Cuvette arrays

Abstract

An integrally built, linear array of cuvettes is made of a plastic material. This array comprises a plurality of cuvettes arranged along a straight line in an array, each cuvette in the array having the same shape and dimensions, and neighboring cuvettes being connected to each other by a single web. Each of the single webs has a curved shape. The symmetry axis (Y-Y) of every cuvette forming part of said array of cuvettes lies substantially in one and the same plane (A-A) which is a symmetry plane of said cuvette array. The upper part of at least one intermediate cuvette which is located between a first cuvette located at one end of the cuvette array and a second cuvette located at the opposite end of the cuvette array is connected by a first single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on one side of said intermediate cuvette and is connected by a second single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on the opposite side of said intermediate cuvette.

1 . An integrally built, linear array of cuvettes made of a plastic material, comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of cuvettes arranged along a straight line in an array, each cuvette in the array having the same shape and dimensions, and neighboring cuvettes being connected to each other by a single web, said plurality of cuvettes having a first cuvette located at one end of the cuvette array, a second cuvette located at the opposite end of the cuvette array and at least one intermediate cuvette located between said first cuvette and said second cuvette, wherein each cuvette has an upper part,    (b) each of said single webs having a curved shape, and    (c) every cuvette of said array of cuvettes having a symmetry axis (Y-Y) which lies substantially in one and the same plane (A-A) which is a symmetry plane of said cuvette array, said upper part of said at least one intermediate cuvette is connected by a first single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on one side of said intermediate cuvette and is connected by a second single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on the opposite side of said intermediate cuvette.    
     
     
         2 . A linear cuvette array according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second single webs optionally lie on opposite sides of said symmetry plane (A-A).  
     
     
         3 . A linear cuvette array according to  claim 1 , wherein each cuvette has an upper chamber with a top end having an opening and a lower chamber with a bottom end having an opening and wherein said array of cuvettes is made of a selected first plastic material which is suitable for being used in combination with the same or a second selected material of which a foil shaped layer is made, said layer being adapted to be closely attached to each cuvette of said array of cuvettes for covering at least one of said openings of each cuvette.  
     
     
         4 . A linear cuvette array according to  claim 3 , wherein said first or said second material is a cyclic olefin copolymer.  
     
     
         5 . A linear cuvette array according to  claim 3 , wherein said first and said second material is a cyclic olefin copolymer.  
     
     
         6 . A linear cuvette array according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cuvettes of said cuvette array has means for accurately positioning said at least one cuvette into a corresponding opening of a cuvette holder.  
     
     
         7 . A linear cuvette array according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cuvettes of said cuvette array has means forming integral part thereof and serving for removably connecting said at least one cuvette to said cuvette holder.  
     
     
         8 . A linear cuvette array according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 (a) each cuvette has an upper chamber and a lower chamber having a common symmetry axis (Y-Y) passing through the centers of both chambers, each of said upper and lower chambers having a substantially cylindrical shape, and the cross-section of said upper chamber at the central part thereof being larger than the cross-section of said lower chamber,    (b) said lower chamber has an open lower end, and    (c) said upper chamber has an open top end and an annular bottom wall having a central circular opening which connects said upper chamber with said lower chamber, the inner surface of said bottom wall being part of a conical surface the cross-section of which forms an angle of about 80 degrees with the symmetry axis (Y-Y) of said cuvette, so that there is an abrupt change of cross-section between said upper chamber and said lower chamber.    
     
     
         9 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes which comprises: 
 (i) at least one linear cuvette array made of plastic material, comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of cuvettes arranged along a straight line in an array, each cuvette in the array having the same shape and dimensions, and neighboring cuvettes being connected to each other by a single web, said plurality of cuvettes having a first cuvette located at one end of the cuvette array, a second cuvette located at the opposite end of the cuvette array and at least one intermediate cuvette located between said first cuvette and said second cuvette, wherein each cuvette has an upper part, and  
 (b) each of said single webs having a curved shape, and  
 (c) every cuvette of said array of cuvettes having a symmetry axis (Y-Y) which lies substantially in one and the same plane (A-A) which is a symmetry plane of said cuvette array, said upper part of said at least one intermediate cuvette is connected by a first single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on one side of said intermediate cuvette and is connected by a second single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on the opposite side of said intermediate cuvette, and  
   (ii) a cuvette holder having a matrix array of openings for receiving the cuvettes, wherein each cuvette of said at least one cuvette array having a shape and dimension that snugly fits into one of said openings of said cuvette holder.    
     
     
         10 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes according to  claim 9 , wherein said cuvette holder and the cuvettes of said at least one linear cuvette array are so configured and dimensioned that two or more cuvette holders carrying each at least one linear cuvette array can be stacked in such a way that cuvettes having the same relative position in their respective holders are accurately positioned one above the other with coincidence of their symmetry axis, one of said cuvettes taking the position of an upper cuvette and the other cuvette taking the position of a lower cuvette, a portion of said lower end of the upper cuvette lying within the upper chamber of the lower cuvette and said lower end of the upper cuvette being at a predetermined distance from said bottom wall of the upper chamber of the lower cuvette.  
     
     
         11 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes according to  claim 9 , wherein said array of cuvettes further comprises a foil which is attached to said lower end of each cuvette for covering the opening of the cuvette at said lower end thereof.  
     
     
         12 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes according to  claim 11 , wherein said foil is a filter.  
     
     
         13 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes according to  claim 11 , wherein said foil is transparent.  
     
     
         14 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes according to  11 , wherein said foil carries genes or gene fragments deposited on said foil by microspotting.  
     
     
         15 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes according to  claim 9 , wherein said cuvette holder is of substantially rectangular shape, has corners and has four centering ribs located each on the outer surface of one of said corners of said cuvette holder.  
     
     
         16 . A two-dimensional array of cuvettes according to  claim 9 , wherein said cuvette holder is so configured and dimensioned that said two-dimensional array of cuvettes is adapted to be used in a centrifugator.  
     
     
         17 . A system for simultaneously performing diffusion or filtration process steps on a plurality of liquid samples, said system comprising: 
 (i) one or more two-dimensional arrays of cuvettes, wherein each two-dimensional array of cuvettes comprises at least one linear cuvette array made of plastic material comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of cuvettes arranged along a straight line in an array, each cuvette in the array having the same shape and dimensions, and neighboring cuvettes being connected to each other by a single web, said plurality of cuvettes having a first cuvette located at one end of the cuvette array, a second cuvette located at the opposite end of the cuvette array and at least one intermediate cuvette located between said first cuvette and said second cuvette, wherein each cuvette has an upper part, and  
 (b) each of said single webs having a curved shape, and  
 (c) every cuvette of said array of cuvettes having a symmetry axis (Y-Y) which lies substantially in one and the same plane (A-A) which is a symmetry plane of said cuvette array, said upper part of said at least one intermediate cuvette is connected by a first single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on one side of said intermediate cuvette and is connected by a second single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on the opposite side of said intermediate cuvette, and  
   (ii) a cuvette holder having a matrix array of openings for receiving the cuvettes, wherein each cuvette of said at least one cuvette array having a shape and dimension that snugly fits into one of said openings of said cuvette holder.    
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 17  comprising a first two-dimensional cuvette array and a second two-dimensional cuvette array wherein said cuvette arrays are stacked on each other, and wherein the cuvette holders and the cuvettes of said two-dimensional cuvette arrays are so configured and dimensioned that said two-dimensional cuvette arrays can be stacked in such a way that cuvettes having the same relative position in their respective holders are accurately positioned one above the other with coincidence of their symmetry axis, one of said cuvettes taking the position of an upper cuvette and the other cuvette taking the position of a lower cuvette, a portion of said lower end of the upper cuvette lying within the upper chamber of the lower cuvette and said lower end of the upper cuvette being at a predetermined distance from the bottom wall of the upper chamber of the lower cuvette.  
     
     
         19 . A method of making an integrally built, linear array of cuvettes, which comprises injection molding a cyclic olefin copolymer so as to form an array of cuvettes, wherein said array of cuvettes comprises: 
 (a) a plurality of cuvettes arranged along a straight line in an array, each cuvette in the array having the same shape and dimensions, and neighboring cuvettes being connected to each other by a single web, said plurality of cuvettes having a first cuvette located at one end of the cuvette array, a second cuvette located at the opposite end of the cuvette array and at least one intermediate cuvette located between said first cuvette and said second cuvette, wherein each cuvette has an upper part, and    (b) each of said single webs having a curved shape, and    (c) every cuvette of said array of cuvettes having a symmetry axis (Y-Y) which lies substantially in one and the same plane (A-A) which is a symmetry plane of said cuvette array, said upper part of said at least one intermediate cuvette is connected by a first single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on one side of said intermediate cuvette and is connected by a second single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on the opposite side of said intermediate cuvette.    
     
     
         20 . A method of making a foil shaped layer which comprises injection molding a cyclic olefin copolymer to make a foil for use in an integrally built, linear array of cuvettes made of a plastic material, said array of cuvettes comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of cuvettes arranged along a straight line in an array, each cuvette in the array having the same shape and dimensions, and neighboring cuvettes being connected to each other by a single web, said plurality of cuvettes having a first cuvette located at one end of the cuvette array, a second cuvette located at the opposite end of the cuvette array and at least one intermediate cuvette located between said first cuvette and said second cuvette, wherein each cuvette has an upper part,    (b) each of said single webs having a curved shape,    (c) every cuvette of said array of cuvettes having a symmetry axis (Y-Y) which lies substantially in one and the same plane (A-A) which is a symmetry plane of said cuvette array, said upper part of said at least one intermediate cuvette is connected by a first single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on one side of said intermediate cuvette and is connected by a second single web to the upper part of a neighboring cuvette lying on the opposite side of said intermediate cuvette,    (d) every cuvette of said array of cuvettes having an upper chamber with a top end having an opening and a lower chamber with a bottom end having an opening, and    (e) said array of cuvettes is made of a selected first plastic material which is suitable for being used in combination with the same or a second selected material of which a foil shaped layer is made, said layer being adapted to be closely attached to each cuvette of said array of cuvettes for covering at least one of said openings of each cuvette.