Pasting edge heater

• US 7,935,524 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Khoo, Hock Lai, Shin, Hon Siu
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin; Walter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LYDIA E
• Application Number:
  US12/697,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20100129876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 435/288.4, 435/303.1
• US Class Current: 435/303.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0829 Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and method for thermal cycling including a pasting edge heater. The pasting edge heater can provide substantial temperature uniformity throughout the retaining elements during thermal cycling by a thermoelectric module.

Claims

1. A method for thermal cycling biological samples, the method comprising:

providing a sample retaining element comprising a first surface for receiving a sample containment structure, a second surface opposing the first surface and a substantially flat edge surface, wherein the sample retaining element provides a thermal mass for heating and cooling during thermal cycling;

heating the sample containment structure with the thermal mass provided by the sample retaining element; and

cooling the sample containment structure with the thermal mass provided by the sample retaining element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one thermoelectric module in contact with the second surface for heating and cooling the sample retaining element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample containment structure comprises a plurality of samples.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising an excitation light source adapted to induce light to be emitted by the plurality of samples during thermal cycling;

and a detector adapted to collect the light emitted.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an edge heater coupled to the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element, wherein the edge heater comprises a flexible heater adapted to provide surface area contact to the substantially flat edge surface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the edge heater is a resistive heater.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the coupling comprises adhesive coupling.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the coupling comprises mechanical coupling.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the edge heater is printed on the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing an edge heater coupled to the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element, wherein the edge heater comprises a flexible heater adapted to provide surface area contact to the substantially flat edge surface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the edge heater and the at least one thermoelectric module are separately controlled.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the edge heater is a resistive heater.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupling comprises adhesive coupling.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupling comprises mechanical coupling.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the edge heater is printed on the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element.