1. A device for heating or cooling multiple single chamber containers or a multi-chamber container comprising:
a unitary heat or cold source providing a source of heat or cold;
heat exchange elements in thermal communication with the heat or cold source and extending away from the heat or cold source;
a thermal barrier between each of the heat exchange elements to thermally isolate the heat exchange elements from each other,
wherein each heat exchange element is thermally associated with one or more chambers that are different from one or more chambers associated with other heat exchange elements to thermally isolate the chambers from each other.
2. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container comprises a sample or reagent container used in a clinical analyzer.
3. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container is a multi-chamber reaction cuvette.
4. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 2, wherein the container is a multi-chamber microtiter plate.
5. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 4, further comprising the container.
6. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 1, wherein each chamber is associated with a heat exchange element in a one-to-one configuration.
7. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 6, wherein the unitary heat or cold source is a heat source.
8. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 6, wherein the thermal barrier comprises an air gap.
9. A device for heating or cooling as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air gap is filled with a non-conductive material.
10. A method of thermally isolating multiple single chamber containers or a multi-chamber container comprising:
providing a device for heating or cooling multiple single chamber containers or a multi-chamber container as claimed in claim 1;
heating or cooling the device with the unitary heat or cold source;
providing multiple single chamber containers or a multi-chamber container, wherein each heat exchange element is thermally associated with one or more chambers that are different from one or more chambers associated with the other heat exchange elements, and wherein heat flows between the associated heat exchange elements and the one or more chambers without substantially affecting heat flow between the other associated heat exchange elements and chambers.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein each chamber is associated with a heat exchange element in a one-to-one configuration.
12. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the unitary heat or cold source is a heat source and each chamber is associated with a heat exchange element in a one-to-one configuration.
13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of providing a container further comprises providing a chamber having a liquid that is colder than the other chambers, heating the chamber containing the colder liquid with the associated heat exchange element, wherein the heating of the chamber does not substantially affect the temperature of liquid in the other chambers.
14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the wherein the container comprising a sample or reagent container is used in a clinical analyzer and the liquid is a sample or reagent.
15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the container is a multi-chamber reaction cuvette.
16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the container is a multi-chamber microtiter plate.
17. A combination device comprising:
the device for heating or cooling multiple single chamber containers or a multi-chamber container as claimed in claim 1; and
multiple single chamber containers or a multi-chamber container.
18. A combination device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the container is a multi-chamber reaction cuvette.
19. A combination device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the multi-chamber reaction cuvette comprises adjoining chambers each having a rectangular cross-section and no space between chambers.
20. A device for heating or cooling multiple single chamber containers or a multi-chamber container comprising:
a unitary heat or cold source providing a source of heat or cold;
heat exchange elements in thermal communication with the heat or cold source and extending away from the heat or cold source; and
a thermal barrier between each of said heat exchange elements to thermally isolate the heat exchange elements from each other,
wherein each heat exchange element is thermally associated with one or more chambers that are different from one or more chambers associated with other heat exchange elements to thermally isolate the chambers from each other.
21. A device for holding and heating a multiple cell cuvette in an incubator assembly, comprising:
a unitary heat source;
two or more rows of heat conducting elements in thermal communication with the heat source and extending away from the heat source,
a space between the at least two rows being dimensioned for accommodating a multiple cell cuvette;
side walls located at the ends of the rows and extending upward for partially the length of the heat conducting elements; and
wherein each row of heat conducting elements comprises at least one thermal barrier that extends at partially toward the heat source and prevents or reduces heat transfer between the heat conducting elements.
22. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the heat source comprises a substantially planar, horizontal surface, the heat conducting elements extend perpendicularly away from the surface, each heat conducting element having a cross-section with a major dimension and a minor dimension, wherein the surface of the heat conducting element having the major dimension is planar, substantially vertical surface facing the space between the two or more rows, and wherein the surface of the element having the minor dimension faces the thermal barrier.
23. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the vertical surface of the heat conducting element is in a face-to-face configuration and abuts a planar surface of a cell of the cuvette.
24. A device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the height of the heat conducting element is substantially the same as the cuvette.
25. A device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the cross section of the heat conducting element is substantially rectangular shaped.
26. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the side walls include at least one thermal barrier located between adjacent rows of the two or more rows which extends at least partially toward the heat source and prevents or reduces heat transfer between adjacent rows.
27. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the width of the thermal barrier is less than or equal to the minor dimension of the heat conducting element.
28. A device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the minor dimension of the heat conducting elements in rows that form end rows are greater than the minor dimension of the heat conducting elements in interior rows.
29. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the heat source and heat conducting elements are metallic.
30. A device as claimed in claim 29, wherein the heat source further comprises a metallic block and heat generator.
31. A device as claimed in claim 30, wherein the heat generator is an electrical resistance element in contact with the metallic block which uniformly heats the metallic block.
32. A device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the heat conducting elements and metallic block are formed from a single piece of metal.
33. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the two or more rows of heat conducting elements comprise four or more rows of heat conducting elements and wherein each row of heat conducting elements comprises two or more thermal barriers.
34. A device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the thermal barriers are air gaps.
35. A device as claimed in claim 34, wherein the air gaps are filled with a non-thermally conductive material.
36. A device as claimed in claim 35, wherein the material comprises an epoxy resin.
37. An incubator assembly comprising:
a device for holding and heating multiple single cell containers or a multi-cell container wherein the device comprises:
a unitary heat source;
heat exchange elements in thermal communication with the heat source and extending away from the heat source;
a thermal barrier between each of said heat exchange elements to thermally isolate the heat exchange elements from each other,
wherein each heat exchange element is thermally associated with one or more cells that are different from one or more cell associated with other heat exchange elements to thermally isolate the cells from each other; and
an incubator housing for containing the device.
38. An incubator as claimed in claim 37, further comprising the container and the container is a multi-cell reaction cuvette or a microtiter plate.
39. An incubator as claimed in claim 37, wherein the incubator is in a clinical analyzer.
40. An incubator as claimed in claim 37, wherein the analyzer is a diagnostic analyzer or blood analyzer.
41. An incubator as claimed in claim 37, wherein each cell is associated with a heat exchange element in a one to one configuration.
42. A diagnostic analyzer comprising:
an incubator assembly as claimed in claim 37, wherein the container is a multi-cell reaction cuvette;
a multiple cell cuvette, wherein at least one cell has at least one transparent window; and
a measuring device for measuring a property of the contents of the cuvette.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A wheel for vehicle, said wheel comprising:
a one-piece wheel body having an integrally formed rim, hub, and plurality of spokes connecting the hub and the rim;
a decorative member retained to the wheel body and disposed on a surface of at least one spoke of the plurality of spokes;
a visible space being defined by the decorative member and the surface of the at least one spoke;
a tongue extending from the rim and arranged between the at least one spoke and the decorative member, the tongue extending toward a central axis of the rim and having a hole therein; and
the decorative member having an end fastened to the tongue from a rear surface of the at least one spoke by a decorative member fastening bolt,
wherein both the decorative member and the at least one spoke are visible from an axial outer side of the wheel body, and the decorative member fastening bolt is not visible from the axial outer side of the wheel body.
2. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the decorative member has walls covering the tongue of the rim and extending in an axial direction of the wheel body.
3. The wheel according to claim 2, further comprising:
a boss member disposed on a rear surface of the decorative member, the boss member extending toward the at least one spoke and having a thickness sufficient for receiving and holding a threaded end of the decorative member fastening bolt,
wherein the walls cover the tongue and the boss.
4. The wheel according to claim 3, wherein the walls extend downward to a position at which the tongue is located.
5. The wheel according to claim 1, wherein the decorative member is made from a hard resin selected from the group consisting of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin, polypropylene (PP) resin, polyamide (PA) resin, and polycarbonate-ABS alloy resin.
6. The wheel according to claim 1, further comprising a surface layer covering the decorative member formed by one of electroless plating and vapor deposition and coating.