Thermal cycler for PCR
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a first instrument comprising;
an assembly for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures;
a heated cover;
wherein the assembly comprisesa sample block configured to receive a plurality of vials;
a printed circuit board;
at least one Peltier thermoelectric device configured to heat and cool the sample block, the at least one Peltier thermoelectric device surrounded by the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is positioned to align the at least one Peltier thermoelectric device with the sample block anda memory device in electrical communication with the first instrument; and
a second instrument,wherein the assembly is configured to be removable from the first instrument and attachable to the second instrument for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument for performing highly accurate PCR employing an assembly, a heated cover and an internal computer. The assembly is made up of a sample block, a number of Peltier thermal electric devices and heat sink, clamped together. The sample block temperature is changed exclusively by the thermoelectric devices controlled by the computer. The sample block is of low thermal mass and is constructed of silver. The Peltier devices are designed to provide fast temperature excursions over a wide range. The heat sink has a perimeter trench to minimize edge losses and is adjacent to a continuously variable fan. A perimeter heater is used to improve the thermal uniformity across the sample block to approximately ±0.2° C. A heated platen pushes down onto the tube caps to apply a minimum acceptable force for seating the tubes into the block, ensuring good thermal contact with the block. The force is applied about the periphery of the tube caps to prevent distortion of the caps during thermal cycling. The platen is heated to provided thermal isolation from ambient conditions and to prevent evaporation from the surface of the sample into the upper portion of the sample tube. A control algorithm manipulates the current supplied to the thermoelectric coolers such that the dynamic thermal performance of the block can be controlled so that pre-defined thermal profiles for the sample temperature can be executed. The sample temperature is calculated instead of measured using a design specific model and equations. The control software includes calibration diagnostics which permit variation in the performance of thermoelectric coolers from instrument to instrument to be compensated for such that all instruments perform identically. The block/heat sink assembly can be changed to another of the same or different design. The assembly carries the necessary information required to characterize its own performance in an on-board memory device, allowing the assembly to be interchangeable among instruments while retaining its precision operating characteristics. The instrument has a graphical user interface. The instrument monitors the thermoelectric devices and warns of changes in resistance that may result in failure.
113 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a first instrument comprising; an assembly for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures; a heated cover; wherein the assembly comprises a sample block configured to receive a plurality of vials; a printed circuit board; at least one Peltier thermoelectric device configured to heat and cool the sample block, the at least one Peltier thermoelectric device surrounded by the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is positioned to align the at least one Peltier thermoelectric device with the sample block and a memory device in electrical communication with the first instrument; and a second instrument, wherein the assembly is configured to be removable from the first instrument and attachable to the second instrument for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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21. An apparatus comprising:
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an assembly for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures; and wherein the assembly comprises a memory device, a heat sink, a sample block configured to receive a plurality of vials, at least one Peltier thermoelectric device configured to heat and cool the sample block, and a locating frame positioned around the at least one Peltier thermoelectric device to align the at least one Peltier thermoelectric device with the heat sink; wherein the assembly is configured to be removable from the apparatus and attached to a different apparatus for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures and wherein the memory device is configured to-enable performance of the assembly on the different apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A system comprising:
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a first instrument comprising; an assembly for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures; a heated cover; wherein the assembly comprises a sample block configured to receive a plurality of vials; at least one Peltier thermoelectric device configured to heat and cool the sample block and a memory device in electrical communication with the first instrument; and a second instrument, wherein the assembly is configured to be removable from the first instrument and attachable to the second instrument for cycling a plurality of vials through a series of temperatures.
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Specification