Tape adaptor

Abstract

A tape adaptor ( 8 ) includes a bottom plate ( 20 ) and a top plate ( 60 ) mounted to the bottom plate ( 20 ) with a space ( 40 ) defined between an upper side wall ( 26 ) of the bottom plate ( 20 ) and a lower face ( 68 ) of the top plate ( 60 ) for receiving a tape segment ( 100 ) remaining on or cut from a continuous array tape ( 10 ). The tape segment ( 100 ) includes an array of wells ( 54 ) between two edges ( 52 ). A slit ( 46 ) is formed between an end ( 62 ) of the top plate ( 60 ) and an end ( 22 ) of the bottom plate ( 20 ). The tape segment ( 100 ) is slideably extended through the slit ( 46 ) into the space ( 40 ) with the edges ( 52 ) sliding on two ridges ( 38 ) on two longitudinal edges ( 36 ) of the bottom plate ( 20 ). The bottom plate ( 20 ) can include at least one groove ( 30 ) to receive the array of wells ( 54 ) of the tape segment ( 100 ). The tape segment ( 100 ) is positioned relative to the tape adaptor ( 8 ) by the ridges ( 38 ) or the groove ( 30 ).

1 . A microtiter plate comprising, in combination:
 a bottom plate having first and second ends spaced in a first direction and upper and lower side walls extending between the first and second ends, with the upper and lower side walls spaced in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, with the bottom plate further including first and second longitudinal edges extending between the first and second ends and spaced in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions, a first ridge extending from the first longitudinal edge and extending away from the lower side wall of the bottom plate in the second direction, and extending substantially from the first end to the second end, and a second ridge extending from the second longitudinal edge and extending away from the lower side wall of the bottom plate in the second direction, and extending substantially from the first end to the second end, with the first and second ridges being spaced in the third direction;   a top plate including first and second ends spaced in the first direction and upper and lower faces extending between the first and second ends of the top plate, with the upper and lower faces spaced in the second direction, with the top plate coupled to the first and second ridges of the bottom plate, with a space defined between the upper side wall of the bottom plate and the lower face of the top plate, with a first opening formed between the first end of the top plate and the first end of the bottom plate and extending in the third direction between the first and second ridges; and   a tape segment received in the space and including first and second ends spaced in the first direction, with the tape segment further including an array of wells between the first and second ends of the tape segment, with the array of wells including a plurality of columns spaced in the first direction and a plurality of rows spaced in the third direction, with the tape segment further including first and second edges on two sides of the array of wells and spaced from the array of wells in the third direction, with the tape segment positioned relative to at least one of the top and bottom plates with the first opening extending in the third direction for an extent for slideably receiving the first and second edges of the tape segment, with the first ridge extending substantially along the first longitudinal edge substantially from the first end to the second end, with the second ridge extending substantially along the second longitudinal edge substantially from the first end to the second end, and with the tape segment slideably extending through the first opening in the first direction into the space with the first and second edges of the tape segment slideable on the first and second ridges of the bottom plate.   
     
     
         2 . The microtiter plate of  claim 1 , wherein the top plate further includes at least one cutout extending from the upper face through the lower face of the top plate and extending from the first end of the top plate towards the second end of the top plate and extending in the third direction. 
     
     
         3 . The microtiter plate of  claim 2 , wherein the tape segment includes a bar code on one of the first and second ends of the tape segment, wherein the at least one cutout is at least partially aligned with the bar code in the second direction and at least partially viewable through the at least one cutout. 
     
     
         4 . The microtiter plate of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom plate further includes a bar code reading area at least partially aligned with the at least one cutout and the bar code in the second direction. 
     
     
         5 . The microtiter plate of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom plate includes at least one cutout extending from the upper side wall through the lower side wall and extending from first end between and is spaced from the first and second longitudinal edges in the third direction. 
     
     
         6 . The microtiter plate of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one cutouts of the top plate and bottom plate are generally the same size and shape, are arcuate in cross section, and are aligned with each other in the second direction to allow easy removal of tape segment. 
     
     
         7 . The microtiter plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom plate further includes a plurality of grooves positioned between the upper side wall and the lower side wall, the plurality of grooves generally parallel to each other in the first direction and spaced from each other in the third direction. 
     
     
         8 . The microtiter plate of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of grooves include an end wall intermediate the first and second ends of the bottom plate in the first direction and extending in the second direction. 
     
     
         9 . The microtiter plate of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one stop extending from at least one of the upper side wall of the bottom plate and the lower face of the top plate and into the space defined between the upper side wall of the bottom plate and the lower face of the top plate and within an extent of the plurality of grooves in the third direction. 
     
     
         10 . The microtiter plate of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one stop is positioned to couple to the second end of the tape segment to position the tape segment relative to one of the top and bottom plates, wherein the plurality of grooves extends between first and second ends of the bottom plate. 
     
     
         11 . The microtiter plate of  claim 1 , wherein the top plate includes at least one stop extending at least partially between second end of top plate and second end of the bottom plate. 
     
     
         12 . The microtiter plate of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one stop comprises at least one locating pin at least partially extending between the second end of top plate and the second end of the bottom plate.