Slip cover for heated platen assembly

• US 7,560,273 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sandell, Donald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beisner; William H
• Application Number:
  US10/200,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20040018610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,548 Days
• Field of Search: 435/288.4, 435/288.7, 435/287.2, 435/292.1, 435/303.1, 435/305.3, 435/305.4, 435/808, 422/102, 356/246, 359/398, 219/428, 250/328
• US Class Current: 435/288.7
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0822 Slides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• 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: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0332 with temperature control control of temperature G05D23/00; cryostats F17C3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/15 Preventing contamination of the components of the optical system or obstruction of the light path
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/253 for batch operation, i.e. multisample apparatus analytical automats G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/809 Incubators or racks or holders for culture plates or containers

Abstract

A heated platen assembly for use in a biological testing device is disclosed having a heated platen defining a plurality of optical openings configured to permit radiation to pass through the heated platen, a light transmissive slip cover configured to cover at least one of the plurality of optical openings, and means for retaining the slip cover over the at least one of the plurality of optical openings.

Claims

1. A biological testing device for samples, comprising:

a heated platen assembly, the assembly comprising;

a heated platen defining a plurality of optical openings, the optical openings configured to permit radiation to pass through the heated platen, the heated platen having a first side configured to face away from a plurality of sample wells and a second side configured to face toward the plurality of sample wells, wherein the heated platen is connected to a resistive element;

a light transmissive slip cover configured to cover at least one of the plurality of optical openings on the first side of the heated platen; and

a frame member over the plurality of optical openings, wherein the frame member overlaps with the slip cover and does not obscure any of the optical openings, and wherein the frame member is attached to the heated platen via holes in the frame member and the heated platen;

wherein the heated platen comprises a recessed portion surrounding and retaining the cover slip and the slip cover is adhered to the heated platen; and

an optical detection device, the optical detection device comprising a real-time detector of nucleic acid amplification in the samples during thermal cycling; and

a light source, wherein both the radiation passing from the light source to the sample wells and from the sample wells to the optical detection device pass through the same optical opening.

2. The heated platen assembly of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the slip cover is substantially flush with a top surface of the heated platen when the slip cover is positioned in the recessed portion of the heated platen.

3. The heated platen assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame member further comprises a recessed portion configured to retain the slip cover in a desired relation to the heated platen.

4. The heated platen assembly of claim 1, wherein the frame member comprises sheet metal.

5. The heated platen assembly of claim 1, wherein the slip cover comprises glass.

6. The heated platen assembly of claim 5, wherein the slip cover has a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm or less.

7. The heated platen assembly of claim 1, wherein the slip cover comprises a non-fluorescing clear polycarbonate.

8. The heated platen assembly of claim 7, wherein the slip cover has a thickness of approximately 0.6 mm to approximately 3.2 mm.

9. The heated platen assembly of claim 1, further comprising a gasket between the slip cover and the heated platen.

10. The heated platen assembly of claim 9, wherein the gasket is positioned between an outer edge of the slip cover and the heated platen.

11. The heated platen assembly of claim 9, further comprising a gasket positioned between a surface of the slip cover facing the plurality of optical openings and an area of the surface of the heated platen surrounding the plurality of optical openings.

12. The heated platen assembly of claim 1, wherein the heated platen defines 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 96, 384, or 1,536 optical openings.

13. A biological testing device for samples, comprising:

a heated platen assembly, the assembly comprising;

a heated platen defining a plurality of optical openings, the optical openings configured to permit radiation to pass through the heated platen, the heated platen having a first side configured to face away from a plurality of sample wells and a second side configured to face toward the plurality of sample wells, wherein the heated platen is connected to a resistive element;

a light transmissive slip cover configured to cover at least one of the plurality of optical openings on the first side of the heated platen; and

a frame member over the plurality of optical openings, wherein the frame member overlaps with the slip cover and does not obscure any of the optical openings, and wherein the frame member is attached to the heated platen via holes in the frame member and the heated platen,

wherein the slip cover is adhered to the heated platen; and

an optical detection device, the optical detection device comprising a real-time detector of nucleic acid amplification in the samples during thermal cycling; and

a light source, wherein both the radiation passing from the light source to the sample wells and from the sample wells to the optical detection device pass through the same optical opening.

14. The testing device of claim 13, wherein the heated platen comprises a recessed portion.