Thermal cycling methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11045810-B2
Application number	US-201815887248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2018
Priority date	May 15, 2012
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A thermal cycling apparatus having a sample interfacing wall extending from a mounting wall. The sample interfacing wall can accept and apply thermal cycles to samples. An air source can direct an air stream to cool the sample. Another source can direct heated air away from the sample.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal cycling method comprising:
activating a first heating element and a second heating element, each heating element being positioned adjacent to a biological sample holder;
directing, using a first air source, a first air stream at the first heating element to transfer heat from the first heating element;
directing, using a second air source, a second air stream to direct heated air away from the first heating element;
directing, using a third air source, a third air stream to direct heated air away from the second heating element; and
directing, using a fourth air source, a fourth air stream at the second heating element to transfer heat from the second heating element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second heating elements are positioned on opposed sides of a sample interfacing wall, the sample interfacing wall extending from a mounting surface.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the air sources each comprise substantially planar housings edge mounted to the mounting surface.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first and fourth air streams directly intersect the first and second heating elements.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second and third air streams are directed along the sample interfacing wall.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second and third air streams are directed away from the sample interfacing wall.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein each air source comprises a planar housing having an internal piezoelectric element mounted to an internal diaphragm.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein directing each air stream comprises powering each piezoelectric element.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the piezoelectric elements are powered ON and OFF according to a predetermined cooling cycle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the heating elements are powered ON and OFF according to a predetermined heating cycle, the ON portion of the heating cycle being out of phase with the ON portion of the cooling cycle.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
monitoring temperatures of the first and second heating elements.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first and second heating elements are activated to provide heat to the biological sample holder according to a predetermined minimum temperature and a predetermined maximum temperature.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the air sources are controlled to direct air when the biological sample holder reaches the predetermined maximum temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the air sources are controlled to stop directing air when the biological sample holder reaches the predetermined minimum temperature.

15. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the first air source comprises a first plurality of linked air sources;
wherein the second air source comprises a second plurality of linked air sources;
wherein the third air source comprises a third plurality of linked air sources; and
wherein the fourth air source comprises a fourth plurality of linked air sources.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein directing the first air stream comprises pumping air from a proximal air source of the first plurality of linked air sources ultimately into a distal air source of the first plurality of linked air sources, or
wherein directing the second air stream comprises pumping air from a proximal air source of the second plurality of linked air sources ultimately into a distal air source of the second plurality of linked air sources.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein directing the first air stream comprises pumping air from a proximal air source of the first plurality of linked air sources ultimately into a distal air source of the first plurality of linked air sources, and
wherein directing the second air stream comprises pumping air from a proximal air source of the second plurality of linked air sources ultimately into a distal air source of the second plurality of linked air sources.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein directing at least one of the first and second air streams comprises pressurizing an air reservoir fluidly coupled to at least one of the first and second plurality of linked air sources.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein directing at least one of the first and second air streams with the at least one of the first and second plurality of linked air sources further comprises releasing pressurized air from the air reservoir of the respective plurality of linked air sources.

Assignees

• Cepheid

Inventors

• Dority Doug

Classifications

• B01L2300/0816

  Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions · CPC title

• B01L2300/1844

  using fans · CPC title

• B01L2300/1827

  using resistive heater · 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

• B01L3/502715

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title