Thermal block assemblies and instruments providing low thermal non-uniformity for rapid thermal cycling

Abstract

The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a thermal block assembly having low thermal non-uniformity throughout the thermal block assembly. Accordingly, various embodiments of thermal block assemblies having such low thermal non-uniformity provide for desired performance of bioanalysis instrumentation utilizing such thermal block assemblies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal block assembly for thermal cycling comprising:
 a sample block adapted for receiving a sample support device;   a heat sink comprising a base having a surface and a plurality of fins pendent the surface, wherein a space between each fin provides flow paths for air passing from an inlet side of the plurality of fins to an outlet side of the plurality of fins wherein the height of the plurality of fins varies to provide flow paths along the heat sink parallel to the surface, the flow paths that are the longest near the base of the heatsink; and   a plurality of thermal electric devices positioned between the sample block and the heat sink;   wherein the height of the plurality of fins varies along at least a portion of the heat sink that spans an active footprint of the plurality of thermal electric devices.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a time to reach an essentially stable thermal non-uniformity of the sample block after reaching a target setpoint temperature is up to about 5 seconds. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the target setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of samples in the sample support device. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the target setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of positions in the sample block. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a static thermal non-uniformity and a dynamic thermal non-uniformity of the sample block are essentially the same. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the static thermal non-uniformity and the dynamic thermal non-uniformity of the sample block are essentially the same at a defined time during a thermal cycle. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the defined time during a thermal cycle is a defined clock start. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the defined clock start is initiated within about 1° C. of a target setpoint temperature of a thermal cycle. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of samples in the sample support device. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of positions in the sample block. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a fan sub-assembly comprising a fan and a duct, wherein the fan sub-assembly is positioned to provide airflow through the flow paths of the fins from the inlet side of the plurality of fins to the outlet side of the plurality of fins. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the duct provides a uniform flow path from the fan to the inlet side of plurality of fins. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the duct is positioned proximal to the inlet side of the plurality of fins, such that the width of a gap between the duct and the inlet side may be not more than the width provided by the flow paths. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sample block comprises a flange optimized by modeling to reduce the horizontal flow of heat, thereby reducing the sample block thermal non-uniformity. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal block assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sample block comprises a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, and a fourth side surface, and wherein the uniform thermal mass across the sample block is achieved by a combination of removing and adding mass from selected regions of each of the side surface. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a control system; and   a thermal block assembly comprising:
 a sample block adapted for receiving a sample support device; 
 a heat sink comprising a base having a surface and a plurality of fins pendent the surface, wherein a space between each fin provides flow paths for air passing from an inlet side of the plurality of fins to an outlet side the plurality of fins, wherein the height of the plurality of fins varies to provide flow paths along the heat sink parallel to the surface, the flow paths that are the longest near the base of the heat sink; and 
 a plurality of thermal electric devices positioned between the sample block and the heat sink; 
   wherein the height of the plurality of fins varies along at least a portion of the heat sink that spans an active footprint of the plurality of thermal electric devices.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a time to reach an essentially stable thermal non-uniformity of the sample block after reaching a target setpoint temperature is up to about 5 seconds. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the target setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of samples in the sample support device. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the target setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of positions in the sample block. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a static thermal non-uniformity and a dynamic thermal non-uniformity of the sample block are essentially the same. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the static thermal non-uniformity and the dynamic thermal non-uniformity of the sample block are essentially the same at a defined time during a thermal cycle. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the defined time during a thermal cycle is a defined clock start. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein the defined clock start is initiated within about 1° C. of a target setpoint temperature of a thermal cycle. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of samples in the sample support device. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the setpoint temperature is a value based on a temperature measured in a plurality of positions in the sample block. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a fan sub-assembly comprising a fan and a duct, wherein the fan sub-assembly is positioned to provide airflow through the flow paths of the fins from the inlet side of the plurality of fins to the outlet side of the plurality of fins. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the duct provides a uniform flow path from the fan to the inlet side of plurality of fins. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the duct is positioned proximal to the inlet side of the plurality of fins, such that the width of a gap between the duct and the inlet side may be not more than the width provided by the flow paths. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the sample block comprises a flange optimized by modeling to reduce the horizontal flow of heat, thereby reducing the sample block thermal non-uniformity. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the sample block comprises a first side surface, a second side surface, a third side surface, and a fourth side surface, and wherein the uniform thermal mass across the sample block is achieved by a combination of removing and adding mass from selected regions of each of the side surfaces.