Apparatus for heating a fluid-carrying compartment of reaction cuvette

• US 5,567,617 A
• Filed: 01/05/1995
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clinical Diagnostic Systems Inc.
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Van der Gaag, Michael R., Hinckley, Charles C., Caprio, Craig A., Chemelli, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): BEISNER, WILLIAM H
• Application Number:
  US08/369,057
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 435/290, 435/316, 435/869, 435/291, 435/288, 435/6, 435/287.2, 435/287.3, 435/288.7, 435/303.1, 422/104, 422/99, 165/61, 165/86, 291/200, 291/201, 291/443, 436/174
• US Class Current: 435/287.2
• 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

A heating assembly useful in apparatus for processing reaction cuvettes for replicating specified DNA sequences, such as those using PCR, having a heating element with a heat delivering surface for compressively contacting a pliable fluid-carrying compartment of a supported cuvette. The heat delivering surface has a defined passage sized to allow the detection compartment to be situated therein so that the compartment can be efficiently heated. Fluid flow through the compartment, however, is not interfered with during the heating process due to the presence of the defined passage. In addition, the heat delivering surface can be made from optically transparent materials so that visual detection within the processor can take place.

Claims

1. An assembly for heating a fluid-carrying portion of a reaction cuvette comprising:

a first heating element comprising a source of heat and a heat-delivering surface;

a support for supporting a reaction cuvette having at least one compliant fluid-carrying compartment;

and means for moving said heat-delivering surface into and out of intimate contact with a portion of said supported cuvette,

wherein said heat-delivering surface further comprises

a) means defining a fixed passage within said heat-delivering surface permanently sized to receive said at least one compliant fluid-carrying compartment for allowing flow therethrough while said first heating element is engaged with said cuvette, and

b) means for viewing said fluid-carrying compartment while said first heating element is engaged with said cuvette, said passage extending to said viewing means from opposite sides of said heat-delivering surface.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said first heating element is made from an optically transparent material.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 further comprising in said assembly a second heating element having a source of heat and a heat-delivering surface, wherein said supported cuvette is positioned between said first and said second heat-delivering surfaces, said assembly further comprising means for moving at least one of said heating elements relative to said reaction cuvette and into and out of engagement therewith.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 further comprising in said assembly means for resiliently biasing said heating elements into contact with said supported cuvette.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein said second heating element is made from an optically transparent material.

6. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first heating element is movably connected to said support for moving said heat-delivering surface into and out of contact with said cuvette.

7. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said passage is sized to constrain expansion of said fluid-carrying compartment by pressing against it when fluid pressure is present.

8. A processing apparatus comprising:

a main body having an interior portion;

a cover movably attached to said main body;

a support for supporting a reaction cuvette disposed within said interior portion, said cuvette having at least one compliant fluid-carrying compartment;

a first heating element having a source of heat and a first heat-delivering surface capable of heating said reaction cuvette by contact therewith, said first heating element further comprising

a) means defining a fixed passage within said heat-delivering surface permanently sized to receive said fluid-carrying compartment for permitting fluid flow therethrough while said first heating element is in contact with said reaction cuvette; and

b) means for viewing said fluid-carrying compartment while said first heating element is engaged with said cuvette, said passage extending to said viewing means from opposite sides of said heat-delivering surface; and

means for moving said first heating element into intimate contact with a supported reaction cuvette.

9. A processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first heating element is made from an optically transparent material.

10. A processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said support is movable from a first to a second position and is coupled by means to said cover so that said support moves moves from said first position to said second position when said cover is opened.

11. A processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a second heating element having a source of heat and a heat-delivering surface for heating by contact said reaction cuvette.

12. A processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further comprising means for resiliently biasing said second heating element so as to compressively contact said cuvette when said support is moved from said second to said first position.

13. A processing apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said second heating element is made from an optically transparent material.

14. A processing apparatus as claimed in claim 10 and further comprising means for moving said first heating element into and out of contact with said reaction cuvette, said means being coupled to said support.

15. A processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising means for detecting the presence of at least one substance in said fluid-carrying compartment.