Measuring cuvette for spectrometric measuring instrument

Abstract

A measuring vessel in which a gas to be analyzed by spectrometry is intended to flow, the vessel being in the form of a hollow tube provided with a reflective material forming an optical-reflection layer, including: a hollow tube is produced from a non-metallic material, and a removable supple optical article is applied against the internal surface of the hollow tube, the article including a supple flexible support, one face of the support being covered with a reflective metal material, the article being inserted in the tube so that the reflective metal material forms the optical-reflection layer.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A measuring vessel in which a gas to be analyzed by spectrometry is intended to flow, the vessel being in the form of a hollow tube provided with a reflective material forming an optical-reflection layer, wherein the hollow tube is produced from a non-metallic material,
 a removable supple optical article is applied against the internal surface of the hollow tube, said article comprising a supple flexible support, one face of said support being covered with a reflective metal material, said article being inserted in said tube so that said reflective metal material forms the optical-reflection layer.   
     
     
         15 . The vessel according to  claim 14 , in which the hollow tube has a length less than or equal to 100 mm, the optical article having a length corresponding to that of said tube. 
     
     
         16 . The vessel according to on  claim 14 , in which the internal surface of the hollow tube comprises elements in relief, the optical article being in contact with the internal surface of said tube only at these elements in relief. 
     
     
         17 . The vessel according to  claim 14 , in which the supple flexible support is produced from a material chosen from the following group: polyimide, polyepoxide, polyester, epoxy resin reinforced with glass fiber, aluminum substrate. 
     
     
         18 . The vessel according to  claim 14 , in which the supple flexible support has a thickness of between 1 μm and 250 μm. 
     
     
         19 . The vessel according to  claim 14 , in which the reflective metal material forming the optical reflection layer is chosen from the following group: gold, cobalt, silver, nickel, copper, aluminum, chromium, zinc. 
     
     
         20 . The vessel according to  claim 14 , in which a layer is disposed between the reflective metal material and the face of the supple flexible support. 
     
     
         21 . The vessel according to  claim 20 , in which the material of the layer is chosen from the following group: copper, aluminum, silver, polyethylene 
     
     
         22 . A spectrometry measurement apparatus comprising a measuring vessel in which a gas to be analyzed by spectrometry is intended to flow, the vessel being in the form of a hollow tube provided with a reflective material forming an optical-reflection layer, characterized by the fact that said vessel is in accordance with  claim 14 . 
     
     
         23 . A breathalyzer for measuring the partial gas level exhaled by a breath fluid, said breathalyzer comprising:
 a device emitting infrared radiation, an infrared receiver and a measuring vessel in which the breath fluid flows, the measuring vessel being in the form of a hollow tube provided with a reflective material forming an optical-reflection layer, characterized by the fact that said vessel is in accordance with  claim 14 :   the hollow tube being produced from a non-metallic material,   a removable supple optical article being applied against the internal surface of the hollow tube, said article comprising a supple flexible support, one face of said support being covered with a reflective metallic material, said article being inserted in said tube so that said reflective metallic material forms the optical-reflection layer.   
     
     
         24 . A method for manufacturing a measuring vessel in which a gas to be analyzed by spectrometry is intended to flow, the vessel being in the form of a hollow tube provided with a reflective material forming an optical-reflection layer, characterized by the fact that the method comprising:
 i) producing the hollow tube from a non-metallic material; and   ii) applying against the internal surface of the hollow tube: a removable supple optical article, said article comprising a supple flexible support, one face of said support being covered with a reflective metal material, said article being positioned in said tube so that said reflective metal material of said article forms the optical-reflection layer.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , in which further comprises:
 rolling or bending the optical article; and   inserting the optical article thus rolled or bent in the hollow tube so that the reflective metal material of said article forms the optical-reflection layer.   
     
     
         26 . A method for producing an electromagnetic barrier in a measuring vessel in which a gas to be analyzed by spectrometry is intended to flow, the vessel being in the form of a hollow tube provided with a reflective material forming an optical-reflection layer, said tube being produced from a non-metallic material, the method comprising:
 applying against the internal surface of the hollow tube: a removable supple optical article, said article comprising a supple flexible support, one face of said support being covered with a reflective metal material, said article being positioned in said tube so that the reflective metal material forms the optical-reflection layer and forms an electromagnetic barrier between the inside of the vessel and the internal surface of said tube.