Thermal Array

• US 20100210006A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frank Leo Spangler
• Original Assignee: Frank Leo Spangler
• Inventors: Spangler, Frank Leo
• Granted Patent: US 9,399,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/286.100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1805 Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1883 using thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/5255 by moving sample containers

Abstract

Traditional thermocyclers are heating devices that change sample temperatures by adding heat energy into a sample block that is usually a large metal block and then extracting that heat energy out of the block in a process called ramping the temperature. Presented herein is a technology that eliminates the large mass sample block and ramping temperatures in a sample block and thus in a sample vessel. This design called a Thermal Array requires a fraction of the energy used to process a sample. In addition, the array allows a much smaller thermal cycler to be designed leading to portability of a device. This technology is designed to allow optimal polymerase chain reactions to be executed.

Claims

1. A thermal cycler having a heating element and a cooling element formed together in an array for heating and cooling a sample vessel without changing the temperature of the array by moving either the sample vessel between the various elements or moving the array so that the various elements come in contact with the sample vessel or moving both the sample vessel and the array.

2. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of heating elements.

3. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of cooling elements.

4. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein the contact face of a heating element and a cooling element are parallel to the contact face of a sample vessel.

5. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein at any given time during sample thermal cycling has at least one of its elements in contact with a sample vessel.

6. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein the heating elements are insulated except on their contact face.

7. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein each heating element of the array has a small mass of metal or other thermally conductive material attached to form a contact face.

8. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein a temperature sensor is attached to a heating element.

9. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein a temperature sensor is attached to a cooling element.

10. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein two arrays are positioned across from each other with their contact faces towards each other such that a sample vessel-processing channel is formed.

11. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein the cooling element is actively cooled.

12. The thermal cycler of claim 1, wherein the cooling element is passively cooled.