Reaction plate
AssigneeLGC Genomics Limited
InventorsRichard Geoffrey Icke, Brian George Bryden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reaction plate includes a welded plastics planar laminate consisting of an aperture plate and a film, the aperture plate having at least one planar surface and a plurality of apertures in the planar surface of the apertured plate and the film being attached to the planar surface of the apertured plate around the or each aperture by welding. The welding is preferably laser or transmission welding. A method of forming such reaction plates using diode laser welding. An apparatus is provided for handling such reaction plates including performing polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) or primer extensions therewith.
Claims35
A method of forming seals around a plurality of wells of a reaction plate,
- the wells being defined by a plurality of apertures in a planar surface of the reaction plate through which each well receives a reagent and/or a sample that is subject to one or more reactions while confined and sealed within the reaction plate, wherein the reaction plate comprises apertured plastics material having a flat planar surface and at least one aperture extending from the flat planar surface towards the reaction plate's other side, each well having a volume of 200 microliters or less,
- the method comprising the step of attaching a plastics film to the planar surface of the reaction plate by forming seals around the apertures in the planar surface of the reaction plate for sealing the reagent or sample within the wells, using near-infrared diode laser welding to form each well seal, wherein the plastics film comprises polypropylene and has a thickness of 120 micrometers or less.
An automated reaction plate processing apparatus for automated processing of a reaction plate to form seals around a plurality of wells of the reaction plate, the wells being defined by a plurality of apertures in a planar surface of the reaction plate through which the wells receive a reagent or sample that is subject to one or more reactions while confined and sealed within the reaction plate, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) a reaction plate comprising apertured plastics material having a flat planar surface and at least one aperture extending from the flat planar surface towards the reaction plate's other side,
- (b) a plastics film, and
- (c) a near-infrared diode laser welding apparatus, wherein the plastics film comprises polypropylene and has a thickness of 120 micrometers or less;
- wherein each well of the reaction plate has a volume of 200 microliters or less.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.