Cuvette and cuvette cartridge for a chemical analyzer
AssigneesSpectrum Systems, LLC, Schiapparelli Biosystems, Inc.
InventorsNorman Kelln, Thomas Tiffany, Robin Olson, Bruce Weyrauch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A disposable cuvette is molded of rigid transparent plastic resin that is impervious to liquids to be handled within it. The cuvette has a rectangular cross section. Identical side walls extend between upper and lower ends of each cuvette, the upper end being open for reception of liquids and the lower end being closed. Recessed optical surface areas at the lower end are perpendicular to one another for optical testing of the cuvette contents. An elongated cartridge holds a stack of abutting cuvettes to facilitate their handling.
Claims14
A cuvette for use in a chemical analyzer, in which the cuvette is integrally molded from rigid liquid impervious material in a hollow rectangular cross sectional configuration, the cuvette comprising:
- two parallel side walls arranged in transversely spaced positions extending between opposed ends of the cuvette, each side wall having top and bottom edges and two end edges arranged across the respective ends of the cuvette;
- one end of the cuvette having an opening extending across its end edges and continuing between the top edges of the side walls to provide vertical access to the interior of the cuvette for delivery of liquids into the cuvette when it is upwardly inclined relative to the horizontal;
- the remaining end of the cuvette being closed by an end wall formed across the two side walls;
- a top wall joining the end wall and the respective top edges of the two side walls;
- a bottom wall joining the end wall and the respective top edges of the two side walls;
- optical surface areas provided at the remaining end of the cuvette for transmission of light during optical testing of cuvette contents;
- wherein outer surfaces of the optical surface areas are each recessed inwardly from the adjacent edges of the side walls to protect the optical surface areas from abrasion or physical contact.
A cuvette for use in a chemical analyzer, in which the cuvette is transparent and is integrally molded from rigid liquid impervious material in a hollow rectangular cross sectional configuration, the cuvette comprising:
- two identical side walls having parallel straight top and bottom edges and upright perpendicular end edges, the side walls being transversely joined along their respective top edges by a top wall and along their respective bottom edges by a bottom wall;
- one end of the cuvette having an opening formed between the side walls, the opening extending between the end edges of the side walls at the one end and continuing between angular edges intersecting both the straight top edges and the end edges of the respective side walls at the one end of the cuvette to permit entrance of the tip of a vertical pipette into the one end of the cuvette while the side walls are in vertical positions and the angular edges are in horizontal positions with the top and bottom edges inclined at an angle to the horizontal;
- the remaining end of the cuvette being closed by an end wall formed across the two side walls;
- and
- perpendicular optical surface areas provided at the remaining end of the cuvette for transmission of light during optical testing of cuvette contents, wherein the optical surface areas are recessed inwardly from and parallel to the adjacent edges of the side walls to protect the optical surface areas from abrasion or physical contact, the optical surface areas including:
- top and bottom rectangular areas formed respectively across corresponding sections along the top and bottom walls located adjacent to the one end of the cuvette;
- and
- a rectangular area formed across the remaining end of the cuvette.
A cuvette package that facilitates storage, handling and insertion of stacked cuvettes for use in a chemical analyzer, comprising:
- an elongated cartridge formed from a C-shaped channel;
- a plurality of cuvettes transversely stacked in identical abutting parallel positions within the cartridge, each cuvette being integrally molded from rigid liquid impervious material in a hollow rectangular cross sectional configuration and including:
- two identical side walls having parallel top and bottom edges and upright end edges, the side walls being transversely joined by a top wall and a bottom wall;
- one end of each cuvette having an opening between the end edges of the side walls, the opening extending between the end edges of the side walls at the one end and continuing between angular edges intersecting both the straight top edges and the end edges of the respective side walls at the one end of the cuvette to permit entrance of the tip of a vertical pipette into the one end of the cuvette while the side walls are in vertical positions and the angular edges are in horizontal positions with the top and bottom edges inclined at an angle to the horizontal;
- the remaining end of the cuvette being closed by an end wall formed across the two side walls;
- and
- optical surface areas provided at the remaining end of each cuvette for transmission of light during optical testing of cuvette contents;
- the cartridge having transverse interior surfaces complementary to the exterior shape and size of a stack of the individual cuvettes;
- first stop means within the cartridge for limiting motion of a stack of cuvettes in a first direction along the length of the cartridge;
- and
- second stop means within the cartridge for resisting motion of the stack of cuvettes in an opposite direction along the length of the cartridge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.