair of angled sides in parallel to the pair of side edges of the elongate member; andfor each aperture in a corresponding element, an attachment leg comprising: a base depending normally from the bottom face and having a width smaller than the aperture and a length equal to or greater than the thickness of the elongate member;a retention tab extending from a distal end of the base and having a width greater than the aperture; anda tang extending from the retention tab;removably seating a gripper on the inner face of each element in the unitary row of elements by inserting each tang and retention tab of a gripper through a corresponding aperture in the elongate member wherein the retention tab is seated upon the outer face thereof;trimming each tang wherein it is separated from the gripper; andarranging a plurality of complementary magnets on an outer lateral edge of each end member of the first and second end elements wherein the outer lateral edge of each end member corresponds to the free edge of each of the first and second end elements whereby each of the outer lateral edges of the first end element are reversibly maintainable in registration with one of the outer lateral edges of the second end element.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (8)
Shaffer John V. ; Braverman Richard, Pliable centrifuge tube array.
Stark William A. (Costa Mesa CA) Hardiman Kempton H. (Mission Viejo CA) Scribner Richard A. (Fullerton CA) Mazza John (El Toro CA), Sample tube carrier.
Mawhirt James A. (Brooklyn NY) DiFlora Joseph E. (Eastchester NY) McCandless William J. C. (Ringwood NJ) Ward George H. (So. Ozone Park NY), Test tube holder.
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