Thermal cycler apparatus and related methods
AssigneeBioFire Defense, LLC
InventorsZackery Kent Evans, Thomas Knight Bodily, Richard David Abbott, Patrick L. Riley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for thermal cycling can transfer heat uniformly and efficiently. The apparatus can be used in a method that reduces condensation on sample wells. The apparatus can also be manufactured to provide uniform configurations. For example, a sample illustratively for polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in each sample well and the components of the embodiment of the thermal cycler apparatus shown at including a well block, a base plate, a layer of adhesive, a peltier device, another layer of adhesive and a heat sink.
Claims10
A thermal cycler apparatus, comprising:
- a well block comprising a plurality of wells, wherein each well defines an interior void space, each well comprising:
- an upper sidewall defining an upper conical portion of the interior void space;
- a lower sidewall defining a generally cylindrical portion of the interior void space below the upper conical portion;
- and
- a flat bottom defining the bottom of the interior void space, wherein the flat bottom is perpendicular to the generally cylindrical portion and is below the generally cylindrical portion,
- the interior void space of each well extending continuously from the upper conical portion to the flat bottom;
- a sample well received within the interior void space and extending into the generally cylindrical portion of at least one well, wherein the sample well contacts the upper sidewall of the at least one well;
- a peltier device coupled to the well block;
- and
- a heat sink coupled to the peltier device.
A thermal cycler apparatus, comprising:
- a heat sink;
- a plurality of peltier devices thermally coupled to the heat sink;
- a well block comprising a plurality of zones of wells,
- each well defining an interior void space that extends continuously from a proximal conical portion defined by a conical sidewall, through a generally cylindrical portion defined by a cylindrical sidewall and located distal to the conical portion, and to a flat bottom defining a distal end of the well, wherein the flat bottom is perpendicular to the generally cylindrical portion,
- a sample well received in at least one well of the well block, wherein a sidewall of the sample well is in selective contact with the conical sidewall and a bottom-section of a sample well extends into the generally cylindrical portion,
- wherein each peltier device is individually driven to provide temperature uniformity to the wells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.