US5632388A — Test tube rack assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 130 words

An adjustable test tube rack assembly comprising: a base having a pair of end supports; a test tube rack including a pair of end supports and test tube supporting structure extending therebetween; a pivot connection between said base end supports and said test tube rack end supports, said pivot connection allowing a pivoting motion of said test tube rack with respect to said base about a horizontal axis; and, a selectively actuable connector affixed to at least one of said base end supports and including a stud selectively engageable with one of a plurality stud receivers associated with said test tube rack and moving therewith during said pivoting motion, wherein each of said stud receivers defines a different angular position of said test tube rack with respect to said base.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 130 words

An adjustable test tube rack assembly comprising: a base having a pair of end supports; a test tube rack including a pair of end supports and test tube supporting structure extending therebetween; a pivot connection between said base end supports and said test tube rack end supports, said pivot connection allowing a pivoting motion of said test tube rack with respect to said base about a horizontal axis; and, a selectively actuable connector affixed to at least one of said base end supports and including a stud selectively engageable with one of a plurality stud receivers associated with said test tube rack and moving therewith during said pivoting motion, wherein each of said stud receivers defines a different angular position of said test tube rack with respect to said base.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 72 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 1 further comprising a test tube rack holder disposed between said test tube rack and said base, said test tube rack holder including a pair of end supports which are each pivotally connected to a respective base end support, said test tube rack holder end supports further having locking structure for holding said test tube rack in fixed relation to said test tube rack holder.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 41 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 2 wherein said locking structure on the end supports of said test tube rack and said test tube rack holder allows removable attachment between said test tube rack and said test tube rack holder.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 58 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 3 wherein said test tube rack holder end supports comprise upright spring plates which are normally disposed in a locking structure engagement position, said spring plates further capable of being spread outwardly to both receive said test tube rack and disengage said locking structure during removal of said test tube rack.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 36 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 4 wherein said locking structure further comprises inwardly extending portions of said spring plates which are adapted to engage upwardly facing surfaces of said test tube rack end supports.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 20 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 5 wherein said inwardly extending portions comprise inward bends in said spring plates.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 2 wherein said stud receivers comprise holes in said test tube rack holder end supports and said selectively actuable connector is a plunger mechanism for moving said stud axially between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to said holes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 7 wherein said plunger is biased to normally hold said stud in said engaged position.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 8 wherein said plunger includes a hold-open lock allowing said stud to be selectively held in a disengaged position.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 44 words

The test tube rack of claim 2 wherein the end supports of said test tube rack and said test tube rack holder include mating alignment structure for aligning said test tube rack and said test tube rack holder as said locking structure is engaged.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 81 words

The test tube rack of claim 10 wherein said test tube rack holder end supports comprise upright spring plates which are normally disposed in a locking structure engagement position, said spring plates further capable of being spread outwardly to both receive said test tube rack and disengage said locking structure during removal of said test tube rack, said alignment structure including respective slots in said test tube rack end supports adapted to receive alignment members extending inwardly from said spring plates.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 1 wherein said horizontal axis is disposed centrally between front and rear sides of said base and said pivot connection allows pivoting of said test tube rack in opposite directions about said horizontal axis.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 107 words

An adjustable test tube rack assembly comprising: a base having a pair of end supports; a pair of spring locking members respectively mounted to said base end supports; a test tube rack including a pair of end supports and test tube supporting structure extending between said end supports; and, wherein said spring locking members and said test tube rack end supports respectively include mating locking surfaces and said spring locking members are movable between locked and unlocked positions with respect to the locking surfaces of said test tube rack end supports to allow said test tube rack to be selectively engaged and disengaged by said locking members.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 107 words

An adjustable test tube rack assembly comprising: a base having a pair of end supports; a pair of spring locking members respectively mounted to said base end supports; a test tube rack including a pair of end supports and test tube supporting structure extending between said end supports; and, wherein said spring locking members and said test tube rack end supports respectively include mating locking surfaces and said spring locking members are movable between locked and unlocked positions with respect to the locking surfaces of said test tube rack end supports to allow said test tube rack to be selectively engaged and disengaged by said locking members.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 13 wherein said spring locking members form part of a test tube rack holder having a bottom support extending between said spring locking members.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 14 wherein said bottom support and said spring locking members comprise a plate integrally formed from a single sheet of resilient material.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 18 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 15 wherein said sheet of resilient material is a metal sheet.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 31 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 14 wherein said test tube rack holder is pivotally mounted to said base to allow movement about a central horizontal axis of said base.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 41 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 17 wherein said horizontal axis is disposed centrally between front and rear sides of said base and said pivot connection allows pivoting of said test tube rack in opposite directions about said horizontal axis.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 86 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 13 wherein the locking surfaces of said spring locking members face downwardly and are disposed on inwardly extending portions of said spring locking members and the locking surfaces of said test tube rack end supports face upwardly, whereby said spring locking members may be biased outwardly to receive said test tube rack and then allowed to retract inwardly such that adjacent locking surfaces engage each other to lock said test tube rack in place between said spring locking members.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 29 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 19 wherein said spring locking members are resilient plates and said inwardly extending portions comprise inward bend portions in said resilient plates.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 60 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 20 wherein said resilient plates each further include a second bend portion extending upwardly and outwardly from said inward bend portions and said test tube rack is sized such that the end supports thereof contact the second bend portions and spread said resilient plates apart during insertion of said test tube rack therebetween.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 44 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 13 wherein said spring locking members and said test tube rack end supports further include mating alignment structure for aligning said test tube rack and said spring locking members as the respective locking surfaces thereof are engaged.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 54 words

The test tube rack of claim 22 wherein said spring locking members comprise upright spring plates which are normally disposed in a locking surface engagement position, said spring plates further capable of being spread outwardly to both receive said test tube rack and disengage said locking surfaces during removal of said test tube rack.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 30 words

The test tube rack of claim 23 wherein said alignment structure includes respective slots in said test tube rack end supports and alignment members extending inwardly from said spring plates.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 111 words

A test tube rack assembly comprising: a base having a pair of end supports; a pair of aligning members respectively connected to said base end supports; a pair of locking members respectively connected to said base end supports; a test tube rack including a pair of end supports and test tube supporting structure extending therebetween, said test tube rack end supports including aligning structure for cooperating in a sliding manner with said aligning members during insertion and removal of said test tube rack between said base end supports and further including locking structure for cooperating with said locking members when said test tube rack is inserted between said base end supports.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 111 words

A test tube rack assembly comprising: a base having a pair of end supports; a pair of aligning members respectively connected to said base end supports; a pair of locking members respectively connected to said base end supports; a test tube rack including a pair of end supports and test tube supporting structure extending therebetween, said test tube rack end supports including aligning structure for cooperating in a sliding manner with said aligning members during insertion and removal of said test tube rack between said base end supports and further including locking structure for cooperating with said locking members when said test tube rack is inserted between said base end supports.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 25 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 25 wherein said aligning members and said locking members each extend inwardly from the respective base end supports.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 31 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 26 wherein the aligning structure of each test tube rack end support comprises a recess for receiving an alignment member in a sliding manner.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 36 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 27 wherein the locking structure of each test tube rack end support comprises an upwardly facing surface thereof for engaging a downwardly facing surface of a respective locking member.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 56 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 28 further comprising a test tube rack holder carrying said alignment and locking members and comprising a resilient plate integrally formed with a bottom plate portion and a pair of spring plates extending upwardly from opposite ends thereof, said spring plates being pivotally connected to said base end supports.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 18 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 29 wherein said sheet of resilient material is a metal sheet.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 47 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 29 wherein said locking members comprise respective inward bend portions in said spring plates and said alignment members each comprise alignment plates rigidly affixed to inner surfaces of said spring plates and having end portions bent in an inward direction.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 60 words

The test tube rack assembly of claim 31 wherein said spring plates each further include a second bend portion extending upwardly and outwardly from said inward bend portions and said test tube rack is sized such that the end supports thereof contact the second bend portions and spread said spring plates apart during insertion of said test tube rack therebetween.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-05-26	2000-11-25	2001-05-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-05-26	2004-11-25	2005-05-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-05-26	2008-11-25	2009-05-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Test tube rack assembly

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