[0001] The present invention relates to a structure of a stand for supporting and containing
test tubes and the like.
[0002] As is known, in analysis laboratories and the like, for supporting test tubes for
performing the various analyses, stands are currently employed which are substantially
composed of a base element, spaced from which a supporting element is provided which
defines a plurality of openings for inserting the test tubes.
[0003] The test tubes are thus supported in a substantially vertical position, resting on
the base and leaning on the edges of the openings.
[0004] With this arrangement, however, the test tubes are not retained against slipping
out and, as a consequence, their shifting is remarkably difficult, since, as they
are not firmly retained, the test tubes might come out of their respective seats with
the consequent related disadvantages.
[0005] Another disadvantage which can be ascribed to the solutions of the prior art lies
in that with the stands of the known kind it is necessary to remove the various test
tubes when they are to be inserted in the various analysis machines, since the stands
of the prior art cannot be employed directly on the machines.
[0006] The aim proposed by the invention is indeed to eliminate the above described disadvantages
by providing a structure of a stand for the containment and support of test tubes
and the like which in practice constitues a complementary element of the test tube
and can accompany the test tube itself in most situations and operations.
[0007] Within the scope of the above described aim, a particular object of the invention
is to provide a structure of a stand which is extremely compact and allows the possibility
of improving the flow of the fluid and of the liquid around the test tube, when this
is necessary for the various tests.
[0008] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a stand
which aids visualization for optical examination of the test tubes, in order to assess
the coloring achieved and that, furthermore, allows the possibility of supporting
the test tubes in any position, be it horizontal or vertical, so as to adapt to all
situations which occur in the cases wherein there is the need to rotate or vibrate
the test tubes for reaction or chemical analysis requirements.
[0009] A further object of the present invention is to provide a stand which is capable
of allowing an adequate protection of the test tubes against shocks and falls, without
thereby hindering the good visibility of the same test tube.
[0010] Not least object of the present invention is to provide a stand which is easily composeable
with identical stands, so as to vary the total useful capacity, and that, furthermore,
has the possibility of being carried and directly coupled to automatic machines without
having to remove the test tubes individually.
[0011] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a stand which allows
the possibility of clearly numbering the test tubes and which allows the possibility
of visually identifying, by means of a different coloring, the various stands, according
to, e.g., the type of analysis to be performed.
[0012] The above described aim, as well as the objects mentioned and others which will better
appear hereinafter, are achieved by a structure of a stand for supporting and containing
test tubes and the like, according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises
a containment body with an alveoliform configuration for defining a plurality of accommodation
seats for test tubes and the like, to said body there being applicable a lid element
defining, at each of said seats, an opening for introducing a test tube, and provided
with engagement means for removably retaining said test tubes in said seats.
[0013] Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description
of a structure of a stand for supporting and containing test tubes and the like, illustrated
by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, where:
Fig.1 is a schematic perspective view of the containment body;
Fig.2 is a top plan view of the containment body;
Fig.3 is a partially exploded cross section view along the line III-III of Fig. 2;
Fig.4 is a cross section view along the line III-III of Fig. 2 with the lid element
coupled with the containment body;
Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the lid element;
Fig.6 is a partial cross section elevation view of the lid element.
[0014] With reference to the above described figures, the structure of a stand for supporting
and containing test tubes and the like, according to the invention, comprises a containment
body 1, which has an alveoliform configuration, defining a plurality of seats 2, arranged
side by side, and defining a honeycomb configuration. Preferably, but not necessarily,
two rows with hexagonal cross section are provided, so that the seats of each row
are offset with respect to the seats of the adjacent row.
[0015] Preferably, but not necessarily, the containment body is provided in optically transparent
material and advantageously -is obtained in high-resistance plastic material, such
as polycarbonate and the like.
[0016] The containment body 1 has a height dimension which is sufficient to contain all
the standard test tubes, and the pitch of the hexagon, i.e. the measure of the seat,
is determined by the typical measures of the test tube to be supported.
[0017] Furthermore, the containment body 1, preferably, at the lower portion thereof, has
a recess or window, designated with the reference numeral 3, which allows the possibility
of better visualizing the test tubes themselves and of aiding the "reading" thereof
both visually and with automatic machines.
[0018] The window extends on a middle portion of the longitudinal extension of the seats
so as not to mechanically weaken the containment body itself and to offer downwardly
a portion of a seat which allows accommodation of the lower portion of the test tubes.
[0019] At its lateral ends, the containment body defines, respectively, male coupling elements
5 and coupling elements 6, which allow the possibility of achieving the coupling of
a plurality of containment bodies, obtaining a perfect matching and a remarkable compactness
in the overall dimensions.
[0020] To said containment body 1 is engageable a lid element 10 which has a configuration
which substantially matches the horizontal cross section of the containment body,
so as to be superimposable on the body itself and is provided with a plurality of
openings 12 which allow the insertion of the test tubes.
[0021] The openings 12 are provided at the seats and have a diameter such as to allow the
passage of the body of the test tubes, but not of the widened lip of the same test
tubes.
[0022] The coupling of the lid element 10 to the containment body 1 is achieved by virtue
of elastic hooking tabs 13 which extend at the longitudinal ends of the same lid and
which are removably engageable with matching small teeth 14 defined on the lateral
sides of the containment body.
[0023] At the various openings 12 engagement means are furthermore provided for removably
retaining said test tubes in the seats, said retention means are obtained by virtue
of elastic blades 20 which extend from the internal face of the lid element 10 and
are insertable into the respective seats.
[0024] The elastic blades 20 have a slightly sloping extension with respect to the line
perpendicular to the resting plane of the lid element and are structured so as to
elastically engage with the outer surface of the test tube, so as to push the test
tube itself against the wall of the seats, so that the test tube is retained between
the walls of the seats and the tab, which prevents the accidental slipping out thereof
and keeps them firmly in position.
[0025] On the outer face of the lid element 10, at the various openings matching the accommodation
seats of the test tubes, numbered regions are furthermore provided, designated with
the reference numeral 40 in the drawing, which allow the easy identification of the
test tubes themselves.
[0026] Due to the symmetry of the structure, in order to prevent the lid from being mountable
in inverted position, thus biasing the matching numbering of the seats, from the lower
face of the lid a reference pin protrudes, designated with the reference numeral 41,
asymmetrically arranged on the lid, which inserts in asymmetrical recesses 42 provided
at the upper edge of the seats.
[0027] The recesses 41 furthermore have the function, in cooperation with the window 3,
of aiding the free circulation of the liquid in the seats, when this is required by
the particular type of application.
[0028] To what has been said it should be furthermore added that the lid element which is
preferably provided in high- resilience plastic material can be provided in different
colors, so as to allow differentiation of the various stands, e.g. according to the
type of analysis to be performed.
[0029] On the lateral sides of the containment body 1 guiding recesses are furthermore provided,
indicated by the reference numeral 50, as well as an engagement protrusion 51, which
aid the coupling with the supporting and retention elements of the stand which are
provided on the matching automatic devices employed for analysis, so as to easily
and safely apply the entire stand to the machine without having to proceed with complicated
operations.
[0030] From what has been described above, it can be therefore seen that the invention achieves
the aims proposed, and in particular the fact is stressed that the presence of the
elastic blades allows an easy introduction of the test tubes and an easy extraction
of the same test tubes, when this is required, but allows a stable coupling which
prevents the falling thereof even when overturning the stand, thus allowing an easy
transportability of the test tubes introduced in the stand itself.
[0031] The stand thus structured can constitute a box for transporting the test tubes, both
empty and full, or possibly a component directly applicable to the automatic machine
which must perform the analyses or in any case the operations to which the various
test tubes are to be subjected.
[0032] Another important feature of the invention is that the presence of the windows and
the offset arrangement of the test tubes on two separate lines gives the operator
the possibility of having immediate visual perception of the coloring of the various
test tubes on both rows of arrangement of the same test tubes; furthermore, the possibility
of applying the lid separately allows to differentiate the coloring of the lids according
to the different processes to be performed.
[0033] In practice, the materials employed, though the best results have been achieved by
employing the above mentioned materials, as well as the dimensions and the contingent
shapes may be any according to the requirements.
1. Structure of a stand for supporting and containing test tubes and the like, characterized
in that it comprises a containment body with an alveoliform configuration for defining
a plurality of accommodation seats for test tubes and the like, to said body there
being applicable a lid element defining, at each of said seats, an opening for introducing
a test tube and provided with engagement means for removably retaining said test tubes
in said seats.
2. Structure of a stand, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said
containment body with an alveoliform configuration has a plurality of honeycomb containment
seats reciprocally adjacent to each other.
3. Structure of a stand, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that
it comprises a window in a middle portion of the longitudinal extension of said seats.
4. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that said containment body is provided at its ends with male coupling elements
and with female coupling elements for the mutual engagement of said containment bodies.
5. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that said lid element has a configuration matching the plan configuration of said
containment body.
6. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that it comprises reciprocal coupling means between said lid element and said containment
body, composed of elastic hooking tabs provided at the longitudinal ends of said lid
element and engageable with coupling teeth defined on the lateral sides of said containment
body.
7. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that it comprises, proximate to the upper end of said seats of said containment
body, recesses arranged asymmetrically with respect to said seats.
8. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that it comprises on said lid element a reference pin extending asymmetrically
from the lower face of said lid and engageable in one of said recesses for the mutual
orientation between said containment body and said lid element.
9. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that said engagement means for removably retaining said test tubes in said seats
are composed of elastic blades extending from the lower face of said lid element at
each of said openings, said elastic blades engaging by contact with the outer surface
of the test tubes inserted in said seats for engaging them against the internal walls
of said seats.
10. Structure of a stand according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that it comprises identification markers for each of said seats, provided at said
openings of said lid element.
11. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that said lid element can be provided in various colors.
12. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that said containment body is provided in optically transparent material.
13. Structure of a stand, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized
in that it comprises on the lateral sides of said containment body guiding slots and
engagement protrusions for coupling with the retention elements of said stand provided
on the analysis machines.