Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Analyzer – structured indicator – or manipulative laboratory... – Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
Patent
1992-09-03
1994-04-12
Housel, James C.
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Analyzer, structured indicator, or manipulative laboratory...
Sample mechanical transport means in or for automated...
422 99, 422103, 435290, 935 85, 935 87, 935 88, G01N 2100
Patent
active
053023471
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for automatically performing a biotechnological process at different desired temperatures, comprising a reactor space with a water bath in which a plurality of sample containers with samples to be examined can be placed, adjustment means to adjust the desired temperatures and periods during which each adjusted temperature should be maintained, a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the water bath and a control unit for controlling the temperature of the water bath in dependence on the measured temperature and time.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus of this type is used recently mainly for applying a technique receiving a lot of attention and generally indicated by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). This technique is based on a cyclically repeated DNA synthesis by means of a thermostable DNA polymerase. For applying this PCR technique the sample containers with the samples to be treated should be able to be maintained at three different temperatures during three different periods. Further passing through these temperatures should be cyclically repeated a number of times. As an example a cycle can be mentioned of subsequently 95.degree. C. during 1 minute, 37.degree. C. during 30 s and 65.degree. C. during 3 minutes, which cycle should be passed through 32 times.
In a known apparatus of this type the water bath is filled each time from one of three reservoirs in which water with the respective desired temperature is contained, in order to realize the three desired temperatures. Thereby the known apparatus has a rather complicated construction. Moreover the water in the different reservoirs has to be maintained at the desired temperature, wherein the water at the high temperature of 95.degree. C. evaporates quickly, while the water at the low temperature of 95.degree. C. evaporates quickly, while the water at the low temperature of 37.degree. C. forms an ideal medium for pollutants. Further this known apparatus has the disadvantage that the sample containers are heated indirectly by the water, whereby it takes a long time before the samples themselves have reached the desired temperature. The overall process thereby takes a lot of time.
In an other known apparatus Peltier elements are used for realizing the different desired temperatures. This known apparatus also has the disadvantage that the desired temperature of the samples themselves is reached only slowly due to the indirect heating. Further the temperature distribution along the carrier for the sample containers heated by the Peltier elements is not uniform.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention aims to provide an apparatus of the above-mentioned type wherein the disadvantages of the known apparatus are obviated in an effective manner.
To this end the apparatus of the above-mentioned type is according to the invention characterized in that at least one magnetron tube is mounted in the reactor space for heating the water bath and the sample containers placed in the same and in that the water bath is connectable to a water conduit through a water supply conduit wherein the control unit controls the magnetron tube and the valve in dependence on the desired temperature and time.
In this manner it is obtained that the samples in the sample containers can be brought quickly at the desired temperature because the samples together with the water bath are directly heated by the microwave radiation of the magnetron tube. To reach the low temperature of for example 37.degree. C. the samples can be cooled quickly by supplying fresh cold water to the water bath. In the apparatus according to the invention it is not necessary to maintain several water supplies at different temperatures. Thereby no problems like evaporation and bacterial growth in the water bath occur. Because the samples can be brought quickly at the desired temperatures, the overall process time can be shortened substantially. Further it is possible to cool very quickly the samples after the end of the overall
REFERENCES:
patent: 3663783 (1972-05-01), McKague
patent: 5108701 (1992-04-01), Zakaria et al.
patent: 5123477 (1992-06-01), Tyler
patent: 5133940 (1992-07-01), Kaikkinen et al.
patent: 5187084 (1993-02-01), Hallsby
Van Den Berg
Volkens Heiman H.
Housel James C.
Kreatech Biotechnology B.V.
Tran Lien
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