Thermal cycling apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9908119-B2
Application number	US-201314396029-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2013
Priority date	May 15, 2012
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

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 apparatus comprising:
a mounting wall partially defining a chamber for thermally cycling biological samples, the mounting wall having a first mounting surface opposing a second mounting surface;
a sample interfacing wall transversely extending from the second mounting surface within the chamber, the sample interfacing wall having a planar interface accessible from the first mounting surface, the sample interfacing wall having a first heating element and a second heating element on opposing sides of the planar interface;
a first air source within the chamber and having an exit arranged to direct air at the first heating element;
a second air source disposed within the chamber and having an exit arranged to direct air away from the first heating element;
a third air source disposed within the chamber and having an exit arranged to direct air at the second heating element; and
a fourth air source disposed within the chamber and having an exit arranged to direct air away from the second heating element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each air source comprises an air pump having a planar face, the exit being on the planar face, and a plurality of edges surrounding the planar face.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each air pump is coupled to the second mounting surface such that its planar face is transverse to the second mounting surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first air pump, second air pump, and sample interfacing wall are arranged to define a first sub-volume of the chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the exit of the second air pump is arranged to push air out of an exit of the first sub-volume.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the third air pump, fourth air pump, and sample interfacing wall are arranged to define a second sub-volume of the chamber.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the exit of the fourth air pump is arranged to push air out of an exit of the second sub-volume.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and third air sources are each arranged to direct respective air streams directly at the first and second heating elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second and fourth air sources are each arranged to direct an air stream at the sample interfacing wall.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second and fourth air sources are each arranged to direct an air stream along the sample interfacing wall.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second and fourth air sources are each arranged to suction air away from the sample interfacing wall.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mounting wall and sample interfacing wall comprise printed circuit boards.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sample interfacing wall divides the chamber into equal volumes.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the air sources are symmetrically positioned about the sample interfacing wall.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each air source comprises a planar housing having an internal piezoelectric element mounted to an internal diaphragm.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein each planar housing includes an exit port, and wherein the exit ports of the first and third air sources are arranged to directly provide respective air streams at the first and second heating elements.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the exit ports of the second and fourth air sources are arranged to provide respective air streams along or away from the sample interfacing wall.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth air sources include a first and second plurality of linked air pumps, wherein at least one of the first and second plurality of linked air pumps comprises a first proximal air pump and a distal air pump, the outlet of the first air pump being fluidly coupled to the inlet of the distal air pump.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein an outlet of a second proximal air pump is fluidly coupled to the inlet of the distal air pump.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first and second proximal pump are fluidly coupled in parallel.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the first and second proximal pump are fluidly coupled in series.

Assignees

• Cepheid

Inventors

• Dority Doug

Classifications

• B01L2300/1894

  Cooling means; Cryo cooling · CPC title

• B01L2300/0809

  rectangular shaped · CPC title

• B01L2300/1844

  using fans · CPC title

• B01L3/502715

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

• C12P19/34

  Polynucleotides, e.g. nucleic acids, oligoribonucleotides · CPC title