Vessel for accurate analysis

Abstract

Vessels used to contain reaction mixtures and that allow for accurate optical or visual detection are described. Vessels that are an integrated tube- and cap assembly connected via one or more hinge straps or devices to other vessels or caps and/or tubes and caps with different light transmitting properties are also described.

1 . A vessel comprising an integrated tube-and-cap assembly, wherein one or more tube(s) is connected by way of one or more hinge strap(s) or device(s) to one or more cap(s), characterized in that
 the assembly has been fabricated in one piece,   the tube and the cap have different light transmitting properties, since the material of either one or both of the tube and the cap comprises one or more colorants, which alter its light transmitting properties, and   the materials of the tube and the cap do not comprise the same colorant or mixture of colorants.   
   
   
       2 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the tube comprises one or more colorants and the material of the cap lacks colorant. 
   
   
       3 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the cap comprises one or more colorants and the material of the tube lacks colorant. 
   
   
       4 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the material of the tube comprises one or more colorants and the material of the cap comprises a different colorant or different mixture of colorants than the material of the tube. 
   
   
       5 . The vessel of any of  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the cap is fabricated from a homogenous, optically clear material. 
   
   
       6 . The vessel of  claims 5 , wherein the optically clear material comprises polypropylene. 
   
   
       7 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is fabricated from an opaque material. 
   
   
       8 . The vessel of  claim 7 , wherein the opaque material comprises a homogenous mixture of polypropylene and one or more colorants. 
   
   
       9 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the colorants are chosen from pigments, nanoparticles or other agents capable of altering the light transmitting properties of a material. 
   
   
       10 . The vessel of  claim 9 , wherein the colorant is titanium dioxide, giving the material a white color, or carbon black, giving the material a black color. 
   
   
       11 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the colorant is titanium dioxide. 
   
   
       12 . The vessel of  claim 10 , wherein the colorant is carbon black. 
   
   
       13 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated tube-and-cap assembly comprises a single tube connected to a single cap by way of a hinge strap or device. 
   
   
       14 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated tube-and-cap assembly comprises a strip of tubes, wherein each tube is connected to a single cap by way of a hinge strap or device. 
   
   
       15 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated tube-and-cap assembly comprises a strip of tubes, wherein the tube strip is connected to a strip of caps by way of one or more hinge straps or devices. 
   
   
       16 . Use of a vessel of  claim 1  for thermal cycling, centrifuging, heating, chilling, storing, sequencing and other analytical applications. 
   
   
       17 . Use of a vessel of  claim 1  for performing a PCR process. 
   
   
       18 . A method for achieving an accurate optical signal in the detection of a thermal cycling process, wherein the sample to be detected is located in a vessel of  claim 1  and the signal is obtained by sending excitation light through the cap of the mentioned vessel and detecting the emitted signal returning through the same mentioned cap of the mentioned vessel.