PCR sample tube

• US 6,015,534 A
• Filed: 04/14/1995
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Perkinelmer Incorporated
• Inventors: Atwood, John Girdner
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ludlow, Jan M
• Application Number:
  US08/422,740
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 422/72, 422/102, 494/16, 435/296, 435/288.1, 435/304.1, 220/577, 220/339, 220/252, 220/305, 215/231, 215/306
• US Class Current: 422/550
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/042 Caps; Plugs
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/185 using a liquid as fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5082 Test tubes per se
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50851 specially adapted for heating or cooling samples laboratory heating apparatus B01L7/00; incubators C12M
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• 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: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1935 using sequential control

Abstract

A one-piece sample tube for use in a PCR thermal cycler having a first substantially cylindrically shaped upper wall section having an external conically beveled shoulder moulded around the entire circumference of the section, the thickness of the wall section above the shoulder being about 0.022 inches and the thickness of the wall section below the shoulder being about 0.015 inches. The sample tube further includes a second lower wall section having a frustrum of a cone shape with an included angle of about 17 degrees, the lower wall section having a thickness of 0.009 inches the second section holding about 100 microliters of liquid. The tube is compliant and made from polypropylene and is autoclavable.

Claims

1. In combination, a one-piece sample tube for use in a PCR thermal cycler comprising, a first substantially cylindrically shaped upper wall section, said upper wall section having an external shoulder molded around the entire circumference of the section;

the lower surface of said shoulder being conically beveled, a portion of said upper wall section being above said shoulder and having a thickness of about 0.022 inches, and a portion of said wall section being below said shoulder and having a thickness of about 0.015 inches, said sample tube comprising a second lower wall section having a frustrum of a cone shape with an included angle of about 17 degrees, said lower wall section having a thickness of 0.009 inches, said second section having a volume for holding about 100 microliters of liquid, said tube being compliant and being made from polypropylene and being autoclavable; and

a one-pieced cap pivotally attached to said tube and removably insertable into said tube to hermetically seal said tube, said cap comprising a substantially cylindrically shaped third lower section, a resiliently deformable closed dome shaped fourth top section extending upward from said third lower section, and a circumferential shoulder, extending radially outwardly, attached to and interposed between said third and fourth sections.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said cap is made from polypropylene.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said cap is autoclavable.