WO2015035949A1

WO2015035949A1 - Microcentrifugal tube

Info

Publication number: WO2015035949A1
Application number: PCT/CN2014/086489
Authority: WO
Inventors: Weiming Yu
Original assignee: Gene Era Biotech Co. Ltd.
Priority date: 2013-09-13
Filing date: 2014-09-15
Publication date: 2015-03-19
Also published as: CN106061612A; CN106061612B

Abstract

A microcentrifugal tube (100), comprising: a tubular body (102) defining a receiving cavity (104), the tubular body (102) being tapered to a close at a distal end (108) and having an opening (110) at a proximal end (112), wherein the tubular body (102) has a flange (114) extending from a first edge portion (116) of the opening (110); a lid (118) for sealing the opening (110) having a first hooking member (128) and a second hooking member (130) extending from the lid (118); and a hinge (120) extending at a first end (122) from a second edge portion (124) of the opening (110) and attached at a second end (126) to the lid (118). The hinge (120) has a through hole (132) disposed between said first and second end (122,126) of the hinge (120), whereby when the lid (118) seals the opening (110) of the tubular body (102), the first hooking member (128) engages the flange (114) of the tubular body (102) and the second hooking member (130) engages the hinge (120) at the through hole (132).

Description

MICROCENTRIFUGAL TUBE

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the Chinese Application No. 201320567803.6 filed on September 13, 2013, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to laboratory sample containers, and more particularly to microcentrifugal tubes.

BACKGROUND

Microcentrifugal tubes are small plastic tubes which are typically tapered, conical or rounded, and closed at one end. The tubes are capable of holding a small amount of liquid, for example, 0.1-2.0 ml liquid, and are constructed to withstand forces typically over 10, 000 times their own weight during centrifugation. These tubes are widely used in biotechnology laboratories as vessels for storing biochemicals, performing biochemical reactions, or handling sterile contaminant-free samples.

Generally, a tight fitting lid sized and shaped to cover and seal the tube opening is provided with the microcentrifugal tube to maintain the inside of the microcentrifugal tube in an aseptic condition. The lid is generally attached to the tube by a flexible hinge. However, due to a centrifugal force of an excess magnitude applied to the microcentrifugal tube, the lid may be released from the tube opening, causing liquid leakage from the microcentrifugal tube. Thus, there is a need for further improvement of the microcentrifugal tubes.

SUMMARY

In an aspect of the invention, there is provided a microcentrifugal tube with improved seal. The microcentrifugal tube has a tubular body defining a receiving cavity and a lid. The tubular body is tapered to a close at a distal end and has an opening at a proximal end, wherein the tubular body has a flange extending from a first edge portion of the opening. The lid is configured to seal the opening. The lid has a first hooking member and a second hooking member extending from the lid. The microcentrifugal tube further has a hinge. The hinge extends at a first end from a second edge portion of the opening and is attached at a second end to the lid. Particularly, the hinge has a through hole disposed between the first and second end of the hinge, whereby when the lid seals the opening of the tubular body, the first hooking member engages the flange of the tubular body and the second hooking member engages the hinge at the through hole, and preferably at least partially passes through the through hole.

With the two hooking members disposed on the lid, the lid can be securely locked with the tubular body during centrifugation as the engagement of the first hinge member with the flange balances with the engagement of the second hinge member. This significantly improves the seal of the microcentrifugal tube and prevents unwanted liquid leakage from the microcentrifugal tube.

In certain embodiments, the first hooking member and the second hooking member protrude from a lower surface of the lid and bend towards a same direction. The hooking members bending towards the same direction make it easy to release the lid from the tubular body.

In certain embodiments, the hinge is formed by a flexible material.

In certain embodiments, the lid has a sealing member protruding from its lower surface and being inserted into the tubular body through the opening when the lid seals the opening. Preferably, the sealing member is sized to form interference fit with the opening of the tubular body when the lid seals the opening.

In certain embodiments, the opening of the tubular body comprises a lead-in surface. This helps the insertion of the sealing member into the inside of the tubular body.

In certain embodiments, the flange comprises one or more slots at its lower surface. The slots of the flange can mate with a supporting centrifuge mechanism during the centrifugation, thereby avoiding the rotation of the microcentrifugal tube relative to the supporting centrifugal mechanism.

In certain embodiments, the one or more slots are uniformly circumferentially spaced around the opening. In certain embodiments, the flange is disposed around an entire circumference of the opening.

In certain embodiments, the first edge portion is opposite to the second edge portion.

The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention, and the manner in which the same are accomplished, will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying examples, which illustrate preferred and exemplary embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a microcentrifugal tube according to an embodiment of the invention；

Figures 2-5 illustrates horizontal cross sectional views of the microcentrifugal tube in Figure 1 at different states from when the lid does not seal the tubular body to when the lid seals the tubular body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figures 1-5, an illustrative embodiment of a microcentrifugal tube 100 is shown. The microcentrifugal tube 100 includes a tubular body 102 defining a receiving cavity 104. The receiving cavity 104 is used to contain liquids such as water, solutions, aerosols, suspensions or the like. Biochemical, chemical or other materials may be dispersed in the liquid contained within the receiving cavity 104. The tubular body 102 is generally formed by transparent or semi-transparent materials such as polymer materials, thereby a user may determine the volume of the liquid by visual inspection. Examples of polymer materials suitable for forming the tubular body 102 include, but are not limited to, polypropylene (PP) , polycarbonate (PC) , polyvinyl chloride (PVC) , acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) , and polystyrene (PS) . Scales may be provided at an outer wall 106 of the tubular body 102 to indicate the volume of the liquid. The tubular body 102 is tapered to a close at a distal end 108, and has an opening 110 at a proximal end 112 opposite to the distal end 108. Tubular body 102 has a flange 114 extending from a first edge portion 116 of the opening 110.

The microcentrifugal tube 100 further includes a lid 118 for sealing the opening 110, and a hinge 120 for connecting the lid 118 with the tubular body 102. The lid 118 can cover the opening 110 to hermetically seal liquid within the receiving cavity 104 during centrifugation, and be released from the opening 110 to enable removal or addition of liquid before or after the centrifugation. The hinge 120 extends at a first end 122 from a second edge portion 124 of the opening 110, and is attached at a second end 126 to the lid 118. The first edge portion 116 may be opposite to the second edge portion 124. In preferred embodiments, the hinge 110 may be formed by a flexible material such as elastic polymer materials. The hinge 120 may be a thin, rectangular piece of elastic material integrally formed with the tubular body 102 and/or the hinge 120. Alternatively, the hinge 120 may be separately formed and attached to the lid 118 and the tubular 102 by adhesives.

The microcentrifugal tube includes a first hooking member 128 and a second hooking member 130 extending from the lid 118. In certain embodiments, the first hooking member 128 and the second hooking member 130 may protrude from the lower surface of the lid 118. The first and second hooking

members

128 and 130 engage with the tubular body 102 to lock the lid 118 with the tubular body 102. The hinge 120 has a through hole 132 disposed between the first end 122 and the second end 124 of the hinge 120. When the lid 118 seals the opening 110 of the tubular body 102, the position of the first hooking member 128 substantially corresponds to the position of the flange 114 at the first edge portion 116 such that the first hooking member 128 engages the flange 114. Moreover, the position of the second hooking member 130 substantially corresponds to the position of the through hole 132 in the hinge 120 such that the second hooking member 130 at least partially passes through the through hole 132 and engages the hinge 120 at the through hole 132. In this way, the first edge portion 116 and the second portion 124 of the opening 110 can engage the lower surface of the lid 118 to seal the receiving cavity 104.

As shown in Figure 1, the hinge 120 may have a thicker region near the first end 122 and a thinner region near the second end 126. The thicker region has a thickness greater than that of the thinner region. In preferred embodiments, the through hole 132 is formed in the thicker region. Therefore, the thicker region of the hinge 120 can be provided with mechanical strength sufficient to withstand a pulling force applied by the second hooking member 130 engaged therewith. Moreover, the thinner region of the hinge 120 still permits the bending of the hinge 120 and the associated movement of the lid 118.

In the microcentrifugal tube 100, with the two hooking

members

128 and 130 disposed on the lid 118 according to the embodiment of the invention, the lid 118 can be securely locked with the tubular body 102 during centrifugation as the engagement of the first hinge member 102 with the flange 114 balances with the engagement of the second hinge member 130 at the through hole 132. This significantly improves the hermetical seal of the microcentrifugal tube 100 and prevents unwanted liquid leakage from the microcentrifugal tube 100.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 1-5, the first hooking member 128 and the second hooking member 130 protrude from the lower surface of the lid 118 and bend towards a same direction. For example, the first and second hooking members both bend rightward as shown in Figure 5. Then the second hooking member 130 engages the hinge 124 at a rim of the through hole 132, optionally away from the tubular body 102. The first and second hooking members bending toward the same direction make the release of the lid 118 from the tubular body 102 much easier, as the two hooking members can both disengage from the tubular body 102 or the hinge 120 by pushing the lid 118 leftward with respect to the tubular body 102. In certain embodiments, the first hooking member 128 and the second hooking member 130 may bend towards each other, i. e. bend towards the center of the lid 118. Then the second hooking member 130 may engage the hinge 124 at the rim of the through hole 132 near the tubular body 102, or may engage the flange 114 if it is disposed around an entire circumference of the opening 110, i. e. the flange 114 may span from the first edge portion 116 to the second edge portion 124 and back to the first edge portion 116 to form the entire circumferential structure. In certain embodiments, the second hooking member 130 may include two or more hooks that can be resiliently inserted into the through hole 132.

In certain embodiments, the first edge portion 116 and the second edge portion 124 of the opening 110 have an annular sealing layer (not shown) disposed thereon. In preferred embodiments, the lid 118 has a sealing member 134 protruding from its lower surface and being inserted into the tubular body 102 through the opening 110 when the lid 118 seals the opening 110. The sealing member 134 may be sized to form interference fit with the opening 110 of the tubular body 102 when the lid 118 seals the opening 110 so that liquid can be tightly sealed within the receiving cavity 104. For example, the receiving cavity 104 may be shaped substantially as a cylinder, while the sealing member 134 may be shaped as a cylinder to hermetically seal the opening 110. In certain embodiments, the opening 110 of the tubular body 102 has a lead-in surface 136. The lead-in surface 136 helps the insertion of the sealing member 134 into the inside of the tubular body 102. For example, the lead-in surface 136 may be angled from about 30’ to about 5°, e. g. , 3° to a longitudinal axis of the tubular body 102.

In certain embodiments, the flange 114 may include one or more slots 138 at its lower surface. For example, one, two, three, four, six, eight or more slots may be formed at the lower surface of the flange 114. When the microcentrifugal tube 100 is disposed on the supporting centrifuge mechanism (not shown) for centrifugation, the slots 138 can snug fit or mate with the supporting centrifuge mechanism, thereby avoiding the rotation of the microcentrifugal tube 100 relative to the supporting centrifugal mechanism. In preferred embodiments, the slots 138 may be uniformly and circumferentially spaced around the opening 110, which further improve the stability of the centrifugation of the microcentrifugal tube 100.

Figures 2-5 illustrates horizontal cross sectional views of the microcentrifugal tube 100 in Figure 1 at different stages from when the lid does not seal the tubular body to when the lid seals the tubular body. Hereinafter, the operation of the microcentrifugal tube 100 will be further elaborated with references to Figures 2-5.

As shown in Figure 2, the hinge 120 is fully expanded and the lid 118 does not engage the tubular body 102. Then sample liquid may be added into the receiving cavity 104. Alternatively, the tubular body 102 may also be tilted to pour out the sample liquid contained therein. Next, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the hinge 120 gradually bends to move the lid 118 counterclockwise towards the opening 110 of the tubular body 102. At the stage shown in Figure 4, the lid 118 gets much closer to the opening 110 such that the second hooking member 130 begins to pass through the through hole 132 of the hinge 120. Meanwhile, the sealing member 134 may also be in vicinity of the opening 110 such that the opening 110 is close to be sealed. Then more sample liquid may be further added into the receiving cavity 104, for example, by using a pipette with a small pipette tip or the like. As shown in Figure 5, the lid 118 continues to move counterclockwise to move the second hooking member 126 downward to engage the hinge at the through hole 132. Furthermore, the first hooking member 128 also moves to the position where it engages the flange 114. In other words, the lid 118 is finally locked with the tubular body 102 via the first and second hooking

members

128 and 130, thereby the microcentrifugal tube 100 is hermetically sealed to main the receiving cavity 104 free of contaminant.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the level of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. All publications and patent applications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. The mere mentioning of the publications and patent applications does not necessarily constitute an admission that they are prior art to the instant application.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A microcentrifugal tube, comprising:

a tubular body defining a receiving cavity, the tubular body being tapered to a close at a distal end and having an opening at a proximal end, wherein the tubular body has a flange extending from a first edge portion of the opening；

a lid for sealing the opening having a first hooking member and a second hooking member extending from the lid； and

a hinge extending at a first end from a second edge portion of the opening and attached at a second end to the lid, and has a through hole disposed between said first and second end of the hinge, whereby when the lid seals the opening of the tubular body, the first hooking member engages the flange of the tubular body and the second hooking member engages the hinge at the through hole.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 1, wherein the first hooking member and the second hooking member protrude from a lower surface of the lid and bend towards a same direction.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 1, wherein the hinge is formed by a flexible material.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 1, wherein the lid has a sealing member protruding from its lower surface and being inserted into the tubular body through the opening when the lid seals the opening.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 4, wherein the sealing member is sized to form interference fit with the opening of the tubular body when the lid seals the opening.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 5, wherein the opening of the tubular body comprises a lead-in surface.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 1, wherein the flange comprises one or more slots at its lower surface.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 7, wherein the one or more slots are uniformly circumferentially spaced around the opening.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 1, wherein the flange is disposed around an entire circumference of the opening.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 1, wherein the first edge portion is opposite to the second edge portion.
The microcentrifugal tube of claim 1, wherein when the lid seals the opening of the tubular body, the first hooking member engages the flange of the tubular body and the second hooking member at least partially passes through the though hole and engages the hinge at the through hole.