Device and method for mixing and bubble removal
AssigneeTetracore, Inc.
InventorsDavid R. Almassian, William M. Nelson, Aymeric Randanne de Vazeille
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic mixing device designed to mix fluid in a reaction chamber and remove air bubbles if present. The device comprises a holder with embedded magnets, which causes movement of a stir bar within the reaction chamber. The holder may be moved by an electric linear actuator configured to generate linear motion or an electric motor configured to generate a circular motion. When orientated so the stir bar moves vertically within the reaction chamber, the stir bar disrupts any air bubbles trapped within or below the fluid.
Claims18
An integrated magnetic mixing and thermocycling device comprising:
- at least one reaction chamber for mixing reaction components and performing a nucleic acid amplification reaction;
- at least one magnetic stir bar within the at least one reaction chamber;
- at least one magnet adjacent to the at least one reaction chamber and configured to magnetically couple to the at least one magnetic stir bar;
- a holder containing the at least one magnet and positioned adjacent to the at least one reaction chamber, wherein the holder is configured to rotate about a rotation axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the at least one reaction chamber to cause vertical movement of the at least one magnetic stir bar along the longitudinal axis of the at least one reaction chamber by magnetic coupling between the at least one magnet and the at least one magnetic stir bar, the rotation axis extending below a bottom of the at least one reaction chamber;
- and
- a source of thermal energy for causing a temperature of the at least one reaction chamber to change according to a thermal protocol for nucleic acid amplification.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.