Abstract: A stretch blow molded pipette is provided that includes a tubular body arranged between a tip region and a mouthpiece region. The tip region has an average wall thickness that is greater than a wall thickness of the tubular body, and the body region has an average wall thickness of less than 0.032 inches (in) and a hoop strength of at least 15 pound-feet (lbf).

Abstract: Unitary measuring pipettes include a tubular body of biaxially oriented thermoplastic material, together with size reduction, elimination, and/or reorientation of longitudinally spaced, raised circumferential witness features, to mitigate or avoid interference between such witness features and graduated volumetric markings on an outside surface of the tubular body. Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming of unitary measuring pipettes are also provided. Gas permeable apertures or pores having a maximum width of no greater than 150 microns, in ranges of 10-100 microns, 10-50 microns, or subranges thereof, may be defined in face plates or inserts received by mold blanks, or defined in molding surface of cooperating mold bodies, and may be used to produce a tubular pipette body having reduced height witness features. Cooperating mold bodies may each be produced from multiple mold body sections with gas passages defined therein and/or therebetween.

Abstract: Unitary measuring pipettes include a tubular body of biaxially oriented thermoplastic material, together with size reduction, elimination, and/or reorientation of longitudinally spaced, raised circumferential witness features, to mitigate or avoid interference between such witness features and graduated volumetric markings on an outside surface of the tubular body. Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming of unitary measuring pipettes are also provided. Gas permeable apertures or pores having a maximum width of no greater than 150 microns, in ranges of 10-100 microns, 10-50 microns, or subranges thereof, may be defined in face plates or inserts received by mold blanks, or defined in molding surface of cooperating mold bodies, and may be used to produce a tubular pipette body having reduced height witness features. Cooperating mold bodies may each be produced from multiple mold body sections with gas passages defined therein and/or therebetween.

Abstract: A cell culture vessel (100) includes a wall including an inner surface defining a cell culture chamber of the vessel. A substrate (215) of non-porous material is positioned in the cell culture chamber between a first region of the cell culture chamber and a second region of the cell culture chamber. The substrate includes a plurality of microcavities (220), each microcavity of the plurality of microcavities includes a concave surface defining a well and an opening, the concave surface of each microcavity includes at least one aperture including a dimension less than or equal to about 15 microns defining a path from the well to the second region. A cell culture vessel including a substrate including a plurality of microcavities and a layer of porous material is also provided. Methods of culturing cells in the cell culture vessel are also provided.

Abstract: Measuring pipettes including integral or encapsulated filters, as well as methods and apparatuses for forming the same, are provided. A filter material (e.g., a discrete element in solid form) or a filter material precursor (e.g., a foamable thermoplastic composition and a blowing agent) to be introduced into a hollow interior of a softened thermoplastic material present within a mold during pipette fabrication. A pipette includes a filter element comprising foamed polymeric material within a mouthpiece region, wherein an outer portion of the filter element is bound to or encapsulated in an inner wall of the mouthpiece region. A filter material precursor may be supplied coaxially with a tubular flow of thermoplastic material into the mold, may be supplied laterally through a mold wall, or may be injected into a molten thermoplastic pipette forming material upstream of an extruder outlet.

Abstract: Vial assemblies comprising a tubular body and a flexible bottom or flexible liner are described herein, wherein the flexible bottom or liner is configured to compress at least partially upon the application of force. Methods for storing and removing frozen samples from such vial assemblies are also described herein.

Abstract: A method for producing pipettes (110, 111, 112) is provided. The method includes extruding a polymer melt into at least one mold segment of a mold assembly (120) having a plurality of mold segments to form a parison (50) or preform, wherein the plurality of mold segments (122) comprise cavities (42) that are shaped to form pipettes when in communication with the cavity of an adjacent mold segment; forming at least two pipettes in the shape of the mold segment cavities by blow-molding or vacuum forming the parison or preform, each of the at least two pipettes having proximal and distal ends; heating the pipettes to form a locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes; and separating the pipettes by cutting the locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes with separation feature (64, 66, 194, 196).

Abstract: An extrusion device is provided. The extrusion device includes an extrusion die having a die bushing comprising a channel extending to an opening of the die bushing, a die pin positioned in the channel, and at least one die pin support feature extending between the die pin and the die bushing.

Abstract: A pipette may comprise a length, a longitudinal axis, and an inner curved surface enclosing a space. The pipette may have a tip region having a tip thickness. The tip region may be connected to a body region having a body thickness. The tip thickness may be greater than the body thickness. The body region may be connected to a mouth region having a mouth thickness. The mouth thickness may be greater than the body thickness. The inner curved surface may not contain bumps or ridges either between the tip region and the body region or between the body region and the mouth region. The pipette may be formed by blow molding or vacuum forming.

Abstract: A vial is described herein that comprises a tubular body which comprises an opened end, a closed end, and a cavity, wherein the opened end is located at one end of the tubular body and the closed end is located at an opposing end of the tubular body. The tubular body further comprises a tear line located therein, wherein the tear line extends across at least a portion of one side of the tubular body, across the closed end, and across at least a portion of another side of the tubular body. In addition, the tubular body further comprises two flanges extending from the closed end, wherein the two flanges are configured to separate from one another outwardly from the tubular body and apply a force to break-open at least a portion of the tear line to open at least the closed end of the tubular body.

Abstract: A stretch blow molding method may include fabricating a preform (e.g., by molding, optionally while a core pin rotates within a mold cavity), heating the preform to a softening temperature, stretching and thereby elongating at least a portion of the heated preform, blowing the elongated preform with pressurized fluid within a mold cavity, and cooling the resulting pipette. A system for fabricating a stretch blow molded pipette includes a first mold defining a mold cavity for producing a preform. A stretch rod drive unit is configured to move a stretch rod within an interior of the preform to form an elongated preform, and a second mold defines blow molding cavity and a molding surface to contain expansion of the elongated perform when subjected to blowing by supplying pressurized fluid to an interior thereof.

Abstract: Measuring pipettes including integral or encapsulated filters, as well as methods and apparatuses for forming the same, are provided. A filter material (e.g., a discrete element in solid form) or a filter material precursor (e.g., a foamable thermoplastic composition and a blowing agent) to be introduced into a hollow interior of a softened thermoplastic material present within a mold during pipette fabrication. A pipette includes a filter element comprising foamed polymeric material within a mouthpiece region, wherein an outer portion of the filter element is bound to or encapsulated in an inner wall of the mouthpiece region. A filter material precursor may be supplied coaxially with a tubular flow of thermoplastic material into the mold, may be supplied laterally through a mold wall, or may be injected into a molten thermoplastic pipette forming material upstream of an extruder outlet.

Abstract: Unitary measuring pipettes include a tubular body of biaxially oriented thermoplastic material, together with size reduction, elimination, and/or reorientation of longitudinally spaced, raised circumferential witness features, to mitigate or avoid interference between such witness features and graduated volumetric markings on an outside surface of the tubular body. Methods and apparatus for vacuum forming of unitary measuring pipettes are also provided. Gas permeable apertures or pores having a maximum width of no greater than 150 microns, in ranges of 10-100 microns, 10-50 microns, or subranges thereof, may be defined in face plates or inserts received by mold blanks, or defined in molding surface of cooperating mold bodies, and may be used to produce a tubular pipette body having reduced height witness features. Cooperating mold bodies may each be produced from multiple mold body sections with gas passages defined therein and/or therebetween.

Abstract: A vial is described herein that comprises a tubular body which comprises an opened end, a closed end, and a cavity, wherein the opened end is located at one end of the tubular body and the closed end is located at an opposing end of the tubular body. The tubular body further comprises a tear line located therein, wherein the tear line extends across at least a portion of one side of the tubular body, across the closed end, and across at least a portion of another side of the tubular body. In addition, the tubular body further comprises two flanges extending from the closed end, wherein the two flanges are configured to separate from one another outwardly from the tubular body and apply a force to break-open at least a portion of the tear line to open at least the closed end of the tubular body.

Abstract: A method for producing pipettes (110, 111, 112) is provided. The method includes extruding a polymer melt into at least one mold segment of a mold assembly (120) having a plurality of mold segments to form a parison (50) or preform, wherein the plurality of mold segments (122) comprise cavities (42) that are shaped to form pipettes when in communication with the cavity of an adjacent mold segment; forming at least two pipettes in the shape of the mold segment cavities by blow-molding or vacuum forming the parison or preform, each of the at least two pipettes having proximal and distal ends; heating the pipettes to form a locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes; and separating the pipettes by cutting the locally heated portion of the at least two pipettes with separation feature (64, 66, 194, 196).

Abstract: A vial is described herein that comprises a tubular body which comprises an opened end, a closed end, and a cavity, wherein the opened end is located at one end of the tubular body and the closed end is located at an opposing end of the tubular body. The tubular body further comprises a tear line located therein, wherein the tear line extends across at least a portion of one side of the tubular body, across the closed end, and across at least a portion of another side of the tubular body. In addition, the tubular body further comprises two flanges extending from the closed end, wherein the two flanges are configured to separate from one another outwardly from the tubular body and apply a force to break-open at least a portion of the tear line to open at least the closed end of the tubular body.

Abstract: A cell culture vessel (100) includes a wall including an inner surface defining a cell culture chamber of the vessel. A substrate (215) of non-porous material is positioned in the cell culture chamber between a first region of the cell culture chamber and a second region of the cell culture chamber. The substrate includes a plurality of microcavities (220), each microcavity of the plurality of microcavities includes a concave surface defining a well and an opening, the concave surface of each microcavity includes at least one aperture including a dimension less than or equal to about 15 microns defining a path from the well to the second region. A cell culture vessel including a substrate including a plurality of microcavities and a layer of porous material is also provided. Methods of culturing cells in the cell culture vessel are also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to apparatuses, systems and methods for culturing cells. In particular, devices and methods are provided for generation and culture of 3d cell aggregates.

Abstract: A pipette may comprise a length, a longitudinal axis, and an inner curved surface enclosing a space. The pipette may have a tip region having a tip thickness. The tip region may be connected to a body region having a body thickness. The tip thickness may be greater than the body thickness. The body region may be connected to a mouth region having a mouth thickness. The mouth thickness may be greater than the body thickness. The inner curved surface may not contain bumps or ridges either between the tip region and the body region or between the body region and the mouth region. The pipette may be formed by blow molding or vacuum forming.

Abstract: Vial assemblies comprising a tubular body and a flexible bottom or flexible liner are described herein, wherein the flexible bottom or liner is configured to compress at least partially upon the application of force. Methods for storing and removing frozen samples from such vial assemblies are also described herein.