Apparatus including a vessel cup assembly for heating and cooling low volume biological reaction vessels and methods associated therewith

Abstract

A vessel cup assembly 98 for receiving a chemical and/or biological reaction process vessel 200 containing reactants and processing the reaction therein includes a reaction vessel receiving portion 100 , a heater portion 101 , and a cooling portion 102 , wherein the assembly is of integral construction.

1 - 75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . A vessel cup assembly for receiving a chemical and/or biological reaction process vessel containing reactants and processing the reaction therein and comprising:
 a reaction vessel receiving portion;   a heater portion; and   a cooling portion; and   wherein the assembly is of integral construction.   
     
     
         77 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and wherein the vessel receiving portion comprises a cup adapted to receive snugly a reaction vessel. 
     
     
         78 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  2  and wherein the cup wall thickness tapers down towards the open end thereof. 
     
     
         79 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  3  and wherein the cup wall thickness is of the order of 0.35 to 0.45 mm. at the rim thereof and of the order of 0.9 to 1.1 mm at the base thereof. 
     
     
         80 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  2  and wherein there is arranged to be an air gap between the bottom of the cup and the base of the reaction vessel. 
     
     
         81 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and wherein the heater portion has a heater in the form of a wire coil wound upon the heater portion. 
     
     
         82 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  6  and wherein the coil is encased in a thermally insulative material. 
     
     
         83 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  6  and wherein the coil is encased in a paint, such as an enamel paint, which can be ‘cooked’ to stabilise the coil and insulate it exteriorly. 
     
     
         84 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  6  and wherein a glue, such as an ultra-violet curable glue, is employed to retain the wire in place. 
     
     
         85 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  6  and wherein the wire is nickel chrome 0.21 mm diameter driven with a voltage of 24 volts and capable of drawing a maximum current of 2.2 amps. 
     
     
         86 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in  6  and wherein the heater portion has an external screw-thread-like groove for seating the wire. 
     
     
         87 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and wherein the cooling portion comprises a pin arranged for protruding into a cooling liquid duct in a reaction apparatus cooling assembly. 
     
     
         88 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and wherein the cooling portion is arranged for attachment to a TEC or Peltier cell. 
     
     
         89 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  13  and wherein the cooling portion is of frusto-conical shape, with a broad base arranged for being soldered to the face of the TEC. 
     
     
         90 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and comprising a metal rod. 
     
     
         91 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and incorporating a thermal sensor. 
     
     
         92 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and arranged to receive a microtitre reaction vessel having overall dimensions of the order of 2 cm long and 0.7 cm maximum diameter with a reaction portion which tapers down from about 0.45 cm to about 0.3 cm and a funnel entry portion for accepting a transparent lid. 
     
     
         93 . A vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and having overall dimensions of the order of 2 to 4 cm long by 0.4 to 0.7 mm diameter. 
     
     
         94 . A vessel cup assembly for receiving a chemical and/or biological reaction process vessel containing reactants and processing the reaction therein and comprising a metal rod incorporating:
 a reaction vessel receiving portion comprising a cup adapted to receive snugly a microtitre reaction vessel and wherein there is arranged to be an air gap between the bottom of the cup and the base of the reaction vessel;   a heater portion having an external screw-thread-like groove seating a wire coil encased in an insulative material arranged to hold the coil in the groove;   a cooling portion; and   a thermal sensor; and   wherein the assembly is of integral construction.   
     
     
         95 . Apparatus comprising a vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and incorporating a cooling assembly. 
     
     
         96 . Apparatus as claimed in claim  20  and wherein the cooling assembly comprises a block having therein a channel adapted for the flow of a coolant liquid and a heater for heating the coolant to the desired temperature. 
     
     
         97 . Apparatus as claimed in claim  20  and wherein the cooling assembly incorporates a manifold or mount for electrical contacts. 
     
     
         98 . Apparatus as claimed in claim  20  and arranged to receive in stations a standard array of 96, or an integer multiple thereof, microtitre reaction vessels in a rectangular array. 
     
     
         99 . Apparatus as claimed in claim  20  and wherein the cooling assembly comprises at least one peltier cell (TEC). 
     
     
         100 . Apparatus as claimed in claim  20  and employing electronic control circuits capable of individually addressing each of the vessels and controlling them at the desired ramping. 
     
     
         101 . Apparatus as claimed in claim  20  and wherein the cooling assembly comprises a platform in which the vessel cup assembly or assemblies are fitted and into which the reaction vessel array charged with reactants and lid or lids fitted are placed, the platform then being arranged to be offered up to a work station comprising a plate against which the reaction vessel lids are pressed, the plate being perforated for visual access to the reactants by apparatus optical equipment. 
     
     
         102 . Apparatus as claimed in claim  20  and incorporating an optical reading facility arranged for monitoring the reaction in the or each reaction vessel. 
     
     
         103 . A method of forming a vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1  and comprising:
 taking a metal, preferably aluminium rod, of appropriate dimensions; 
 drilling at one end a vessel receiving portion as described herein; 
 forming a screw thread on a designated heater portion thereof; 
 forming a temperature sensor recess toward the base of the vessel receiving portion; 
 anodising the rod; 
 placing a glue on the heater portion; 
 winding a heater wire on the heater portion; 
 curing the glue; and 
 emplacing a temperature sensor in the recess therefor. 
 
     
     
         104 . A method of performing a thermal biological, chemical or biochemical reaction and employing a vessel cup assembly as claimed in claim  1 . 
     
     
         105 . A method as claimed in claim  29  and employing apparatus as claimed in claim  20 . 
     
     
         106 . A method as claimed in claim  29  and wherein the reaction is a polymerase chain reaction.