Handling package of cuvettes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9804182-B2
Application number	US-201113522136-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2011
Priority date	Feb 26, 2010
Publication date	Oct 31, 2017
Grant date	Oct 31, 2017

Abstract

Automatic analyzers, in which the liquids to be analyzed are in so-called reaction vessels, simultaneously acting as optically high-quality cuvettes ( 10 ), are used in laboratories for analyzing various liquids. Further described is a handling package for cuvettes ( 10 ). A removable bonding strip ( 100 ) is fastened on the rows of cuvettes ( 10 ), the strip ( 100 ) binding the rows of cuvettes ( 10 ) during transport, and being easily removable when the cuvettes ( 10 ) are loaded into the instrument. The cuvettes ( 10 ) are loaded into the instrument by supporting the package in its place from the brackets ( 24 ) located in the ends of the cuvettes ( 10 ), so that the strip ( 100 ) can be pulled off the supported package of cuvettes ( 10 ).

First claim

We claim:

1. A handling package of a plurality of cuvettes, the package comprising:
a plurality of cuvettes, each of the cuvettes being formed by a plurality of reaction vessels, the reaction vessels being joined by intermediate walls between the reaction vessels, and
a strip adhered to a surface of the reaction vessels of each of the cuvettes such that the plurality of cuvettes are arranged in a row and joined together, the strip being configured such that, upon removal of the strip, the cuvettes are no longer joined together, and wherein each of the cuvettes has a bracket at opposite ends of the cuvette,
wherein the bracket comprises two tabs and the tabs curve toward each other.

2. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the strip extends at most to an area of a top surface of openings of the reaction vessels and the bracket at the opposite ends of the cuvette extend beyond a width of the strip.

3. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the strip does not extend to an area of the brackets.

4. The package according to claim 1 , wherein an adhesive substance is applied only on a part of the strip.

5. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the strip is attached by ultrasonic welding.

6. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the strip is attached by hot welding.

7. The package according to claim 5 , wherein the strip is attached by spot welding.

8. The package according to claim 2 , wherein the strip does not extend to an area of the brackets.

9. The package according to claim 2 , wherein an adhesive substance is applied only on a part of the width of the strip.

10. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the cuvettes of the package are held parallel to each other in a row solely by an adhesive substance applied to the strip.

11. The package according to claim 2 , wherein the strip is attached by ultrasonic welding.

12. The package according to claim 2 , wherein the strip is attached by hot welding.

13. The package according to claim 3 , wherein the strip is attached by hot welding.

14. The package according to claim 4 , wherein the strip is attached by hot welding.

15. The package according to claim 5 , wherein the strip is attached by hot welding.

16. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the strip provides a sole means for joining the cuvettes into a handling package.

17. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate wall joining the reaction vessels is narrower than the reaction vessels.

18. The package according to claim 1 , wherein the strip is attached by welding.

Assignees

• Nuotio Vesa
• Makunen Juhani
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy

Inventors

• Nuotio Vesa
• Makunen Juhani

Classifications

• G01N2021/0357

  Sets of cuvettes · CPC title

• G01N35/026 Primary

  having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes · CPC title

• G01N35/02

  using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations {(G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G01N21/03 Primary

  Cuvette constructions · CPC title

• A61B10/0096

  Casings for storing test samples (A61B10/0038, A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/10; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30) · CPC title