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US 2004/0200580 A1Published application
Heating of microtitre well plates in centrifugal evaporators
AssigneeGenevac Limited
InventorsDuncan Guthrie, John Poole, Mike Sherwen
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AssigneeGenevac Limited
InventorsDuncan Guthrie, John Poole, Mike Sherwen
Estimating the term…
A method of protectively heating a microtitre well plate from below using infra-red radiation in a centrifugal evaporator, wherein a barrier plate is placed in contact with and surrounding the lower ends of the wells. The barrier plate is adapted to convey heat energy to the wells and contents thereof and is selected to be substantially non-transmittive of radiation having wavelengths in the range 200 nm to 3000 nm, and the surface of the barrier plate which is to receive the wells includes a plurality of sockets in which the closed lower ends of the wells are a snug fit. The plate is adapted to fit between the underside of the wells and a swinging sample holder mount of a centrifugal evaporator, or a shelf of a swinging sample holder mount, having two or more shelves for stacking well plates one above the other in such an evaporator. The plate is adapted to fit wholly within the envelope of the external wall of the well plate, and is dimensioned so that a gap exists between the external edge of the barrier plate and the interior of the external wall of the well plate and protrusions along some or all of the edges of the barrier plate engage the interior of the said external wall and frictionally hold the barrier plate in place.
A method of protectively heating a microtitre well plate from below using infra-red radiation in a centrifugal evaporator, wherein barrier means is placed in contact with and surrounding the lower ends of the wells, the barrier means being adapted to convey heat energy to the wells and contents thereof, and wherein the barrier means is selected to be substantially non-transmittive of radiation having wavelengths in the range 200 nm to 3000 nm.
A barrier plate adapted to be fitted into the underside of a microtitre well plate to receive and make good thermal contact with the lower ends of the wells, to ensure uniform sample temperature over the well plate, and which does not substantially transmit radiation having wavelengths in the range 200 nm to 3000 nm, so as to protect the samples from radiation of such wavelengths included in IR radiation transmitted towards the underside of the well plate to heat and evaporate the samples.
A centrifugal evaporator which comprises an enclosure, a rotatable table therein, swinging sample holder support means carried by the table for retaining microtitre well plates therein, and which during centrifuging swing through approximately 90° so that the wells are generally horizontal and the lower ends of the wells can be heated by IR radiation, centrifugal forces acting on the liquid in the wells assisting in preventing loss of sample material other than by evaporation, and infra red radiation heating means for heating the lower ends of the wells, characterised by a thermally conductive barrier plate means shielding the lower ends of the wells from direct radiation from the heating means the material of the barrier plate means being substantially non-transmittive of radiation having wavelengths in the range 200 to 3000 nm, which plate means intimately surrounds at least the lower end of each well to provide good thermal transfer of heat energy from the plate means to the wells and protect the sample material at the lower ends of the wells from radiation having wavelengths in the range 200 to 300 nm.
A barrier plate for fitting to the underside of a microtitre well plate constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A microtitre well plate and barrier plate therefor, constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A method of protectively heating fluid sample material in a microtitre well plate in a centrifugal evaporator substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.