Sample vessels

Abstract

A device for processing a biological sample includes a processing unit having at least one opening to receive a sample vessel and a plurality of processing stations positioned along the opening. The processing stations each have a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and thereby move a substance within the sample vessel among the processing stations. An energy transfer element can be coupled to one or more of the processing stations for transferring thermal energy to the content at a processing station.

1 . A flexible vessel for thermal cycling a sample, the flexible vessel comprising: 
 a soft-sided reaction vessel comprising: 
 a receptacle for receiving the sample, and  
 a flexible body coupled to the receptacle, the flexible body having first and second portions coupled together and in fluid communication with each other, wherein the flexible body is configured for insertion into a thermal cycler such that the first portion is received into a first temperature zone and the second portion is received into a second temperature zone of the thermal cycler.  
   
   
   
       2 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible body is formed from two faces of plastic sheeting that are sealed together to form sealed sides.  
   
   
       3 . The vessel of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of additional soft-sided reaction vessels, each having a receptacle and a flexible body coupled to the receptacle, wherein the plurality of additional bodies are formed from the two faces of plastic sheeting and each has sealed sides.  
   
   
       4 . The vessel of  claim 3 , wherein the two faces of plastic sheeting are sealed together such that each flexible body is separated from its adjacent flexible body by a sealed side.  
   
   
       5 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible body contains dried PCR reagents.  
   
   
       6 . A flexible vessel for thermal cycling a sample, the flexible vessel comprising two faces of flexible material that are sealed together to form a plurality of flexible bodies, each flexible body separated from its adjacent flexible body by a sealed side, and each flexible body having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions coupled together and in fluid communication with each other, wherein the flexible bodies are configured for insertion into a thermal cycling apparatus such that the first portion of each flexible body is received into a first temperature zone and the second portion of each flexible body is received into a second temperature zone of the thermal cycler.  
   
   
       7 . The vessel of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle fluidly coupled to its respective flexible body.  
   
   
       8 . The vessel of  claim 6 , wherein the flexible material is a thin plastic film.  
   
   
       9 . The vessel of  claim 8 , wherein the thin plastic film comprises aluminum lamination.  
   
   
       10 . The vessel of  claim 8 , wherein the thin plastic film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyurethane and alloys thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The vessel of  claim 8 , wherein the thin plastic film transmits about 80% to about 90% of incident light.  
   
   
       12 . The vessel of  claim 6 , wherein the vessel body has a coefficient of heat transfer of about 0.02 to about 20 W/m*degK.  
   
   
       13 . The vessel of  claim 6 , wherein each flexible body contains dried PCR reagents.  
   
   
       14 . A thermal cycling system comprising the reaction vessel of  claim 6  received into the thermal cycler, wherein the first temperature zone of the thermal cycler is configured for receiving the first portion of the reaction vessel, the first temperature zone comprising a first heater, the first temperature zone movable between an open orientation in which the first heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture contained within the first portion, and a closed orientation in which the reaction mixture is forced from the first portion and the first heater does not substantially affect the temperature of the reaction mixture, and the second temperature zone of the thermal cycler is configured for receiving the second portion of the reaction vessel, the second temperature zone comprising a second heater, the second temperature zone movable between an open orientation in which the second heater affects the temperature of the reaction mixture contained within the second portion, and a closed orientation in which the reaction mixture is forced from the second portion and the second heater does not substantially affect the temperature of reaction mixture.  
   
   
       15 . The thermal cycling system of  claim 14 , wherein each flexible body contains a PCR reaction mixture.  
   
   
       16 . The thermal cycling system of  claim 15 , wherein the PCR reaction mixture is sealed within each flexible body.  
   
   
       17 . The thermal cycling system of  claim 16 , wherein each flexible body is heat-sealed to seal the reaction mixture within each flexible body.  
   
   
       18 . The thermal cycling system of  claim 16 , wherein the first portion of each flexible body is coupled to a fitting, and closure of the fitting seals the reaction mixture within its respective flexible body.  
   
   
       19 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible body comprises a thin plastic film.  
   
   
       20 . The vessel of  claim 19 , wherein the flexible body further comprises aluminum lamination.  
   
   
       21 . The vessel of  claim 19 , wherein the thin plastic film is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyolefin, polyurethane and alloys thereof.  
   
   
       22 . The vessel of  claim 19 , wherein the thin plastic film transmits about 80% to about 90% of incident light.  
   
   
       23 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel body has a coefficient of heat transfer of about 0.02 to about 20 W/m*degK.  
   
   
       24 . The vessel of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible body is formed from two walls of plastic and has a flattenable cross-sectional profile.  
   
   
       25 . The vessel of  claim 24 , further comprising a plurality of additional soft-sided reaction vessels, each having a receptacle and a flexible body coupled to the receptacle, wherein the plurality of additional bodies are each formed from two walls of plastic and has a flattenable cross-sectional profile.  
   
   
       26 . A flexible vessel for thermal cycling a sample, the flexible vessel comprising a plurality of flexible bodies, each flexible body separated from its adjacent flexible body, and each flexible body having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions coupled together and in fluid communication with each other, wherein the flexible bodies are configured for insertion into a thermal cycling apparatus such that the first portion of each flexible body is received into a first temperature zone and the second portion of each flexible body is received into a second temperature zone of the thermal cycler.  
   
   
       27 . A thermal cycling system comprising the reaction vessel of  claim 26  received into the thermal cycler, wherein a first temperature zone of the thermal cycler is configured for receiving the first portions of the flexible bodies of the reaction vessel, the first temperature zone comprising a first heater, the first temperature zone movable between an open orientation in which the first heater affects the temperature of reaction mixtures contained within the respective first portions, and a closed orientation in which the reaction mixtures are forced from the respective first portions and the first heater does not substantially affect temperatures of the reaction mixtures, and a second temperature zone of the thermal cycler is configured for receiving the second portions of the flexible bodies of the reaction vessel, the second temperature zone comprising a second heater, the second temperature zone movable between an open orientation in which the second heater affects temperatures of the reaction mixtures contained within the respective second portion, and a closed orientation in which the reaction mixtures are forced from the respective second portions and the second heater does not substantially affect temperatures of the reaction mixtures.  
   
   
       28 . The thermal cycling system of  claim 27 , wherein each flexible body is sealed to seal the reaction mixture within each flexible body.