Apparatus for incubating receptacles and detecting optical signals emitted by the contents of the receptacles

An apparatus for incubating the contents of a plurality of receptacles and for detecting a signal emitted by the contents of each of the plurality of receptacles, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of receptacle holders configured to incubate the contents of each of a plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders, wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders is comprised of a thermally-conductive material and includes a top and a bottom and opposed front and back sides, wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders comprises a plurality of receptacle wells, each of the receptacle wells being open to the top of the corresponding receptacle holder and configured to receive a receptacle, and wherein each of the receptacle wells has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the receptacle well through the bottom of the corresponding receptacle holder, and wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders comprises:
• a thermally-conductive support, wherein each of the plurality of receptacle holders is held in a fixed position with respect to an associated support, and wherein the associated support includes a plurality of through-holes, each of the through-holes of the associated support being aligned with a corresponding one of the through-holes extending from the inner surface of each of the receptacle wells;
• and
• a thermal element, wherein each thermal element is positioned between a portion of the associated support and the back side of the receptacle holder;
• a controller coupled to each of the plurality of receptacle holders and configured to independently control an incubation temperature of each of the plurality of receptacle holders to independently control a temperature at which the plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders is incubated, wherein the incubation temperature of each receptacle holder is the same as or different from the incubation temperature of each other receptacle holder;
• at least one signal detector configured to detect a signal emitted by the contents of each of the plurality of receptacles held in each of the plurality of receptacle holders;
• a signal detector head configured to successively optically couple each signal detector with each of the plurality of receptacles held in each of the plurality of receptacle holders to detect optical emissions from each successively coupled receptacle.

An apparatus for incubating the contents of a plurality of receptacles and for detecting a signal emitted by the contents of each of the plurality of receptacles, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of receptacle holders configured to incubate the contents of each of a plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders;
• a controller coupled to each of the plurality of receptacle holders and configured to independently control an incubation temperature of each of the plurality of receptacle holders to independently control a temperature at which the plurality of receptacles held by each of the plurality of receptacle holders is incubated, wherein the incubation temperature of each receptacle holder is the same as or different from the incubation temperature of each other receptacle holder;
• at least one signal detector configured to detect a signal emitted by the contents of each of the plurality of receptacles held in each of the plurality of receptacle holders;
• a signal detector head configured to successively optically couple each signal detector with each of the plurality of receptacles held in each of the plurality of receptacle holders to detect optical emissions from each successively coupled receptacle;
• an optical transmission conduit associated with each of the plurality of receptacles held in each of the plurality of receptacle holders, wherein each optical transmission conduit has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each optical transmission conduit is positioned with respect to the associated receptacle to receive optical signals emitted by the contents of the associated receptacle, wherein the signal detector head comprises a carrier configured to move each signal detector in a path that sequentially places the signal detector in signal detecting positions with respect to the second ends of the optical transmission conduits, and wherein each signal detector comprises:
• an excitation source carried on the carrier, wherein the excitation source is configured to generate an excitation signal;
• excitation optics components carried on the carrier, wherein the excitation optics components are configured to direct an excitation signal from the excitation source to the second end of an optical transmission conduit when the signal detector is in a signal detecting position with respect to the second end of the optical transmission conduit;
• emission optics components carried on the carrier, wherein the emission optics components are configured to direct an emission signal transmitted by an optical transmission conduit when the signal detector is in a signal detecting position with respect to the second end of the optical transmission conduit;
• and
• an emission detector configured to detect an emission signal directed by the emission optics components from the second end of the optical transmission conduit to the emission detector when the signal detector is in a signal detecting position with respect to the second end of the optical transmission conduit.