Miniaturized flow thermocycler
First Claim
1. A miniaturized flow thermocycler comprising:
- a substrate plate having grooves formed in a plane;
a cover plate having a first surface for covering said substrate plate and sealing said grooves;
means for interconnecting said grooves to form a meandering sample holding channel for receiving and passing liquid media in one direction; and
means for applying heating and means for applying cooling to alternating portions of said meandering sample holding channel such that said meandering sample holding channel is alternatingly affected creating a plurality of alternating heating zones and cooling zones for said liquid media which are spaced apart from one another to effect alternating heating and cooling of said liquid media as said liquid media passes continuously through said meandering sample holding channel in said one direction whereby said meandering sample holding channel functions as a continuous reaction chamber having alternating heating and cooling areas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A miniaturized thermocycler is provided for carrying out thermally controlled biochemical or biological melecular processes, in particular polymerase chain reactions. The aim of the invention is to provide a miniaturized thermocycler which enables such reactions to be carried out more effectively, avoids the problem of parasitic heat absorbers and can be manufactured inexpensively in series. This aim is achieved by virtue of the fact that the sample holder (1) is designed as a series of meanders winding in a plane, the sample holder (1) has a groove in a wall and closed over by a cover, the groove passing alternately through comparable heating zones (2) and cooling zones (3), located at intervals along the groove, as it meanders.
158 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A miniaturized flow thermocycler comprising:
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a substrate plate having grooves formed in a plane; a cover plate having a first surface for covering said substrate plate and sealing said grooves; means for interconnecting said grooves to form a meandering sample holding channel for receiving and passing liquid media in one direction; and means for applying heating and means for applying cooling to alternating portions of said meandering sample holding channel such that said meandering sample holding channel is alternatingly affected creating a plurality of alternating heating zones and cooling zones for said liquid media which are spaced apart from one another to effect alternating heating and cooling of said liquid media as said liquid media passes continuously through said meandering sample holding channel in said one direction whereby said meandering sample holding channel functions as a continuous reaction chamber having alternating heating and cooling areas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A miniaturized flow thermocycler apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate assembly having a meandering reaction channel in a plane for receiving a liquid media to be passed therethrough in one direction; said substrate assembly having at least one thermally insulating notch formed in a first surface thereof and substantially parallel to said plane of said meandering reaction channel to form diaphragm portions between a bottom surface of said notch and said meandering reaction channel; and said thermally insulating notch dividing said first surface of said substrate assembly into at least one heating area and one cooling area for applying and removing heat from said meandering reaction channel, respectively, such that said meandering channel has alternating heating and cooling portions separated from one another by portions of said meandering reaction channel defined by said diaphragm portions to permit alternating heating and cooling of said liquid media as said liquid media passes through said meandering reaction channel in said one direction. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A miniaturized flow thermocycler apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate assembly having meandering reaction channel in a plane for receiving a liquid media to be passed therethrough in one direction; said substrate assembly including a cover member having a first surface covering and sealing said meandering reaction channel; said cover member having thick areas and thin areas defined by at least one recess formed in a second surface of said cover member opposite said first surface, said thin areas thermally insulating said thick areas from one another; said thick areas and said thin areas being alternatingly disposed along a path of and adjacent said meandering reaction channel; and alternating ones of said thick areas along said path of said meandering reaction channel being heating areas and cooling areas, respectively, for applying and removing heat from said meandering reaction channel, respectively, such that said meandering reaction channel has alternating heating and cooling portions separated from one another by portions of said meandering reaction channel adjacent said thin areas to permit alternating heating and cooling of said liquid media as said liquid media passes through said meandering reaction channel in said one direction.
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Specification