Rapid thermal cycling device

• US 6,640,891 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2000
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brooks Automation Incorporated (Azenta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kevin R. Oldenburg
• Inventors: Oldenburg, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CIRIC, LJILJANA V
• Application Number:
  US09/655,021
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 165/48.1, 165/61, 165/63, 165/64, 165/185, 165/253, 422/67, 422/102, 422/109, 422/101, 435/286.1, 435/286.6, 435/288.3, 435/288.4, 435/305.1, 435/305.2, 435/305.3, 435/305.4, 435/307.1, 435/809
• US Class Current: 165/253
• 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 7/52 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 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/809 Incubators or racks or holders for culture plates or containers

Abstract

A thermal cycling device consisting of a plate containing a plurality of wells to hold liquid and a lid that covers the plate and contains a number of “pins” that insert into the wells of the plate to control the temperature of the sample in the well. Biological, chemical or other samples are placed into the wells of the plate and the lid is placed on the plate with the pins inserted into or in the proximity of the sample. The lid, the outer surface of which may be copper clad and in direct contract with the pins, is heated or cooled, rapidly and uniformly heating or cooling the biological samples. The temperature of the sample can be rapidly and uniformly cycled and is particularly useful for the amplification of DNA via the polymerase chain reaction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a liquid sample stored in at least one well of a well plate, said apparatus comprising:

a lid, said lid being configured so that said lid may contact the well-plate and thereby cover the at least one well, said lid being in thermal communication with the liquid sample such that the addition or removal of heat to or from said lid results in the addition or removal of heat to or from the liquid sample;

a heat-conductive portion applied to the top of said lid;

at least one heat conductive pin that communicates with said heat conductive portion of the lid, said pin adapted to be inserted into the well.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pin has a length such that said pin extends into the well and is adapted such that said pin physically contacts the liquid sample in said well so that the heat from the lid is transferred to said pin and eventually to the liquid sample.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the number of pins equals the number of wells in the well plate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lid covers a well plate having a well grid of 32 wells by 48 wells.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a coating applied over at least one of said pins that resists reaction with the liquid sample when the pin is placed in contact with the liquid sample.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said coating is a type of polymer.

7. An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a liquid sample stored in at least one well of a well plate, the apparatus comprising:

a lid, said lid sized to cover the top of the well-plate;

a heat-conductive portion applied to the top of said lid;

said heat-conductive portion being comprised of a metal;

said metal being chosen from the group of metals consisting of copper, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum, tin, lead and any combination thereof;

at least one heat conductive pin that communicates with said heat conductive portion of the lid, said pin adapted to be inserted into the well;

said pin has a length such that it extends into the well and is adapted such that said pin physically contacts the liquid sample in the well so that the heat from said lid is transferred to said pin and eventually to the liquid sample; and

a means for heating and cooling that communicates with said lid for transferring heat to said lid.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising means for regulating the temperature of said means for heating and cooling thereby regulating the temperature of the lid.

9. An apparatus for subjecting a liquid sample to thermal cycling, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a plate having at least one well for holding the liquid;

(b) a lid that covers said plate and having a number of pins projecting in the plate, said pins projecting away from the lid towards the plate and being aligned with said wells for insertions in said wells;

(c) means for controlling the temperature of the lid and the associated pins thereby regulating the temperature of the liquid;

(d) a copper clad over the top surface of said lid.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said pins communicate with said copper clad for transferring heat along the length of the pin.