Apparatuses, systems and methods for providing scalable thermal cyclers and isolating thermoelectric devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10471431-B2
Application number	US-201514613496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	Feb 18, 2014
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

In one aspect, a thermal cycler system including a sample block and a thermoelectric device is disclosed. In various embodiments, the sample block has a first surface configured to receive a plurality of reaction vessels and an opposing second surface. In various embodiments the thermoelectric device is operably coupled to the second surface of the sample block. In various embodiments a thermal control unit is provided. In various embodiments the thermal control unit includes a computer processing unit. In various embodiments the thermal control unit includes an electrical current source. In various embodiments the thermal control unit also includes an electrical interface portion configured to connect the thermoelectric device with the electrical current source by way of an electrical cable. In various embodiments the thermal control unit is oriented in a different plane than the sample block and thermoelectric cooler.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal cycler system comprising:
a sample block comprising a block first surface, an opposing block second surface, and a sample block perimeter, wherein the block first surface is configured for receiving a plurality of reaction vessels;
a drip pan positioned along and outside the sample block perimeter;
a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the block second surface;
a thermal sensor positioned to monitor temperature of the sample block;
a thermal control unit comprising a computer processing unit and an electrical interface, the electrical interface being configured to electrically connect to the thermoelectric device by way of an electrical cable, wherein the thermal control unit is positioned outside the sample block perimeter;
a heat sink comprising:
a heat sink perimeter;
a heat sink surface in thermal communication with the thermoelectric device; and
a cavity positioned lateral to and outside of the sample block perimeter, the cavity recessed in the heat sink surface; and
a sealing member positioned adjacent to the cavity between the cavity and the heat sink perimeter, the sealing member being configured to isolate at least the thermoelectric device from ambient moisture conditions,
wherein the cavity and the sealing member are positioned to route the electrical cable from the thermoelectric device to the electrical interface.

2. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the sample block comprises a metal.

3. The thermal cycler system of claim 2 , wherein the block first surface comprises depressions for receiving a sample support device.

4. The thermal cycler system of claim 2 , wherein the block first surface is planar.

5. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal control unit is positioned in a different plane than the thermoelectric device.

6. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is a first sealing member and the system further comprises a second sealing member positioned to close a gap between the heat sink surface and the drip pan.

7. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is a first sealing member and the system further comprises a second sealing member positioned to close a gap between the sample block perimeter and the drip pan.

8. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the electrical cable includes one or more electrical conductors, wherein the one or more electrical conductors have insulation, and wherein the sealing member is a first sealing member and the system further comprises a second sealing member positioned to close a gap between the one or more electrical conductors and the insulation.

9. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is a first sealing member and the system further comprises second and third sealing members respectively positioned to close:
(i) a first gap between the heat sink surface and the drip pan; and
(ii) a second gap between the sample block perimeter and the drip pan.

10. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member is positioned within an opening of the heat sink adjacent the cavity, wherein the opening is positioned between the cavity and the heat sink perimeter to route the electrical cable from the thermoelectric device to the electrical interface.

11. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the sealing member comprises a channel configured to receive the electrical cable.

12. The thermal cycler system of claim 11 , further comprising the electrical cable, wherein the electrical cable passes through the channel and extends across the cavity.

13. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device is a first thermoelectric device, the thermal sensor is a first thermal sensor, the sample block comprises first and second block segments, and the system further comprises a second thermoelectric device and a second thermal sensor, the first and second thermoelectric devices are in thermal communication with the first and second block segments respectively, the first and second thermal sensors are positioned to monitor the first and second block segments respectively, the electrical interface is further configured to electrically connect to the second thermoelectric device, and the thermal control unit is configured to provide independent thermal control of the first and second block segments.

14. The thermal cycler system of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric device is a first thermoelectric device, the thermal sensor is a first thermal sensor, the thermal control unit is a first thermal control unit, the sample block comprises first and second block segments, and the system further comprises a second thermoelectric device, a second thermal sensor, and a second thermal control unit, the first and second thermoelectric devices are in thermal communication with the first and second block segments respectively, the first and second thermal sensors are positioned to monitor the first and second block segments respectively, the first thermal control unit is configured to provide independent thermal control of the first block segment, and the second thermal control unit is configured to provide independent thermal control of the second block segment.

15. The thermal cycler system of claim 14 , wherein the sample block comprises first, second, and third block segments, the system further comprising a third thermoelectric device, a third thermal sensor, and a third thermal control unit, the third thermoelectric device is in thermal communication with the third block segment, the third thermal sensor is positioned to monitor the third block segment, and the third thermal control unit is configured to provide independent thermal control of the third block segment.

16. A method for controlling a thermoelectric device in a thermal cycler system, the method comprising:
providing a thermal cycler system, the thermal cycler system, comprising:
a sample block comprising a sample block perimeter, a block first surface, and a second block surface, wherein the block first surface is configured for receiving a sample support device;
a drip pan positioned along and outside the sample block perimeter;
a thermoelectric device in thermal communication with the block second surface;
a thermal sensor positioned to monitor temperature of the sample block;
a thermal control unit positioned outside the sample block perimeter and electrically connected to the thermoelectric device by way of an electrical cable;
a heat sink comprising:
a heat sink perimeter;
a heat sink surface in thermal communication with the thermoelectric device; and
a cavity recessed in the heat sink surface at a location lateral to and outside the sample block perimeter; and

a sealing member positioned adjacent to the cavity between the cavity and the heat sink perimeter, the sealing member being configured to isolate the thermoelectric device from ambient moisture conditions,
wherein the cavity and the sealing member are positioned to route the electrical cable from the thermal control unit to the thermoelectric device; and

controlling the temperature of the sample block by controlling the thermoelectric device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the sample block comprises a metal.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the block first surface comprises depressions for receiving the sample support device.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the thermal control unit is positioned in a different plane than the thermoele

Assignees

• Life Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Lim Chee Kiong
• Lee Way Xuang
• Loh Wuh Ken
• Ching Chee Wee
• Koo Chin Yong
• Koh Siew Ying
• Toh Tiong Han
• Boo Kuan Moon
• Lau Soo Yong

Classifications

• B01L2300/1883

  using thermal insulation · CPC title

• B01L2300/1822

  using Peltier elements · CPC title

• B01L2300/0829

  Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates · CPC title

• B01L2200/147

  Employing temperature sensors · CPC title

• B01L7/52 Primary

  with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples · CPC title