Temperature-control device having a reaction vessel

Abstract

A temperature-control device for receiving a reaction vessel having a heat-insulated interior space and which is covered by a lid. The reaction vessel has a hollow body and a cap, this hollow body being closed on one side by a base. The base contacts a heatable heating block in order to heat a sample located in the reaction vessel. The hollow body is surrounded by a heatable heating body which communicates with the lid via a heat-conducting contact region so that the heating body heats the hollow body directly and heats the cap indirectly via the lid.

Claims

1. A temperature-control device for receiving a sample, comprising: a housing defining a heat-insulated interior space; a heat-insulating cover configured to cover the interior space; a reaction vessel, said reaction vessel comprising a hollow body and a cap, said hollow body being symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry and closed on one side by a base; a lid made of a heat-conducting material and configured to cover the reaction vessel and contact the cap; a heating block disposed in said interior space and configured to actively heat the reaction vessel, said heating block having an inner surface which is adapted to the base of the reaction vessel and contacts the reaction vessel as to heat a sample located therein; and a heating body, which surrounds and contacts at least a portion of the hollow body, disposed in the interior space and configured to actively heat to the reaction vessel, the heating body adapted to the shape of the hollow body and in thermal communication with the lid via a heat-conducting contact region therebetween such that, in operation, the heating body heats the hollow body directly and heats the cap indirectly via the lid, wherein said lid includes a hole therethrough configured to enable a body to be introduced into the hollow body through the cap.

2. The temperature-control device according to claim 1, wherein the contact region is formed by a cone-shaped outer surface of the heating body and by a cone-shaped outer surface of the lid.

3. The temperature-control device according to claim 2, wherein the cone-shaped outer surface of the heating body is arranged on the inside of said lid.

4. The temperature-control device according to claim 1, wherein said heating body is formed at least by two heating body shells which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of symmetry, and the heating body shells are supported in the interior space via at least one spring element so that the heating body shells contact the hollow body with a restoring force of the at least one spring element.

5. The temperature-control device according to claim 4, wherein said heating body shells are held together via at least one elastic ring.

6. The temperature-control device according to claim 5, wherein said lid is formed of two lid shells which bear resiliently against one another.

7. The temperature-control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat conductivity of the heat-insulating cover is less than that of the heat-conducting lid.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described herein with reference to an exemplary embodiment in connection with the drawings, in which

(2) FIG. 1a is an illustration of a temperature-control device in longitudinal direction; and

(3) FIG. 1b is an illustration of a temperature-control device according to FIG. 1a in cross section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(4) A temperature-control device according to the invention which is shown, for example, in FIGS. 1a and 1b, is designed specifically for a reaction vessel 1; that is, it is individually adapted to the geometric shape and dimensions of the reaction vessel 1 and so cannot be used in an all-purpose manner in conjunction with a reaction vessel of any shape or dimensions. Correspondingly, the characteristic features of the temperature-control device can also be described only in connection with a reaction vessel 1.

(5) Reaction vessel 1 comprises a hollow body 1.1 and a cap 1.3. The hollow body 1.1 is symmetrical with respect to an axis of symmetry 1.0 and is closed on one side by a base 1.2.

(6) The temperature-control device is not limited to use for PCR. Accordingly, the expression sample is intended to include hereinafter cell suspensions, reagent mixtures, e.g., comprising reactants and catalysts, and finished PCR products in liquid form. Such sample is referenced in FIG. 1a as numeral 8.

(7) The temperature-control device has a heat-insulated interior space 2 which is closed by a lid 3 and in which there is provided a heatable heating block 7 which has an inner surface 7.1 which is adapted to the base 1.2 of the reaction vessel 1. The reaction vessel 1 is arranged upright on the heating block 7 such that its base 1.2 contacts the inner surface 7.1 in order to heat a sample 8 located in the reaction vessel 1. The lid 3 is made of a heat-conducting material, is covered by a heat-insulating cover 9 and abuts the cap 1.3.

(8) It is key to the invention that there is provided a heatable heating body 4 which surrounds the hollow body 1.1, is adapted to the shape of the latter and communicates with the lid 3 via a heat-conducting contact region 5 such that the heating body 4 heats the hollow body 1.1 directly and heats the cap 1.3 indirectly via the lid 3.

(9) With a temperature-control device, according to the invention, which embodies a thermocycler in connection with PCR, it is possible to introduce a hollow needle, a detection probe, a mixing rod, a pipette tip or the like through the lid 3 of the temperature-control device and through the cap 1.3 of the reaction vessel 1 so as to extract or dispense the sample by pipette, detect the sample or mix the sample without opening the temperature-control device. Since the lid 3 remains closed during this process, the defined spatial climate in the temperature-control device is also preserved. The work step of removing and possibly reinserting into the temperature-control device is dispensed with. Further, the temperature-control device according to the invention makes it possible to draw up by pipetting without additional means, which will be discussed later. The cap 1.3 advantageously has a screw closure and is filled with a septum.

(10) In order to pick up and dispense by pipette when the temperature-control device is closed, it is key to the invention that the lid 3 has a hole 3.3. It is possible to provide a hole 3.3 of this kind in the lid 3 in an uncomplicated manner because the lid 3 according to the invention has no heating device but, rather, is heated through heat conduction via the heating body 4 with which it is in contact via the contact region 5 when the temperature-control device is closed. Accordingly, the heating of the lid 3 is not carried out by means of active heating but rather passively via heat conduction. Since the lid 3 abuts the cap 1.3 at least via the area of the hole 3.3, the interior space 2 of the temperature-control device is closed in spite of the hole 3.3.

(11) The contact region 5 is formed by an outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 and by an outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3. In simplest form, the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 and the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3 are arranged annularly and in a radial plane with respect to the axis of symmetry 1.0. In order to form a larger contact region 5 for improved heat conduction, the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 and the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3 can be cone-shaped. The larger the cone angle, the greater the contact region 5 with the dimensions of the temperature-control device remaining the same. For purposes of closing the interior space 2 of the temperature-control device with the lid 3 in a simple manner, the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 can be arranged inside the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3.

(12) The heating body 4 has the purpose not only of heating the lid 3 but also heating the hollow body 1.1 of the reaction vessel 1 and, therefore, the gas volume of the reaction vessel 1 which is compulsorily located above the sample 8. Condensation at the inner wall of the hollow body 1.1 is also primarily prevented in this way. Further, the pressure of the gas volume can be changed by changing the temperature, which is often utilized in fluidics and is known as the thermo-pneumatic effect. Therefore, manipulation (dispensing by pipette, aliquoting, mixing) of the sample is also possible without a pump [Keller, M.; Focke, M.; Strohmeier, O.; Reith, P.; Roth, G.; Mark, D.; Zengerle, R.; von Stetten, F., Centrifugal thermo-pneumatic aliquoting on the LabDisk and application for DNA-based detection of various bacteria, Mikrosystemtechnik Kongress 2013, Aachen, 14.Oct. 16, 2013, pages 31-34].

(13) When a hollow needle is inserted into the sample 8, the latter is forced into the hollow needle accompanied by expansion of the gas volume. To this end, the hollow needle must be closed at the outer, first end during insertion until the inner, second end comes in contact with the sample 8. Then, when the first end is opened, the gas volume can expand in that the sample 8 rises in the hollow needle until the gas volume is at normal pressure and the sample 8 is completely drawn up. Accordingly, the heating body 4 surrounding the hollow body 1.1 allows not only the use of a passively heated lid 3, but also a quasi-passive removal of the sample 8.

(14) The heating body 4 can be a tubular body, but advantageously comprises at least two heating body shells 4.2 which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of symmetry 1.0. Exactly two heating body shells 4.2 in the form of half-shells are advantageous. While a tubular heating body 4 is arranged to be stationary within the interior space 2 with respect to the axis of symmetry 1.0, when the heating body 4 is constructed as two heating body shells 4.2, the two heating body shells 4.2 are supported in the interior space 2 radially elastically with respect to the axis of symmetry 1.0 via at least one spring element 6 and are held together via at least one elastic ring 11.

(15) It is customary and also advantageous that the hollow body 1.1 of the reaction vessel 1 is cone-shaped and has a small cone angle so that when the reaction vessel 1 is introduced into the temperature-control device and, therefore, between the heating body shells 4.2, these heating body shells 4.2 are increasingly pressed apart while an increasingly large restoring force acts on the heating body shells 4.2, which ensures a snug fit of the heating body shells 4.2 against the hollow body 1.1. This restoring force is influenced by the elasticity and spring characteristic of the at least one elastic ring 11, e.g., a rubber ring, and of the at least one spring element 6.

(16) In case the heating body 4 is constructed as two heating body shells 4.2, the lid 3 can advantageously likewise be produced from two lid shells 3.2, advantageously in the form of half-shells. For this purpose, as is shown in FIG. 1a, the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3 and the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 are advantageously cone-shaped. Then, when closing the lid 3, the lid shells 3.2 are spread apart and the outer surfaces 3.1 of the lid 3 are pressed against the outer surfaces 4.1 of the heating body 4 by restoring forces. In the embodiment example shown in FIG. 1a, the restoring forces are generated by a spiral spring 10 surrounding the lid shells 3.2.

(17) If the lid 3 is made of one piece, the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3 remains fixed in position with respect to the axis of symmetry 1.0, while the position of the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 is displaced radially with respect to the axis of symmetry 1.0.

(18) In the event that the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3 and the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 are constructed as annular surfaces, this only reduces the size of the contact region 5. When the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3 and the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 are constructed in a cone-shaped manner, the outer surface 3.1 of the lid 3 is placed at a different height on the outer surface 4.1 of the heating body 4 in axial direction of the axis of symmetry 1.0 depending on the extent to which the heating body shells 4.2 are spread apart, so that the lid 3 is axially resiliently supported in the cover 9.

(19) While the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with currently preferred embodiments shown and described in detail, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(20) 1 reaction vessel 1.0 axis of symmetry 1.1 hollow body 1.2 base 1.3 cap 2 interior space 3 lid 3.1 outer surface of the lid 3.2 lid shell 3.3 hole 4 heating body 4.1 outer surface of the heating body 4.2 heating body shell 5 contact region 6 spring element 7 heating block 7.1 inner surface 8 sample 9 cover 10 spiral spring 11 elastic ring