CUVETTE CONSTRUCTION

• US 3,860,347 A
• Filed: 08/06/1973
• Issued: 01/14/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alan Richardson Jones
• Original Assignee: Alan Richardson Jones
• Inventors: Jones, Alan Richardson
• Primary Examiner(s): Stern, Ronald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/386,028
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 73/425.6,425.4P 356/70,180,181,244,246 250/576
• US Class Current: 356/246
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions

Abstract

A cuvette having a tubular body, an upper head portion and a lower substantially conically shaped portion having a central port defining an entrance. An examining chamber is defined within said cuvette body. The interior walls of said body are characterized by the absence of sharp angular junctions so that there are smooth transitions between adjacent planes within the chamber. A ball preferably of glass is seated at the entrance upon at least a pair of inwardly directed upset portions so that the ball is prevented from tightly seating in the cuvette entrance. The combination of the ball and upset portions provides an impedance to outflowing liquids from the chamber through the lower port. The head portion of the cuvette comprises an end cap or plug sealedly engaged removably within the upper end of the body and having a through passage terminating in a port directed to the body interior radially of the axis of said body. A probe secured to the lower end of the cuvette body at the entrance completes the cuvette assembly.

Claims

1. A cuvette for use in photometric examination of liquid samples comprising:

a hollow body having upper and lower ends, a head removably sealingly engaged within the upper end of said body and having a through passageway, one end thereof opening radially to the interior of the body, the other end of said passageway being adapted to be connected to a source of pressure and to a source of vacuum alternatively, the lower end of said body having a central port defining an entrance, a generally spherical member seated at said entrance and capable of free movement within said body, detent means inwardly disposed of said entrance to maintain a loose engagement between said ball and body at said entrance whereby to effect turbulent flow of liquid entering the hollow body therepast which is directed to the interior walls of the hollow body obviating laminar flow along the axis of the body.

2. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 and a depending hollow probe coupled to said entrance.

3. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 in which said body includes at least a pair of opposite flat parallel transparent walls capable of having a beam of radiation passed therethrough.

4. The cuvette as claimed in claim 1 in which an examining chamber is defined within said hollow body, said chamber including a pair of opposite flat parallel transparent walls defining a window and an arcuate floor gradually sloped toward said entrance, and said detent means comprise inwardly directed upsets formed in said floor about said entrance.

5. The cuvette as claimed in claim 4 in which said upsets are arranged symmetrically about said entrance.

6. The cuvette as claimed in claim 2 in which an examining chamber is defined within said hollow body, said chamber including a pair of opposte flat parallel transparent walls defining a window and an arcuate floor gradually sloped toward said entrance, and said detent means comprise inwardly directed upsets formed in said floor about said entrance.

7. The cuvette as claimed in claim 6 in which said upsets are arranged symmetrically about said entrance.

8. For use in a photometric analysis system, a cuvette which includes a lower open end defining an entrance adapted for communication to a source of liquid, a volume displacement device operatively arranged relative to said cuvette, a fluid connection for operating said volume displacement device to cause liquid to be drawn into and discharged therefrom;

the improvement comprising;

turbulence generating means provided at said entrance whereby to direct flow of liquid entering said cuvette toward the interior wall thereof eliminating formation of laminar flow within said cuvette, said turbulence generating means comprising a freely movable spherical body loosely seated within said cuvette at the entrance and detent means formed in said cuvette at said entrance, said detent means being inwardly directed of the entrance, and said spherical body being seated upon said detent means, said spherical body capable of being displaced when liquid is drawn into the cuvette through said entrance the said liquid first impinges upon the surface of said spherical body when entering said cuvette thereby to be diverted to the interior wall of the cuvette.

9. The structure as claimed in claim 8 in which said detent means comprise integral upsets formed in the interior wall of said cuvette at the entrance and extending radially inwarD thereof.