Plate packaging

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a package for housing a plurality of substantially rectangular assay plates, each plate having a peripheral flange. [Solution] In one embodiment, the package comprises a cavity extending inward with one or more sloping buttress elements spaced apart over at least a portion of the top corners, and one or more adjacent projections extending at least partially upward from the bottom to one or both side walls, each pair of projections forming a groove between which the flanges of the respective assay plates fit. The package may contain a transparent polymer that can read or scan product information on the assay plate.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Related Applications This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 118,155 filed on November 25, 2020, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure is directed to packaging for assay plates, such as those used in diagnostics and similar biological and testing scenarios. The packaging improves and facilitates handling, is more economically efficient and environmentally friendly, and enables safer storage and easier transportation of such plates.

BACKGROUND ART

[0003] A typical assay plate is roughly rectangular in shape, with width, length, and height, and usually has a top surface containing multiple wells on which various reagents or biological materials can be placed, and a bottom surface that can be metallized to allow for specific electronic aspects of the assay or other configurations that facilitate diagnosis. In some cases, there is an outward-facing flange extending around the entire perimeter of the plate, often extending from or near the bottom edge. Generally, the flange is associated with a recessed shelf portion configured so that the top of one plate can be nested within the bottom of another plate, thereby allowing multiple such plates to be stacked. Packaging such assay plates is a labor-intensive, and at least mostly manual process, currently involving assembling the plates into stacks, each stack containing a specific number of plates, then placing the stacks into pouches, then sealing and labeling them, including machine-readable identifiers with various product and / or other information that need to be scanned into one or more databases for tracking, customer, and other uses. The pouches are placed in shipping boxes, which are then sealed and relabeled with machine-readable identifiers scanned into a database for tracking and updates. The boxes are then sent for shipping and shipped to the customer. Additionally, stickers instructing the customer on where to cut the box without damaging the contents and how to reseal the pouches are typically included on the box or accompanying documentation. Protective packaging elements such as foam inserts, bubble wrap, and box repackaging are also frequently used, increasing costs and handling, and all of these are ultimately discarded, leading to increased waste. Therefore, there is a need for assay plate packaging that is more user-friendly and reduces costs and waste. [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] This disclosure relates to assay plate packages that meet the aforementioned needs. In one embodiment, the assay plate includes an upper shell, the upper shell connected to a lower shell by a hinge member, and together with the lower shell, define a cavity when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position, the cavity being configured to include a plurality of substantially rectangular assay plates, each plate comprising a top and bottom surface, an edge flange extending around the periphery of the plate, an outer plate side wall having a width and extending perpendicularly from the edge flange around the periphery of the plate, and chamfered corners. The upper shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar upper panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell end walls, a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell side walls, and at least one buttress element positioned obliquely on the side wall of the first upper shell and a portion of the upper panel, extending into the cavity, wherein the buttress element has an inclined surface complementary to the chamfered corners of the assay plate and is configured to contact the chamfered corners of the respective assay plates when the upper and lower shells are in the closed position. The lower shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar bottom panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell end walls and a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell side walls, wherein at least one of the side walls of the first or second lower shell has at least one pair of adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into a cavity, the pair of adjacent projections forming a groove between them, the groove configured to receive a portion of the flange portion of the respective assay plate. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0005] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of an embodiment of the assay plate package of this disclosure in the open position. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a top view of the embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1 in the closed position. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is a top view of the embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the assay plate package of the present disclosure in the open position. [Figure 8] Figure 7 is a top view of the embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 7. [Figure 10] This is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 7 in the closed position. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a top view of the embodiment shown in Figure 10. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view depicting the upper shell of the assay plate package of this disclosure in the open position. [Figure 14] This is a side view of an embodiment of the assay plate intended by this disclosure. [Figure 15] Figure 14 is a perspective view of the embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a side view of an embodiment of the assay plate stack intended by this disclosure. [Figure 17] This is a side view of an exemplary stack of assay plates loaded into the lower shell embodiment of the assay plate package of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] This is a side view of an exemplary stack of assay plates loaded into the lower shell of another embodiment of the assay plate package of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0006] For convenience, the following detailed descriptions will be made with reference to the drawings, which are illustrative and not intended to limit or restrict the scope of this disclosure. The term “rectangle” as used throughout this specification includes the geometric shapes of rectangles and squares.

[0007] Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, there exists an embodiment of an assay plate package 10 comprising an upper shell 12 and a lower shell 14 in a clamshell configuration connected to each other by a hinge member 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper shell, lower shell and hinge member are integrally formed and form a single structure. The assay plate package can be formed by means known in the art, including, but not limited to, molding, compression molding, injection molding, milling, etc., using suitable materials such as plastics, e.g., polyalphaolefins, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, nylon, polyester, acrylic, etc. In one embodiment, the package can be integrally formed by thermoforming from a single sheet of a thermoplastic resin, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), e.g., polyester, etc., and recycled PET may be included. In one embodiment, the polymer is transparent. Alternatively, the upper shell, lower shell and hinge can be fabricated separately and assembled together as individual components. The upper shell 12 comprises a substantially rectangular planar upper panel 18, the upper panel 18 having a pair of opposing substantially planar parallel end walls 24, 26 of the first and second upper shells, and a pair of opposing substantially planar parallel side walls 20, 26 of the first and second upper shells, respectively. All of these end walls 24, 26 and side walls 20, 22 extend substantially perpendicularly from the upper panel 18. The upper shell 12 has at least one buttress element 28 positioned obliquely on the side wall 20 of the first upper shell and on a portion of the upper panel 18. Multiple such buttress elements can be used. Non-limiting embodiments shown in Figures 1-6 show four buttress elements 28.

[0008] Referring here to Figures 14, 15, and 16, a typical assay plate 150 for which the present disclosure provides a package is shown. The plate may be coated or uncoated. The illustrated plate 150 is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises a top surface 162 containing a number of wells 160, a bottom surface 164, and an edge flange 154 extending around the entire circumference of the plate. The plate 150 further comprises an outer side wall 152 having a width that may vary depending on the particular assay plate, extending perpendicularly from or near the edge flange 154 and extending around the entire circumference of the plate. The plate 150 further has at least one chamfered corner 156 on the outer side wall 152 that cuts the corner diagonally. As shown in the illustration, the plate 150 has two chamfered corners 156 and 165 located at adjacent corners. The assay plate 150 may have a label or other attachment or printout 158 ​​on it that contains machine- or human-readable information, such as, but not limited to, a lot number, kit code, or other product information relating to a particular plate or a group of plates. Such information may also be printed directly onto the plate by, for example, laser printing. In one embodiment, the assay package of the present disclosure is transparent enough to allow electronic scanning or visual reading of the label information. In another embodiment, the package has a transparent window or a number of such windows for accessing the information, otherwise the package is not transparent. The wall thickness of the assay plate package can vary within a range known in the art, and typically may include upper and lower shell thicknesses sufficient to make the assay package rigid or semi-rigid, for example, wall thicknesses of about 0.025 inches to about 0.040 inches, for example, about 0.035 inches, for example. In addition to Figure 16, in one embodiment, the plates are configured to form a stack 170. Figure 16 shows ten exemplary assay plates nested together so that their chamfered corners 156 align on a common plane to form a stack 170.As shown in the figure, the stack 170 has an axial length along the dotted line "a" from the first end of the stack corresponding to 166 assay plates to the second end of the stack corresponding to 168 assay plates. With respect to the stack 170, the flanges 154 of the individual plates are arranged substantially equally along the axial length of the stack and extend outward along the perimeter of the stack. Thus, the flanges 154 form slots 172 between them, and in one embodiment shown, each slot has a chamfered portion 156.

[0009] Returning to Figures 1-6, the upper shell 12 and lower shell 14 cooperate to define an internal cavity when the upper shell 12 and lower shell 14 are in the closed position. The cavity is configured to contain a plurality of substantially rectangular assay plates, as typically described and illustrated in Figures 14 and 15, and includes a stack of assay plates as shown in Figure 16. Referring further to Figure 13, buttress elements 28 are shown, three of which are shown. As shown, each buttress element 28 has an inclined surface 62 complementary to the inclination of the chamfered corners 156 of the plate. In the illustrated embodiment, the inclined surface 62 extends obliquely from the side wall 20 of the first upper shell to the upper panel 18. The buttress elements 28 extend into the cavity when the upper and lower shells are in the closed position and are configured to contact the chamfered portion of each plate, for example, by the length of their extension and the inclination of the buttress surface. When the plate is formed in the stack 170, the buttress elements are configured to fit into slots 172 and contact chamfered corners 156. The buttress elements 28 are angled to the top panel 18 and the sidewalls 20 of the first upper shell. In the illustrated embodiment, the buttress elements have a substantially triangular cross-section, as can be seen from the buttress sidewalls 64, and the buttress elements 28 are positioned so as to at least partially straddle the edges 61 formed where the top panel 18 contacts the sidewalls 20 of the first upper shell. In addition to the sidewalls 20 of the first upper shell, the buttress elements 28 may also be positioned opposite to, or alternately with, or in other patterns on the sidewalls 22 of the second upper shell. The buttress elements 28 may be integrally formed from the sidewalls 20 and top panel 18 of the first upper shell by molding, recessing, etc., or they may consist of separate parts angled to the sidewalls 22 and top panel 18.

[0010] The lower shell 14 comprises a substantially rectangular planar bottom panel 32, the bottom panel 32 having, respectively, a pair of opposing substantially planar parallel end walls 38 and 40 of the first and second lower shells, and a pair of opposing substantially planar parallel side walls 34 and 36 of the first and second lower shells. All of the end walls 38, 40 and the side walls 34, 36 extend substantially perpendicularly from the bottom panel 32. At least one of the side walls 34, 36 of the first or second lower shell has at least a pair of laterally adjacent projections that extend outward into the cavity from the associated side wall and upward from the bottom panel 32. A given pair of adjacent projections forms a groove between them configured to receive the first flange portion of the respective assay plate placed between them. In one embodiment, all pairs of adjacent projections can form a flange receiving groove, but not all pairs of such adjacent projections are required to do so. In one embodiment, there are enough adjacent pairs of protrusions to form individual grooves on most of the flanges protruding from the stack of assay plates, and for example, assay plates located at each end of the stack may not have flanges that are accommodated by the grooves.

[0011] While not limiting, Figures 1-6 and 17 show embodiments in which a pair of laterally adjacent projections 46a and 48a on the side wall 34 of the first lower shell form a groove 66a between them, and a pair of laterally adjacent projections 44a and 46a form a groove 68a between them. The projections may, but do not necessarily, form a repeating pattern. The grooves 66a and 68a, etc., are configured to receive a portion of the flange 154 associated with the respective assay plate placed therein. In the illustrated embodiment, there is no flange inside the groove 67a formed between the pair of projections 48a and 44a. The patterns of the projections 44a, 46a, and 48a and the grooves associated with them may be repeated along the length of the side wall 34 of the first lower shell. The adjacent pair of projections forming the groove for the assay plate flange may be located on only one side wall of the lower shell or on both sides. In the embodiments described herein, repeating projections 44a, 46a, and 48a that form grooves 66a, 67a, and 68a are located on the sidewall 34 of the first lower shell, while projections 44b, 46b, and 48b that form grooves 66b, 67b, and 68b are located on the sidewall 36 of the second lower shell. In one embodiment, a pair of adjacent projections on the sidewall of the first lower shell are directly opposite each other on the sidewall of the second lower shell, for example, projections 44a, 46a, and 48a are directly opposite each other and are substantially identical in size and shape to projections 44b, 46b, and 48b on the sidewall of the second lower shell. At the same time, grooves 66a, 67a, 68a, etc., formed in the side wall 34 of the first lower shell are aligned with grooves 66b, 67b, 68b, etc., formed in the side wall 36 of the second lower shell, so that opposing grooves designed to hold the assay plate flanges receive the first and second flange portions of the same assay plate placed therein, respectively.In one embodiment, one or more protrusions, for example 44a, 46a, 48a, 44b, 46b, and / or 48b, may have an upper portion distal to the bottom panel 32, the portion of which is configured to directly contact a portion of the outer side wall 152 of the assay plate, see, for example, Figure 17, in which the protrusions 46a, 44a, and 48a all extend upward from the bottom panel 32 for a distance sufficient to overlap their distal portions and contact various outer plate side walls 152. In one embodiment, the upper end of the distal portion is beveled to facilitate loading of the assay plate by providing a surface on which the outer side wall of the assay plate can slide.

[0012] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bottom panel 32 includes at least one elongated projection 50 (four are shown as representative) that extends into the cavity and is substantially parallel to the end walls 38 and 40 of the lower shell. The elongated projection 50 is configured to contact a portion of the side wall 152 of the assay plate adjacent to the bottom panel when placed in the assay package of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, each elongated projection 50 has a size and shape that fits into a slot 172 formed between the flanges 156 of the stack 170, as shown in Figure 16, for example, one or more elongated projections 50 may have a width substantially the same as the width of the outer side wall of a particular assay plate, the width of which corresponds to the width of the slot 172. In the illustrated embodiment, a hinge member 16 connects the end wall 24 of the first upper shell to the end wall 38 of the first lower shell, allowing the upper shell 12 and the lower shell 14 to move selectively between an open position and a closed position. In one embodiment, though not limited thereto, the upper shell 12 includes surrounding perimeter flanges 30 extending perpendicularly outward from the end walls 24, 26 and side walls 20, 22 of the upper shell. The lower shell 14 includes surrounding perimeter flanges 42 extending perpendicularly outward from the end walls 38, 40 of the lower shell. A hinge member 16 connects the upper and lower shells 12 and 14 via flanges 30 and 42, and for example, the hinge member 16 may be formed integrally with flanges 30 and 42.

[0013] In one embodiment, the upper shell 12 may further comprise a male rim portion 58 that extends above and around the upper shell 12, is substantially parallel to the end walls 24, 26 and side walls 18, 20 of the upper shell, extends around and below the outer periphery of the lower shell 14, and is configured to matingly fit with a female well portion 60 that is substantially parallel to the end walls 38, 40 and side walls 34, 36 of the lower shell. This embodiment serves to enhance the physical stability of the assay package and further protect the assay plate with sensitive surfaces from the elements. For example, the carbon surface of certain products also functions as an adsorbent and is therefore air-sensitive. This embodiment helps prevent air flow from entering and exiting the assay package, which air flow would otherwise alter the carbon surface. Subsequently, the end walls 24, 26 of the upper shell may optionally each individually extend from the end walls into the cavity, and may further comprise at least one abutment 56 configured to seat on a portion of the top surface or a portion of the bottom surface of the terminal assay plate at 166 and / or 168 of the stack 170, as illustrated in Figure 16. Similarly, the end walls 38, 40 of the lower shell may optionally each individually extend from the end walls into the cavity, and may further comprise at least one abutment 52 configured to seat on another portion of the top surface or a portion of the bottom surface of the terminal assay plate at 166 and / or 168 of the stack 170. The bottom panel 32 may further optionally comprise a directional portion 65, indicated by the associated arrow, which may be printed on or formed from the bottom panel and indicates the direction in which the assay plate is to be loaded into the package, for example, how the flange should be oriented. Optionally, one or more complementary protrusions 90 and recesses 91 for facilitating stacking of assay plate packages may be present on the upper and / or lower shells.

[0014] Figures 7-12 and 18 illustrate another embodiment of the assay plate package of the present disclosure. This embodiment shares various features commonly listed above in the embodiments shown in Figures 1-6 and 17. The embodiment shown in Figures 7-12 features three buttress elements 28 of different widths than those in Figures 1-6, allowing for the use of thinner assay plates. Figures 7-12 and 18 further illustrate another pattern of laterally adjacent protrusions, some or all of which form grooves for receiving the relevant portion of the assay plate flange placed inside.

[0015] As illustrated, in these figures, the side wall 34 of the first lower shell has a pair of laterally adjacent projections 70a and 72a that form a groove 80a, while a pair of adjacent projections 74a and 76a form a groove 82a, and a pair of adjacent projections 76a and 70a form a groove 84a, and these grooves 80a, 82a, and 84a are configured to receive a portion of the assay plate flange in which they are placed. In the illustrated embodiment, the groove formed between projections 72a and 74a does not receive a flange. The pattern in which projections 70a, 72a, 74a, 76a and grooves 80a, 82a, 84a appear may be repeated along all or part of the side wall 34 of the first lower shell to accommodate multiple assay plates, such as the stack 170 shown in Figure 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the side wall 36 of the second lower shell is provided with a pattern of projections 70b, 72b, 74b, and 76b, which are formed from pairs of projections 70b and 72b, 74b and 76b, and 76b and 76b, respectively, which are directly opposite the corresponding projections 70a, 72a, 74a, 76a and grooves 80b, 82b, and 84b, and which are substantially the same size and shape as the corresponding projections 70a, 72a, 74a, 76a and grooves 80b, 82b, and 84b, respectively, and which are aligned with opposing corresponding grooves 80a, 82a, 84a, and 86a, respectively, to receive the first and second flange portions of the same individual assay plates placed inside. In one embodiment, one or more protrusions may have an upper portion distal to the bottom panel 32, the portion of which is configured to be in direct contact with the outer side wall 152 of the assay plate, and, referring to Figure 18 for example, the protrusions 70a, 72a, 74a, and 76a all extend upward from the bottom panel 32 for a distance sufficient to overlap their distal portions and contact various outer plate side walls 152.

[0016] The flange receiving grooves 66a and 68a are located on the side wall 34 of the first lower shell, and the protrusions 44b, 46b, and 48b forming the grooves 66b and 68b are located on the side wall 36 of the second lower shell. In one embodiment, the pair of adjacent protrusions on the side wall of the first lower shell are each directly opposite to those on the side wall of the second lower shell, for example, the protrusions 44a, 46a, 48a are each directly opposite, and are substantially identical in size and shape to the protrusions 44b, 46b, 48b on the side wall of the second lower shell; at the same time, the grooves 66a, 67a, 68a and the like formed on the side wall 34 of the first lower shell are aligned with the grooves 66b, 68b and the like formed on the side wall 36 of the second lower shell, so as to respectively receive the first and second flange portions of the same respective assay plate disposed therein. In one aspect, one or more protrusions, such as 46a, 44a, 48a, 46b, 44b, and / or 48b, can have an upper portion distal from the bottom panel 32, which portion is configured to be in direct contact with the outer side wall 152 of the assay plate; for example, referring to Figure 17, the protrusions 46a, 44a, 48a all extend upward from the bottom panel 32 by a sufficient distance such that their distal portions overlap and come into contact with various outer plate side walls 152. In one embodiment, the upper end of the distal portion is beveled to facilitate loading of the assay plate by providing a surface over which the outer side wall of the assay plate can slide. Optionally, one or more complementary protrusions 90 and recesses 91 for facilitating stacking of assay plate packages can be present on the upper and / or lower shells.

[0017] In one embodiment, the internal cavity of the assay plate package of this disclosure, defined when the upper shell 12 and lower shell 14 are in the closed position, is slightly larger than the dimensions of the stack of assay plates, typically shown at 170. Similarly, the buttress elements 28 and / or elongated projections 50 can be configured to fit snugly into the slot 152, and likewise, adjacent projections can be configured such that a portion of them firmly contacts the outer sidewall of the assay plate, and grooves formed between them can be configured to firmly hold each flange portion, thereby substantially immobilizing the stack of assay plates when housed in the assay plate package in the closed position, and even including when it is in the open position, the assay plates remain in place and do not fall out when the package is opened and left open. Furthermore, even if one or more plates are removed, including when all but one of the plates are removed, each individual assay plate remains fully supported within the package.

[0018] [Claim 1] An assay plate package comprising an upper shell and a lower shell, The upper shell is connected to the lower shell by a hinge member and together with the lower shell defines a cavity when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position, the cavity is configured to include a plurality of substantially rectangular assay plates, each plate having a front and back surface, an edge flange extending around the periphery of the plate, an outer side wall of the plate having a width and extending perpendicularly from the edge flange around the periphery of the plate, and chamfered corners. The upper shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar upper panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell end walls, a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell side walls, and at least one buttress element positioned obliquely on the side wall of the first upper shell and a portion of the upper panel, extending into the cavity, wherein the buttress element has an inclined surface complementary to the chamfered corner of the assay plate and is configured to contact the chamfered corner of the respective assay plate when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. The lower shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar bottom panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell end walls and a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell side walls, wherein at least one of the side walls of the first or second lower shell comprises at least one pair of adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity, the pair of adjacent projections forming a first groove between them, the first groove being configured to receive a first portion of the flange of each assay plate. The assay plate package mentioned above. [Claim 2] The other side wall of the first or second lower shell comprises at least one second pair of adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity from the other side wall of the first or second lower shell, The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the second pair of adjacent protrusions form a second groove between them, the second groove being configured to receive a second portion of the flange of each of the assay plates, the second groove being directly opposite and aligned with the first groove. [Claim 3] The pair of adjacent protrusions on the side wall of the first lower shell have the same width or different widths. The assay plate package according to claim 2, wherein the pair of second adjacent projections of the side wall of the second lower shell have the same width or different widths. [Claim 4] At least one of the pair of adjacent protrusions has an upper part distal to the bottom panel, The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the distal portion is configured to contact a portion of the outer side wall of each of the assay plates. [Claim 5] The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the upper part distal to the bottom panel is angled. [Claim 6] The assay plate package according to claim 5, wherein the bottom panel extends into the cavity and has at least one elongated projection substantially parallel to the end walls of the first and second lower shells, the elongated projection being configured to contact a portion of the outer side wall of the assay plate. [Claim 7] The assay plate package according to claim 6, wherein the at least one elongated projection has substantially the same width as the width of the outer side wall of the assay plate and is located in the central portion of the bottom panel. [Claim 8] The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the hinge member connects the end wall of the first upper shell and the end wall of the first lower shell, and the upper shell and the lower shell can selectively move between an open position and a closed position. [Claim 9] The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein each of the upper shell and the lower shell has a complementary fitting portion for holding the upper shell and the lower shell in a closed position. [Claim 10] The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the upper shell, the lower shell, and the hinge member are integrally formed and comprise a transparent polymer. [Claim 11] The end wall of the first lower shell is provided with at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the first lower shell into the cavity, and is configured to contact the upper or lower surface of the respective assay plate when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. The assay plate according to claim 1, wherein the end wall of the second lower shell comprises at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the second lower shell into the cavity, and is configured to seat on the other of the upper or lower surface of another assay plate when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. [Claim 12] An assay plate package comprising an upper shell and a lower shell, The upper shell is connected to the lower shell by a hinge member, and together with the lower shell, defines a cavity when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position, the cavity is configured to contain a nested, substantially rectangular stack of assay plates, the stack having a first end and a second end, and comprising a plurality of equally spaced flanges arranged along the axial length of the stack from the first end to the second end, the flanges extending around the periphery of the stack, the flanges forming slots between their projections, each slot having a chamfered corner, The upper shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar upper panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell end walls, a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell side walls, and a plurality of buttress elements positioned obliquely along at least a portion of the inner edge formed by the upper panel and the side wall of the first upper shell, each buttress element extending into the cavity and configured to fit snugly into a slot of the stack, and having a complementary inclined surface to the chamfered corner portion of the slot so as to contact the chamfered corner portion when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. The lower shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar bottom panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell end walls and a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell side walls. The side wall of the first lower shell is provided with at least one first pair of first and second adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity, the first and second adjacent projections forming a first groove between them, the first groove being configured to receive the first flange portion of each assay plate in the stack. The side wall of the second lower shell has at least one second engaging segment comprising a pair of third and fourth adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity, wherein the adjacent projections form a second groove between them, the second groove being aligned directly opposite the first groove and configured to receive a second flange portion of the same assay plate. The assay plate package mentioned above. [Claim 13] The assay plate package according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first or second adjacent protrusions is configured to fit snugly into the slot formed between the flange of each assay plate and the flange of an adjacent assay plate in the stack. [Claim 14] The end wall of the first lower shell is provided with at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the first lower shell into the cavity, and is configured to seat on the first end of the stack when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. The assay plate package according to claim 13, wherein the end wall of the second lower shell comprises at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the second lower shell into the cavity and is configured to seat on the second end of the stack when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. [Claim 15] The assay plate package according to claim 14, wherein the upper shell, the lower shell, and the hinge element each individually comprise the same or different plastics. [Claim 16] The assay plate package according to claim 14, wherein the upper shell, the lower shell, and the hinge element are integrally formed from transparent polyethylene terephthalate.

Claims

1. An assay plate package comprising an upper shell and a lower shell, The upper shell is connected to the lower shell by a hinge member and together with the lower shell defines a cavity when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position, the cavity is configured to include a plurality of substantially rectangular assay plates, each plate having a front and back surface, an edge flange extending around the periphery of the plate, an outer side wall of the plate having a width and extending perpendicularly from the edge flange around the periphery of the plate, and chamfered corners. The upper shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar upper panel, the upper panel having a pair of opposing substantially parallel first and second upper shell end walls, one or more complementary projections, a pair of opposing substantially parallel first and second upper shell side walls, and at least one buttress element positioned obliquely on the side wall of the first upper shell and a portion of the upper panel, extending into the cavity, the buttress element having an inclined surface complementary to the chamfered corner of the assay plate, and configured to contact the chamfered corner of the respective assay plate when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. The lower shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar bottom panel, the bottom panel having a pair of opposing substantially parallel first and second lower shell end walls, one or more recesses, and a pair of opposing substantially parallel first and second lower shell side walls, the side wall of the first lower shell or the side wall of the second lower shell comprising at least one pair of adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity, the pair of adjacent projections forming a first groove between them, the first groove being configured to receive a first portion of the flange of each assay plate, One or more of the complementary protrusions and one or more of the recesses facilitate stacking of the assay plate packages. Assay plate package.

2. The other side wall of the first or second lower shell comprises at least one second pair of adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity from the other side wall of the first or second lower shell, The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the second pair of adjacent protrusions form a second groove between them, the second groove being configured to receive a second portion of the flange of each of the assay plates, the second groove being directly opposite and aligned with the first groove.

3. The pair of adjacent protrusions on the side wall of the first lower shell have the same width or different widths. The assay plate package according to claim 2, wherein the pair of second adjacent projections of the side wall of the second lower shell have the same width or different widths.

4. At least one of the pair of adjacent protrusions has an upper part distal to the bottom panel, The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the distal portion is configured to contact a portion of the outer side wall of each of the assay plates.

5. The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the upper part distal to the bottom panel is angled.

6. The assay plate package according to claim 5, wherein the bottom panel extends into the cavity and has at least one elongated projection substantially parallel to the end walls of the first and second lower shells, the elongated projection being configured to contact a portion of the outer side wall of the assay plate.

7. The assay plate package according to claim 6, wherein the at least one elongated projection has substantially the same width as the width of the outer side wall of the assay plate and is located in the central portion of the bottom panel.

8. The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the hinge member connects the end wall of the first upper shell and the end wall of the first lower shell, and the upper shell and the lower shell can be selectively moved between an open position and a closed position.

9. The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein each of the upper shell and the lower shell has a complementary fitting portion for holding the upper shell and the lower shell in a closed position.

10. The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the upper shell, the lower shell, and the hinge member are integrally formed and comprise a transparent polymer.

11. The end wall of the first lower shell is provided with at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the first lower shell into the cavity, and is configured to contact the upper or lower surface of the respective assay plate when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. The assay plate package according to claim 1, wherein the end wall of the second lower shell comprises at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the second lower shell into the cavity, and is configured to seat on the other of the top or bottom surface of each other assay plate when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position.

12. An assay plate package comprising an upper shell and a lower shell, The upper shell is connected to the lower shell by a hinge member, and together with the lower shell, defines a cavity when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position, the cavity is configured to contain a nested, substantially rectangular stack of assay plates, the stack having a first end and a second end, and comprising a plurality of equally spaced flanges arranged along the axial length of the stack from the first end to the second end, the flanges extending around the periphery of the stack, the flanges forming slots between their projections, each slot having a chamfered corner, The upper shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar upper panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell end walls, one or more complementary projections, a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second upper shell side walls, and a plurality of buttress elements positioned obliquely along at least a portion of the inner edge formed by the upper panel and the side wall of the first upper shell, each buttress element extending into the cavity and configured to fit snugly into the slot of the stack, and having a complementary inclined surface to contact the chamfered corner portion of the slot when the upper and lower shells are in the closed position. The lower shell comprises a substantially rectangular planar bottom panel having a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell end walls, one or more complementary projections, and a pair of opposing, substantially parallel first and second lower shell side walls, the one or more complementary projections and one or more recesses facilitating the stacking of the assay plate packages. The side wall of the first lower shell is provided with at least one first pair of first and second adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity, the first and second adjacent projections forming a first groove between them, the first groove being configured to receive the first flange portion of each assay plate in the stack. The side wall of the second lower shell has at least one second engaging segment comprising a pair of third and fourth adjacent projections extending upward from the bottom panel into the cavity, wherein the adjacent projections form a second groove between them, the second groove being aligned directly opposite the first groove and configured to receive a second flange portion of the same assay plate. The assay plate package mentioned above.

13. The assay plate package according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first or second adjacent protrusions is configured to fit snugly into the slot formed between the flange of each assay plate and the flange of an adjacent assay plate in the stack.

14. The end wall of the first lower shell is provided with at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the first lower shell into the cavity, and is configured to seat on the first end of the stack when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position. The assay plate package according to claim 13, wherein the end wall of the second lower shell comprises at least one abutment extending from the end wall of the second lower shell into the cavity and is configured to seat on the second end of the stack when the upper and lower shells are in a closed position.

15. The assay plate package according to claim 14, wherein the upper shell, the lower shell, and the hinge element each individually comprise the same or different plastics.

16. The assay plate package according to claim 14, wherein the upper shell, the lower shell, and the hinge element are integrally formed from transparent polyethylene terephthalate.

17. A packaging method, - A step of assembling the assay plate package, The assay plate package is A cavity defined by an upper panel having an upper side wall around the perimeter and a lower panel having a lower side wall around the perimeter, A plurality of inclined buttress elements extending within the cavity and spaced apart over at least a portion of the inner edge of each top panel where the upper panel contacts the side wall, A plurality of protrusions extending into the cavity from each lower side wall, wherein adjacent protrusions form grooves, A stack of nested assay plates, wherein each assay plate comprises a flange and an outer side wall of the assay plate, the outer side walls of adjacent flanges form a slot, the flanges fit into the respective grooves, one inclined surface of one of a plurality of inclined buttress elements fits into the slot, and the flanges of each assay plate are oriented perpendicular to the upper and lower panels. It has steps, - The step of stacking the assay plate package on at least one other assay plate package when it is in the closed position, - The step of placing the stack inside a shipping box, A method that includes [a certain feature].

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the shipping box is sealed and includes a label.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the label includes a machine-readable identifier.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the machine-readable identifier is scanned into a database for tracking or updating.

21. The assay plate package comprises one or more complementary protrusions located on the upper panel and one or more recesses located on the lower panel. The method according to claim 17, wherein one or more complementary protrusions and one or more recesses facilitate stacking of the assay plate packages.

22. At least one of the other assay plate packages, A cavity defined by an upper panel having an upper side wall around the perimeter and a lower panel having a lower side wall around the perimeter, A plurality of inclined buttress elements extending within the cavity and spaced apart over at least a portion of the inner edge of each top panel where the upper panel contacts the side wall, Multiple protrusions extending into the cavity from each lower side wall, wherein adjacent protrusions form a groove, A nested stack of assay plates, wherein each assay plate of at least one of the other assay plate packages comprises a flange and an outer side wall of the assay plate, the outer side walls of adjacent flanges form a slot, the flange fits into the groove, one inclined surface of one of a plurality of inclined buttress elements fits into the slot, and the flanges of each assay plate of at least one of the other assay plate packages are oriented perpendicular to the upper panel and the lower panel, The method according to claim 17, comprising:

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the other assay plate packages comprises one or more complementary protrusions located on the upper panel of at least one of the other assay plate packages and one or more recesses located on the lower panel of at least one of the other assay plate packages.

24. A packaging method, - A step of assembling the assay plate package, The assay plate package is A cavity defined by an upper panel having an upper side wall around the perimeter and a lower panel having a lower side wall around the perimeter, A plurality of inclined buttress elements extending within the cavity and spaced apart over at least a portion of the inner edge of each top panel where the upper panel contacts the side wall, A plurality of protrusions extending into the cavity from each lower side wall, wherein adjacent protrusions form grooves, A stack of nested assay plates, wherein each plate comprises a flange and an outer side wall of the assay plate, the outer side walls of adjacent flanges form a slot, the flanges fit into the respective grooves, one inclined surface of one of a plurality of inclined buttress elements fits into the slot, and the flanges of each assay plate are oriented perpendicular to the upper and lower panels. It has steps, - The step of placing the assay plate package inside a shipping box, - A step of stacking at least one other assay plate package onto the closed assay plate package, wherein at least one other assay plate package is in the closed position, A method that includes [a certain feature].

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