Abstract: A semiconductor wafer carrier has an enclosure with a door frame defining an opening for insertion and removal of wafers, a door for closing and sealing said opening, and separately formed door guides for controlling the interface between said door and the enclosure. In a preferred embodiment, the door guides each comprise a first body and a second body connected to each other by a web. Each body includes a door contacting portion and a door frame contacting portion. The door frame contacting portion has a sloped segment configured to a slidingly, progressively, and cooperatively engage the door frame to properly position the door within the door frame during closure with minimal particle generation by such contact. In this preferred embodiment, the guide is configured to be attached onto a corner edge of a door.

Abstract: A sealing plug, for a water globe having a lower opening therein with an extended skirt thereon, having a flexible diaphragm adapted to adjust for changes in volume and pressure of the fluid within the globe. The plug comprises a peripheral wall adapted to sealingly engage the skirt of the globe and has an upper end thereof and a flexible diaphragm having an upper surface and a recessed channel around the periphery thereof connected to the wall and extending across the upper end of the wall.

Abstract: A front opening wafer container has a container portion with a transparent shell and a door to close the open front. The container portion has a machine interface on the bottom of the shell, such as a kinematic coupling, and a receptacle at the top of the shell to receive an accessories, in particular a robotic lifting flange or an adaptor plate. The adaptor plate will ideally have a cooperating machine interface portions to allow stacking of the wafer carriers. The receptacle has, in preferred embodiments, sliding support guides with undercut portions for retention of the robotic lifting flange or the adaptor plate. The accessory will ideally have a detent positioned on the accessories to releaseably lock said accessory in place on the container portion.

Abstract: A storage assembly is provided for the accessible storage of small tools and components. The assembly includes a rectangular open-topped outer container having internal length and width dimensions that are selected integer multiples of a selected dimension. The outer container may have hand grips formed in the sidewalls in proximity to the open top for lifting the outer container and the entire assembly. The assembly also includes a plurality of rectangular open-topped inner containers having length and width dimensions that equal the selected dimensions employed in the outer container. Thus, if the inner containers have length and/or width dimensions of X, the outer container may have length and width dimensions of 3x and 2x respectively. Thus, a plurality of the inner containers may be stored efficiently in the outer container. The inner containers are configured to be stackable so that a plurality of tiers of inner containers can be stored in the outer container.

Abstract: A laminated rubber stopper having a new structure, capable of being produced in a simple process with a reduced production cost and being excellent in tightness, sealing property and sanitary property, is provided, comprising a top part having a flange part and a leg part provided under the top part of the rubber stopper and to be inserted into the mouth part of a vial, at least a surface thereof to be contacted with a contents in the vial being laminated with a fluoro resin film, in which the lower surface of the flange part has an annular concavity with a cross section of a circular arc from the periphery of the flange to the neck part.

Abstract: An adjustable-volume, sealed chemical-solution-confinement vessel for enclosing the inner bottom surface of the chemical-solution-confinement vessel within a sealed chamber. The chemical-solution-confinement vessel comprises a well-shaped base into which a complementarily-shaped lid is inserted. The lid can be inserted to a first position, in order to create a small volume sealed chamber above the inner bottom surface of the chemical-solution-confinement vessel, and can be retracted to a second position in order to create a larger volume sealed chamber above the inner bottom surface of the chemical-solution-confinement vessel. The lid may contain a port or aperture for introducing a fluid or material into the sealed chamber.

Abstract: A rag bucket having a lid received against a tub's rim that allows bleached rags with residual odors of bleach contained therein to breathe with the outside air. The rag bucket lid has an aperture covered by a screen which allows the rags, when sealed therein, to breathe. The lid is recessed into the tub so that after the bleached rags have been removed, the lid may act as a strainer, for example, for paint to allow “good” paint to pass through the screen into the tub, and “bad” paint or impurities to be trapped on top of the screen to be discarded so as not to spoil a painter's work.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer carrier has an enclosure with a door frame defining an opening for insertion and removal of wafers, a door for closing and sealing said opening, and separately formed door guides for controlling the interface between said door and the enclosure. In a preferred embodiment, the door guides each comprise a first body and a second body connected to each other by a web. Each body includes a door contacting portion and a door frame contacting portion. The door frame contacting portion has a sloped segment configured to slidingly, progressively, and cooperatively engage the door frame to properly position the door within door frame during closure with minimal particle generation by such contact. In this preferred embodiment, the guide is configured to be attached onto a corner edge of a door. In this arrangement, as the door is inserted into the door frame in the z-direction, the first and second bodies exert centering forces as needed in the x and y directions on corner portions of the door.

Abstract: The invention relates to a closure device and a method for performing an assay of a sample using the closure device. The closure device, mountable on the mouth of a test vessel, comprises a body part (1) with an axially passing cylindrical bore. The bore is covered at one end with an openable lid (7). The closure device further includes a plunger (3), slidably mounted in the bore for the formation of a sealed reagent storage chamber (9) in the space remaining between the closed lid and the plunger. The inner wall of the bore (2) is provided with at least one groove (4), whose depth is so deep as not to be within the reach of the outer diameter of the plunger (3). The groove extends from exterior end of the bore, over such a length as to maintain a gas flow communication between said reagent storage chamber (9) and the exterior end of the cylindrical bore when the plunger (3) is in a partially inserted position.

Abstract: An inserted lid (1) for a box (2) is formed so that a contact region (5) can be pressed against the inside of the side wall of the box. In the non-inserted state, said side wall is slightly larger than the box opening (4). On insertion of the lid (1) into the box (2), the largest circumferential line of the contact region (5) must fit the inside of the side wall of the box as a result of an elastic deformation of the closure surface (3). To prevent the forces emanating on insertion from the side wall of the box from leading to irreversible deformations, the closure surface (3) has spring properties which are radial with respect to the contact region (5) and permit an elastic deformation of the contact region (5) in the radial direction. To ensure these spring properties, the closure surface (3) has a shape differing from a flat surface, in particular two concentric waves (7) formed constant distances away from the contact region (5) and/or a central vault (8).

Abstract: A closure device is provided which includes a flexible cover with an array of protruding hollow caps which are formed integrally with and depend from the cover. The caps have cup shaped noses with cylindrical side walls joined to the cover by inwardly tapered intermediate wall sections. The caps form a friction fit with an array of mutually spaced receptacles, for example test tubes, deep well blocks or microwell plates.

Abstract: A container having a container body, an open end and an opposed bottom. Around the open end of the container is a substantially continuous outwardly extending flange. The container has a lid for closing the container. The container flange and lid include complementary recesses and protrusions which ensure alignment of the lid with the flange when the lid is in the closed position. The container may have a tubular structure formed by two opposed side walls and two opposed end walls between the side walls. Opposed walls may have gussets, so that the walls are inwardly foldable towards each other and the container is collapsible and/or self-supporting. The container may also be collapsible via folding of the tubular structure.

Abstract: The present invention is an inspection port that is self-locking and self-sealing when inserted in smooth, embossed, or corrugated metal jackets which contain an insulation layer around process equipment such as reactors, heat exchangers, distillation towers, storage tanks, and pipelines. The inspection port is made from an elastomeric material and includes a tubular body having an outer flange and two locking ridges which are positioned to form a short section for gripping non-corrugated metal and a long section for gripping corrugated metal.

Abstract: A reusable plug device for providing sealing of an opening of a rim of a wheel for leak testing has a simple structure and facilitates installation/removal of the plug device using a simple insertion tool and a removal tool. The plug body has an axially extending cavity for receiving the insertion tool to enable the plug body to be inserted until a flange section of the plug body abuts the surface of the workpiece. The flange section serves as a stopper to indicate the stop position and ensures a uniform installation of the plug device in each workpiece. For removal of the plug body, the removal tool is inserted into the cavity and the removal tool is pushed in the insertion direction, so that the plug body and the flange section both collapse inward into the cavity to enable the plug device to be simply pushed out through the opening section.

Abstract: A superb rubber stopper for a waterproof connector in that it is free from the lowering of sealing performance against center shifting and unnatural loading to ensure that a connector housing is hermetically sealed. The rubber stopper 10 for a waterproof connector has a cylindrical body portion 11 into which the electric wire 5 is fitted, a plurality of sealing protrusions 12 which are protruded in an annular form along the outer peripheral face of the body portion 11 and capable of adhering to the inside wall surface 2a of the terminal receiving hole, and a series of reinforcing walls 13, each of which is provided between the sealing protrusions 12 in such a manner as to extend in the axial direction.

Abstract: A generally spherical, bifurcated capsule for containing a discrete article or articles being capable of non-destructive separation and including cooperating mating elements providing a strong interference fit which is particularly suited for use in bulk vending machines.

Abstract: Plug for sealing or capping the open ends of tubular members, such as tubular rails or railing support members in boats. The plug has a cap from which extend upper, lower, right side and left side rearwardly projecting and connected planar panels. Each of the upper and lower planar panels and one of the side planar panels includes an outwardly protruding array of ramped teeth formed integrally therewith. The other side planar panel lacks an array of ramped teeth. The height of the teeth in each array increases incrementally from a minimum height remote from the cap to a maximum height adjacent to the cap. The ramping of the teeth allows for accommodational frictional engagement with various inside dimensions of tubular rails or railing support members to secure the plug tightly therewithin. A tapered indexing guide bar is located at the junction of the upper planar panel and the side planar panel which lacks an array of ramped teeth.

Abstract: Plug for capping or sealing the open ends of tubular members, such as tubular support members utilized on a Bimini boat top or other boat structure. The plug has a cap from which extend upper and lower rearwardly projecting tapered planar support panels each of which includes an outwardly protruding array of ramped teeth formed integrally therewith. The height of the teeth in each array increases incrementally from a minimum height near the end of the plug remote from the cap to a maximum height adjacent to the cap. The ramping of the teeth allows for accommodational frictional engagement of the teeth with various inside dimensions of tubular support members to secure the plug tightly therewithin. A hole extends transversely through the body of the plug for receipt of a pin for pivotally securing the end of a tubular support member containing the plug to a support bracket or other members.

Abstract: A dual function overcap for a cylindrical container, having a bead about the top edge and generally used for snack foods, includes a substantially planar covering portion and a downwardly extending lip. The dual function overcap fits over the container with a bead by engaging the downwardly extending lip or can fit a shortened form of the same container without a bead, or the same, or similar, container without a bead. In one form of the invention, the overcap must be flipped over to attach the overcap to the edge of the shortened container. In the preferred form of the invention, a raised channel within the covering portion, receives and retains the edge of the shortened container.

Abstract: Tanks, such as air tanks and other compressed gas tanks as well as fuel tanks, have bushings formed by flowdrilling holes in the tanks after the tanks have been configured in substantially their final shape. The bushings are of the same material and unitary with the tank walls and have smooth bores which receive push-to-connect couplings. The push-to-connect couplings have at least two annular barbs which engage the walls of the bushings with an interference fit so as to prevent withdrawal of the push-to-connect couplings. The push-to-connect couplings are sealed with O-rings disposed between the barbs. The depth of insertion is determined by an annular flange on an outer collar of the push-to-connect coupling which engages the outside surface of an outer rim of the bushing.

Abstract: An assembly for extracting analytes from a sample using a fluid under pressure, and embodying the invention, includes an extraction cell receiving the sample and having a chamber body closed at one end by a translatable slide block assembly in fluid communication with the fluid under pressure to introduce the fluid under pressure into the sample located within the chamber body; and a cylinder block assembly at the opposite end of the chamber body for extracting the fluid passing through the sample, the sample being enclosed in a vessel having a thimble body closed at opposite ends by pressure-fit end cap assemblies, each having a thimble cap, a seal, and a frit cap assembly for retaining the sample within the thimble body and permitting the passage of the fluid therethrough.

Abstract: A composite closure for a container having a ring shaped cap with a ring shaped top and an annular skirt depending downwardly from the outer periphery of the top. The skirt is provided with internal threads for engaging external threads on the container neck. A disk shaped lid insert has its outer peripheral edge annularly received in an annular internal lid retaining groove in the cap which permits relative rotation between the lid insert and the threaded cap. An elastic annular seal is received in an annular groove provided in the bottom side of the lid insert for sealing the upper edge of a container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for transporting materials which are potentially hazardous in primary containers, especially biological materials. The device comprises an enclosure having a top that snapably locks into a body to prevent removal of the top after it is placed into the body. The body includes a grasping flange which can be engaged and pulled along a spiralling line of weakness to rip open a top portion of the body section which does not directly house the specimen containers. The inside of the shipping container includes a resilient material to cushion any shock that the shipping container might undergo. The resilient material is preferably highly absorbent and is impregnated with one or more of several visual indicators, so that in the unlikely event a primary specimen container breaks, its contents will be absorbed, held inside the shipping container, and even the casual observer will be aware that a specimen leak has occurred.

Abstract: A removable plug for use in combination with a planar closure having an aperture formed therein. The plug body is of shallow cylindrical configuration and has a top flange which is partially subdivided into inner and outer ring portions by a combination of weak frangible links and strong non-frangible links. A tab integral with the outer ring portion overlies a ledge ring on the closure body to facilitate initialization of the removal process. Location of the pull ring around the maximum diameter of the top flange maximizes leverage and provides a large ring capable of accommodating several fingers of one's hand.

Abstract: A child resistant lid is disclosed for use in conjunction with the standard build bucket for containment of materials. There is provided a threaded capped access opening of sufficiently small dimension to prevent the passage of a child's head, yet of sufficiently great dimension to allow for access to the material contained within the bucket. In addition, there is provided a handle grasp member and tool grip to aid the user in opening the threaded capped access opening. When it is desired by the user to pour the material directly from the bucket, there is provided a pour spout formed on an outermost peripheral edge of the lid and an air inlet opening formed on the cap member. The lid member of the present invention has provided a permanent locking mechanism to aid the user in permanently attaching the lid member to the lipped edge found on buckets of the type to be used in conjunction with the lid and to further serve as a safety feature.

Abstract: Hollow body made of metal or plastic with at least two axial chambers with a separation wall therebetween and with a watertight closure including a cap provided with filling and venting openings this cap having stoppers positively insertable in each chamber of the hollow body, with a piston plate filling the cross section of the respective chambers with a hollow spacing being present above these stoppers, and in connection with which the hollow space present between the piston plate and the cap is filled with an elastic permanently filling medium preferably based on plastic, and in the cap, provision is made for at least one overflow duct for the filling medium such duct in each case connecting one chamber with the other chamber by flowing above the top end of the separation wall.

Abstract: Storage devices for paint rollers, paint roller covers, and paint brushes. The storage devices for the paint rollers and paint roller covers are cylindrical containers, having a lid, which are flared outwardly at their upper portions and have a foam insert at the bottom for forming a spongy seal with the painting implement. The container for the cover has a core in it around which the roller cover fits. The lid, which can be either a screw down or a friction fit lid, has a foam insert on its underside to form a spongy seal with the upper part of the roller cover. The container for the roller and the lid, which must be a friction fit lid, each have a semicircular opening lined with a gasket. The mating of the container and the lid result in the formation of a circular opening through which the handle of a roller frame can extend. The paint brush holder is a rectangular-shaped container having a foam insert fitted to its upper portion. The exterior of the insert is sized to fit the container.

Abstract: A vessel and closure assembly for culturing cells wherein a gas permeable membrane is provided in the closure to allow rapid and uniform equilibration of gases between the atmosphere of the vessel and the atmosphere of the incubator. A plug is provided for occluding passage of gases through the gas permeable membrane when the vessel is removed from the controlled atmosphere of the incubator.