Reaction container for chemical analysis

• US 3,961,899 A
• Filed: 05/16/1975
• Issued: 06/08/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
• Original Assignee: Worthington Biochemical Corporation
• Inventors: Bungay, Henry R. III, Trivedi, Ramesh C., Cuccolo, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Monacell, A. Louis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warden, Roeert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/578,147
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: 195/127, 195/139, 23/253 R, 23/253 A, 23/259 R
• US Class Current: 422/547
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions

Abstract

For use in measuring the extent or rate of optical density change produced by a reaction a rigid or semi-rigid disposable reaction container is disclosed of the type comprising a windowed reaction chamber adapted for the transmission of light therethrough and an auxiliary chamber that is separated from the reaction chamber except for an opening which is small enough to prevent substantial diffusion or movement of liquid from one chamber to the other when under static conditions but through which a solution of a reagent in the auxiliary chamber may be forced so as to enter the reaction chamber and commingle with a solution of another reagent and thereby trigger a reaction, improvements comprising the provision in a receptacle having side walls, end walls and a bottom wall of a projection which extends a substantial distance upwardly from the bottom wall so as to separate the lower part of the receptacle into two portions adapted to separate liquid in one of said portions from the other portion in combination with a cover having a downwardly depending divider which terminates in closely adjacent spaced relation to said projection, said projection and said divider separating said receptacle into a reaction chamber and an auxiliary chamber separated from each other except for the opening or passage that is provided by said closely spaced relation between said projection and the lower end of said divider. The parts preferably are dimensioned and arranged so that said opening is in the form of a passage of substantial length and is positioned so that nearly all of a solution in the auxiliary chamber may be forced therethrough into the reaction chamber. The receptacle preferably is in the form of one molded piece and, as sold, the cover is sealed in place with a lyophilized reagent in at least one of the chambers. Preferably the aforesaid passage is of such restricted cross-section as to prevent gravitational flow of aqueous liquid from one of said chambers to the other when the level of liquid in said chamber is substantially above the uppermost portion of said passage and is substantially above the level of any liquid in the other chamber while being large enough to permit, responsive to applied pressure, the forcing of aqueous liquid through said passage so as to be injected into the other chamber and thereby become commingled with liquid in the other chamber.

Claims

1. A disposable reaction container which is composed of rigid or semi-rigid material and which comprises:

a receptacle comprising spaced-apart side walls of substantial lateral extent, a bottom wall and end walls, the inner surfaces of said walls defining a chamber which when upright is open at the top and which is adapted for the retention of a liquid therein;

a projection which extends a substantial distance upwardly from said bottom wall and between said side walls and which separates the lower part of said chamber into two portions each of which is adapted for the retention of a substantial quantity of liquid therein separated from the other portion by said projection;

a cover for said opening at the top of said chamber;

a divider depending from said cover which is contiguous, respectively, with the inner surfaces of said side wall and which at its lower end is in closely adjacent spaced relation to said projection so as to leave an opening of restricted cross section therebetween, said divider together with said projection separating said receptacle into two chambers each of which is adapted for the retention of a liquid therein separated from the other chamber except for said opening; and

a transparent window in the portion of each of said side walls comprised in one of said chambers, said windows being adapted and disposed for the successive transmission of light therethrough and through a body of liquid of predetermined thickness in said chamber.

2. The disposable reaction container according to claim 1 wherein the lower extremity of said divider is in close proximity to the bottom wall of the chamber other than said windowed chamber.

3. The disposable reaction container according to claim 1 wherein the lower end of said divider follows the contour of said projection in adjacent spaced relation thereto to provide said opening in the form of a channel of substantial length.

4. A disposable reaction container according to claim 3 wherein the lower end of said divider which follows the contour of said projection in adjacent spaced relation thereto extends into close proximity to the bottom wall of each of said chambers.

5. A disposable reaction container according to claim 1 which comprises positioning guide means effective to guide the placement of said cover so that the lower end of said divider is in fixed position in predetermined proximate spaced relation with respect to said projection.

6. A disposable reaction container according to claim 1 wherein said cover rests on the upper surface of one of the side walls and on the upper surface of each of the end walls of said receptacle, the upper surface of the other side wall of said receptacle being substantially flush with the upper surface of said cover.

7. The disposable reaction container according to claim 1 wherein said cover is fixedly secured in place across said opening at the top of said receptacle and has an opening therein providing access for the introduction of a material into one of said chambers and another opening therein providing access for the introduction of a material into the other of said chambers.

8. The disposable reaction container according to claim 7 wherein each of said openings is closed by a readily removable closure.

9. The disposable reaction container according to claim 8 wherein said closure is in the form of a readily frangible sealing membrane extending across the opening.

10. A disposable reaction container according to claim 1 wherein said side, bottom and end walls of said receptacle are in one piece.

11. A disposable reaction container according to claim 1 wherein the lower end of the divider is disposed in substantially closer proximity to the end wall of the auxiliary chamber than the upper end.

12. In a method of making a disposable reaction container comprising a reaction chamber and an auxiliary chamber separated from each other except for a small opening adapted for providing restricted flow of liquid from one chamber into the other, the improvement which comprises molding in one piece from light-transmitting material a receptacle having parallel spaced side walls of substantial lateral extent, end walls and a bottom wall, said receptacle being open at the top and having a projection extending upwardly from the bottom wall thereof which projection separates the lower part of said receptacle into two portions so that liquid cannot flow from one of said portions into the other, separately molding from one piece a cover for covering the open top of said container which cover has a divider depending therefrom that is dimensioned to be inserted between the side walls of said container flush with the inner surfaces of said receptacle and to extend into proximate closely spaced relation to said projection when said cover is covering the open top of said receptacle, placing said cover in position with attendant insertion of said divider into said receptacle with the lower end thereof positioned in proximate spaced relation with respect to said projection and so as to define a reaction chamber and an auxiliary chamber that are separated from each other except by the opening of restricted cross section where the lower end of said divider is in said proximate closely spaced relation to said projection, the portion of said reaction container occupied by said reaction chamber having windows therein that are adapted for the transmission of light therethrough and through a body of solution between them in said chamber, said windows being accurately formed during the molding of said receptacle, and by a single sealing step sealing the interfaces between the inner surfaces of said receptacle and said divider and the interfaces between said cover and the upper margins of the walls of said receptacle.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein said sealing is accomplished by ultrasonic sealing.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein a solution of a reagent component is placed in at least one of said portions of the receptacle and is reduced to dryness by lyophilization prior to the assembly of said cover in position covering said receptacle.

15. A disposable reaction container which is composed of rigid or semi-rigid material and which comprises:

spaced apart side walls of substantial lateral extent, a bottom wall and end walls, said side walls and said end walls being upstanding relative to said bottom wall and said side walls, said bottom wall and said end walls being permanently integral with respect to each other in fluid-tight relationship,

dividing means which is contiguous with said side walls and which separates said container into two chambers each of which is adapted for the retention of liquid therein separated from the other chamber except for a passage of restricted cross section through said dividing means in the lower portion of said container,

said passage having at least a portion thereof located substantially above said bottom wall whereby each said chamber has a pocket of substantial depth at the bottom thereof adapted to retain a body of liquid therein without flow through said passage from one of said chambers to the other when said container is in upright position, and

at least one of said chambers having transparent windows therein adapted and arranged for the transmission of light therethrough and through a body of predetermined thickness of liquid within said chamber between said windows.

16. A disposable reaction container according to claim 15 wherein each of said chambers has an opening at the top that is closed by cover means and each of said pockets contains in solid form a reaction component that is different from that in the other pocket.

17. A disposable reaction container according to claim 16 wherein said reaction components, respectively, are in adherent relation to said pockets as the result of lyophilization in situ.

18. A disposable reaction container which is composed of rigid or semi-rigid material and which comprises:

spaced apart side walls of substantial lateral extent, a bottom wall and end walls,

dividing means which is contiguous with said side walls and which divides said container into two chambers each of which has an opening at the top and each of which is adapted for the retention of a substantial quantity of liquid therein separated from the other except for a passage of restricted cross section in the lower portion of said container,

the cross section of said passage being so restricted as to prevent gravitational flow of an aqueous liquid from one of said chambers to the other when the level of liquid in said chamber is substantially above the level of the uppermost portion of said passage and is substantially above the level of any liquid in the other chamber but is large enough to permit responsive to applied pressure the forcing of aqueous liquid from one of said chambers through said passage so as to be injected into the other chamber for becoming commingled with liquid in said other chamber, and

at least one of said chambers having transparent windows therein adapted and arranged for the transmission of light therethrough and through a body of predetermined thickness of liquid in said chamber between said windows.

19. A disposable reaction container which is composed of rigid or semi-rigid material and which comprises:

a receptacle comprising spaced apart side walls of substantial lateral extent, a bottom wall and end walls,

separator means which projects a substantial distance upwardly from said bottom wall and between said side walls and which separates the lower part of said receptacle into two portions each of which is adapted for the retention of a substantial quantity of liquid therein separated from the other portion by said separator means,

dividing means contiguous with the inner surfaces of said side walls and which together with said separator means, said side walls and said end walls define two chambers each adapted for the retention of a substantial quantity of liquid therein separated from the other except for a passage of restricted cross section defined in part by the uppermost extremity of said separator means and adapted for the passage of liquid therethrough from one of said chambers to the other,

cover means overlying said side wall, said end walls and said dividing means which is adapted and disposed to cover the upper ends, respectively, of said chambers, and

a transparent window in the portion of each of said side walls comprised in one of said chambers, said windows being adapted and disposed for the successive transmission of light therethrough and through a body of liquid of predetermined thickness in said chamber.

20. A disposable reaction container according to claim 19 wherein the cross section of said passage is so reduced as to prevent gravitational flow of aqueous liquid from one of said chambers to the other when the level of said aqueous liquid in said chamber is substantially above the uppermost portion of said passage and is substantially above the level of any liquid in the other chamber but is adapted responsive to pressure applied to liquid in one of said chambers for the injection of liquid from one of said chambers through said passage into the other so as to become commingled with liquid in said other chamber.