Instrument for monitoring polymerase chain reaction of DNA
First Claim
1. An instrument comprising:
- a block with a plurality of spaced-apart sample wells;
a light source adapted to direct an excitation beam toward the plurality of wells;
a Fresnel lens disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the plurality of wells; and
a detector disposed along an emission beam path and arranged to receive emission beams from the Fresnel lens;
wherein the Fresnel lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of wells and the detector, and the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from two or more of the plurality of spaced-apart sample wells to the detector.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical instrument monitors PCR replication of DNA in a reaction apparatus having a temperature cycled block with vials of reaction ingredients including dye that fluoresces in presence of double-stranded DNA. A beam splitter passes an excitation beam to the vials to fluoresce the dye. An emission beam from the dye is passed by the beam splitter to a CCD detector from which a processor computes DNA concentration. A reference strip with a plurality of reference emitters emit reference beams of different intensity, from which the processor selects an optimum emitter for compensating for drift. Exposure time is automatically adjusted for keeping within optimum dynamic ranges of the CCD and processor. A module of the beam splitter and associated optical filters is associated with selected dye, and is replaceable for different dyes.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An instrument comprising:
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a block with a plurality of spaced-apart sample wells; a light source adapted to direct an excitation beam toward the plurality of wells; a Fresnel lens disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the plurality of wells; and a detector disposed along an emission beam path and arranged to receive emission beams from the Fresnel lens; wherein the Fresnel lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of wells and the detector, and the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from two or more of the plurality of spaced-apart sample wells to the detector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 34)
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15. An instrument comprising:
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a plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers; a light source adapted to direct an excitation beam toward the plurality of containers; a Fresnel lens disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the plurality of containers; and a beam splitter disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the Fresnel lens; wherein the Fresnel lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of containers and the beam splitter, and the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from two or more of the plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers to the beam splitter. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 35)
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21. An instrument comprising:
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a block with a plurality of spaced-apart sample wells; a light source adapted to direct an excitation beam toward the plurality of sample wells; a Fresnel lens disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the plurality of sample wells; and a beam splitter disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the Fresnel lens; wherein the Fresnel lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of sample wells and the beam splitter, and the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from two or more of the plurality of spaced sample wells to the beam splitter. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 36)
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27. A method of directing an excitation beam toward a plurality of wells in a block, the method comprising:
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providing an instrument that includes in series a light source, a beam splitter, a Fresnel lens, and a block with a plurality of wells; generating an excitation beam with the light source; and focusing the excitation beam with the Fresnel lens into the plurality of wells, wherein the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from two or more of the plurality of wells to the beam splitter. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 37)
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31. A method of illuminating a plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers, the method comprising:
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providing an instrument that includes in series a light source, a beam splitter, a Fresnel lens, and a plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers containing respective samples;
generating an excitation beam with the light source; andfocusing the excitation beam with the Fresnel lens into the samples in the respective plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers, wherein the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from two or more of the plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers to the beam splitter. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 38)
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39. An instrument comprising:
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a block with a plurality of spaced-apart sample wells; a light source adapted to direct an excitation beam toward the plurality of wells; a Fresnel lens disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the plurality of wells; and a detector disposed along an emission beam path and arranged to receive emission beams emitted from the Fresnel lens; wherein the Fresnel lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of wells and the detector, and the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from more than one of the plurality of sample wells, simultaneously.
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40. An instrument comprising:
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a plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers; a light source adapted to direct an excitation beam toward the plurality of containers; a Fresnel lens disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the plurality of containers; and a beam splitter disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the Fresnel lens; wherein the Fresnel lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of containers and the beam splitter, and the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from more than one of the plurality of containers, simultaneously.
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41. An instrument comprising:
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a block with a plurality of spaced-apart sample wells; a light source adapted to direct an excitation beam toward the plurality of sample wells; a Fresnel lens disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the plurality of sample wells; and a beam splitter disposed along an excitation beam path, between the light source and the Fresnel lens; wherein the Fresnel lens is disposed along an emission beam path between the plurality of sample wells and the beam splitter, and the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from more than one of the plurality of sample wells, simultaneously.
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42. A method of directing an excitation beam toward a plurality of wells in a block, the method comprising:
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providing an instrument that includes in series a light source, a beam splitter, a Fresnel lens, and a block with a plurality of wells; generating an excitation beam with the light source; and focusing the excitation beam with the Fresnel lens into the plurality of wells; wherein the Fresnel lens is adapted to direct emission beams from more than one of the plurality of wells, simultaneously.
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43. A method of illuminating a plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers, the method comprising:
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providing an instrument that includes in series a light source, a beam splitter, a Fresnel lens, and a plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers containing respective samples; generating an excitation beam with the light source; and focusing the excitation beam with the Fresnel lens into the samples in the respective plurality of spaced-apart reaction ingredient containers, wherein the Fresnel lens is capable of directing emission beams from more than one of the plurality of reaction ingredient containers, simultaneously.
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Specification