Thermal Array

• US 9,399,219 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frank Leo Spangler
• Original Assignee: Frank Leo Spangler
• Inventors: Spangler, Frank Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Beisner, William H
• Application Number:
  US12/697,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20100210006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,370 Days
• Field of Search: 435/287.3, 435/303.1, 435/809
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0803 Disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0809 rectangular shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1805 Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1822 using Peltier elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1883 using thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/5255 by moving sample containers

Abstract

Traditional thermocyclers are heating devices that change sample temperatures by adding heat energy into a sample block that is usually a large metal block and then extracting that heat energy out of the block in a process called ramping the temperature. Presented herein is a technology that eliminates the large mass sample block and ramping temperatures in a sample block and thus in a sample vessel. This design called a Thermal Array requires a fraction of the energy used to process a sample. In addition, the array allows a much smaller thermal cycler to be designed leading to portability of a device. This technology is designed to allow optimal polymerase chain reactions to be executed.

Claims

1. A portable thermal-cycling device, comprising:

a first heating element surrounded by insulation on five sides and embedded in a cooling block;

a second heating element surrounded by insulation on five sides and embedded in the cooling block; and

wherein the first and second heating elements are separated by a portion of the cooling block, wherein the cooling block comprises at least one Peltier element.

2. A portable thermal-cycling device, comprising:

two arrays opposite each other and forming a sample channel, each array comprising two or more heating elements surrounded by insulation on five sides and embedded in a cooling block; and

a reaction vessel within the sample channel.