Abstract: In one embodiment, a personal hydration system includes a fluid reservoir having first and second spaced apart apertures. A first port is coupled to the first aperture, and a second port is coupled to the second aperture. A flexible tube has a first end that is coupled to the second port for communication with an interior of the fluid reservoir. The personal hydration system further includes a handle having a first end coupled to the first port, and a second end coupled to the second port. A channel near the second end of the handle extends over at least a portion of the first end of the tube and thereby captures the first end of the tube between the channel and the fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A closure for a liquid container includes a spout and a loop member extending upwardly from an end wall of the closure. The loop may be sized to receive a user's finger or attachment hardware such as a clip, hook or strap extending through the loop. A flip cap is supported for rotational movement on the loop and is movable between a closed position in which the spout is covered and an open position in which the spout is exposed. The flip cap includes a plug seal that is configured to engage and seal with a top edge of the spout when the cap is moved to the closed position.

Abstract: A drinking container comprises a bottle and a permanently leak-proof closure. The bottle is formed with contours that facilitate grasping by a user and has an opening sized to facilitate placing ice cubes into the bottle. Graduations on the sidewall of the bottle provide an indication of the volume of fluid within the bottle. The closure has threads configured to engage corresponding threads on the bottle and has a seal ring for sealing the liquid contents within the bottle. The closure further includes a lobe having an aperture.

Abstract: A method of making a multi-well test plate including an upper frame portion and a glass panel secured to a lower side of the upper frame portion with a layer of light-curable adhesive. The upper frame portion includes a plurality of walls defining adjacent wells for receiving assay samples. The adhesive has various properties, such as high viscosity, thixotropicity, transparency, water insolubility, non-autofluorescence, and non-toxicity, as well as others that are advantageous when constructing and using the multi-well test plate. The adhesive is preferably applied by a screen transfer process that takes advantage of the adhesive properties.

Abstract: A liquid sample collection system includes a container having an interior reservoir for receiving the liquid sample, and a valve assembly that may be coupled to the container to facilitate collecting the liquid sample, the valve assembly includes a valve housing having a funnel-shaped inlet for directing liquid into the container and a valve that automatically closes when the container is full. The valve assembly further includes a separator configured to inhibit particulate material from entering the valve housing inlet.

Abstract: Methods of making a multi-well test plate including an upper frame portion and a transparent panel secured to a lower side of the upper frame portion with adhesive. The upper frame portion includes a plurality of walls defining adjacent wells for receiving assay samples. The adhesive may be applied to either the transparent panel or the upper frame portion by various techniques including, but not limited to, transfer printing, robotic dispensing, silk screening, flexographic printing, and pad printing.

Abstract: A drinking container comprises a bottle and a permanently leak-proof closure. The bottle is formed with contours that facilitate grasping by a user and has an opening sized to facilitate placing ice cubes into the bottle. Graduations on the sidewall of the bottle provide an indication of the volume of fluid within the bottle. The closure has threads configured to engage corresponding threads on the bottle and has a seal ring for sealing the liquid contents within the bottle. The closure further includes a lobe having an aperture.

Abstract: A laboratory tote, formed from a single sheet of corrugated polymeric material, includes a receptacle portion defined by a bottom wall and respective end walls and sidewalls hingedly joined to opposing edges of the bottom wall. A handle extends between the sidewalls and above the receptacle to facilitate placement and removal of items into and out of the receptacle. The tote may be provided with a variety of partitions formed from separate removable components and configured to divide the receptacle into compartments of varying size, as desired.

Abstract: A multi-slide assembly includes various components that alone or in combination facilitate testing of test samples with minimal manipulation of assay components. Moreover, the various device components permit centrifugation, culturing and analysis of each test sample to be performed in the same assembly. A frame retains a plurality of reaction vessel assemblies between a pair of opposing channels that are configured to slidably receive the opposing ends of each reaction vessel assembly. A strip cap seals the openings in each reaction vessel using cap members having sealing rings circumscribing the external walls thereof to form compression seals with internal walls of the reaction vessels. Furthermore, in a method of making a multi-well slide assembly, an ultrasonic welding process removably bonds a plurality of wells to a slide plate to provide an adequate seal therebetween during centrifugation, yet still enable separation thereof by an operator.

Abstract: An improvement to a bottle for storing, identifying, and dispensing liquids comprises a valve-type nozzle coupled to the outer end of the tube, a vent, and an optional identification tag. The valve-type nozzle is adjustable along a continuous range between open and closed conditions to permit dispensing of fluid in a controlled fashion and sealing of the container.

Abstract: A multi-slide assembly includes various components that alone or in combination facilitate testing of test samples with minimal manipulation of assay components. Moreover, the various device components permit centrifugation, culturing and analysis of each test sample to be performed in the same assembly. A frame retains a plurality of reaction vessel assemblies between a pair of opposing channels that are configured to slidably receive the opposing ends of each reaction vessel assembly. A strip cap seals the openings in each reaction vessel using cap members having sealing rings circumscribing the external walls thereof to form compression seals with internal walls of the reaction vessels. Furthermore, in a method of making a multi-well slide assembly, an ultrasonic welding process removably bonds a plurality of wells to a slide plate to provide an adequate seal therebetween during centrifugation, yet still enable separation thereof by an operator.

Abstract: A reagent reservoir with a patterned bottom for full extraction of a liquid reagent by a multiple head pipettor. The bottom wall includes a plurality of recesses, each corresponding to a head of a multiple head pipettor. Each recess opens upwardly to receive the pipettor head, and includes a top edge, a bottom and surrounding side wall portions that angle outwardly from the recess bottom to the top edge. The recesses promote flow of the liquid reagent to the recess bottoms and prevent liquid hangup between recesses to eliminate waste of the liquid reagent. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the top edges between adjacent recesses meet at an angle to form a pointed peak.

Abstract: A filtering unit including an upper container for receiving fluid to be filtered, a lower container for receiving the fluid from the upper container and an intermediate filter cassette. The filter cassette includes a support member connected with a flat filter member, such as a membrane filter, and can be removed with respect to each of the upper and lower containers. The filter cassette may be inserted within the upper container with sealing engagement between the support member and the internal wall of the upper container. The various disclosed embodiments include the ability to serially connect multiple filter cassettes generally between the liquid contained in the upper container and the lower container.

Abstract: A waste funnel system for pouring liquids into a container. The waste funnel system has an adapter with a closure that can be mounted to an opening of the container. A funnel body has a cover that is pivotally connected to the funnel body and is used to open and close an inlet end of the funnel. The funnel body is also assembled in the adapter, thereby permitting different size funnel bodies to be assembled with the same container closure. A ventilation path extends between the funnel body and the adapter to permit vapors to be displaced from an interior of the container. In addition, a screen disposed in a liquid path between inlet and outlet ends of the funnel body prevents objects from passing through the funnel system.