Reaction vessel and method for the handling thereof

Abstract

A cuvette for an automatic analyzing apparatus according to the invention includes at least two positions, for each position pair one separating wall connecting the positions, and brackets, which are at the outermost positions and which guide the cuvette into a curved shape. In a handling method of a cuvette according to the invention a cuvette is transported from its brackets to an incubator and bent into a curved shape. In the method the cuvette is then loaded into an opening of the incubator, in which opening it remains by its own spring back factor, until the cuvette is removed from the opening after the analysis.

1 . A cuvette for an automatic incubator, which cuvette comprises:
 at least two positions comprising an optically transparent screen at a side thereof for optical analysis, the positions only being connected over a portion of a vertical length thereof by   a separating wall the number of which is totally one less than a number of the positions, the separating wall being of elastic material, including polyurethane or acryl, to allow elastic deformation of the cuvette about a vertical axis thereof, and   brackets in outermost positions, being adapted to guide the cuvette into a curved shape about the vertical axis.   
     
     
         2 . A cuvette according to  claim 1   wherein the brackets are elastically flexible when pressed in.   
     
     
         3 . A cuvette according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the separating wall connects parallel positions along at most half of a side face of the cuvette to improve an even temperature distribution.   
     
     
         4 . A cuvette according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cuvette is made of a material with essentially good optical and elastic properties, including acryl.   
     
     
         5 . A cuvette according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cuvette is made of two materials.   
     
     
         6 . A cuvette according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the materials are mutually different polymers so that the first material has essentially good optical properties and the second material has essentially good elastic properties.   
     
     
         7 . A cuvette according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the positions are made of the first material and the separating walls or the brackets, or both are made of the second material.   
     
     
         8 . A cuvette according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the first material is acryl.   
     
     
         9 . A cuvette according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the second material is polyurethane.   
     
     
         10 . A cuvette according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the separating walls allow the cuvette to bend elastically about the vertical axis thereof.   
     
     
         11 . A cuvette according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the separating wall connects parallel positions along at most half of the side face of the cuvette to improve an even temperature distribution.   
     
     
         12 . A cuvette according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the brackets comprise flexible protrusions, which curve outwards and towards each other from upper edges of the outer comers of the outermost positions, whereby the brackets are adapted to be elastic in a position orientation direction, and to be torsionally rigid in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         13 . A cuvette according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the brackets comprise flexible protrusions, which curve outwards and towards each other from upper edges of the outer comers of the outermost positions, whereby the brackets are adapted to be elastic in a position orientation direction, and to be torsionally rigid in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         14 . A cuvette according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the brackets comprise flexible protrusions, which curve outwards and towards each other from upper edges of the outer comers of the outermost positions, whereby the brackets are adapted to be elastic in a position orientation direction, and to be torsionally rigid in a vertical direction.   
     
     
         15 . A cuvette according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the cuvette is made of a material with essentially good optical and elastic properties, including acryl.