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AssigneeThe Perkin-Elmer Corporation
InventorsJohn G. Atwood, Albert C. Mossa, Lisa M. Goven, Fenton Williams, Timothy M. Woudenberg, Marcel Margulies, Robert P. Ragusa, Richard Leath, Clive Miles
Estimating the term…
An instrument for performing highly accurate PCR employing a sample block in microtiter tray format. The sample block has local balance and local symmetry. A three zone film heater controlled by a computer and ramp cooling solenoid valves also controlled by the computer for gating coolant flow through the block controls the block temperature. Constant bias cooling is used for small changes. Sample temperature is calculated instead of measured. A platen deforms plastic caps to apply a minimum acceptable threshold force for seating the tubes and thermally isolates them. A cover isolates the block. The control software includes diagnostics. An install program tests and characterizes the instrument. A new user interface is used. Disposable, multipiece plastic microtiter trays to give individual freedom to sample tubes are taught.
A method for computer control of automated performance of polymerase chain reactions in at least one sample tube containing a known volume of liquid sample mixture by means of a computer-controlled themocycler including a computing apparatus, a sample block having at least one well for said at least one sample tube, a block temperature sensor thermally coupled to said sample block, and heating and cooling means controlled by said computing apparatus for changing the temperature of said sample block, comprising the steps of
A method for computer control of automated performance of polymerase chain reactions in at least one sample tube containing a known volume of liquid sample mixture, the method comprising the steps of:
A method for computer control of automated performance of polymerase chain reactions in at least one sample tube containing a known volume of liquid sample mixture by means of a computer-controlled thermocycler including a computing apparatus, a sample block having at least one well for said at least one sample tube and further comprising a central region containing said at least one well, an edge region in thermal contact with an enclosed ambient atmosphere and a manifold region thermally coupled to at least one manifold, said thermocycler further comprising a block temperature sensor coupled to said sample block, and heating and cooling means comprising a zone for each of said regions and controlled by said computing apparatus for changing the temperature of said sample block, said method comprising the steps of:
A method for computer control of automated performance of polymerase chain reactions in at least one sample tube containing a known volume of liquid sample mixture, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.