Reaction vessel

Abstract

A reaction vessel assembly for use with thermal cyclers is described. The assembly includes a reaction vessel and a casing defining a cavity. In a first configuration, the casing receives the reaction vessel within the cavity, to act as a protective casing for the reaction vessel. In a second configuration, the casing engages with a mouth of the reaction vessel, to close the vessel. In this configuration, the casing may also act as a handle. In preferred embodiments, the reaction vessel is in the form of a capillary tube, and/or may include an integrated collimating lens. Certain embodiments also include an RFID tag.

Claims

1. A reaction vessel assembly for use in a thermal cycling reaction, the assembly comprising: (a) one or more reaction vessels, each comprising: i. a mouth, ii. a body, and iii. a sealed tip; and (b) a casing comprising: i. a cavity with an opening for receiving the one or more reaction vessels, and ii. an engaging surface opposed to the opening, which engaging surface comprises one or more protrusions extending therefrom; the reaction vessel assembly arranged and configured such that in a first configuration the one or more reaction vessels are received within the cavity of the casing via the opening, and in a second configuration the one or more reaction vessels are not within the cavity and the mouth of each one or more reaction vessels is engaged with one of the protrusions extending from the engaging surface so that the protrusion extends into the reaction vessel, forming an interference fit therewith so that the one or more reaction vessels is retained on the casing and its mouth is closed, whereby the protrusion acts as a lid to seal the mouth, in a manner that minimizes evaporation from the reaction vessel and allows the reaction vessel to be held substantially horizontally during cycling without loss of sample, wherein the body of each of the reaction vessels is elongate and wherein in the first configuration the casing encases the full-length of the body of each of the reaction vessels.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the casing further comprises formations adapted to be grasped by a user selected from the group consisting of finger grips, recesses, and combinations thereof.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more reaction vessels are connected to one another independent of the casing.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening of the casing is on a first portion of the casing, and the engaging surface is on an opposed second portion of the casing.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein in the first configuration the mouth of each one or more reaction vessel is aligned with the opening of the casing such that the reaction vessel is open to allow a user access to the interior of the reaction vessel.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the body of the reaction vessel is in the form of a capillary tube.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the mouth of the reaction vessel is of a greater diameter than the body.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tip of the reaction vessel comprises an integrated collimating lens.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the collimating lens is selected from the group consisting of a positive meniscus lens, convergent meniscus lens and a Fresnel lens.

10. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel is produced from a hydrophilic polymer.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the engaging surface of the casing has one or more protrusions sized and shaped to fit within the mouth of the reaction vessel.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein in the second configuration the protrusion substantially fills the mouth of the reaction vessel.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the engaging surface of the casing includes one or more detents designed to engage with an outer surface of the reaction vessel, when in the second configuration.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening of the casing includes one or more detents designed to engage with an outer surface of the reaction vessel, when in the first configuration.

15. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the reaction vessel includes one or more detents designed to engage with a portion of the casing.

16. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the engaging surface of the casing comprises an elastomeric gasket selected from the group consisting of rubber, santoprene, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and combinations thereof.

17. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an RFID tag.

18. The assembly of claim 3, further comprising a connecting piece, wherein the one or more reactions vessels are connected to each other via attachment to the connecting piece by their respective mouths.

19. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the casing has an edge; and the one or more reaction vessels are part of an array, which array comprises a lip arranged and constructed so that, in the first configuration, the lip engages the edge of the casing to hold the array and the casing together.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the lip comprises a raised bead.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a reaction vessel assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in a first configuration;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the reaction vessel assembly of FIG. 1 moving towards the second configuration;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the reaction vessel assembly of FIG. 1 in a second configuration;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a close up view of the reaction vessels of the assembly of FIG. 1; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a view of the tip of one of the reaction vessels of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(7) Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, these show different views of a reaction vessel assembly 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The assembly 10 comprises a reaction vessel array 12 which includes three reaction vessels 14 joined in a strip. The assembly 10 also includes a casing 16, which has an opening 18 for receiving reaction vessels 14, and an engaging surface 20 opposed to the opening 18.

(8) Each reaction vessel 14 includes a wide mouth 22, a narrow elongate body 24, and a tip 26. The three reaction vessels 14 making up the strip are joined at the mouths 22 by a connecting piece 28 which includes a lip 30.

(9) On the engaging surface 20 of the casing 16 are provided three protrusions 32, which are sized, shaped, and located so as to align with the mouths 22 of the reaction vessels 14 when in an appropriate configuration. The engaging surface 20 is partially enclosed by a raised edge 34, on which are located a series of detents 36.

(10) FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the reaction vessel array 12. As can be seen clearly in this figure, the lip 30 of the connecting piece 28 is formed with an internal raised bead 38 extending along the length of the lip 30. This is paralleled by an external groove overlaying the raised bead. The Figure also shows that the body 24 of the reaction vessel is relatively narrow; it may be a capillary tube type. The mouth 22 is much wider, perhaps three times wider, than the body 24. The reaction vessel array is formed from moulded polycarbonate; for example, Makrolon®.

(11) The tip 26 of the reaction vessel is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. The tip is moulded so as to form a positive meniscus lens at the tip of the vessel. This serves to collimate light generated by a sample in the vessel, so as to provide a uniform light exiting the tip of the vessel. The collimated light is representative of fluorescence along the entire length of the sample. This negates the need for external lensing which can be expensive, and allows the photodiodes of the thermal cycler to be placed closer to the tube, increasing sensitivity and enabling the use of low cost, less sensitive photodiodes. Most other optical assemblies have expensive dichroic mirrors and complex optical pathways. The simplicity of optics lowers the cost of the instrument. Further benefits arise from the fact that there is only one alignment requirement, that of the tube in the sample block, and no chance of misalignment of optical components. This allows portability and robustness of a thermal cycler.

(12) Producing the reaction vessel from moulded polycarbonate means that forming a positive meniscus lens is relatively straightforward. Mould venting may be above the lens; this is further improved by the having a slightly smaller aperture at the base of the tube. The lens enables more plastic to accumulate at the bottom providing easier moulding, again venting can occur forward of the tip to provide witness lines that do not interfere with the optical signal. This enables a thin wall section of 0.25-0.35 mm, which provides better thermal performance and improved dynamics and uniformity of sample heating.

(13) The reaction vessel assembly may be used as follows. FIG. 1 shows a first configuration of the assembly—the reaction vessel array 12 is placed within the opening 18 of the casing 16. The raised bead 38 on the lip 30 of the array 12 engages with the edge of the casing 16 to hold the array 12 and the casing 16 together in an interference fit. In this configuration, the reaction vessel array is protected from damage and contamination by the casing 16, and the whole assembly may be carried and transported by holding only the casing 16. Samples may be loaded into the reaction vessels 14 while in the first configuration; the casing prevents or reduces heat transfer from handling.

(14) Once the samples have been loaded, the user may remove the reaction vessel array 12 from the casing 16—FIG. 2—and place the assembly in a second configuration—FIG. 3. In this configuration, the array 12 is placed on the mounting surface 20 of the casing. The protrusions 32 fit snugly within the mouths 22 of the reaction vessels. This forms an interference fit which serves, at least in part, to retain the array 12 on the casing 16. The shape of the mouths 22 of the vessels allows the protrusions 32 to fill most of the void above the body 24 of the vessel; this minimises loss of sample due to evaporation. The arrangement also raises the pressure within the vessel, again reducing evaporation. Coupled with the hydrophilic properties of the polycarbonate material used to make the vessel, this limits sample loss at the interface. Further, the capillary tube nature of the body, together with the tight fit of the protrusions in the mouths and the hydrophilic material, allows the filled reaction vessels to be held substantially horizontally during cycling without loss of sample.

(15) When in the second configuration, the detents 36 on the casing 16 engage with the groove 38 on the reaction vessel array to hold the casing in place.

(16) In this second configuration, the casing 16 may be used as a handle to hold and manipulate the reaction vessels, again without the need to touch the vessels directly. The user may hold the casing 16 and insert the assembly into a thermal cycler for carrying out reactions on the sample. Typically these reactions will involve samples generating fluorescence; as has been already discussed, the collimating lens in the tip of the reaction vessels serves to collimate any emitted light from the sample; this can then be detected by photodiodes or other suitable sensors in the thermal cycler.

(17) The foregoing is described by way of example only, and the skilled person will be aware of other variations to the described embodiment which may be made.