Thermal cycler having an automatically positionable lid

Details Thermal cycler having an automatically positionable lid Thermal cycler having an automatically positionable lid

1999-04-30

2001-03-06

Beisner, William H. (Department: 1744)

Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology

Apparatus

Including condition or time responsive control means

C435S287200, C435S303100, C435S305300, C435S288400

Reexamination Certificate

active

06197572

ABSTRACT:

RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the European Patent Application No. 98810400.6 filed on May 4, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a thermal cycler for performing amplification of nucleic acids, e.g. by means of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Thermal cyclers of the above-mentioned kind have a heated lid which is positioned manually to cover a plurality of reaction vessels positioned in chambers of a thermal block of the thermal cycler during thermal cycling of sample-reaction-mixtures contained in the reaction vessels. The lid is also manually removed in order to have access to the reaction vessel after the end of the thermal cycling. Known lids of the latter type have a key disadvantage. They are not suitable for automatic change of their position with respect to the thermal block.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a thermal cycler comprising a heated lid which is automatically positionable to cover and uncover a plurality of reaction vessels positioned in the chambers of a thermal block of the thermal cycler. In addition the heated lid should be suitable to ensure that when the reaction vessels are covered by the heated lid then no external light can reach the interior of the reaction vessels.
According to the invention this aim is achieved with a thermal cycler of the above mentioned kind which comprises:
a thermal block having a plurality of chambers each of which can receive the lower part of a reaction vessel;
a movable lid having heating means positioned within it, said lid having a surface that can cover said thermal block and said reaction vessels positioned in said chambers thereof so that said lid fully shields said vessels from light in the environment of said thermal cycler, said lid being positionable at a first position at which it covers said thermal block and said reaction vessels positioned in said chambers thereof, and at a second position at which said lid does not cover said thermal block and said reaction vessels positioned in said chambers thereof, and
transport means for moving said lid from said first position to said second position and vice versa, said transport means being so configured and dimensioned that the path followed by said lid as it is moved from said second position to said first position comprises
a first path segment which lies above and at a predetermined distance from said thermal block and along which said lid is moved towards a stopper until it abuts against said stopper, and
a second path segment along which said lid is moved downwards until it is vertically aligned with said thermal block and exerts a predetermined pressure on said reaction vessels positioned in said chambers of said thermal block.
The thermal cycler of the present invention achieves the above mentioned objectives. In addition, the configuration of the lid and of the mechanism for moving it makes it suitable for obtaining optimum results with regard to both suitable heating effect on the reaction vessels and with regard to automatic processing thereof.


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