Improved cuvette

Claim 2

A combination lancet (12) and cuvette (10) apparatus, comprising: cuvette (10) providing a cavity (22) for receiving an optically transparent medium including a reagent test system for reacting with a sample portion of a body fluid of interest; a lancet (12) for producing skin puncture to produce said body fluid of interest; and said lancet (12) provided on and extending from said cuvette (10).

Claim 3

Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said cuvette (10) is made of optically transparent material and is provided with a shape and optical elements (48 and 50) for causing a beam of light (30) to pass therethrough and through said medium by total internal reflectance and for causing said beam of light (30) to be reflected back along a line (34) different from the direction of the line of entry of said beam of light (30) into said cuvette (10).

Claim 4

Apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein said optical elements (48 and 50) are formed integrally with said cuvette (10) and are for causing said beam of light (30) to pass through said cuvette (10) and through said medium by total internal reflectance and for causing said beam of light (30) to be reflected back along a line (34) generally parallel to the direction of the line of entry of said beam of light (30) into said cuvette (10) and in the opposite direction to the direction of entry of said beam of light (30) into said cuvette (10).

Claim 5

Cuvette apparatus, comprising: cuvette (10) providing a cavity (22) for receiving an optically transparent medium including a reagent test system for reacting with a sample portion of a fluid of interest; said cuvette (10) made of optically transparent material and provided with a shape and optical elements (48 and 50) for causing a beam of light (30) to pass therethrough and through said medium by total internal reflectance and for causing said beam of light (30) to be reflected back along a line different from the direction of the line (34) of entry of said light beam (30) into said cuvette (10).

Claim 6

Cuvette apparatus, comprising: cuvette (10) providing a cavity (22) for receiving an optically transparent medium including a reagent test system for reacting with a sample portion of a fluid of interest; said cuvette (10) made of optically transparent material and provided with a shape and optical elements (48 and 50) for causing a beam of light (30) to pass therethrough and through said medium by total internal reflectance and for causing said beam of light (30) to be reflected back along a line different from the direction of the line (34) of entry of said light beam (30) into said cuvette (10).

Claim 7

Apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein said optical elements (48 and 50) are formed integrally with said cuvette (10) and are for causing said beam of light (30) to pass through said cuvette (10) and through said medium by total internal reflectance and for causing said beam of light (30) to be reflected back along a line (34) generally parallel to the direction of the line of entry of said beam of light (30) into said cuvette (10) and in the opposite direction to the direction of entry of said beam of light (30) into said cuvette (10).

Claim 8

Apparatus according to Claim 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said optical elements (48 and 50) are reflecting prisms.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein said cuvette (10) includes a bottom (15) generally T-shaped in plan including a base (16) and a closed wall (18) generally T-shaped in plan extending upwardly from said base (16), said wall including generally cross-bar (40) and descender (42) portions and wherein said cross-bar (40) portion intersects said descender portion (42) at two generally right-angle portions (44 and 46), wherein said reflecting prisms (48 and 50) are formed integrally at said right-angle portions (44 and 46), and wherein said base (16) and wall cooperatively provide said cavity and further provide said cavity with a generally T-shape in plan.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein said cuvette (100) includes a bottom generally triangularly-shaped in plan including a base and a closed wall (118) generally triangularly-shaped in plan extending upwardly from said base, said wall (118) including generally transverse (140) and angular portions (142 and 144), wherein said reflecting prisms (148 and 150) are formed integrally generally intermediate said angular portions (142 and 144), wherein said base and wall (118) cooperatively provide said cavity (122) and further provide said cavity (122) with a generally triangular shape in plan, and wherein said transverse portion (140) is for being disposed generally perpendicular to the source of said beam of light (130).

Claim 11

Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 4 wherein said cuvette (200) includes a bottom generally rectangularly-shaped in plan including a base and a closed wall (218) generally rectangularly-­shaped in plan extending upwardly from said base, said wall (218) including four wall portions (241, 242, 243 and 244), one of said wall portions (241) for being disposed generally perpendicular to the source of said beam of light (230) and the wall portion (242) opposite to said one wall portion (241) provided with a pair of angularly disposed and spaced apart reflecting surfaces (161 and 162), said base and wall (218) cooperatively provide said cavity and further provide said cavity with a generally rectangular shape in plan.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 4 wherein said cuvette (300) includes a bottom generally rectangularly-shaped in plan including a base and a closed wall (318) generally rectangularly-­shaped in plan extending upwardly from said base, said wall (318) including four wall portions (341, 342, 343 and 344), one of said wall portions (341) for being disposed generally perpendicular to a source of said beam of light (330) and provided with an integrally formed convex lens (346) and the wall portion (342) opposite to said one wall portion (341) provided internally with a mirror (348), and wherein said base and wall (318) cooperatively provide said cavity (322) and further provide said cavity with a generally rectangular shape in plan.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to Claim 7 or 8 wherein said cuvette (10) includes a generally planar top (14) complementary in shape and size and connectable to said bottom (15), said top (14) provided with an access slot (20) shaped in plan generally complementary to the shape of said top (14) and extending therethrough and smaller in size than said cavity (22), said access slot (20) residing over said cavity (22) and upon connection of said bottom (15) and top (14) said access slot (20) for exposing a predetermined volume of said fluid to said cavity (22) and said medium upon a larger volume of said fluid being present at and exposed to said access slot (20).

Claim 14

Apparatus according to Claim 11 wherein one of the top and bottom (15) is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending tapered posts (24 and 26) and wherein the other of said top (14) and said bottom (15) is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending tapered holes (28 and 30) for receiving said tapered posts (24 and 26) in an intereference fit to secure said top (14_ and bottom (15) together.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to Claim 11 wherein said top (10A) includes a generally central top portion having a spherical depression (86) formed therein coextensive with said access slot (20), said depression (86) facilitating exposure of said fluid to said access slot (20) and entry of said fluid into and through said access slot (20) to said cavity (22).

Claim 16

Apparatus according to Claim 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said cuvette (10) includes a closed wall (18) generally T-shaped in plan including a first portion (51) and a pair of opposed portions (54 and 55) spaced from said first portion (51) and from each other, said first portion (51) having parallel inner (53) and outer (52) surfaces and each of said opposed portions (54 and 55) having an inner surface (56 and 57) parallel to said parallel inner (53) and outer (52) surfaces of said first portion (51) and an outer angular surface (58 and 59) disposed at a predetermined angle (ϑ₁ and ϑ₂)with respect to said parallel surfaces to cause said beam fo light (30) upon entry into said cuvette (10) perpendicular to said inner (53) and outer (52) parallel surfaces of said first portion (51) to pass through said first portion (51) substantially without refractance, through said cavity (22), and through said optically transparent medium and through one (54) of said opposed portions substantially without refractance and to internally strike the interface between the outer angular surface (58) of said one opposed portion and the surrounding medium at an angle (0-₁)above the critical angle (ϑ c ) for total internal reflectance and to be reflected internally therefrom through said one opposed portion (54) through said cavity (22), through said optically transparent medium, and through the other (55) of said opposed portions substantially without refractance to strike internally the interface between the outer angular surface (59) of the other (55) of said opposed portions and the surrounding medium at an angle (ϑ₂) above the critical angle (ϑ c ) for total internal reflectance and to be reflected internally therefrom through said other opposed portion (55) through said cavity (22), through said optically transparent medium, and through said first portion (51) and to exit said cuvette (10) substantially without refractance.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein said cuvette (10A) includes a bottom (16A) and a lancet support member (70) having a lancet (12A) received wholly therein, said lancet support member (70) including a rearward portion (72) having the rearward portion of said lancet (12A) residing therein and a forward portion (80) having the forward portion of said lancet (12A) residing therein and wherein said forward (80) and rearward (72) portions are connected by an intermediate portion (82) of reduced thickness to facilitate breaking of said forward portion (80) away from said rearward portion (72) to expose said forward portion of said lancet (12A), and wherein one of said cuvette bottom (16A) and said rearward portion (72) of said lancet support member (70) is provided with a plurality of outwardly extending tapered posts (76, 77 and 78) and the other of said cuvette bottom (16A) and said rearward portion (72) of said lancet support member (70) is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending tapered holes (73, 34, 75) for receiving said tapered posts (76, 77, 78) in interference engagement to secure said lancet support member (70) to said cuvette bottom (16A).

Claim 18

Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said cuvette (420) comprises: a cuvette body member (440) including a generally funnel-­shaped upper portion (442) including a bottom (437) and an inwardly extending generally spherical surface (443) providing a depression, and a closed wall portion (446) formed integrally with said upper portion (442) and extending downwardly therefrom, said closed wall (446) including opposed wall portions provided with integrally formed opposed angular portions (447, 448) providing said optical elements (424, 426) with each optical element including flat outer and inner surfaces (451, 453 and 454, 456) for being disposed perpendicular to said beam of light (430) and an outer angular surface (452, 455) for being disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to one of said flat surfaces (451, 454); and wherein said lancet comprises a lancet support member (460) including a resilient rearward portion (482) and a forward portion (474, 484), said rearward and forward portions cooperatively providing an internal chamber (488) for slidably receiving said lancet (462) with the forward tip of said lancet (468) for being extended outwardly out of said lancet support member (460) through an opening (464) formed in the forward end of said forward portion and with the rearward portion (465) of said lancet (462) secured to said resilient rearward portion (482), upon sufficient force (550) being applied externally to said resilient rearward portion (482) said resilient rearward portion (482) being bowed inwardly to advance said lancet (462) sufficiently forward to produce said skin puncture and provide said body fluid of interest; said closed wall (446) including a bottom portion and said rearward portion (472) of said lancet support member (460) including a top portion, said bottom and top portions provided with mutually engageable connecting members (510, 512, 514, 516 and 520, 522, 524, 526) for securing said lancet support member (460) to the bottom portion of said closed wall (446) and upon said top portion (472) of said rearward portion of said lancet support member (460) being secured to said bottom portion of said closed wall (446), said top portion of said rearward portion (472) of said lancet support member (460), said closed wall (446) and said bottom (437) of said generally funnel-shaped upper portion (442) providing in combination said cavity (412) for receiving said medium including a reagent test system; said bottom (437) of said generally funnel-shaped upper portion (442) provided with a centrally formed access opening (421) extending therethrough and providing access to said cavity (412) for said sample portion and said depression for facilitating wiping of said sample portion of said fluid of interest into and through said access opening (421) and into said cavity (412); and upon said beam of light (430) perpendicularly striking said outer flat surface (451) of one of said angular portions (447) of said closed wall (446), said beam of light (430) entering and passing into said one angular portion (447) substantially without refractance and striking the interface between said outer angular surface (452) of said one angular portion (447) and the surrounding medium at an angle (ϑ1c) above the critical angle (ϑ c )for total internal reflectance and being reflected internally therefrom through said one angular portion (447) and exiting said flat inner surface (453) of said one angular portion (447) substantially without refractance, said beam of light (430) continuing through said cavity (412), through said optically transparent medium and perpendicularly striking said flat outer surface (454) of said other angular portion (448) and passing into said other angular portion (448) substantially without refraction and striking the interface between said outer angular surface (455) of said other angular portion (448) and the surrounding medium at an angle (ϑ­₂) above the critical angle (ϑ c ) for total internal reflectance and being reflected internally therefrom through said other angular portion (448) and perpendicularly exiting said outer flat surface (456) of said other angular portion (448) substantially without refractance.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to Claim 16 wherein said mutually engageable connecting member comprise a plurality of outwardly extending tapered posts (510, 512, 514, 516) provided on one of said bottom portion of said closed wall (446) and top portion of said rearward member (472) and a plurality of inwardly extending tapered holes (520, 522, 524, 526) for receiving said posts in interference fit provided on the other of said bottom portion of said closed wall (446) and said top portion (472) of said rearward portion of said lancet support member (460).

Claim 20

Apparatus according to Claim 16 wherein said lancet (462) has a forward tip (468) and wherein said apparatus further includes a protective member (490) molded integrally on the forward tip (468) of said lancet (462), said protective member (490) for being removed by being twisted relative to said forward tip (468) of said lancet (462) prior to said skin puncture.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to Claim 4 wherein said cuvette comprises: a cuvette body member (440) including a generally funnel-­shaped upper portion (442) including a bottom (437) and an inwardly extending generally spherical surface (443) providing a depression, and a closed wall portion (446) formed integrally with said upper portion (442) and extending downwardly therefrom, said closed wall (446) including opposed wall portions provided with integrally formed opposed angular portions (447, 448) providing said optical elements with each optical element including flat outer and inner surfaces (45, 453 and 454, 456) for being disposed perpendicular to said beam of light (430) and an outer angular surface (452, 455) for being disposed at a predetermined angle with respect one of said flat surfaces (451, 454); bottom means (600) providing a bottom of said closed wall (446) and said bottom means (600), said closed wall (446) and said bottom (437) of said generally funnel-shaped upper portion (442) providing in combination said cavity (412) for receiving said medium including a reagent test system; said bottom (437) of said generally funnel-shaped upper portion (442) provided with a centrally formed access opening (421) extending therethrough and providing access to said cavity (412) for said sample portion and said depression for facilitating wiping of said sample portion of said fluid of interest into and through said access opening (421) and into said cavity (412); and upon said beam of light (430) perpendicularly striking said outer flat surface (451) of one of said angular portions (447) of said closed wall (446), said beam of light (430) entering and pasing into said one angular portion (447) substantially without refractance and striking the interface between said outer angular surface (452) of said one angular portion (447) and the surrounding medium at an angle (ϑ₁) above the critical angle (ϑ c ) for total internal reflectance and being reflected internally therefrom through said one angular portion (447) and perpendicularly exiting said flat inner surface (453) of said one angular portion (447) substantially without refractance, said beam of light (430) continuing through said cavity (412) and said optically transparent medium and perpendicularly striking said flat inner surface (454) of said other angular portion (448) and passing into said other angular portion (448) substantially without refraction and striking the interface between said outer angular surface (455) of said other angular portion (448) and the surrounding medium at an angle (ϑ₂) above the critical angle (ϑ c ) for total internal reflectance and being reflected internally therefrom through said other angular portion (448) and perpendicularly exiting said outer flat surface (456) of said other angular portion (448) substantially without refractance.

Claim 22

Apparatus according to Claim 16 or 19 wherein said apparatus further includes a sealing cap (428) including a bottom surface (429) substantially complementary in shape to said top surface (443) of said generally funnel-shaped upper portion (442) of said cuvette (420) and including a centrally formed, downwardly extending plug member (429) complementary in shape to said access opening (421) formed in the bottom (437) of said generally funnel-­shaped upper portion (442) and for being received in an interference fit with said access opening (421) to seal said cavity (412).