Container for an electrophoretic support medium

Claim 1

A container for protecting and enclosing an electrophoretic support medium having a base sheet with at least two opposed major surfaces and a layer of an electrophoretic gel adhered to one of the major surfaces of the base sheet, said container comprising: a top portion, a bottom portion and a hinge portion between said top and bottom portions, all of said portions being integrally connected to permit relative movement between said top and bottom portions through the action of said hinge portions; said bottom portion having an upwardly opening recess therein for accommodating the support medium, said bottom portion having a bottom, and two opposed sides, a back side and a front side which surrounds the recess and are perpendicularly connected to said bottom; said bottom portion further including a laterally and outwardly extending rim having a first leg forming a surface parallel to and spaced from said bottom and a second leg forming a sealing surface which is spaced from and surround said two opposed sides, back side and front side; said top portion having a downwardly opening recess therein, including a top and depending side walls perpendicularly connected to said top and surrounding the downwardly opening recess; the side walls of said top portion terminating in a flange having a first leg forming a surface parallel to and spaced from said top and a second leg forming a sealing surface which is spaced from and surrounds said top side walls; at least one nub protruding from each of the two opposed sides of said bottom portion into the recess provided therein, each nub being spaced apart from the bottom of said bottom portion, said nubs being engageable with the base sheet of the support medium so that when the support medium is placed in the recess between the nubs and the bottom of said bottom portion, the support medium is retained therein; said top portion through the provision of said hinge portion being moveable relative to said bottom portion to bring the sealing surfaces of said rim and said flange into sealing engagement to thereby close the container.