Gel cassette

Abstract

A gel cassette comprises a front plate, a rear plate, and a top plate, wherein the front plate is connected to the rear plate, and the top plate is arranged at the top of the connection between the front plate and the rear plate; the bottom of the front plate mates with the bottom of the rear plate to form a sealed bottom; and a side surface of the front plate is provided with an opening serving as an electrophoretic current path. In the gel cassette, the front plate mates with the rear plate, such that structural stability of the two parts can be maintained during ultrasonic welding, misalignment is not prone to occurring, and the shape of a welded portion is ensured, thereby reducing the occurrence of defective products; and the opening on the side surface is provided with at least one support column connected thereto, thereby increasing the rigidity of the opening on the side surface and making a gel less prone to deformation.

Description

A gel container Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of biochemical experimental instruments, and in particular to a gel container. Background Technology

[0002] Gel electrophoresis plays a crucial role in the analysis and identification of biomolecules. The basic procedure for vertical gel electrophoresis, used for the separation of biomolecules, involves containing the gel between two glass plates. This gel is prepared fresh for each use and cannot be stored for long periods. Nowadays, such electrophoresis gels can be made into disposable containers using transparent polymer materials, significantly extending their shelf life, facilitating transportation, and enabling widespread commercial sales.

[0003] Chinese patent CN215179879U discloses a plastic container for vertical electrophoresis gels, comprising a front plastic sheet, a hollowed-out groove, positioning slots, and a rear plastic sheet. Both the front and rear plastic sheets have several positioning slots. The front and rear plastic sheets are stacked and fixed by the positioning slots, creating a cavity between the two plastic sheets. This accelerates the gel preparation process within the plastic container, facilitates gel removal, and isolates the gel from the outside, preventing deformation. However, the existing technology still has the following drawbacks: the selection of materials for existing gel containers is limited, and the existing gel containers lack rigidity, which can easily affect the electrophoresis results.

[0004] Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is: in order to solve the problem of insufficient rigidity of gel containers in the prior art, this utility model provides a gel container.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is: a gel container, including a front plate, a rear plate and a top plate, wherein the front plate and the rear plate are connected by ultrasonic welding; the lower sides of the front plate and the rear plate are fitted together to form a sealed bottom, and the middle part of the connection between the front plate and the rear plate forms a cavity for placing gel; the top plate is inserted into the top of the cavity.

[0007] The concave-convex fit structure of the front plate and the rear plate can be such that one plate has a concave shape on its lower side and the other has a convex shape on its lower side; or it can be such that one plate has two or more protrusions on its lower side and the other plate has two or more matching concave blocks on its lower side. Considering both the convenience of ultrasonic welding and the sealing performance, the concave-convex fit structure with one plate having a concave shape on its lower side and the other having a convex shape on its lower side is preferred, as it improves the convenience of welding and also enhances the sealing performance of the entire container.

[0008] Furthermore, the left and right sides and bottom of the front and rear panels are connected by ultrasonic welding, and ultrasonic welding lines are preset at the welding positions; the ultrasonic welding lines are set on the left, right and bottom edges of the front panel, and two welding lines are respectively provided on the left and right sides of the front panel to facilitate welding.

[0009] Furthermore, the lower side of the front plate is provided with an opening to serve as a current path for electrophoresis, and at least one support column is provided in the opening; this effectively enhances the rigidity of the opening structure and prevents deformation.

[0010] Furthermore, the concave-convex mating structure of the front plate and the rear plate is such that the lower side of the front plate is concave and the lower side of the rear plate is convex.

[0011] Furthermore, the concave-convex mating structure of the front plate and the rear plate is such that the lower side of the front plate is convex and the lower side of the rear plate is concave.

[0012] Furthermore, the rear plate has connected bosses on its left, right, and lower sides to form cavities; the top of the rear plate has a rectangular groove for mounting the top plate, enabling quick insertion, removal, and positioning of the top plate.

[0013] Furthermore, the front plate has evenly arranged protrusions on its left, right and bottom sides. The height of the protrusions is consistent with the preset thickness of the cavity, which is used for limiting the front plate and the rear plate during welding. During welding, the protrusions play a limiting role, ensuring the uniform thickness of the cavity and enhancing the overall rigidity of the plate.

[0014] Furthermore, the bottom of the top plate is provided with at least two comb teeth, which are evenly spaced apart; the comb teeth are inserted into the top of the gel to form a pore structure for accommodating electrophoresis samples.

[0015] Furthermore, the front and rear panels are made of transparent materials including but not limited to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC); the top panel can be transparent or opaque, and the materials include but are not limited to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and ABS.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0017] The gel container of this invention maintains the stability of the two parts during ultrasonic welding through the concave-convex fit structure of the front and rear plates, making it less prone to skewing, ensuring the shape of the welded part, and reducing the likelihood of defective products. At the same time, the side opening is provided with at least one support column connection, which increases the rigidity of the side opening and makes it less prone to deformation. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the gel container described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the front panel described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the rear plate described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the top plate described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the front and rear plates with concave-convex fit as described in Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the ultrasonic welding wires on the front plate according to Embodiment 1 of this utility model;

[0025] In the diagram, 1 is the front plate, 2 is the rear plate, 3 is the top plate, 4 is the opening, 5 is the cavity, 6 is the support column, 7 is the protruding column, 8 is the comb teeth, 9 is the boss, 10 is the rectangular groove, and 11 is the ultrasonic welding wire. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "horizontal", "top", "inner", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0028] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the term "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Example 1

[0030] As shown in Figures 1-4, a gel container includes a front plate 1, a rear plate 2, and a top plate 3; the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 are connected, and the top plate 3 is disposed at the top of the connection between the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2; the bottoms of the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 are fitted together to form a sealed bottom, and the side of the front plate 1 is provided with an opening 4 for the current path of electrophoresis.

[0031] The middle section where the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 are connected forms a cavity 5 for placing the gel. At least one support post 6 is provided in the opening 4 to increase the rigidity of the opening 4. The front plate 1 has evenly arranged protruding posts 7 on its left side, right side and bottom. The protruding posts 7 play a limiting role when the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 are welded, which can ensure that the thickness of the inner cavity used to accommodate the gel after sealing meets the requirements.

[0032] The bottom of the front plate 1 is concave, and the bottom of the rear plate 2 is convex. The front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 fit together to form a sealed bottom. The bottom of the top plate 3 is provided with at least two comb teeth 8. The comb teeth 8 are provided to form a pore-like structure on the top of the gel for accommodating electrophoresis samples. The top plate 3 is used for sealing the top end.

[0033] The rear plate 2 has connected protrusions 9 on its left, right and bottom sides, forming a cavity 5 in its middle. The top of the rear plate 2 has a rectangular groove 10 that cooperates with the top plate 3 to facilitate the insertion and removal of the top plate 3.

[0034] The front panel 1 and the rear panel 2 are made of transparent materials including but not limited to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC); the top panel 3 can be transparent or opaque, and the materials include but are not limited to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and ABS.

[0035] In use, the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 are connected by a concave-convex fit. The left side, right side and bottom of the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 are connected by ultrasonic welding. After the connection is completed, the gel is injected into the cavity 5 in the middle. Then the top plate 3 is inserted into the top of the connection between the front plate 1 and the rear plate 2. After the installation is completed, electrophoresis is performed.

[0036] Example 2

[0037] This embodiment provides a gel container based on embodiment 1. Its structure is roughly the same as that of the gel container described in embodiment 1. The difference is that the bottom of the front plate 1 is convex and the bottom of the rear plate 2 is concave. The front plate 1 and the rear plate 2 are connected in a concave-convex fit to form a sealed bottom.

[0038] In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0039] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of this utility model, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of this utility model. The technical scope of this utility model is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A gel container, characterized in that, It includes a front plate (1), a rear plate (2) and a top plate (3). The front plate (1) and the rear plate (2) are connected by ultrasonic welding. The lower sides of the front plate (1) and the rear plate (2) are fitted together to form a sealed bottom. The middle part where the front plate (1) and the rear plate (2) are connected forms a cavity (5) for placing gel. The top plate (3) is inserted into the top of the cavity (5).

2. The gel container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left and right sides and bottom of the front plate (1) and the rear plate (2) are connected by ultrasonic welding, and the welding position is preset with ultrasonic welding line (11).

3. The gel container according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ultrasonic welding line (11) is provided on the left, right and bottom sides of the front plate (1), and two welding lines are provided on the left and right sides of the front plate (1) respectively.

4. The gel container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front plate (1) has an opening (4) on its lower side, which serves as a current path for electrophoresis. At least one support column (6) is provided in the opening (4).

5. The gel container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front plate (1) and the rear plate (2) have a concave-convex fit structure, with the lower side of the front plate (1) being concave and the lower side of the rear plate (2) being convex.

6. The gel container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front plate (1) and the rear plate (2) have a convex-concave fit structure, with the lower side of the front plate (1) being convex and the lower side of the rear plate (2) being concave.

7. The gel container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear plate (2) has connected bosses (9) on its left, right and lower sides to form a cavity (5); the top of the rear plate (2) has a rectangular groove (10) for mounting the top plate (3).

8. The gel container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front plate (1) has evenly arranged protrusions (7) on its left side, right side and bottom. The height of the protrusions (7) is consistent with the preset thickness of the cavity (5) and is used for limiting the front plate (1) and the rear plate (2) during welding.

9. The gel container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the top plate (3) is provided with at least two comb teeth (8), which are evenly spaced.

10. The gel container according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The front panel (1) and rear panel (2) are made of transparent polymer materials, including polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene or polyvinyl chloride; the top panel (3) is made of transparent or opaque materials, including polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride or ABS.

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