Apparatus for applying thermal energy to a receptacle and detecting an emission signal from the receptacle

US11788128B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED · US

Inventors

• David A. Buse · San Diego, US
• David H. COMBS · San Diego, US
• Norbert D. Hagen · Carlsbad, US
• David Opalsky · San Diego, US
• Bruce Richardson · Los Gatos, US
• Anita Prasad · Los Gatos, US
• Keith Moravick · Mountain View, US
• Tyler Moore · Los Gatos, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 23, 2020
• Grant date: Oct 17, 2023
• Expiry date: Mar 21, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2021/6484
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions includes a thermally-conductive receptacle holder with front and back surfaces. The front surface includes a row of receptacle wells, and an outer surface of each well has a frustoconical shape, an inner surface of each well receives a receptacle, and each well has a through-hole extending between the inner and outer surfaces thereof. One or more thermal elements in contact with the back surface of the holder alter a temperature(s) of the holder. The apparatus includes multiple optical fibers, and each optical fiber provides optical communication between one of the wells and an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. A first end of each optical fiber is disposed outside, within, or extends through the through-hole of a corresponding well, and a second end of each optical fiber is in optical communication with the excitation signal source and/or the emission signal detector.