Reaction system for thermal cycling
AssigneeThe Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
InventorsDavid James Squirrell, Martin Alan Lee
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for carrying out a thermal cycling reaction, wherein a succession of samples is conveyed through a series of sequentially arranged temperature control sites, each of the sites comprising means for supplying an electric current to, or inducing an electric current in, sample-containing vessels passing through it so as to induce temperature changes in the samples. Also provided is a sample support and its production, the support comprising a succession of sample vessels arranged sequentially one behind the next, preferably in the form of a linked chain, the support comprising an electrically conducting, preferably plastics, material which beats when an electric current passes through it.
Claims53
Apparatus for carrying out a thermal cycling reaction, comprising a series of sequentially arranged temperature control sites and conveyor means for conveying a succession of samples through then, each of the sites comprising means for supplying an electric current to, or inducing an electric current in, a sample-containing vessel passing through them so as to induce temperature changes in the sample.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising more than four sequentially arranged temperature control sites.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each temperature control site supplies or induces a constant level of current in all sample vessels passing through it.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at each temperature control site current is supplied to sample vessels via electrical contacts incorporated in the conveyor means.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising one or more additional processing sites.
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising, upstream of the temperature control sites, means for producing a sample support which comprises a succession of separate sample vessels arranged sequentially one behind the next, and means for conveying the so-produced sample support to the temperature control sites.
Apparatus for carrying out a thermal cycling reaction, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
A sample support for use with apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, the support comprising a succession of sample vessels arranged sequentially one behind the next and being adapted to be conveyed continuously through a series of processing sites, the support comprising an electrically conducting material which heats when an electric current passes through it.
A sample support substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
A method for carrying out a thermal cycling reaction, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.