Jeffrey Anton Dubois

US Patent:

51281040, Jul 7, 1992

Filed:

Jun 14, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/539071

Inventors:

Harold R. Murphy - Herkimer NY
Jeffrey A. DuBois - Holland Patent NY
Reid A. Strickland - Holland Patent NY
Harold F. Wood - New Hartford NY

International Classification:

G01N 2105

US Classification:

422102

Abstract:

A consumable, non-reuseable cuvette for containing a sample or specimen during an automated test thereof, primarily for medical diagnostic purposes. The cuvette has a single, main reaction chamber that is pre-loaded at the factory with the precise quantity of a particular liquid or dry reagent useful for a specific test. The cover of the cuvette includes an opening to permit the introduction of a diluent or liquid reagent into the reagent chamber, a manually loaded, recessed sample receiving chamber having a frangible bottom floor and a purge reservoir. A cap is hinged to the cuvette cover and includes a rigid protruding member that pierces the sample or specimen chamber floor when closed by the testing machine, sealing the contents of the cuvette, allowing the sample to be dispensed into the chamber containing the reagent and diluent. The side walls and floor of the reaction chamber include optically transparent windows for radiant energy testing of the reagent before and after the sample is added to the reagent. Because the cap seals the contents of the cuvette, the cuvette is safely disposable after the test is completed.