Thermal cycler for PCR
First Claim
1. A method for calibrating a removable assembly for cycling samples through a series of temperature excursions, the removable assembly being attached to an instrument and comprisinga sample block for receiving vials,a plurality of thermoelectric devices,a heat sink,a clamping mechanism positioned so as to clamp said thermoelectric devices between said sample block and said heatsink, anda memory device capable of storing data related to said removable assembly,said method comprising:
- applying power to said thermoelectric devices, causing said removable assembly to cycle through a desired series of temperature excursions;
measuring the actual temperature excursions;
comparing said actual temperature excursions with said desired temperature excursions;
calibrating the removable assembly by adjusting said power applied to said thermoelectric devices so that said actual temperature excursions match said desired temperature excursions and recording said adjusted power in said memory device for further utilization in obtaining said desired series of temperature excursions, to form a calibrated removable assembly;
removing the calibrated removable assembly from the instrument; and
attaching the removable assembly to a different instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for performing highly accurate PCR employing an assembly, a heated cover and an internal computer. The assembly is made up of a sample block, a number of Peltier thermal electric devices and heat sink, clamped together. The sample block temperature is changed exclusively by the thermoelectric devices controlled by the computer. The control software includes calibration diagnostics which permit variation in the performance of thermoelectric coolers from instrument to instrument to be compensated for such that all instruments perform identically. The block heat sink assembly can be changed to another of the same or different design. The assembly carries the necessary information required to characterize its own performance in an on-board memory device, allowing the assembly to be interchangeable among instruments while retaining its precision operating characteristics. The instrument monitors the thermoelectric devices and warns of changes in resistance that may result in failure.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for calibrating a removable assembly for cycling samples through a series of temperature excursions, the removable assembly being attached to an instrument and comprising
a sample block for receiving vials, a plurality of thermoelectric devices, a heat sink, a clamping mechanism positioned so as to clamp said thermoelectric devices between said sample block and said heatsink, and a memory device capable of storing data related to said removable assembly, said method comprising: -
applying power to said thermoelectric devices, causing said removable assembly to cycle through a desired series of temperature excursions; measuring the actual temperature excursions; comparing said actual temperature excursions with said desired temperature excursions; calibrating the removable assembly by adjusting said power applied to said thermoelectric devices so that said actual temperature excursions match said desired temperature excursions and recording said adjusted power in said memory device for further utilization in obtaining said desired series of temperature excursions, to form a calibrated removable assembly; removing the calibrated removable assembly from the instrument; and attaching the removable assembly to a different instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification