EP1394063A1 - Container for glass sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (10) for accommodation of plates (56) with a sensitive surface comprises a flexible element (40) securing such plates against longitudinal sliding in the container, is new. An Independent claim is also included for application of such a container for accommodation of glass plates with functionalized surfaces.

Description

The invention relates to a container for receiving plates with a sensitive surface, especially for the absorption of Glass plate, with a container part with four walls and one Bottom, of which a cavity is enclosed, with a removable Lid for closing the container part, whereby two opposite walls of the container part guide grooves are provided for receiving the plates.

Such containers are commercially available as plastic containers and are used as storage or transport containers microscope slides, especially in the form of surface functionalized ones Glasses used as a precursor for Serve biochips. Are also used to hold finished biochips such containers in use.

In the known, commercially available containers despite the guide grooves, due to the plates accommodated in it spaced apart from each other, a risk of breakage, if the containers are accidentally dropped. About that Furthermore, the remaining mobility of im Container-picked plates in particular over time when taking slides with sharp corners and edges a plastic abrasion that functionalized the surface of the surface Can contaminate glasses. Because usually the evaluation is carried out via fluorescence detectors, disturb such Plastic particles also evaluate significantly Scope and can lead to artifacts.

The invention is therefore based on the object of an improved Container for holding plates with a sensitive surface to create the particular to hold glass plates with a functional surface in the form of Microscope slides is suitable. Here, the risk of breakage and the risk of contamination is reduced as much as possible.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a container type mentioned solved in that a flexible element to secure plates accommodated in the container against Longitudinal shifts are provided.

The object of the invention is completely achieved in this way.

According to the invention, namely, that in the container Panels by a flexible element against displacement preferably secured in the longitudinal direction, the risk of breakage significantly reduced when dropping a container. Furthermore is countered by the fact that plates in the container Shifts are secured, a plastic abrasion as a result of sharp corners and edges of those picked up in the container Plates avoided. Depending on the selected dimensions, is by a preferred safeguard against longitudinal displacements at the same time also a protection against displacements in the transverse direction reached.

Overall, this will result in a significantly improved transport and storage container created, in particular for holding glass plates with functionalized surface in the dimensions microscope slides. The risk of breakage when Dropping a container is significantly reduced and one Risk of contamination from plastic abrasion avoided.

In an advantageous development of the invention, this is flexible Element designed as a flexible, curved tongue, which has a contact surface for plates accommodated in the container.

This represents a particularly simple and inexpensive way to accommodate plates accommodated in the container against displacement to secure. Basically, however, are any designs of the flexible element conceivable, e.g. an education as bellows or as a spring element, e.g. in form of a Belleville washer or the like. However, the flexible element is preferred integrally connected to the lid or bottom.

Here, the tongue is preferably from the inside of the lid into the cavity.

Of course, in principle it would also be possible to put the tongue on the floor of the container.

In a preferred development of the invention, the container is made made of a homopolymer plastic, preferably polypropylene.

Such a material with an extremely low proportion of Additives has the advantage that even with long storage of sensitive plates within the container hardly any foreign substances emerge from the container and the surface of the absorbed Plates can get dirty. This material is also flexible and allows one-piece manufacture of the whole Container.

Previously used slide boxes, which usually consist of Plastic are made, contain a relatively high proportion on plasticizers and / or other additives. During storage of slides in such containers escapes Plasticizer partly made of plastic during storage and settles as a hydrophobic layer on the surfaces of the recorded plates. Such layers hinder others Implementation of the surface with biologically active substances, so that the reproducibility of the results is clear being affected.

Such disadvantages are avoided according to the invention.

In a preferred development of the invention, the cover is over a tab with a film hinge connected to the container part and designed to be latchable with the container part.

This can be done on the inner surface of the cover in the direction of the container projection protruding, circumferential projection provided be on the outer surface of a groove is provided, which with an associated bead on an inner surface of the wall surfaces can be locked.

In this way it is easy to open and close ensure the container by means of the lid. Here is the Lid captively connected to the container part at the same time.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention Inner surface of the bottom or the lid at least one support web intended to support plates accommodated in the container.

This measure has the advantage that a defined contact surface is created on the end faces of the plates and that in the result of the system on the support web, the contact surface with the recorded plates is minimized.

As already mentioned, the containers according to the invention can be advantageous as a storage or transport container for receiving Microscope slides, especially in the form of surface functionalized ones Glasses, or to accommodate finished Use biochips.

It is understood that the above and those below Features of the invention not yet to be explained in the specified combination, but also in others Combinations or alone can be used without the Leave the scope of the invention.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Behälters mit geöffnetem Deckel in vergrößerter Darstellung und

Fig. 2

eine Aufsicht auf den Behälter von vorn, wobei der Deckel gegenüber dem Behälterteil um einen Winkel von 180° nach außen aufgeschwenkt ist.

Further features and advantages of the invention result from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a side view of a container according to the invention with the lid open in an enlarged view and

Fig. 2

a plan view of the container from the front, with the lid being pivoted outwards relative to the container part by an angle of 180 °.

In Fig. 1 is a container according to the invention with the total Number 10 denotes.

The container 10 consists of a container part 12, the one encloses approximately cuboidal cavity, and from a lid 14 for closing the container part 12.

The container 10 shown in Fig. 1 is particularly for Inclusion of glass plates with a functionalized surface in the dimensions of microscope slides in a format of 25 x 75.5 x 1 mm.

Such a plate is shown in FIG. 1 by the dash-dotted line Line 56 indicated.

The container part 12 has two opposite one another narrow side walls 16, 18 and two wide side walls 20, 22, as well as a bottom 24. As can be seen from Fig. 1, have the two wide side walls 20, 22 on their bottom side End a little smaller width than the opposite cover-side end, so that there is a slight taper results. The container part 12 is on the cover side by a flat one Edge 34 completed, the shape of which can be seen in FIG. 2 is. The edge 34 stands on all sides over the walls 16, 18, 20, 22 outwards by a certain amount and is at one Wall 18 outwards in the shape of a blunt triangle with rounded tip protruding (see. Fig. 2). in the The area of the rounded tip is circular Opening 50. On the opposite side is edge 34 connected via a tab 36 to the lid 14, which is a flat Cover surface 52 has the shape and size of the edge 34 of the Container part 12 is adapted (see. Fig. 2). In the tab 36 a film hinge 38 is formed by weakening the material.

Thus, the lid 14, as can be seen in Fig. 1, to the Film hinge 38 can be pivoted to either a complete Allow opening or closing in one Closed position, in which the cover surface 52 on the edge 34 rests. In this position, one is aligned in the lid surface 52 provided circular opening 54 with the opening 50, so that both are secured by pulling a tape and can be sealed if necessary.

From the inside 42 of the cover surface 52 there is a circumferential one Projection 44 in the direction of the container part 12. This projection 44 has a rectangular shape with rounded Corners, as can be seen from Fig. 2, and points in the vicinity a peripheral edge of the container part 12 facing Slot 46 on. This circumferential groove 46 acts accordingly molded web 48 together on the inner surfaces of the Walls 16, 18, 20, 22 is designed to lock the lid 14 to ensure with the container part 12 when the lid 14 completely by pivoting around the film hinge 38 is closed.

Guide webs 26 are arranged on the narrow side walls 16, 18, from the inner surface of the side walls 16, 18 to protrude from the inside and facing away from the side walls Ends are slightly rounded, as can be seen from Fig. 2 is. These guide webs 26 extend from the floor 24 to near the edge 34 and run at a certain distance from the edge 34 to the side walls 16, 18 out.

Here are on the two side walls 16, 18 in regular Spaces from each other a total of six guide webs 26 provided between which guide grooves 28 are formed (cf. Fig. 2).

In this way, there is space to insert a total of five plates 56 at regular intervals from each other, which in the guide grooves 28 thus formed are guided laterally.

On the inside 42 of the cover surface 52 there is also a flexible, curved tongue 40 formed in the direction of the container part 12 protrudes and in an approximately to the cover surface 52nd parallel contact surface 41 runs out. With the lid closed 14, this contact surface 41 resiliently on the end face of plates 56 received in the container 12 and secures them thus against longitudinal displacement.

On the inner surface of the bottom 24 are two support webs 30, 32 molded on, which is parallel to the narrow side walls 16, 18 extend. These support webs 30, 32 are used when inserting of plates 56 in the container 12 as a stop.

The container 10 is made in one piece from homopolymeric polypropylene made with an extremely low proportion of additives. On this will result in leakage of plasticizers and other additives largely avoided even with long storage. Consequently are in the container 10 received plates 56, in particular in the form of surface functionalized glasses or Biochips, against contamination from the container material escaping foreign substances protected.

Claims (8)

Container for receiving plates (56) with a sensitive surface, in particular for receiving glass plates, with a container part (12) with four walls (16, 18, 20, 22) and a bottom (24), of which a cavity is enclosed, with a removable cover (14) for closing the container part (12), guide grooves (28) being provided on two opposite walls (16, 18) of the container part for receiving the plates (56), characterized in that a flexible element (40 ) for securing plates (56) accommodated in the container (10) against displacement. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible element is designed as a flexible, curved tongue (40) which forms a contact surface (41) for plates (56) accommodated in the container. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the tongue (40) protrudes from the inside (42) of the lid (14) into the cavity. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the container (10) consists of a homopolymer plastic, preferably a homopolymer polypropylene. Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (14) is connected to the container part (12) by means of a tab (36) with a film hinge (38) and can be latched to the container part (12). Container according to claim 5, characterized in that on the inside (42) of the lid (14) there is a circumferential projection (44) projecting towards the container part (12), on the outer surface of which a groove (46) is provided, which can be locked with an associated bead (48) on an inner surface of the wall surfaces (16, 18, 20, 22). Container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one support web (30, 32) is provided on the inner surface of the base (24) or the cover (14) for supporting plates (56) accommodated in the container. Use of a container (10) according to one of the preceding Claims as a storage or transport container Inclusion of surface functionalized glasses, from Microscope slides or biochips.

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