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US 6,586,233 B2Granted
Convectively driven PCR thermal-cycling
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsWilliam J. Benett, James B. Richards, Fred P. Milanovich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A polymerase chain reaction system provides an upper temperature zone and a lower temperature zone in a fluid sample. Channels set up convection cells in the fluid sample and move the fluid sample repeatedly through the upper and lower temperature zone creating thermal cycling.
Claims18
A PCR apparatus that moves a sample through thermal cycling, comprising:
- an upper temperature zone,
- a lower temperature zone,
- a chamber unit, wherein said upper temperature zone and said lower temperature zone are contained within said chamber unit and wherein said chamber unit has
- a multiplicity of sections that fit together to form said chamber unit and wherein said sample is contained in
- a container located within said multiplicity of sections that fit together to form said chamber unit, and
- channels in said PCR apparatus operatively connected to said upper temperature zone and said lower temperature zone adapted to set up convection cells in said sample that will move said sample repeatedly through said upper temperature zone and said lower temperature zone creating thermal cycling.
3 more elements
A polymerase chain reaction method, comprising:
- providing an upper temperature zone,
- providing a lower temperature zone, and
- allowing a sample to move through said upper temperature zone and said lower temperature zone
- creating a convective siphon that sets up convection cells in said sample and moves the sample repeatedly through said upper and lower temperature zones creating thermal cycling, wherein said upper temperature zone is heated by a heater, and including using an optical detection system for optical detection.
1 more element
A method of constructing a PCR apparatus, comprising:
- constructing a multiplicity of sections that fit together to form
- a chamber unit having
- an upper temperature zone,
- a lower temperature zone, and
- channels in said chamber unit operatively connected to said upper temperature zone and said lower temperature zone adapted to set up
- convection cells in said sample that will move said sample repeatedly through said upper temperature zone and said lower temperature zone creating thermal cycling, wherein said chamber unit is constructed of
- two sections and said two sections are fitted together to form said chamber unit.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.