Laboratory Apparatus with an Arrangement for the Tempering of Samples and Method of Tempering Samples

• US 20110151519A1
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eppendorf Se
• Original Assignee: Eppendorf AG
• Inventors: SCHIRR, Andreas, TASCH, Henner, TIMMANN, Lutz
• Granted Patent: US 8,722,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/91.2
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a laboratory apparatus, in particular for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a plurality of PCR-samples, which comprises an arrangement for tempering samples, the arrangement comprising a tempering block for the tempering of samples, the tempering block comprising a reception side, which provides receptacles for receiving sample vessels, and a contact side for the contact of at least one tempering device, at least one tempering device, arranged in an area of said contact side, a pressure device, which comprises a pressure element and an auxiliary element, said at least one tempering device being arranged between said auxiliary element and the tempering block, the pressure element being linked to said auxiliary element and to the tempering block, and being arranged to press said at least one tempering device against the tempering block by pressing said auxiliary element against said at least one tempering device, wherein at least one tempering device is shaped and arranged in said area to at least partially surround by itself said pressure element.

Claims

1. Laboratory apparatus, in particular for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a plurality of PCR-samples, which comprises an arrangement for tempering samples, the arrangement comprising

a tempering block for the tempering of samples, the tempering block comprising a reception side, which provides receptacles for receiving sample vessels, and a contact side for the contact of at least one tempering device,

at least one tempering device, arranged in an area of said contact side,

a pressure device, which comprises a pressure element and an auxiliary element,

said at least one tempering device being arranged between said auxiliary element and the tempering block,

the pressure element being linked to said auxiliary element and to the tempering block, and being arranged to press said at least one tempering device against the tempering block by pressing said auxiliary element against said at least one tempering device,

characterized in that

at least one tempering device is shaped and arranged in said area to at least partially surround by itself said pressure element.

2. Laboratory apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two tempering devices are provided, arranged side by side in an area of said contact side.

3. Laboratory apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said at least two tempering devices and said pressure element are respectively configured and arranged such that a minimal distance d2 of said at least two tempering devices is provided.

4. Laboratory apparatus according to claim 3, wherein d2 is smaller than the width of said pressure element.

5. Laboratory apparatus according to claim 3, wherein d2 is smaller than the diameter of said pressure element at a position of said pressure element, which has a minimal distance from said at least one tempering device.

6. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein the arrangement is arranged within the apparatus to form a thermo-unit, which is thermally insulated from the apparatus.

7. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein said pressure element is arranged to cross said area of the contact side, where at least one or two tempering devices contact the contact side.

8. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein said area of the contact side, which is crossed by said pressure element, is defined by a virtual line, which envelopes at least two contact areas, at which a tempering device is in contact with the tempering block, respectively.

9. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein said at least one tempering device is arranged to, respectively preferably, partially or completely surround by itself said pressure element.

10. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein said pressure element and at least one tempering device are arranged such that the pressure element crosses the geometrical center point of said tempering device.

11. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein a plurality of pressure elements are provided, which are respectively at least partially or completely surrounded by a single tempering device.

12. Laboratory apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least two pressure elements are arranged in the same distance to the geometrical center point of said tempering device.

13. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein said auxiliary element is adapted to serve as a heat sink for the heat, which is generated by said at least one tempering device.

14. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims, wherein said at least one tempering device is a Peltier element.

15. Laboratory apparatus according to one of the previous claims which is adapted to be a Thermocycler for automatically performing a PCR in a PCR-sample.

16. Method for tempering samples by means of a laboratory apparatus, in particular according to one of the previous claims, Laboratory apparatus, in particular for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a plurality of PCR-sample, which comprises an arrangement for tempering, the arrangement comprising

a tempering block for the tempering of samples, the tempering block comprising a reception side, which provides receptacles for receiving sample vessels, and a contact side for the contact of tempering devices, at least one tempering device, arranged at an area of said contact side, a pressure device, which comprises a pressure element and an auxiliary element, said at least one tempering device being arranged between said auxiliary element and the tempering block, the pressure element being linked to said auxiliary element and to the tempering block, and being arranged to press said at least one tempering device against the tempering block by pressing said auxiliary element against said at least one tempering device,

wherein tempering is performed by means of at least one tempering device, which is shaped and arranged in said area to at least partially surround said pressure element.