PCR sample block temperature uniformity
AssigneeBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
InventorGarret Bautista
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sample plate for a thermal cycler suitable for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure includes a base plate and a number of reaction vessels extending upward from the base plate. The sample plate further includes a vertical wall surrounding an outer perimeter defined by the reaction vessels. The vertical wall can be a continuation vertical wall, an intermittent vertical wall, or a perforated vertical wall. The intermittent vertical wall can include a plurality of wall portions, each of which plurality of wall portions is separated from other wall portions via a plurality of gaps.
Claims21
A sample plate for a thermal cycler, the sample plate comprising:
- a base plate;
- a plurality of reaction vessels extending upward from the base plate, the reaction vessels defining an outer perimeter;
- and
- a vertical wall attached to the base plate and extending upward from the base plate and surrounding the reaction vessels, wherein the vertical wall is spaced from the outer perimeter of the reaction vessels to form an air gap therebetween, and wherein the air gap has a predetermined lateral width defined by an inner surface of the vertical wall and the outer perimeter of the reaction vessels, wherein the vertical wall and the air gap control temperature variation at perimeter reaction vessels of the plurality of reaction vessels to maintain thermal uniformity across the plurality of reaction vessels during a thermal cycle.
A thermal cycling device for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure, the thermal cycling device comprising:
- a heat sink;
- one or more thermoelectric devices configured to produce a temperature differential in response to electric currents passing through the thermoelectric devices, wherein the one or more thermoelectric devices are in thermal contact with the heat sink;
- and
- a sample plate in thermal contact with the one or more thermoelectric devices, wherein the sample plate comprises a base plate;
- a plurality of reaction vessels extending upward from the base plate, the reaction vessels defining an outer perimeter;
- and a vertical wall extending upward from the base plate and surrounding the outer perimeter of the reaction vessels, wherein the vertical wall is spaced from the outer perimeter of the reaction vessels to form an air gap therebetween, and wherein the air gap has a predetermined lateral width defined by an inner surface of the vertical wall and the outer perimeter of the reaction vessels, wherein the vertical wall and the air gap control temperature variation at perimeter reaction vessels of the plurality of reaction vessels to maintain thermal uniformity across the plurality of reaction vessels during a thermal cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.