Multitest-tube for clinical chemistry analysis for several simultaneous tests

• US 5,011,663 A
• Filed: 08/13/1990
• Issued: 04/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: S E A C SRL
• Original Assignee: S E A C SRL
• Inventors: Innocenti, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacey, David L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRYZA, LYNN M
• Application Number:
  US07/567,688
• Time in Patent Office: 260 Days
• Field of Search: 422/102, 422/72, 436/177, 436/809, 435/301, 435/808, 356/244, 356/246
• US Class Current: 422/562
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5085 for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/0357 Sets of cuvettes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/03 Cuvette constructions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/808 Optical sensing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]

Abstract

A test-tube for clinical chemistry analysis made up of a plurality of cells, each one of the cells comprising a lower portion for the collection of the reagent and a side intermediate portion provided with an edge for the storage of the sample to be tested upon the mixing thereof with the reagent. The cells are disposed in a straight configuration. The operations of the mixing of the samples with the reagents and the simultaneous stirring inside all cells, may be carried out by imparting the test-tube with an angular motion about a longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A multi test-tube construction for clinical test tube analysis comprising:

a planar front wall;

a planar rear wall substantially parallel to said front wall;

first and second planar side walls, substantially perpendicular to said front and rear walls, each side wall being connected to said front and rear walls;

a plurality of intermediate side wall members, substantially parallel to said side walls, positioned between and connected to said front and rear walls forming a plurality of cells with said front and rear walls, the outermost of said plurality of intermediate side wall members forming outermost cells with said first and second planar side walls and said front and rear walls;

a plurality of lower portions, each lower portion being associated with each cell, each said lower portion having a bottom wall, a lower portion planar front wall connected to said front wall, a lower portion planar rear wall, a first lower portion planar side wall and a second lower portion planar side wall, said lower portion planar side walls being each connected to one of said first side wall, second side wall or intermediate side wall;

a plurality of side portions associated with each cell, each side portion being connected to said rear wall and said lower portion rear wall, each of said side portions forming a cavity region between said rear wall and corresponding said lower rear wall portion with an edge separating each of said side portions from said lower portion in a horizontal direction for storage of a sample to be tested, each of said walls being transparent so as to allow optical sensing and visual inspection, reagents positioned in respective cavities of said side portions overflowing into said lower portion, holding a sample or the like, upon oscillation about a horizontal longitudinal axis, of the multi test-tube construction, of suitable amplitude and frequency allowing investigation of a plurality of samples or reagents in the corresponding plurality of cells under uniform conditions.

2. A multi test-tube construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the walls of each of said lower portions are of a uniform thickness to provide better optical transparency.

3. A multi test-tube construction according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor which may be positioned adjacent one of said lower portions of said plurality of lower portions for movement relative thereto and for sliding along each of said lower portions.