Thermostated cuvette set

Details Thermostated cuvette set Thermostated cuvette set

1987-03-05

1989-04-25

Richman, Barry S.

Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing

Optical result

With claimed manipulation of container to effect reaction or...

436809, 422 58, 422 73, 422101, 422102, 356246, 356440, G01N 2103

Patent

active

048247910

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The subject of the present application is a thermostated cuvette set in which the samples placed in the curvettes are measured photometrically. The cuvette set can be thermostated to the desired temperature by means of a heat transfer medium.
In photometric analyzers, cuvette sets comprising several sample cuvettes are frequently used. In this way the measurements can be carried out rapidly and automatically. In view of accuracy of measurement and of convenience of automation, the most advantageous mode of performance is vertical measurement. This principle of measurement and the cuvette sets for vertical measurement used therein are described, e.g., in the Letters Patent FI No. 57,665 and FI No. 55,093 (equivalent, e.g., to the Letters Patent GB No. 1,486,210) as well as in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,307, the cuvettes in the cuvette set described in the latter patent being placed on the bottom of a basin-shaped frame.
In the measurements it is often important that the samples are precisely at a certain temperature. In such a case the cuvette sets with their samples must be thermostated. In prior-art thermostating solutions,e.g., thermostating equipments placed outside the measurement equipment have been used (e.g., "FP-400 INCUBATOR", Labsystems Oy, Helsinki, Finland), in which the cuvette sets can be thermostated before measurement. Heating devices placed stationarily in the measurement equipments themselves are also known, in which the heating takes place by means of heating plates. One apparatus of this sort is described, e.g., in the published Patent Application documents FI No. 843324 (corresponds, e.g., to the published Patent Application EP No. 136,001 A3).
It is also known in prior art to heat photometer cuvette sets by means of a heat transfer liquid. This can be accomplished, e.g., by onto the cuvette set blowing air of uniform temperature.
From the U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,780, an equipment is also known in which a liquid heat transfer medium is used. One equipment in accordance with the patent is provided with a thermostating basin open at the top, onto whose bottom a cuvette set of matrix shape is attached. As to its construction, the cuvette set is a closed piece in which there are cylindrical recesses forming the cuvettes. Moreover, between the rows of cuvettes, there are ducts of rectangular section in which the heat transfer medium flows. The heat transfer duct may also extend partially below the edges of the cuvettes. In this solution, it has, however, not been possible to make sure that the medium is in equally good contact with each cuvette. Moreover, the heat transfer is quite inefficient, because the effective, sufficiently thin heat transfer face adjoining each cuvette is quite little.
The object of the present invention is above all to provide a cuvette set used in photometers and thermostated by means of a medium and in which the transfer of heat into the various cuvettes is uniform and efficient.
The cuvette set in accordance with the invention comprises a basin-shaped frame on whose bottom there are permanently fixed cuvettes whose walls are substantially equally thick. Cuvettes are connected by means of partition walls to each other and to the walls of the basin so that a system of flow ducts is formed in which at least one flow duct by-passes each cuvette. Moreover, at least one inlet opening passes into the flow duct system, and at least one outlet opening passes out of same, so as to circulate the heat transfer medium.
In the following, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in further detail. In the drawings related to the description,
FIG. 1 shows a cuvette set of rectangular section as viewed from above,
FIG. 2 is a side view in section in the transverse direction,
FIG. 3 is a side view in section in the longitudinal direction, and
FIG. 4 is a side view in section of the cover of the cuvette set in the longitudinal direction.
In the cuvette set for vertical measurement shown in FIG. 1, the bottom 1 and the outer walls 2 of the cuvette set form a basin-shaped fr

REFERENCES:
patent: 3356462 (1967-12-01), Cooke et al.
patent: 3505023 (1970-04-01), Van Damme
patent: 3556731 (1971-01-01), Martin
patent: 4431307 (1984-02-01), Suovaniemi
patent: 4498780 (1985-02-01), Banno et al.
patent: 4545958 (1985-10-01), Dopatka

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