Abstract: A modular test tube rack for assembly with similarly constructed racks comprise a flat rectangular body displaying, in a first position, a series of wells extending from its top wall to its bottom wall and adapt to receive tubes therein. A pair of handles vertically extend at opposite end walls of the body, each handle having a lower portion adapted to tightly engage an extension on each end wall and a hand gripping upper portion. The lower portion has a bottom edge configured to anchor with the top edge of the handle of an underposed similarly constructed rack to thereby enable a stacking of two more of these racks. In one embodiment, the body displays a second series of wells extending from the bottom wall to the top wall whereby the body, when in a second position reversed relative to the first position, may also receive test tubes, the handles being reversably mountable to the end wall extension to still enable a stacking of racks in the second position.

Abstract: An integral assembly of a multiplicity of spaced reagent tubes arranged in an aligned series wherein the tubes are integrally linked to one another by connecting portions and to a corresponding multiplicity of independently spaced seal caps by a multiplicity of bands, each band having one end integral with a seal cap and an opposite end integrally connected to two adjacent tubes. The bands extend perpendicularly to the series of aligned tubes and include an oblique hinge portion which is deformable so as to allow the cap to be independently manipulatable to pivot angularly and to superimpose the open end of a tube for sealing.

Abstract: An assembly of stacked modular containers for handling, transporting and storing microscope specimen slides is described. The side walls of the rectangular-shaped containers have slide interconnections so that the containers may be longitudinally slid relative to one another. A releasable locking arrangement is provided on the extension of one of the other container walls to prevent unwarranted longitudinal sliding movement of the containers and to retain them in a secured stack formation. The extension of the container wall is made flexible to enable manual disengagement of locking members on the extension to thereby allow the sliding of containers for insertion or removal of slides into and from the containers.

Abstract: An assembly of stacked modular containers for handling, transporting and storing microscope specimen slides is described. The side walls of the rectangular-shaped containers have slide interconnections so that the containers may be longitudinally slid relative to one another. A releasable locking arrangement is provided on the extension of one of the other container walls to prevent unwarranted longitudinal sliding movement of the containers and to retain them in a secured stack formation. The extension of the container wall is made flexible to enable manual disengagement of locking members on the extension to thereby allow the sliding of containers for insertion or removal of slides into and from the containers.

Abstract: The invention describes a container for retaining a plurality of microscope slides and comprises a base and a tray removably received on the bottom wall of the base; the tray displays a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending slide retaining compartments wherein each compartment includes a series of longitudinally spaced partitions, the spaces between the partitions and the distance between the opposite walls of the compartments are such as to receive the short sides of the rectangular shaped microscope slides; the spaces also enable the slides to be manually moved reciprocally between a frontwardly inclined position and a rearwardly inclined position. The width of the base is slightly greater than the width of three laterally vertically standing slides so that the slides may be stored in three lateral rows in the base when the tray is removed therefrom.

Abstract: This invention pertains to an apparatus for automatically assembling elements of a COAST container. The apparatus includes a cabinet that has a vertical stocker mounted therein for holding the elements of the COAST container, an input loadlock mechanism for introducing the elements into the cabinet, a manipulating mechanism for placing the elements into the vertical stocker, a conveyor located outside of the cabinet, a load loadlock mechanism mounted inside the cabinet and interfacing with the outside thereof near the conveyor, an automatic manipulator mechanism inside the cabinet for removing the elements from the vertical stocker and assembling these elements into the COAST container, and a mechanism for pressurizing the inside of the cabinet with a protective atmosphere.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic container assembler apparatus (800) to assemble the constitutive elements of a COAST container i.e. the wafer (138) that is to be treated in the manufacturing line, the cassette-reservoir (123) and the single wafer holder (130). In essence, the assembler apparatus consists of a cabinet whose interior space cabinet is submitted to a clean filtered gas flow generated by a blower, so that a clean gaseous mini-environment is created therein with a light overpressure with regard to the outside ambient. The cabinet includes a vertical stocker (804) adapted to be manually and safely filled with the adequate number of the elements mentioned above. Generally, the wafers are carried in a multiple wafer holder (130'). These elements are introduced in the cabinet through an input loadlock device (810) and laid down onto a table (806) by an operator. Next, the operator places them in their respective bins (815) of the stocker through manipulation gloves (805).

Abstract: A biological specimen cassette comprising a base and a lid wherein the lid has two pivotal connections, one at the front wall, the other at the rear wall of the base. The first pivotal connection allows a specimen to be placed in the base while the second pivotal connection allows the lid to be opened for removal of the specimen. Both pivotal connections serve to secure the lid to the base during storage of the specimen, but allow subsequent easy detachment of the lid from the base.

Abstract: The dispatching apparatus with a gas supply distribution system (300) basically comprises an automatic handler 301 and a vertical stocker (302). The vertical stocker has a frame (308) formed by an assembly of tubes supporting a plurality of support stations or bins (309) each provided with gas infectors (311) connected on the one hand to the gas injection valves of the container and on the other hand to a compressed ultra pure neutral gas supply installation. As a result, during the processing idle times, an adequate overpressure of said neutral gas is maintained in the interior space of the container enclosing the workpiece, e.g. a silicon wafer. The automatic handler (301) basically comprises a handling robot (305) having an extending arm (306) provided with gripping means (307) adapted to the container design. The handling robot (305) is affixed on an elevator (304) for vertical movement and is able to rotate about it.

Abstract: A pressurized sealable transportable container (100) stores at least one workpiece (138) and has a substantially parallelepipedic-shaped cassette reservoir (123). The container has a box-shaped housing (102) with a main access opening (104) on the front lateral face and protective shells to protect the housing top (143) and bottom (144) surfaces. A door (124) mates with the main access opening to define a sealable interior space (103). The housing has a gas injection valve (124) adapted for connection to a compressed ultra pure neutral gas supply installation (700) to establish a determined static first or nominal pressure p within the interior space having a positive differential pressure .DELTA.p with respect to the outside ambient. A support (108) firmly and accurately maintains the workpiece within the interior space.

Abstract: A fully automated and computerized conveyor based manufacturing line architecture (15) is provided for the storage, handling and transportation of articles by processing equipment (500). The articles are stored in a pressurized sealable transportable container (100) which are transported by the conveyor (401-1). A gas supply (700-1) and delivery system (702-1) cooperate with a dispatching apparatus with a gas distribution system (300-1) to feed compressed ultra pure neutral gas to the containers. A pressurized interface apparatus (201-1) is adapted to receive the containers and transfer the articles enclosed therein to the processing equipment. The convenyor, dispatching apparatus, gas supply, interface and processing equipment are all computer controlled.

Abstract: A pressurized interface apparatus (200) is provided for transferring a workpiece from within a pressurized sealable transportable container (100) into a specified environment and vice versa. The container consists of a box-shaped housing (102) having an access opening (104) sealed by a releasable door (124) and having a gas injection valve (129). The interface apparatus includes an IN/OUT section having a box-shaped frame (201) with a port zone defining an interior space (204) provided with a first opening (205A) and a second opening (205'A) opposite thereto and communicating with the specified environment. The apparatus further includes a lid controlled by a drive (209A) to seal the first opening and cause the port zone to operate as a load lock chamber. A transfer handler (216A) having a workpiece gripper (218A) is mounted within the port zone. A container receiver is positioned in front of the first opening for receiving a container in a waiting position or in a working position adjacent the first opening.