Thermal cycling
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A temperature cycling apparatus for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture, the system comprising:
- a first heater translatable between a first orientation in which the first heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the first heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a first prime mover for moving the first heater between the first heater'"'"'s first and second orientations,a second heater adjacent the first heater, the second heater translatable between a first orientation in which the second heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the second heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a second prime mover for moving the second heater between the second heater'"'"'s first and second orientations,the second heater being in the second orientation when the first heater is in the first orientation, and the second heater being in the first orientation when the first heater is in the second orientation during temperature cycling.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for processing a biological sample includes a processing unit having at least one opening to receive a sample vessel and a plurality of processing stations positioned along the opening. The processing stations each have a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and thereby move a substance within the sample vessel among the processing stations. An energy transfer element can be coupled to one or more of the processing stations for transferring thermal energy to the content at a processing station.
152 Citations
94 Claims
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1. A temperature cycling apparatus for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture, the system comprising:
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a first heater translatable between a first orientation in which the first heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the first heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a first prime mover for moving the first heater between the first heater'"'"'s first and second orientations, a second heater adjacent the first heater, the second heater translatable between a first orientation in which the second heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the second heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a second prime mover for moving the second heater between the second heater'"'"'s first and second orientations, the second heater being in the second orientation when the first heater is in the first orientation, and the second heater being in the first orientation when the first heater is in the second orientation during temperature cycling. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A temperature cycling system for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture, the system comprising:
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a flexible reaction vessel configured to contain the reaction mixture therein, the reaction vessel including a body having first and second portions coupled together, a first heater translatable between a first orientation in which the first heater affects the temperature of the first portion and a second orientation in which the first heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the first portion, and a second heater translatable between a first orientation in which the second heater affects the temperature of reaction mixture in the second portion and a second orientation in which the second heater does not substantially affect the temperature of reaction mixture in the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for thermal cycling a fluid sample, the sample provided in a flexible reaction vessel comprising a first region and a second region adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first region, comprising:
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a. compressing the second region to force the sample into the first region and into contact with a first pair of heaters at a first temperature, and b. subsequently compressing the first region to force the sample into the second region and into contact with a second pair of heaters at a second temperature, the second temperature being different from the first temperature. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A method for amplifying a nucleic acid in a biological sample comprising:
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a. placing the biological sample into a flexible reaction vessel comprising a first region and a second region adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first region, b. compressing the first region to force the sample into the second region and into contact with a pair of denaturation heaters at a denaturation temperature, c. compressing the second region to force the sample into the first region and into contact with a pair of annealing heaters at an annealing temperature, and d. repeating steps b and c for a plurality of amplification cycles. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture contained within a flexible reaction vessel comprising:
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placing the reaction vessel adjacent a first heater and a second heater, heating the first heater to a first temperature, heating the second heater to a second temperature, alternately opening and closing the first and second heaters so that the reaction mixture is in thermal contact with the respective heater when the heater is in the opened position and the reaction mixture is not in thermal contact with the respective heater when the heater is in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method for heating and cooling a reaction mixture contained within a flexible reaction vessel comprising:
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heating a first pair of heaters positioned in a first zone to a first temperature, heating a second pair of heaters positioned in a second zone to a second temperature, placing the reaction vessel between each of the first and second pair of heaters so that the first heater engages a first portion of the reaction vessel and the second heater engages a second portion of the reaction vessel, and moving the reaction mixture between the first zone in thermal contact with the first pair of heaters and the second zone in thermal contact with the second pair of heaters by alternately opening and closing the first and second pairs of heaters around the reaction vessel.
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30. A device for thermal cycling a sample provided in a flexible vessel, comprising
a first heating element for heating the sample to a first temperature, the first heating element repeatably movable between an open position and a closed position, the first heating element defining a first gap for receiving a first portion of the flexible vessel, a second heating element for heating the sample to a second temperature, the second heating element repeatably movable between an open position and a closed position, the second heating element defining a second gap contiguous with the first gap, the second gap for receiving a second portion of the flexible vessel, wherein when the first heating element is in the closed position, the sample is forced from the first portion of the flexible vessel, and when the second heating element is in the closed position, the sample is forced from the second portion of the flexible vessel.
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41. A thermal cycling device for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture, the device comprising:
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a first energy transfer element translatable between a first orientation in which the first energy transfer element affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the first energy transfer element does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a first driver for moving the first energy transfer element between the first energy transfer element'"'"'s first and second orientations, a second energy transfer element adjacent the first energy transfer element, the second energy transfer element translatable between a first orientation in which the second energy transfer element affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the second energy transfer element does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a second driver for moving the second energy transfer element between the second energy transfer element'"'"'s first and second orientations, the second energy transfer element being in the second orientation when the first energy transfer element is in the first orientation, and the second energy transfer element being in the first orientation when the first energy transfer element is in the second orientation during temperature cycling. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A thermal cycling device for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture, the device comprising:
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a sample vessel configured to contain the reaction mixture therein, the sample vessel including a body having first and second segments coupled together, a first energy transfer element translatable between a first orientation in which the first energy transfer element affects the temperature of reaction mixture in the first segment and a second orientation in which the first energy transfer element does not substantially affect the temperature of reaction mixture in the first segment, a second energy transfer element translatable between a first orientation in which the second energy transfer element affects the temperature of reaction mixture in the second segment and a second orientation in which the second energy transfer element does not substantially affect the temperature of reaction mixture in the second segment. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A method for thermal cycling a fluid sample, the sample provided in a flexible sample vessel comprising a first segment and a second segment adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first segment, the method comprising:
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a. compressing the second segment to force the sample into the first segment and into contact with a first pair of energy transfer elements at a first temperature; and b. subsequently compressing the first segment to force the sample into the second segment and into contact with a second pair of energy transfer elements at a second temperature, the second temperature being different from the first temperature. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69)
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70. A method for amplifying a nucleic acid in a biological sample, comprising:
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a. placing the biological sample into a flexible sample vessel comprising a first segment and a second segment adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first segment; b. compressing the first segment to force the sample into the second segment and into contact with a pair of denaturation energy transfer elements at a denaturation temperature; c. compressing the second segment to force the sample into the first segment and into contact with a pair of annealing energy transfer elements at an annealing temperature; and d. repeating steps b and c for a plurality of amplification cycles. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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77. A method for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture contained within a flexible sample vessel, the method comprising:
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placing the sample vessel adjacent a first energy transfer element and a second energy transfer element; heating the first energy transfer element to a first temperature; heating the second energy transfer element to a second temperature; and alternately opening and closing the first and second energy transfer elements so that the reaction mixture is in thermal contact with the respective energy transfer element when the energy transfer element is in the opened position and the reaction mixture is not in thermal contact with the respective energy transfer element when the energy transfer element is in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (78)
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79. A method for heating a reaction mixture contained within a flexible sample vessel, the method comprising:
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heating a first pair of energy transfer elements positioned in a first processing station to a first temperature; heating a second pair of energy transfer elements positioned in a second processing station to a second temperature; placing the sample vessel between each of the first and second pair of energy transfer elements so that the first energy transfer element engages a first segment of the sample vessel and the second energy transfer element engages a second segment of the sample vessel; and moving the reaction mixture between the first processing station in thermal contact with the first pair of energy transfer elements and the second processing station in thermal contact with the second pair of energy transfer elements by alternately opening and closing the first and second pairs of energy transfer elements around the sample vessel.
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80. A device for thermal cycling a sample provided in a flexible sample vessel, comprising
a first energy transfer element for heating or cooling the sample to a first temperature, the first energy transfer element repeatably movable between an open position and a closed position, the first energy transfer element defining a first gap for receiving a first segment of the flexible sample vessel, a second energy transfer element for heating or cooling the sample to a second temperature, the second energy transfer element repeatably movable between an open position and a closed position, the second energy transfer element defining a second gap contiguous with the first gap, the second gap for receiving a second segment of the flexible sample vessel, wherein when the first energy transfer element is in the closed position, the sample is forced from the first segment of the flexible sample vessel, and when the second energy transfer element is in the closed position, the sample is forced from the second segment of the flexible sample vessel.
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90. A temperature cycling system for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture contained within a flexible reaction vessel, the reaction vessel including a body having first and second portions coupled together, the system comprising:
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a first zone configured for receiving the first portion of the reaction vessel, the first zone comprising a first heater, the first zone movable between an open orientation in which the first heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture contained within the first portion, and a closed orientation in which the reaction mixture is forced from the first portion and the first heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a second zone configured for receiving the second portion of the reaction vessel, the second zone comprising a second heater, the second zone movable between an open orientation in which the second heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture contained within the second portion, and a closed orientation in which the reaction mixture if forced from the second portion and the second heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93)
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94. A temperature cycling apparatus for repeatedly heating and cooling a reaction mixture, the system comprising:
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a first heater movable between a first orientation in which the first heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the first heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a first prime mover, comprising a first bladder, for moving the first heater between the first heater'"'"'s first and second orientations, a second heater adjacent the first heater, the second heater movable between a first orientation in which the second heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture and a second orientation in which the second heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and a second prime mover, comprising a second bladder, for moving the second heater between the second heater'"'"'s first and second orientations, the second heater being in the second orientation when the first heater is in the first orientation, and the second heater being in the first orientation when the first heater is in the second orientation during temperature cycling.
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Specification