Temperature-regulating block with temperature-regulating devices

• US 6,767,512 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1998
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eppendorf AG
• Original Assignee: Eppendorf AG
• Inventors: Lurz, Werner, Jodies, Dietmar, Brust, Ruediger, Tennstedt, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handy, Dwayne K
• Application Number:
  US09/101,124
• Time in Patent Office: 2,219 Days
• Field of Search: 422/99, 422/64, 422/102, 422/104, 422/942, 436/47, 436/48, 436/157, 435/303.1, 435/288.4
• US Class Current: 422/552
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/023 adapted for different sizes of tubes, tips or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• 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: B01L 7/525 with physical movement of samples between temperature zones
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/5255 by moving sample containers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/54 using spatial temperature gradients
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00366 Several different temperatures used

Abstract

The invention concerns a thermostated block for laboratory thermostats and comprising wells at a wells side to receive and make large-area contact with the parts of vials filled with sample liquids and comprising at least two heat regulating devices contact the thermostated block in thermally conducting manner to generate different temperatures at different sites of the thermostated block, said block being characterized in that the heat regulating devices are in large-area contact with adjoining zones of the contact side opposite the wells side of the thermostated block.

Claims

1. A thermostated block for laboratory thermostats, comprising:

a body of thermally conductive material and having a wells side with a plurality of wells for receiving a plurality of sample liquid-containing vials provided between opposite end sides of the body, and a contact side extending opposite the wells side and parallel thereto; and

at least two heat regulating devices spaced from each other and operable at different temperatures for providing a temperature gradient in one direction across the thermostated block and arranged at the contact side of the body in an area contact with the contact side;

wherein at least one of the at least two heat regulating devices is opposed by at least two wells arranged one behind another in the direction of the temperature gradient;

wherein the thermostated block comprises at least two heat regulating devices arranged behind one another in a direction transverse to the one direction for providing a temperature gradient in the transverse direction and operable at one of same temperatures and different temperatures.

2. A thermostated block for laboratory thermostats comprising:

a body of thermally conductive material and having a wells side with a plurality of wells for receiving a plurality of sample liquid-containing vials provided between opposite end sides of the body, and a contact side extending opposite the wells side and parallel thereto; and

at least two heat regulating devices spaced from each other and operable at different temperatures for providing a temperature gradient in one direction across the tempering block and arranged at the contact side of the body in an area contact with the contact side;

wherein at least half of a number of all of the wells provided in the wells side are located opposite the at least two heat regulating devices.

3. A thermostated block according to claim 2, wherein the at least half of a number of wells provided in the wells side are arranged one after another in the direction of the temperature gradient.

4. A thermostated block for laboratory thermostats comprising:

a body of thermally conductive material and having a wells side with a plurality of wells for receiving a plurality of sample liquid-containing vials provided between opposite end sides of the body, and a contact side extending opposite the wells side and parallel thereto; and

at least two heat regulating devices spaced from each other and operable at different temperatures for providing a temperature gradient in one direction across the thermostated block and arranged at the contact side of the body in an area contact with the contact side,

wherein the at least two heat regulating devices extend at least over half of a length of the contact side measured in the direction of the temperature gradient.

wherein the thermostated block comprises at least two heat regulating devices arranged behind one another in a direction transverse to the one direction for providing a temperature gradient in the transverse direction and operable at one of same temperatures and different temperatures.

5. A thermostated block according to claim 4, wherein a contact area of the area contact of the at least two heat regulating devices with the contact side amounts to at least a half of an entire surface area of the contact side.

6. A thermostated block for laboratory thermostats, comprising:

a body of thermally conductive material and having a wells side with a plurality of wells for receiving a plurality of sample liquid-containing vials provided between opposite end sides of the body, and a contact side extending opposite the wells side and parallel thereto; and

at least two heat regulating devices spaced from each other for providing a temperature gradient in one direction across the thermostated block and arranged at the contact side of the body in an area contact with the contact side;

wherein the at least two heat regulating devices are arranged one behind another in the direction of the temperature gradient, and operable at one of same temperatures and different temperatures, and

wherein the thermostated block comprises at least two heat regulating devices arranged one behind another in a direction transverse to the one direction for providing a temperature gradient in the transverse direction and operable at one of same temperatures and different temperatures.

7. A thermostated block for laboratory thermostats, comprising:

a body of thermally conductive material and having a wells side with a plurality of wells for receiving a plurality of sample liquid-containing vials provided between opposite end sides of the body, and a contact side extending opposite the wells side and parallel thereto; and

at least two heat regulating devices spaced from each other and operable at one of different temperatures and same temperatures for providing a temperature gradient in one direction across the tempering block and arranged at the contact side of the body in an area contact with the contact side;

wherein at least one of the at least two heat regulating devices is opposed by at least two wells arranged one behind another in the direction of the temperature gradient;

wherein the thermostated block comprises at least two heat regulating devices arranged behind one another in a direction transverse to the one direction for providing a temperature gradient in the transverse direction and operable at one of same temperatures and different temperatures.