UNIVERSAL STAND FOR HOLDING CAPILLARY AND TRANSFER PIPETTES

Abstract

A universal stand for horizontally holding single use capillary action and/or transfer pipettes is provided.

Claims

1. A universal stand for holding a single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette, said stand comprising: a base; and a body extending upward from the base with a top, a bottom and two sides, said body further comprising a recess in the top sized for horizontal holding of a single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette without spillage or contamination of any liquid in the single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette and an access hole extending through the two sides sized so a user can squeeze a bulb of any single use capillary and transfer pipette held by the universal stand from the top and bottom of the body and/or easily remove the capillary action and/or transfer pipette.

2. The universal stand of claim 1 wherein the recess comprises a first portion sized to fit a bulb of a single use capillary and transfer pipette and a second portion sized to fit a portion of a capillary tube of the single use capillary action and/or and transfer pipette.

3. The universal stand of claim 1 sized so that a tip of a single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette held by the universal stand extends horizontally away from the universal stand allowing a user to directly contact the tip of capillary action and/or transfer pipette thereby minimizing sample contamination.

4. The universal stand of claim 1 wherein the base and the body are a single molded polymeric piece.

5. The universal stand of claim 1 wherein the base and body are molded separately and the bottom of the body fits into the molded base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0010] FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C show a top side view of the universal stand without (FIG. 1A) and with (FIG. 1C) a single use transfer pipette (FIG. 1B) placed in the recess of the stand.

[0011] FIGS. 2A and 2B show a top view of the universal stand without (FIG. 2A) and with (FIG. 2B) a single use transfer pipette placed in the recess of the stand.

[0012] FIGS. 3A and 3B show a side view of the universal stand without (FIG. 3A) and with (FIG. 3B) a single use transfer pipette placed in the recess of the stand.

[0013] FIGS. 4A and 4B show a side end view of the universal stand without (FIG. 4A) and with (FIG. 4B) a single use transfer pipette placed in the recess of the stand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Disclosed herein is a universal stand for horizontal holding of a single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette. The stand provides for hands free-collection of liquid samples such as, but not limited to, blood and other biological solutions. The design provides for horizontal holding of the pipette, thus allowing the capillary action and/or transfer pipette to be filled and held until sample transfer without the liquid sample leaking or spilling.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1A through 4B, the universal stand 1 comprises a base 5 and a body 10 extending upward from the base 5 with a top 12, a bottom 13 and two sides 14a, 14b.

[0016] In one nonlimiting embodiment, the base and body are molded from a polymer.

[0017] In one nonlimiting embodiment, the base and the body of the stand are molded as a single unit.

[0018] In another nonlimiting embodiment, the base and body are molded separately and the bottom of the body fits into the molded base.

[0019] Nonlimiting examples of polymeric materials from which the base and bottom may be comprised of include nylon (polyamide), acrylic, polycarbonate, polyoxymethylene(POM), polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE).

[0020] In one nonlimiting embodiment, the polymer can withstand sterilization.

[0021] In another nonlimiting embodiment, the universal stand is 3D printed or prepared via stereolithography (SLA) or selective laser sintering (SLS).

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1A through 4B, the stand further comprises a recess 15 in the top 12 of the body 10 sized for horizontal holding of a single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette without any spillage of any liquid in the single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette. The recess is preferably sized to hold capillary action and/or transfer pipettes holding 5 to 50 μL of sample. The recess is preferably contoured to keep the capillary action and/or transfer pipette from sliding laterally out of the stand.

[0023] In one nonlimiting embodiment, the recess 15 comprises a first portion 16 sized and shaped to hold or fit the bulb of a single use capillary and transfer pipette and a second portion 17 sized and shaped to hold or fit a portion of a capillary tube of the single use capillary and transfer pipette extending from the bulb. Due to the flexible nature of the pipette bulb, this configuration allows for the stand to grasp the pipette via its bulb thereby stabilizing the capillary action and/or transfer pipette.

[0024] In addition, the stand 1 comprises an access hole 20 extending through the two sides 14a, 14b of the body 10 sized so a user can squeeze the bulb of any single use capillary and transfer pipette held by the universal stand 1 from either the top 12 or bottom 13 or both the top 12 and bottom 13 of the body 10 of the stand 1. This design of the stand with the recess and access hole permits almost 360° access to the bulb of the capillary action and/or transfer pipette for squeezing of the bulb of the capillary action and/or transfer pipette as well as removing of the capillary action and/or transfer pipette from the stand.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1C, 2B, 3B and 4B, the stand and recess are sized so that the tip of the single use capillary action and/or transfer pipette held by the universal stand extends horizontally away from the universal stand.

[0026] The recess and access hole of the stand allow for easy placement of a capillary action and/or transfer pipette and transfer of any sample to test strip or microscope slide, followed by removal of the capillary and transfer pipette. Users can easily rest and/or leave the sample filled capillary action and/or transfer pipette in the stand while preparing other parts of the analysis without the worry of sample spills or leakage.

[0027] Further, hands-free holding of the capillary action and/or transfer pipette by the stand in a horizontal position with the tip extending horizontally away from the stand and at a height high enough off the table top or floor where the stand is placed to permit safe and clean access to a finger or heel from many different angles allows for a user collecting a finger-stick or heel-stick blood sample to properly clean the sample site prior to sticking, place their stuck finger or heel against the opening of the pipette easily and cleanly for sample collection without potential contamination from surface or additional contact, “milk” his/her finger or heel if needed to fill the capillary or pipette, and/or clean and bandage his or her finger or heel after sampling. Thus, the universal stand minimizes potential sample contamination without compromising sample volume or sample integrity.