Patent US4588095A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4588095A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Single-piece injection molded rack
Assignee: SYBORN Corp A CORP
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Filing: 1983-11-10
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Granted: 1986-05-13
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Expires: 2003-11-10
Abstract
Abstract A single-piece, injection molded rack for holding test tubes or similar articles and a mold for producing the same. In a preferred three-tiered form, the intermediate tier is a lattice defined by the intersection of two superposed sets of parallel bars. These two sets of bars are formed by two pairs of correspondingly channeled slides that cooperatively engage to form a portion of the mold cavity corresponding to the lattice. The channels in each set of slides are aligned with the path of movement of the slides to permit their sliding, uniaxial movement relative to the molded bars. To further enable this sliding movement between mold segments and the molded rack, the connecting supports between the top tier and the intermediate tier are provided on the sides of the rack, while the connecting supports between the intermediate tier and the bottom tier are provided on the front and rear of the rack. With this arrangement, the slides that form the lattice of the intermediate tier are free to slide, as well, along the inner surfaces of the supports, which they also help to form.
Inventors
- 👤 Ravinder C. Mehra
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 16:28
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L9/00; B01L9/06; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/17; B29C45/26; B29C45/33; B29C2045/338
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A single-piece injection molded rack comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart superposed tiers including a top tier, a bottom tier, and an intermediate tier, said intermediate tier being disposed between said top and bottom tiers, said top tier including apertures, said intermediate tier having a top set of bars and a bottom set of bars, selected bars within said top set being superposed over and intersecting with selected bars within said bottom set to define apertures, selected apertures in said intermediate tier being operatively aligned with selected apertures in said top tier; first support means for interconnecting said top tier and said intermediate tier; and second support means for interconnecting said intermediate tier and said bottom tier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A single-piece injection molded rack comprising: a plurality of spaced-apart superposed tiers including a top tier, a bottom tier, and an intermediate tier, said intermediate tier being disposed between said top and bottom tiers, said top tier including apertures, said intermediate tier having a top set of bars and a bottom set of bars, selected bars within said top set being superposed over and intersecting with selected bars within said bottom set to define apertures, selected apertures in said intermediate tier being operatively aligned with selected apertures in said top tier; first support means for interconnecting said top tier and said intermediate tier; and second support means for interconnecting said intermediate tier and said bottom tier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
101 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein each of said tiers includes a peripheral portion defining edges, the edges of said top tier being aligned with the edges of said intermediate tier, the edges of said intermediate tier being aligned with the edges of said bottom tier, and wherein: said first support means interconnects a selected portion of the edges of said top tier with a selected portion of the edges of said intermediate tier; and said second support means interconnects a selected portion of the edges of said intermediate tier with a selected portion of the edges of said bottom tier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
108 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein each of said tiers includes a peripheral portion having opposed front and rear edges and opposed left and right side edges; the front, rear, left side, and right side edges of the top tier being aligned with the front, rear, left side, and right side edges, respectively, of the intermediate tier; and wherein the front, rear, left side, and right side edges of the intermediate tier are aligned with the front, rear, left side, and right side edges, respectively, of the bottom tier, and wherein: said first support means is located inward from the respective edges of said top and intermediate tiers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
108 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein each of said tiers includes a peripheral portion having opposed front and rear edges and opposed left and right side edges; the front, rear, left side, and right side edges of the top tier being aligned with the front, rear, left side, and right side edges, respectively, of the intermediate tier; and wherein the front, rear, left side, and right side edges of the intermediate tier are aligned with the front, rear, left side, and right side edges, respectively, of the bottom tier, and wherein: said second support means is located inward from the respective edges of said intermediate and bottom tiers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The rack of claim 4, wherein said first support means is located inward from the respective edges of said top and intermediate tiers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein said top set of bars comprises groups of bars, the bars within each group being substantially parallel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein said bottom set of bars comprises groups of bars, the bars within each group being substantially parallel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The rack of claim 7, wherein said top set of bars comprises groups of bars, the bars within each group being substantially parallel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein the bars within said top set are substantially parallel to one another and wherein the bars within said bottom set are substantially parallel to one another.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The rack of claim 9, wherein said top and bottom bars extend between edges of said intermediate tier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The rack of claim 10, wherein each bar of said top set intersects each bar of said bottom set at substantially right angles.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein each bar of said top set intersects each bar of said bottom set at substantially right angles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The rack of claim 3, wherein: each of the bottom bars of said intermediate tier has a substantially planar upper surface; and each of the top bars of said intermediate tier has a substantially planar lower surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The rack of claim 13, wherein the upper surfaces of said bottom bars are substantially coplanar with one another.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The rack of claim 13, wherein the lower surfaces of said top bars are substantially coplanar with one another.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The rack of claim 13, wherein the upper surfaces of said bottom bars and the lower surfaces of said top bars are substantially coplanar with one another.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
128 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein each of said tiers includes a peripheral portion having opposed front and rear edges and opposed left and right side edges; the front, rear, left side, and right side edges of the top tier being aligned with the front, rear, left side, and right side edges, respectively, of the intermediate tier; and wherein the front, rear, left side, and right side edges of the intermediate tier are aligned with the front, rear, left side; and right side edges, respectively, of the bottom tier, and wherein: the bars of said top set extend between the front and rear edges of said intermediate tier, and the bars of said bottom set extend between the left side and right side edges of said intermediate tier.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
100 words
The rack of claim 1, wherein said first support means comprises: a left side support interconnecting the left side edge of said top tier with the left side edge of said intermediate tier; and a right side support interconnecting the right side edge of said top tier with the right side edge of said intermediate tier, said second support means comprises: a front support interconnecting the front edge of said intermediate tier with the front edge of said bottom tier and a rear support interconnecting the rear edge of said intermediate tier with the rear edge of said bottom tier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The rack of claim 18, further including at least one upper spacer extending between said top tier and said intermediate tier, said upper spacer being positioned inwardly of the edges of said tiers; and further including at least one lower spacer extending between said intermediate tier and said bottom tier, said lower spacer being positioned inwardly of the edges of said tiers.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rack of claim 17, wherein said top tier has a substantially planar lower surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rack of claim 17, wherein said bottom tier has a substantially planar upper surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rack of claim 21, wherein said top tier has a substantially planar lower surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
60 words
The rack of claim 17, wherein said top tier includes a lower surface having front and rear portions, said front and rear portions each being substantially planar but not coplanar with each other, said front and rear portions intersecting at a parting line located inward from the front and rear edges of said tier and downward toward said intermediate tier.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rack of claim 23, wherein said bottom tier has a substantially planar upper surface.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
64 words
The rack of claim 17, wherein said bottom tier includes an upper surface having left and right side portions, said left and right side portions each being substantially planar but not coplanar with each other, said left and right side portions intersecting at a parting line located inward from the left and right side edges of said tier and upward toward said intermediate tier.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rack of claim 25, wherein said top tier has a substantially planar lower surface.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
119 words
The rack of claim 17, wherein: said top tier includes a lower surface having front and rear portions, said front and rear portions each being substantially planar but not coplanar with each other, said front and rear portions intersecting at a parting line located inward from the front and rear edges of said tier and downward toward said intermediate tier; and said bottom tier includes an upper surface having left and right side portions, said left and right side portions each being substantially planar but not coplanar with each other, said left and right side portions intersecting at a parting line located inward from the left and right side edges of said tier and upward toward said intermediate tier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
76 words
The rack of claim 18, wherein: said left and right side supports have substantially planar inner surfaces, said surfaces being disposed opposite one another and in planes which are substantially parallel to one another and to said top set of bars; and said front and rear supports have substantially planar inner surfaces, said surfaces being disposed opposite one another and in planes which are substantially parallel to one another and to said bottom set of bars.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The rack of claim 18, wherein a portion of one of the edges of said intermediate tier extends outward relative to the respective edge of the bottom tier aligned therewith.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The rack of claim 18, wherein the front edge of said intermediate tier extends outward relative to the front edge of said bottom tier.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
The rack of claim 18, wherein the edges of each tier define a generally rectangular periphery and wherein each bar of said top set intersects each bar of said bottom set at substantially right angles.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
33 words
The rack of claim 31, wherein the rectangular periphery of each tier substantially corresponds in shape and dimensions with the shape and dimensions of the rectangular periphery of each of the other tiers.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
39 words
The rack of claim 32, wherein the front, rear, left side, and right side edges of each tier are aligned substantially coplanar with the front, rear, left side, and right side edges, respectively, of each of the other tiers.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
The rack of claim 33, wherein said bottom tier further includes apertures, selected apertures in said bottom tier being operatively aligned with selected apertures in said top and intermediate tiers.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The rack of claim 34, wherein said top and bottom bars define generally square apertures.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
13 words
The rack of claim 35, wherein said top tier has generally square apertures.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-12 | 1989-11-11 | 1990-05-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-12 | 1993-11-11 | 1994-05-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-12 | 1997-11-11 | 1998-05-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |