Patent ID: 6887432

Claim:
An integrally built, linear array of cuvettes, which comprises: (a) a plurality of adjacent cuvettes arranged along a straight line in an array, each cuvette in the array having the same shape and dimensions, (i) each cuvette has means that form an integral part thereof and serve to accurately position the cuvette into an opening of a cuvette holder, (ii) each cuvette has means for removably connecting the cuvette to a cuvette holder, (iii) each cuvette has an upper chamber and a lower chamber having a common axis of symmetry passing through the centers of both chambers, each of the upper and lower chambers have a substantially cylindrical shape, the cross-sectional area of the upper chamber at the central part thereof being larger than the cross-sectional area of the lower chamber, the lower chamber has an open lower end, the upper chamber has an open top end and an annular bottom wall having a central circular opening that connects the upper chamber with the lower chamber, the inner surface of the bottom wall is part of a conical surface which forms an angle of about 80 degrees with the axis of symmetry, so that there is an abrupt change of cross-section between the upper chamber and the lower chamber; (b) a plurality of webs, the number of webs being one less than the number of cuvettes in the array, each web connecting one adjacent cuvette to another adjacent cuvette so that each cuvette in the array is connected to either one or two other cuvettes, each web has a curved shape and only a single web joins two adjacent cuvettes; and (c) the array of cuvettes is made of a first plastic material which is particularly suitable for being used in combination with a second material out of which a foil-shaped layer is made, the foil-shaped layer being adapted to be closely attached to each cuvette of the array of cuvettes for covering at least one opening of each cuvette.