Reaction vessel and temperature control system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for controlling the temperature of a sample, the system comprising:
- a) a reaction vessel having;
i) a reaction chamber defined by two opposing major walls and side walls connecting the major walls to each other, at least one of the major walls comprising a sheet or film;
ii) a loading reservoir for receiving the sample prior to loading the sample into the reaction chamber, the loading reservoir being connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel; and
iii) an aspiration port connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel;
b) an aspiration device for establishing a seal with the aspiration port and for drawing the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber, wherein the vessel further includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the chamber by the aspiration device;
c) at least one heating or cooling surface for contacting the sheet or film, the sheet or film being sufficiently flexible to conform to the surface; and
d) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change in the reaction chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A reaction vessel has a reaction chamber, a loading reservoir connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel, and an aspiration port connected to the chamber via a second channel. To load the sample into the reaction chamber, the sample is dispensed into the loading reservoir and then drawn into the chamber by application of a vacuum to the aspiration port. A system for controlling the temperature of the sample in the reaction vessel includes one or more thermal elements for heating or cooling the sample and optionally optics for detecting one or more analytes in the sample.
85 Citations
91 Claims
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1. A system for controlling the temperature of a sample, the system comprising:
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a) a reaction vessel having;
i) a reaction chamber defined by two opposing major walls and side walls connecting the major walls to each other, at least one of the major walls comprising a sheet or film;
ii) a loading reservoir for receiving the sample prior to loading the sample into the reaction chamber, the loading reservoir being connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel; and
iii) an aspiration port connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel;
b) an aspiration device for establishing a seal with the aspiration port and for drawing the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber, wherein the vessel further includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the chamber by the aspiration device;
c) at least one heating or cooling surface for contacting the sheet or film, the sheet or film being sufficiently flexible to conform to the surface; and
d) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change in the reaction chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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25. A system for controlling the temperature of a sample, the system comprising:
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a) a reaction vessel having;
i) a reaction chamber;
ii) a loading reservoir for receiving the sample, wherein the loading reservoir is connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel;
iii) an aspiration port connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel; and
iv) a seal aperture extending over an outer end of the loading reservoir and an outer end of the aspiration port;
b) an aspiration device for establishing a seal with the aspiration port and for drawing the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber, wherein the vessel further includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the reaction chamber by the aspiration device;
c) a plug that is insertable into the aperture; and
d) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the reaction chamber.
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42. A system for loading a sample into a reaction vessel and for controlling the temperature of the sample in the vessel, wherein the vessel includes a reaction chamber, a loading reservoir connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel, an aspiration port connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel, and a seal aperture extending over an outer end of the loading reservoir and an outer end of the aspiration port, the system comprising:
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a) an aspiration and dispensing device for dispensing the sample into the loading reservoir, for establishing a seal with the aspiration port, and for drawing the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber, wherein the vessel includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the reaction chamber by the aspiration and dispensing device;
b) an automated machine for inserting a plug into the seal aperture after loading the sample into the chamber; and
c) at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the reaction chamber. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A reaction vessel comprising:
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a) a reaction chamber defined by two opposing major walls and side walls connecting the major walls to each other, wherein at least one of the major walls comprises a sheet or film sufficiently flexible to conform to a heating or cooling surface, and wherein at least two of the side walls are optically transmissive to provide optical windows to the reaction chamber;
b) a loading reservoir for receiving the sample prior to loading the sample into the reaction chamber, wherein the loading reservoir is connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel; and
c) an aspiration port for establishing a seal with an aspiration device, the aspiration port being connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel, thereby enabling the aspiration device to draw the sample from the loading reservoir into the chamber, wherein the vessel further includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the reaction chamber by the aspiration device. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A reaction vessel comprising:
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a) a reaction chamber;
b) a loading reservoir for receiving the sample prior to loading the sample into the reaction chamber, the loading reservoir being connected to the reaction chamber via a first channel;
c) an aspiration port for establishing a seal with an aspiration device, the aspiration port being connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel thereby enabling the aspiration device to draw the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber, wherein the vessel further includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the reaction chamber by the aspiration device; and
d) first and second plugs for sealing the loading reservoir and the aspiration port, respectively, and for compressing gas in the vessel, thereby increasing pressure in the reaction chamber. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A reaction vessel comprising:
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a) a reaction chamber;
b) a loading reservoir for receiving the sample prior to loading the sample into the reaction chamber, the loading reservoir being connected to the chamber via a first channel;
c) an aspiration port for establishing a seal with an aspiration device, the aspiration port being connected to the reaction chamber via a second channel thereby enabling the aspiration device to draw the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber, wherein the vessel further includes flow control means for preventing substantial flow of the sample from the loading reservoir into the reaction chamber until the sample is drawn into the reaction chamber by the aspiration device; and
d) a seal aperture, extending over an outer end of the loading reservoir and an outer end of the aspiration port, for receiving a plug that is inserted into the aperture after loading the sample into the reaction chamber. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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Specification