US4902624A — Temperature cycling cuvette

Claim 1

Independent Claim 176 words

In a thermal cycling cuvette for controlled reaction of components of a liquid involving cycling through a temperature range of at least about 35° C., said cuvette having at least one liquid-confining chamber defined by two spaced-apart opposing walls each providing a major surface of contact, side walls connecting said two opposing walls, and means permitting the introduction of liquid into, and the removal of such liquid from, said chamber; the improvement wherein said opposing walls and said side walls are dimensioned to provide (a) a spacing between said opposing walls of no less than 0.5 mm and (b) a predetermined surface-to-volume ratio of said chamber, at least one of said opposing walls being provided with a predetermined thermal path length and thermal resistance such that said ratio, path length and thermal resistance are effective to provide, for pure water contained within said chamber in contact with said opposing walls, a thermal time constant for such water that is no greater than about 10 seconds, for a liquid volume of no more than about 200 μl.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 176 words

In a thermal cycling cuvette for controlled reaction of components of a liquid involving cycling through a temperature range of at least about 35° C., said cuvette having at least one liquid-confining chamber defined by two spaced-apart opposing walls each providing a major surface of contact, side walls connecting said two opposing walls, and means permitting the introduction of liquid into, and the removal of such liquid from, said chamber; the improvement wherein said opposing walls and said side walls are dimensioned to provide (a) a spacing between said opposing walls of no less than 0.5 mm and (b) a predetermined surface-to-volume ratio of said chamber, at least one of said opposing walls being provided with a predetermined thermal path length and thermal resistance such that said ratio, path length and thermal resistance are effective to provide, for pure water contained within said chamber in contact with said opposing walls, a thermal time constant for such water that is no greater than about 10 seconds, for a liquid volume of no more than about 200 μl.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 152 words

In a thermal cycling cuvette for controlled reaction of components of a liquid involving cycling through a temperature range of at least about 35° C., said cuvette having at least one liquid-confining chamber defined by two spaced-apart opposing walls, side walls connecting said two opposing walls, and means permitting the introduction and removal of such liquid, into and from said chamber, the improvement wherein said opposing walls and said side walls are dimensioned to provide said chamber with an effective temperature controlled surface-to-volume ratio that is between about 65 in -1 and about 130 in -1 for a fill volume of between 100 and 200 μl, and at least one of said opposing walls having a thermal path length of no more than about 0.3 mm and a thermal resistance of no more than about 0.01° C./watt, whereby the cuvette has a maximized rate of heat transfer during heating and cooling cycles.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 152 words

In a thermal cycling cuvette for controlled reaction of components of a liquid involving cycling through a temperature range of at least about 35° C., said cuvette having at least one liquid-confining chamber defined by two spaced-apart opposing walls, side walls connecting said two opposing walls, and means permitting the introduction and removal of such liquid, into and from said chamber, the improvement wherein said opposing walls and said side walls are dimensioned to provide said chamber with an effective temperature controlled surface-to-volume ratio that is between about 65 in -1 and about 130 in -1 for a fill volume of between 100 and 200 μl, and at least one of said opposing walls having a thermal path length of no more than about 0.3 mm and a thermal resistance of no more than about 0.01° C./watt, whereby the cuvette has a maximized rate of heat transfer during heating and cooling cycles.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 2, wherein said opposing walls and said side walls are spaced so that water can be effectively withdrawn in no longer than 10 seconds with a capillary number of less than 0.05.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 3, wherein said distance of spacing of said opposing walls is from about 0.5 mm to about 2.5 mm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 29 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein the structural component of at least one of said opposing walls comprises aluminum no thicker than about 0.15 mm.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein at least one entire surface of one of said opposing walls of said chamber has a thermal resistance of no more than about 0.01° C./watt.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 1 or 3, and further including a reagent coated over at least one of said opposing walls.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 7, wherein said one opposing wall is opposite to said opposing wall having said thermal path length.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein said permitting means includes means defining a liquid access aperture.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 40 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 9, and further including an opening constructed to be larger than said liquid access aperture, to receive closure means for sealing said larger opening, and wherein said aperture is located within said larger opening.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 10, and further including an air vent for said chamber.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 11, wherein said air vent terminates at a location within said larger opening.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 9, wherein said liquid access aperture is configured to removably mate with a pipette or pipette tip.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 45 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein said permitting means includes a liquid access aperture, an air vent, and a movable valve for selectively sealing off fluid flow between (a) each of said access aperture and air vent, and (b) said chamber.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 63 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 14, wherein a portion of said valve is rotatably mounted in the cuvette, and further including means for rotating said valve portion about an axis, said access aperture and said air vent being rotationally oriented about said axis to cooperate with rotation of said valve portion to open and close said access aperture and said air vent.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 43 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 14, wherein a portion of said valve is translatably mounted in the cuvette, and further includes biasing means for biasing said valve portion to a position that seals off said chamber from the exterior of the cuvette.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 94 words

A cuvette as defined in claims 1 or 3, and further including a second liquid-confining chamber defined by two spaced-apart opposing walls with a relatively high exposed surface-to-thickness ratio, side walls connecting said second-chamber two opposing walls, means permitting the introduction of liquid into said second chamber from said first chamber, and means permitting the removal of such liquid out of said second chamber; said chambers further providing a major plane of liquid containment, the major plane of one of said chambers being disposed above the major plane of the other of said chambers.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 32 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 17, and further including a third liquid-confining chamber fluidly connected to said second chamber, and a liquid-permeable membrane separating said third chamber from said second chamber.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 18, and further including a liquid-absorbing material in said third chamber.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 26 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 18, and further including on said membrane, means for capturing a proteinaceous material capable of bonding to a DNA strand.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 28 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 20, wherein said capturing means includes either avidin or biotin, said proteinaceous material having bonded thereto, the other of the avidin/biotin pair.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 24 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 1 or 3, wherein one of said walls is transparent and is recessed to protect it from scratches.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 123 words

In a cuvette for controlled reaction of components of a liquid, said cuvette having first and second liquid confining chambers for conducting reactions, each defined by two spaced-apart opposing walls, side walls connecting respective ones of said two opposing walls, and means permitting the introduction and removal of such liquid into and from each of said chambers, each of said chambers providing a major plane of liquid containment; the improvement wherein said chambers are disposed such that said major plane of one of said chambers lies disposed above the major plane of the other of said chambers; and further including a third liquid-confining chamber fluidly connected to said second chamber, and a liquid permeable membrane separating said third chamber from said second chamber.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 123 words

In a cuvette for controlled reaction of components of a liquid, said cuvette having first and second liquid confining chambers for conducting reactions, each defined by two spaced-apart opposing walls, side walls connecting respective ones of said two opposing walls, and means permitting the introduction and removal of such liquid into and from each of said chambers, each of said chambers providing a major plane of liquid containment; the improvement wherein said chambers are disposed such that said major plane of one of said chambers lies disposed above the major plane of the other of said chambers; and further including a third liquid-confining chamber fluidly connected to said second chamber, and a liquid permeable membrane separating said third chamber from said second chamber.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 17 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 23, and further including a liquid-absorbing material in said third chamber.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 26 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 23, and further including on said membrane, means for capturing a proteinaceous material capable of bonding to a DNA strand.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 28 words

A cuvette as defined in claim 25, wherein said capturing means includes either avidin or biotin, said proteinaceous material having bonded thereto, the other of the avidin/biotin pair.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-02-19	1993-08-21	1994-02-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-02-19	1997-08-21	1998-02-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-02-19	2001-08-21	2002-02-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Temperature cycling cuvette

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