Abstract: A consumable, non-reuseable cuvette for containing a sample or specimen during an automated test thereof, primarily for medical diagnostic purposes. The cuvette has a single, main reaction chamber that is pre-loaded at the factory with the precise quantity of a particular liquid or dry reagent useful for a specific test. The cover of the cuvette includes an opening to permit the introduction of a diluent or liquid reagent into the reagent chamber, a manually loaded, recessed sample receiving chamber having a frangible bottom floor and a purge reservoir. A cap is hinged to the cuvette cover and includes a rigid protruding member that pierces the sample or specimen chamber floor when closed by the testing machine, sealing the contents of the cuvette, allowing the sample to be dispensed into the chamber containing the reagent and diluent.

Abstract: A slide valve for controlling fluid flow, useful especially but not exclusively where high precision and high quality performance are required, as in scientific or medical apparatus and equipment. A valve body, preferably of plastic material, has a channel for receiving a valve slide assembly, the channel providing two surfaces parallel to and spaced from each other. The flow ports to be controlled open onto these two surfaces. The valve slide is an assembly of three members in overlying relation like a sandwich, the outer members or layers being of low-friction plastic material such as "Teflon," the inner or center member being of resilient compressible material (e.g., urethane, or silicone rubber) dimensioned to be under compression when the valve slide is in its channel, so that the resilience of the central layer of the slide serves to keep the outer layers constantly pressed firmly against the body surfaces on which they slide. Ports are formed in the slide assembly.