Highly flexible and accessible freezer drawer rack

Abstract

A storage system for efficiently storing samples in tubes or bottles in an upright freezer is disclosed. A rack has at least one drawer—the drawer slides out for high accessibility. Tubes or bottles may immediately be stored or retrieved without using boxes. The drawer may be fitted with a removable top plate with at least one hole. Into the hole, an insert may be placed for stabilizing tubes of different diameter and shapes and for storing other samples such as cryo-vials and slides. More importantly, the system can be easily configured for storing tubes, bottles, boxes, or any combination thereof. In the prior art, bottles and tubes are stored in boxes which are then placed in the drawer. Moreover, bottles and tubes are stored separately. Boxes must be outfitted with cell dividers in order to store tubes, and only tubes of the same diameter can be stored in the same box.

1 . A storage system comprising: 
 a drawer having a top surface;    a frame for accepting at least one drawer; and    a top plate for removably placing over the top surface of the drawer.    
   
   
       2 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein said top plate has at least one hole for receiving a sample tube.  
   
   
       3 . The storage system of  claim 2 , wherein each said hole has a removable insert.  
   
   
       4 . The storage system of  claim 3 , wherein said removable insert has a through-hole for stabilizing the tube.  
   
   
       5 . The storage system of  claim 4 , wherein said removable insert with said through-hole has a bore size decreasing in size from top to bottom.  
   
   
       6 . The storage system of  claim 4 , wherein said removable insert has at least one flexible inner protrusion for stabilizing tubes of different diameter.  
   
   
       7 . The storage system of  claim 3 , wherein said removable insert has a chamber open at the top.  
   
   
       8 . The storage system of  claim 7 , wherein said removable insert with said chamber open at the top has a removable lid.  
   
   
       9 . The storage system of  claim 3 , wherein said removable insert has a slide housing unit attached to the top of said insert.  
   
   
       10 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer has a face plate.  
   
   
       11 . The storage system of  claim 8 , wherein said drawer with said face plate has a card holder.  
   
   
       12 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein said top plate may cover some or all of the top surface of said drawer.  
   
   
       13 . The storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising a separator removably inserted into said drawer.  
   
   
       14 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein said drawer has a bottom plate for supporting bottles and/or sample tubes.  
   
   
       15 . A tube rack comprising: 
 a base;    at least one vertical support member; and    a top plate removably attached to said vertical support member, wherein said top plate has at least one hole for receiving a sample tube and wherein each said hole has a removable insert.    
   
   
       16 . The storage system of  claim 15 , wherein said removable insert has a through-hole for stabilizing the tubes.  
   
   
       17 . The storage system of  claim 16 , wherein said removable insert with said through-hole has a bore size decreasing in size from top to bottom.  
   
   
       18 . The storage system of  claim 16 , wherein said removable insert has at least one flexible inner protrusion for stabilizing tubes of different diameter.  
   
   
       19 . The storage system of  claim 15 , wherein said removable insert has a chamber open at the top.  
   
   
       20 . The storage system of  claim 19 , wherein said removable insert with said chamber open at the top has a removable lid.  
   
   
       21 . The storage system of  claim 15 , wherein said removable insert has a slide housing unit attached to the top of said insert.