Biochemical reactor
Inventors
Su, Chen • CHANG, Hsiao-Fen • Li, Pei-Yu • Tsai, Yun-Lung • Lin, Ching-Ko • Cheng, Wen-hao
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9731296-B2
Publication Date
2017-08-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
A biochemical reactor includes a temperature control device containing a substrate, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a receiving hole, and a heating element. The substrate has a through hole for accommodating the vessel; the receiving hole is adjacent to the through hole for receiving the heating element; the first conductive layer has a connecting region formed on the wall of the through hole; and two terminals of the heating element are respectively connected electrically to the first and the second conductive layers. As such, the heat generated from the heating element can be transferred to the through hole via the first conductive layer to heat the vessel.
Core Innovation
A biochemical reactor is adapted for insertion of a vessel by providing a first body with a first groove and a second body spaced at a distance above the first body with a second groove. The first groove of the first body, the through hole of the substrate of the temperature control device, and the second groove of the second body are communicated with each other to form a vessel receiving groove for the insertion of the vessel. The temperature control device is disposed between the first and second bodies so that the upper surface of the substrate faces upward or downward, establishing a defined spatial arrangement around the vessel receiving groove.
The temperature control device includes a substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a through hole extending through the upper surface and the lower surface. A first conductive layer has a lower region formed on a part of the lower surface of the substrate and a connecting region formed on a wall of the through hole and connected to the lower region, while a second conductive layer is formed on a part of the upper surface of the substrate and is not connected electrically to the first conductive layer. A receiving hole passes through the second conductive layer, the substrate and the lower region of the first conductive layer, located adjacent to the through hole, and a heating element is disposed in the receiving hole with two terminals connected electrically to the lower region of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.
Heat is transferred through the first conductive layer to the vessel to maintain vessel temperature regions and enable a temperature gradient. Structural and geometry refinements define the heat-transfer interface and spatial relationships, including ring portions on the conductive layers and connecting regions configured to abut an outer periphery of the vessel or a thermal conductive ring provided around the vessel outer periphery. In one embodiment, the heating element is disposed adjacent to the through hole on the upper surface of the substrate without a receiving hole, simplifying the temperature control device.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001 and clm-00008. Across these independent claims, the main inventive features are arranged to form a vessel receiving groove using communicating grooves from two spaced bodies and a through hole in a temperature-control substrate, and to implement a temperature control device with a substrate having a through hole, first and second conductive layers with defined electrical isolation, and a heating element having terminals connected to the respective conductive layers.
Communicated vessel receiving groove from spaced bodies
The first groove of the first body, the through hole of the substrate of the temperature control device, and the second groove of the second body are communicated with each other to form a vessel receiving groove for the insertion of the vessel.
Temperature control device substrate with through hole and defined conductive-layer electrical arrangement
The substrate has an upper surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a through hole extending through the upper surface and the lower surface; the first conductive layer has a lower region formed on a part of the lower surface of the substrate and a connecting region formed on a wall of the through hole of the substrate and connected to the lower region; the second conductive layer is formed on a part of the upper surface of the substrate and is not connected electrically to the first conductive layer.
Heating element disposed relative to substrate through hole with terminal connections
A receiving hole passes through the second conductive layer, the substrate and the lower region of the first conductive layer and is located adjacent to the through hole; and the heating element is disposed in the receiving hole and has two terminals respectively connected electrically to the lower region of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, or the heating element is disposed adjacent to the through hole on the upper surface of the substrate without a receiving hole.
Temperature control device disposed between bodies with substrate face direction
The temperature control device is disposed between the first and second bodies so that the upper surface of the substrate faces upward or downward.
Independent claims clm-00001 and clm-00008 both cover a biochemical reactor with two spaced bodies whose grooves communicate to form a vessel receiving groove through a temperature-control substrate through hole, together with a temperature control device that uses a substrate with a through hole, first and second conductive layers arranged with electrical isolation, and a heating element having terminals connected to the respective conductive layers, with the temperature control device positioned between the bodies with the substrate face directed upward or downward.
Stated Advantages
Provides structural refinements for the heat-transfer interface, including ring portions on conductive layers and connecting regions configured to abut the vessel outer periphery or a thermal conductive ring.
Enables convenient maintenance and reduced manufacturing cost via plate-like stacked units and bolts/nuts assembly/disassembly.
Reduces cost and simplifies the temperature control device in an alternate embodiment by disposing the heating element adjacent to the through hole without a receiving hole.
Documented Applications
Biochemical reactor insertion of a vessel for convective PCR [procedural detail omitted for safety].
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