Thermal cycler for PCR

• US 8,685,717 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Atwood, John G., Fawcett, Adrian, Ferrara, Keith S., Hetherington, Paul M., Noreiks, Richard W., Olsen, Douglas E., Widomski, John R., Wittmer, Charles M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beisner, William H
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENKEL, DANIELLE B
• Application Number:
  US11/654,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20070117200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,631 Days
• Field of Search: 435/303.1, 435/287.3, 435/286.1, 435/809, 422/65, 422/68.1
• 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 3/50853 with covers or lids
• 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: C12Q 1/686 Polymerase chain reaction [PCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2321/021 Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/205 Measuring contact resistance of connections, e.g. of earth connections
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 10/13 characterised by the heat-exchanging means at the junction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1516 Thermo-electric

Abstract

An apparatus comprising an assembly and a cover. The assembly comprises a sample block configured to receive a microtiter tray having a plurality of vials, each vial comprising a cap having a surface and a perimeter. The cover comprises a platen, vertically and horizontally displaceable in relationship to the sample block, the platen having a plurality of recesses. Each recess corresponds to a respective vial and is shaped and arranged to clear the surface of its respective cap when the cover is displaced onto the sample block. The cover includes a skirt in contact with and surrounding a perimeter of the platen. The skirt is configured for mating with a perimeter of a microtiter tray when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block, and also configured such that the cover contacts a microtiter tray when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an assembly comprising a sample block configured to receive a microtiter tray comprising a plurality of vials, each vial comprising a cap having a surface and a perimeter; and

a cover for applying a predetermined temperature to upper portions of a plurality of vials received in the sample block, the cover comprising

a platen, vertically and horizontally displaceable in relationship to the sample block, the platen having a plurality of recesses, each recess corresponding to a respective vial, wherein each recess is shaped and arranged to clear the surface of its respective cap when the cover is displaced onto the sample block,

a skirt in contact with and surrounding a perimeter of the platen, the skirt being configured for mating with a perimeter of a microtiter tray to contact a microtiter tray when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block, the skirt being configured such that the cover contacts a microtiter tray when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block, and

a heater capable of maintaining the platen at the predetermined temperature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of vials arranged in a microtiter tray received in the sample block.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cover is configured to apply a seating force to the plurality of vials.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platen comprises a plurality of recesses.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater comprises a resistance heater.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the skirt extends downward around the perimeter of the platen, the skirt having dimensions corresponding to the perimeter of a standard microtiter tray.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computing apparatus for controlling the temperature of the cover.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computing apparatus for maintaining the platen at a constant temperature.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computing apparatus for controlling a series of temperature excursions of the assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the predetermined temperature is above that of the temperatures of the series of temperature excursions.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover further comprises a sliding mechanism allowing the cover to slide backward and forward in relation to the sample block, and the cover is self-aligning.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover further comprises a sliding mechanism that allows the cover to move downwardly, and the cover is self-aligning.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of vials received in the sample block, each vial comprising a cap and each cap comprising a dome and a cap perimeter, wherein the cover is in a lowered position and applies a seating force to each cap perimeter without pressing on each cap dome.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of vials received in the sample block, wherein each vial comprises a tube and a cap.

15. An apparatus comprising:

an assembly comprising a sample block configured to receive a plurality of vials arranged in a sample tube tray, each vial comprising a cap having a dome surface and a perimeter; and

a cover for applying a predetermined temperature to upper portions of a plurality of vials received in the sample block, the cover comprising

a platen, vertically and horizontally displaceable in relationship to the sample block, the platen having a plurality of recesses, each recess corresponding to a respective vial, wherein each recess is shaped and arranged to clear the dome surface of its respective cap when the cover is displaced onto the sample block,

a skirt surrounding the platen, the skirt being configured for mating with and thereby contacting a perimeter of the sample tube tray, and

a heater capable of maintaining the platen at the predetermined temperature,

wherein the cover is configured to apply pressure to the vial caps without distorting the caps when the sample tube tray is disposed in the sample block and the skirt contacts the sample tube tray, and the skirt is configured such that the cover is self-aligning to a sample tube tray when a sample tube tray is received in the sample block.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of vials arranged in a sample tube tray received in the sample block.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cover is configured to apply a seating force to the plurality of vials.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the platen comprises a plurality of recesses.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the heater comprises a resistance heater.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the skirt extends downward around the perimeter of the platen, the skirt having dimensions corresponding to the perimeter of the sample tube tray.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a computing apparatus for controlling the temperature of the cover.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a computing apparatus for maintaining the platen at a constant temperature.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a computing apparatus for controlling a series of temperature excursions of the assembly.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the predetermined temperature is above that of the temperatures of the series of temperature excursions.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cover further comprises a sliding mechanism allowing the cover to slide backward and forward in relation to the sample block, and the cover is self-aligning.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cover further comprises a sliding mechanism that allows the cover to move downwardly, and the cover is self-aligning.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a sample tube tray received in the sample block, the sample tube tray comprising a plurality of tubes, each tube comprising a cap and each cap comprising a dome and a cap perimeter, wherein the cover is in a lowered position and applies a seating force to each cap perimeter without pressing on each cap dome.

28. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a sample tube tray received in the sample block, the sample tube tray comprising a plurality of tubes, each tube comprising a cap.

29. An apparatus comprising:

an assembly comprising a sample block configured to receive a microtiter tray comprising a plurality of vials, each vial comprising a cap having a surface and a perimeter; and

a cover for applying a predetermined temperature to upper portions of a plurality of vials received in the sample block, the cover comprising

a platen, vertically and horizontally displaceable in relationship to the sample block, the platen having a plurality of recesses corresponding to a respective vial, wherein each recess is shaped and arranged to clear the surface of its respective cap when the cover is displaced onto the sample block,

a skirt in contact with and surrounding a perimeter of the platen, the skirt being configured for mating with and thereby contacting a perimeter of the microtiter tray before contacting the plurality of vials, and

a heater capable of maintaining the platen at the predetermined temperature,

wherein the cover is configured to apply pressure to the vial caps without distorting the caps when the microtiter tray is disposed in the sample block and the skirt contacts the microtiter tray.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a plurality of vials arranged in a microtiter tray received in the sample block.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the cover is configured to apply a seating force to the plurality of vials.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the platen comprises a plurality of recesses.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the heater comprises a resistance heater.

34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the skirt extends downward around the perimeter of the platen, the skirt having dimensions corresponding to the perimeter of the microtiter tray.

35. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a computing apparatus for controlling the temperature of the cover.

36. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a computing apparatus for maintaining the platen at a constant temperature.

37. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a computing apparatus for controlling a series of temperature excursions of the assembly.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the predetermined temperature is above that of the temperatures of the series of temperature excursions.

39. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the cover further comprises a sliding mechanism allowing the cover to slide backward and forward in relation to the sample block, and the cover is self-aligning.

40. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the cover further comprises a sliding mechanism that allows the cover to move downwardly, and the cover is self-aligning.

41. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a microtiter tray received in the sample block, the microtiter tray comprising a plurality of tubes, each tube comprising a cap and each cap comprising a dome and a cap perimeter, wherein the cover is in a lowered position and applies a seating force to each cap perimeter without pressing on each cap dome.

42. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a microtiter tray received in the sample block, the microtiter tray comprising a plurality of tubes, each tube comprising a cap.

43. An apparatus comprising:

an assembly comprising a sample block configured to receive a microtiter tray comprising a plurality of vials, each vial comprising a cap having a surface and a perimeter; and

a cover for applying a predetermined temperature to upper portions of a plurality of vials received in the sample block, the cover comprising

a platen, vertically and horizontally displaceable in relationship to the sample block, the platen having a plurality of recesses corresponding to a respective vial, wherein each recess is shaped and arranged to clear the entire surface of its respective cap when the cover is displaced onto the sample block,

a skirt surrounding the platen, the skirt being configured for mating with a perimeter of a microtiter tray to contact a microtiter tray when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block, the skirt being configured such that the cover self-aligns to a microtiter tray before contacting the plurality of vials when a microtiter tray is received in the sample block, and

a heater capable of maintaining the platen at the predetermined temperature.