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US5364790A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

In situ PCR amplification system

Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC
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Filing: 1993-02-16
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Granted: 1994-11-15
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Expires: 2013-02-16
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Abstract

Abstract A complete in situ PCR system for amplification of nucleic acids contained in a prepared cell or tissue sample. The containment system for the PCR sample comprises a glass microscope slide, a specimen sample containing the target nucleic acid sequence mounted on the slide, a flexible plastic cover over the sample, and a retaining assembly fastened to the slide and to the cover to retain and seal a reaction mixture against the sample during thermal cycling. The retaining assembly includes a rigid ring on a rim portion of the cover, a cross beam having spaced parallel rails joined by opposite flat ends, and a pair of clips which are pressed over the ends and opposite sides of the slide to fasten the cross beam and cover to the slide.

Inventors

  • 👤 John G. Atwood
  • 👤 Lawrence A. Haff

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 13:31
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/28; G01N1/30; G01N1/31; G01N1/312; B; B01; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/0046; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/50; B01L3/508; B01L7/00; B01L7/52; C; C12; C12Q; C12Q1/00; C12Q1/68; C12Q1/6813; C12Q1/6841; C12Q1/6844; C12Q1/686; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/00274; B01J2219/00718; B01J2219/0072; B01J2219/00722; B01L2200/00; B01L2200/06; B01L2200/0684; B01L2200/0689; B01L2300/00; B01L2300/04; B01L2300/041; B01L2300/08; B01L2300/0809; B01L2300/0822; B01L2300/18; B01L2300/1805; B01L2300/1827; B01L2300/1838; B01L2300/185; B01L9/00; B01L9/52; C40; C40B; C40B40/00; C40B40/04; C40B40/06; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/809

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 58
Claim 1
Independent Claim 106 words
A containment system for in situ PCR amplification of a target nucleic acid sequence comprising: a glass microscope slide; a sample containing said target sequence mounted on said slide; a reagent mixture on said sample; a resilient and compliant cover member on said slide over said sample and said reagent mixture; and a retaining assembly mechanically fastened to said slide and fastened to said cover member, said assembly including a seal member around a rim portion of said cover member, said assembly being operable to retain said sample and said mixture between said cover member and said slide and seal said cover member against said slide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 106 words
A containment system for in situ PCR amplification of a target nucleic acid sequence comprising: a glass microscope slide; a sample containing said target sequence mounted on said slide; a reagent mixture on said sample; a resilient and compliant cover member on said slide over said sample and said reagent mixture; and a retaining assembly mechanically fastened to said slide and fastened to said cover member, said assembly including a seal member around a rim portion of said cover member, said assembly being operable to retain said sample and said mixture between said cover member and said slide and seal said cover member against said slide.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 25 words
The system according to claim I wherein said retaining assembly comprises at least one clip means for removably retaining said cover member against said slide.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system according to claim 2 wherein said cover member has a portion which is resiliently and compliantly concave.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system according to claim 3 wherein said concave portion of said cover member defines a predetermined specific volume for retaining said reagent mixture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
The system according to claim 4 wherein said cover member is a rubber sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system according to claim 3 wherein said seal member comprises a rigid annular seal ring fastened to said rim portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system according to claim 3 wherein said seal member comprises said rim portion of said cover member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system according to claim 3 wherein said cover member is a disk of rubber sheet having said rim portion bonded to a stainless steel ring.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system according to claim 8 wherein said steel ring has a generally polygonal cross section with a flat base portion bonded to said rim portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 31 words
The system according to claim 9 further comprising a cross beam member adapted to fit between said clip means and said glass microscope slide and over a portion of said ring.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 43 words
The system according to claim 10 wherein said clip means is a pair of generally U-shaped clips each having a pair of opposing spaced sides sized to resiliently clamp an end of said cross beam member to an edge portion of said slide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system according to claim 11 wherein said cross beam member has a pair of spaced rails for engaging spaced portions of said ring, and opposite ends joining said rails for engaging said clips.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 61 words
The system according to claim 12 wherein each of said ends is bent to form an inclined plane for engaging with one of said clips so that said cross beam member compresses said rim portion installed under said cross beam member against said slide when said pair of clips are installed over said ends and said edge portions of said slide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system according to claim 2 wherein said clip means comprises a generally U-shaped sheet metal clip having a pair of opposing spaced sides sized to resiliently clamp said cover member to said slide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system according to claim 1 wherein said cover member is a composite which includes a layer which is inert to polymerase chain reaction reagents and a nonpermeable layer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 48 words
A retaining assembly for retaining a fluid against a glass slide comprising a resilient and compliant cover member, an annular seal member around at least a portion of said cover member and at least one clip means for removably retaining said cover and seal members against said slide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 48 words
A retaining assembly for retaining a fluid against a glass slide comprising a resilient and compliant cover member, an annular seal member around at least a portion of said cover member and at least one clip means for removably retaining said cover and seal members against said slide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 18 words
The assembly according to claim 16 wherein a portion of said cover member is resiliently and compliantly concave.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 26 words
The assembly according to claim 17 wherein said concave portion of said cover member defines a predetermined volume for retaining a specific amount of a reagent.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 17 words
The assembly according to claim 18 wherein said cover member is made of a rubber sheet material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 16 words
The assembly according to claim 16 wherein said cover member is fastened to said seal member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 16 words
The assembly according to claim 16 wherein said seal member is integral with said cover member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 33 words
The assembly according to claim 21 wherein said cover member is a disk of rubber sheet material and said seal member is a rim portion of said disk bonded to a rigid ring.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 17 words
The assembly according to claim 22 wherein said rigid ring is made of a stainless steel ring.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 24 words
The assembly according to claim 22 wherein said rigid ring has a flat base portion bonded to said rim portion of said cover member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 31 words
The assembly according to claim 24 further comprising a cross beam member adapted to fit between said clip means and said glass slide over at least one portion of said ring.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 44 words
The assembly according to claim 25 wherein said clip means is a pair of generally U-shaped clips each having a pair of opposing spaced sides sized to resiliently clamp one end of said cross beam member and one edge portion of said slide therebetween.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 36 words
The assembly according to claim 26 wherein said cross beam member has a pair of spaced rails for engaging spaced portions of said ring, and opposing flat ends joining said rails for engaging with said clips.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 18 words
The assembly according to claim 27 wherein each of said ends is bent to form an inclined plane.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 33 words
The assembly according to claim 16 wherein said clip means is a generally U-shaped sheet metal clip having a pair of opposing spaced sides sized to clamp said cover member to said slide.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 25 words
The assembly according to claim 16 wherein said cover member includes a nonpermeable layer and a layer which is inert to polymerase chain reaction reagents.
Claim 33
Independent Claim 118 words
A system for in situ PCR amplification of a nucleic acid sequence contained in a sample comprising: a glass microscope slide having said sample mounted thereon; a reagent mixture on said sample; a resilient and compliant cover member over said sample and said reagent mixture on said slide; a retaining assembly fastened to said slide and to said cover member operable to retain and seal said sample and said mixture between said cover member and said slide; and a thermal cycler having a temperature controlled block adapted to receive and hold said microscope slide against a portion of said block so that the temperature of said sample on said slide follows the temperature of said temperature controlled block.
Claim 34
Independent Claim 118 words
A system for in situ PCR amplification of a nucleic acid sequence contained in a sample comprising: a glass microscope slide having said sample mounted thereon; a reagent mixture on said sample; a resilient and compliant cover member over said sample and said reagent mixture on said slide; a retaining assembly fastened to said slide and to said cover member operable to retain and seal said sample and said mixture between said cover member and said slide; and a thermal cycler having a temperature controlled block adapted to receive and hold said microscope slide against a portion of said block so that the temperature of said sample on said slide follows the temperature of said temperature controlled block.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 33 words
The system according to claim 31 wherein said retaining assembly comprises an annular seal member, and at least one clip means for removably retaining said cover member and seal member against said slide.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system according to claim 32 wherein said cover member has a portion which is resiliently and compliantly concave.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system according to claim 33 wherein said concave portion defines a predetermined specific volume for retaining said reagent mixture.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system according to claim 34 wherein said cover member is made of a rubber sheet.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system according to claim 33 wherein said seal member comprise a rim portion of said cover member and a rigid annular seal ring fastened to said rim portion.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system according to claim 36 wherein said rim portion is bonded to said ring.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system according to claim 37 wherein said ring has a flat base portion bonded to said rim portion.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system according to claim 33 wherein said seal member comprises a rim portion of said cover member.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 38 words
The system according to claim 32 further comprising a cross beam member having opposite ends adapted to fit between said clip means and said glass slide, said cross beam member extending over a portion of said seal member.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 45 words
The system according to claim 40 wherein said clip means is a pair of generally U-shaped clips each having a pair of opposing spaced sides sized to resiliently clamp one of said ends of said cross beam member to one edge portion of said slide.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 31 words
The system according to claim 41 wherein said cross beam member has a pair of spaced generally parallel rails joining said opposite ends for engaging spaced portions of said seal member.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim 62 words
The system according to claim 42 wherein each of said ends is bent to form an inclined plane to engage with one of said clips so that said cross beam member progressively compresses said seal member installed under said cross beam member against said slide as said pair of clips are installed over said ends and said edge portions of said slide.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim 74 words
The system according to claim 41 wherein said block is a metal body which has a plurality of vertical slots, each receiving said slide, cover member, and retaining assembly, said slots forming partitions therebetween, each partition having a flat heat exchange surface and a pair of spaced horizontal grooves in said surface for receiving said clips so that one side of said slide in said slot can be positioned against said heat exchange surface.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system according to claim 32 wherein said clip means is a generally U-shaped clip having a pair of opposing spaced sides sized to resiliently clamp said cover member to said slide.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim 25 words
The system according to claim 31 further comprising a generally flat adapter plate removably mounted on said block for supporting said slide during thermal cycling.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system according to claim 46 wherein said adapter plate has a plurality of grooves in one surface.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim 70 words
A retaining assembly for retaining a fluid against a glass slide comprising a resilient and compliant cover member, an annular seal member around at least a portion of said cover member and at least one clip means for removably retaining said cover and seal members against said slide, said cover member having an annular ridge between said portion of said cover member and a central portion of said cover member.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim 70 words
A retaining assembly for retaining a fluid against a glass slide comprising a resilient and compliant cover member, an annular seal member around at least a portion of said cover member and at least one clip means for removably retaining said cover and seal members against said slide, said cover member having an annular ridge between said portion of said cover member and a central portion of said cover member.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim 37 words
The assembly according to claim 48 further includes a cross beam member having a central portion having an aperture therethrough adapted to receive said annular ridge to removably hold said cross beam member and cover member together.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim 28 words
The assembly according to claim 49 wherein said cross beam member comprises a pair of generally parallel rails with said central portion of said cross beam member therebetween.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim 23 words
The assembly according to claim 50 wherein said seal member comprises a generally fiat annular portion around said aperture and between said rails.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim 16 words
The assembly according to claim 51 wherein said cross beam member is made of sheet metal.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim 18 words
The assembly according to claim 51 wherein said central portion of said cross beam member is generally flat.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim 29 words
The assembly according to claim 51 wherein said flat annular portion around said aperture is part of an annular trough in said central portion of said cross beam member.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3503665A Cited
US3879106A Cited
US3883398A Cited
US4683202A Cited
US4683202B1 Cited
US4683195A Cited
US4683195B1 Cited
US5038852A Cited
US4965188A Cited
US4985206A Cited
EP0524808A2 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-11-14 1998-05-16 1998-11-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-11-14 2002-05-16 2002-11-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-11-14 2006-05-16 2006-11-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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