Heat transfer for thermal cycling

• US 20050161192A1
• Filed: 01/23/2004
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applera Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shigeura, John, Shigeura, Janice G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,485,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/61
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1838 using fluid heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/52 with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples amplification or hybridisation processes per se C12Q1/68; controlling sequential reactions for synthesis B01J19/0046
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00346 Heating or cooling arrangements

Abstract

The present application relates to an apparatus and method for heat transfer for thermal cycling.

Claims

1. A device for thermally cycling a sample, comprising:

at least one heating element;

a disc configured to receive samples; and

a mechanism configured to rotate the disc,

wherein rotation of the disc induces a turbulent airflow between at least a portion of the disc and at least a portion of the heating element.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the turbulent airflow is induced by a turbulence inducing area on the disc.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the turbulence inducing area includes at least one of slots, pegs, vanes, staggered vanes, and projections.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the turbulent airflow is induced by a turbulence inducing area on the heating element.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the turbulence inducing area includes at least one of slots, pegs, vanes, staggered vanes, and projections.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising excitation optics and detection optics to detect fluorescent light emitted by at least one label in the sample.

7. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a feedback system to control the heating element and provide for substantially uniform heat distribution to at least one sample chamber located on the disc.

8. A device for thermally cycling a sample, comprising:

at least one heating element;

a disc configured to receive samples;

an air gap between at least a portion of the disc and at least a portion of the heating element; and

a mechanism configured to rotate the disc,

wherein rotation of the disc induces a turbulent airflow within the air gap.

9. A device for thermally cycling a sample, comprising:

at least one heating element;

a first mechanism configured to receive a disc wherein the disc is configured to receive samples;

an air gap between the disc and the heating element when the disc is included in the first mechanism; and

a second mechanism configured to rotate the disc,

wherein rotation of the disc induces a turbulent airflow within the air gap.

10. A disc for thermally cycling, comprising:

at least one loading port configured to receive samples;

a plurality of sample chambers;

a plurality of channels to route the samples to the sample chambers; and

at least one turbulence inducing area,

wherein rotation of the disc induces a turbulent airflow.

11. The disc of claim 10, wherein the turbulence inducing area includes at least one of slots, pegs, vanes, staggered vanes, and projections.

12. The disc of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the samples are routed into the sample chambers by the influence of a centrifugal force.

13. A method of thermally cycling, comprising:

at least one of introducing and removing heat with a heating element; and

rotating a disc to induce a turbulent airflow,

wherein the disc is configured to receive samples; and

wherein there is an air gap between the disc and the heating element.

14. The method of thermally cycling according to claim 13, further comprising providing substantial thermal uniformity to at least one sample chamber located on the disc.

15. The method of thermally cycling according to claim 13, further comprising exciting a label in at least one sample chamber located on the disc.

16. The method of thermally cycling according to claim 15, further comprising detecting light from the label.

17. The method of thermally cycling according to claim 13, further comprising positioning the disc in a device for thermal cycling.

18. The method of thermally cycling according to claim 17, wherein positioning the disc comprises providing access to the interior of the device for thermal cycling.

19. The method of thermally cycling according to claim 18, providing access comprises lifting a lid.

20. The method of thermally cycling according to claim 18, providing access comprises loading a tray.