Cuvette rail

In order to provide a cuvet bar (100) for accommodating substances to be optically examined, preferably for use in automated analysis operations, which possesses serially disposed measuring cuvets (11) that are open on one side and interconnected with the aperture area, which guarantees a safe and perfect handling and analysis, it is proposed that the cuvet bar (100) is to possess a handling and mounting member (10) which possesses an essentially cubic basic configuration and in which at least one asymmetrically disposed recess is provided.

TECHNICAL AREA 
The invention relates to a cuvet bar for the accommodation of substances to 
be optically examined, preferably for employment in automated analysis 
operations, which possesses serially disposed measuring cuvets which are 
open on one end and interconnected within the aperture area. 
Cuvet bars in conformity with the type in question are employed e.g. in the 
determination of parameters of the blood coagulation system. The 
performance of the analyses is for the most part and to a great extent 
effected in an automated manner, in which case the cuvet bar or the 
measuring cuvets are already provided with reagents and possibly with a 
stirring member and the measuring cuvets are closed e.g. with the aid of a 
sealing foil, mostly of aluminium. 
For this, several variation possibilities are known. Thus and "endless" 
cuvet bar has been proposed which, however, ultimately involves measuring 
cuvets that are interconnected by means of the foil sealing the same. In 
case of need, the required number of cuvets are severed with the foil. 
However, in this case it is disadvantageous that a mounting means is 
required for the further use of the measuring cuvets, which makes a use 
and, above everything else, an automated use only possible. In addition, 
the risk is very great of the foil becoming detached and that individual 
measuring cuvets become prematurely unserviceable. 
A pertinent cuvet bar is described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,744. This 
cuvet bar is comprised of an elongated cubic member which serves as 
retaining means and into which the individual measuring cuvets are 
inserted, one measuring cuvet being in this case disposed so as to be 
asymmetric in relation to the other measuring cuvets. 
In other variants, such as e.g. known from the DE-U 92 18 750, the 
measuring cuvets are rigidly interconnected, a defined number of measuring 
cuvets being provided in this instance. In such a case parts of the walls 
of the measuring cuvets are constructed in the form of a connecting 
element or the connecting element, surrounding the apertures of the 
measuring cuvets serves to form a common surface. When the surface is 
covered with the sealing foil, the apertures of the sealing cuvets are 
closed. 
Also in these cuvet bars the application of the sealing foil proves to be 
disadvantageous since damage of the foil on the rim side results in at 
least one measuring cuvet being opned. 
Moreover, in all the systems with the exception of the system according to 
the U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,744, it is not ruled out that, on account of a 
handling error, an employment of a cuvet bar filled with samples in an 
analysis apparatus is performed in such a way that the cuvets are not 
analyzed in the planned sequence, in which connection, in the 
aforementioned publication, the technical expenditure in the analyzer is 
uneconomical. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, TECHNICAL PROBLEM, SOLUTION, ADVANTAGES 
That is why it is the technical problem of the invention to provide a cuvet 
bar that guarantees a safe and perfect handling and analysis. 
The technical problem is resolved by the feature of claim 1. 
Furthermore, it is intended to provide a cuvet bar which permits a secure 
closure of the individual measuring cuvets with a sealing foil, where even 
damage of the sealing foil on the side of the rim will not lead to an 
opening of the measuring cuvet itself. 
For this, provision is made in accordance with the invention to provide a 
cuvet bar in conformity with the type in question which possesses a 
handling and mounting member provided with an essentially cubic basic 
configuration, in which at least one asymmetrically arranged recess is 
constructed and wherein cuvets are disposed at uniform intervals and 
disposed in a symmetric arrangement, in which case the cuvets project from 
the handling and mounting member with their closed end and, with the rim 
of their aperture, jut out from the handling and mounting member. 
By means of the construction according to the invention it is ensured that 
each measuring cuvet can be individuallys closed at the rim with a sealing 
foil, preferably an aluminium foil. The surface of the handling and 
mounting member protects the sealing foil against damage, in which case, 
even in the event of the sealing foil being damaged at the rim, no 
measuring cuvet is opened as the same are sealed at the edge alone. 
By preference, the measuring cuvets possess an approximately cylindrical 
configuration, in which connection basic configurations can be useful. In 
the cylindrical construction, the same preferably taper somewhat conically 
towards the sealed end. 
The closed side of the measuring cuvets has a flat bottom while, depending 
upon the construction of the stirring member to be used, also pointed 
bottoms or suchlike can be made use of. 
The cuvet bar is preferably constructed in one piece with the measuring 
cuvets. For certain application purposes, also a multipart construction 
proves useful, in which case the handling and mounting member, on its 
surface, is provided with through bores into which the individual 
measuring cuvets are insertable and are retained at the edge. Also in the 
multipart construction, the transfer from handling and mounting member to 
measuring cuvets takes place via the marginal region. 
The handling and mounting member is by preference opened in the downward 
direction so that the fabrication of the cuvet bar in the form of an 
injection-moulded part can be readily performed. For the stabilization of 
the handling and mounting member, webs are disposed between the externally 
located measuring cuvets and the front ends, which extend across the 
entire cross-sectional surface area. For an additional strengthening these 
may be provided with thickened portions. 
In order to rule out any confusion of samples in an automated analysis 
procedure, which may arise when the cuvet bar is introduced in a twisted 
state into a pertinent device, provision has been made to provide the 
cuvet bar with asymmetrically disposed recesses, into which corresponding 
parts of the analysis apparatus engagge, while in this way the conveyance 
of the cuvet bar in the analysis apparatus is also possible. 
For this purpose, a semi-cylindrical indentation may be provided and/or a 
window disposed in a side wall. Of course, any constructions whatever of 
the indentations are possible according to the invention so that the cuvet 
bar can be employed for any apparatus whatever. 
For the identification of the individual samples or of the pertinent 
measuring cuvet, the two side walls of the handling and mounting member 
can be provided with letterings, in which case optical characters, 33-43 
as shown in FIG. 7, are used which can be read by the user and, on the 
other side, a machine-readable Lettering, e.g. a bar code, 45-55 as shown 
on FIG. 8, so that, by means of the double identification of the sample, 
confusions are ruled out, in which case the analysis apparatus displays or 
prints out the machine-readable lettering at the same time as the analysis 
data. 
Advantageously the measuring cuvets of the cuvet bar may already be 
provided with reagent fluids and/or with a stirring member so that all 
that which remains to be added is the fluid to be tested. For this the 
cuvet bar has, already in its sale model, to be closed with a sealing foil 
and/or film, the metal foil or plastic film covering each aperture, the 
foil or film protected on all sides from accidental removal by the 
handling and mounting member. The foil and/or film can also be a composite 
material of aluminum foil and plastic film. 
The cuvet bar is preferably fabricated from plastic material, such as e.g. 
polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene or the like, the chemical 
resistance relative to reagents and the optical transmissivity being 
decisive. For special application purposes, provision is also made for a 
fabrication from glass. 
Further advantegeous constructions are characterized in the subclaims.

BEST WAY OF REALIZING THE INVENTION 
The cuvet bar 100 is comprised of a handling and mounting member 10 as well 
as of measuring cuvets 11 disposed in and partly projecting from the same. 
The handling and mounting member 10 possesses an essentially cubic basic 
configuration which, within the region of the underside 12, is constructed 
so as to be open. On the top side 13 of the handling and mounting member 
10, the apertures 14 of the measuring cuvets 11 are provided, in which 
case the rim 15 of the measuring cuvets 11 projects slightly from the top 
side 13 of the handling and mounting member 10. The closed side 16 of the 
measuring cuvets 11 juts out from the open underside 12 of the handling 
and mounting member 10 in such a way that approximately one third of the 
measuring cuvet 11 is exposed. The measuring cuvets 11 are arranged 
centrally along the longitudinal axis 17 of the handling and mounting 
member 10 and equidistantly from each other. The measuring cuvets 11 
located adjacent to the two front ends 18, 19, in the direction of the 
front ends 18, 19 possess a slightly increased distance than relative to 
the adjacent other measuring cuvets 11. Between the measuring cuvets 11 
and between the externally located measuring cuvets 11 and the respective 
front ends 18, 19, a web 20 each is provided which extends from the top 
side 13 to the underside 12 between the two side walls 21, 22 of the 
handling and mounting member 10. At one front end 18, an approximately 
semicircular, vertically disposed indentation 23 is provided, which 
extends nearly as far as to the adjacent web 20. On one front end 21 of 
the handling and mounting member 10, within the area between one front end 
18 and the pertinent web 20, a window 24 is provided in the wall, which 
extends from the underside 12 to approximately two thirds of the height of 
the handling and mounting member 10. The measuring cuvets 11 are 
essentially configured so as to be cylindrical, however, in the direction 
of the closed side 16, they taper slightly conically. The connection of 
the measuring cuvets 11 with the handling and mounting member 10 is 
realized within the region of the rim 15 of the measuring cuvets 11. 
As is shown in FIG. 6 the measuring cuvets 11 are provided with reagent 
fluids 26 and/or with a stirring member 28 so that all that remains to be 
added is the fluid to be tested. The cuvets 11 are closed at the top with 
a sealing foil and or film 30, in this particular instance the foil is 
aluminum foil 30. 
As is shown in FIG. 7, side wall 21 is marked with optical characters 33, 
35. 37, 39. 41, and 43 to identify individual cuvets. As is shown in FIG. 
8, side wall 22 is marked with bar codes 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, and 55 which 
provides machine readable lettering to provide double identification of 
each sample in each cuvet. 
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LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
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Cuvet bar 100 
handling and mounting member 
10 
measuring cuvet 11 
underside 12 
top side 13 
aperture 14 
rim 15 
closed side 16 
Longitudinal axis 17 
front end 18, 19 
web 20 
side wall 21, 22 
indentation 23 
window 24 
reagent fluids 26 
stirring member 28 
aluminum foil 30 
optical characters 33-43 
bar code 45-55. 
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