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CN-122028985-A - Thermal switch for diagnostic test chip device and related method of manufacture and use

CN122028985ACN 122028985 ACN122028985 ACN 122028985ACN-122028985-A

Abstract

A thermal control device for facilitating cooling of biological samples, particularly biological samples tested with semiconductor diagnostic test chips, using thermal switches. Such a thermal switch may include a mass made of a thermally conductive material, such as copper or aluminum, that selectively contacts the diagnostic chip or sample tube through the use of a pneumatic cylinder or servo-driven movable support. Alternatively, the thermal switch may utilize a thermally conductive material that selectively contacts the diagnostic chip or sample tube through the use of an inflatable bladder. Alternatively, the thermal switch may utilize a voice coil and a heat sink to selectively contact the diagnostic chip. The thermal control device may also include a thermal overshoot feature, such as a blower or positioning a heat sink in close proximity to the chip or tube. Related methods of assembling and using the thermal control devices are also provided herein.

Inventors

  • Gaotam Subramaniyam
  • Douglas B. Dorito
  • MATTHEW PICCINI
  • ZHANG JING

Assignees

  • 塞弗德公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20241018
Priority Date
20231020

Claims (20)

  1. 1.A thermal control unit comprising: a block made of a thermally conductive metal; A carriage supporting the mass of thermally conductive material so that the mass is movable within the carriage, the carriage having a distal portion that is engaged adjacent a semiconductor diagnostic chip and/or a chip carrier device supporting the diagnostic chip, and A cylinder coupled to the bracket and having an air passage through which pressurized air is transmitted to move the mass in a distal direction such that the mass moves within the bracket and contacts a surface of the diagnostic chip to cool the diagnostic chip by thermal conduction.
  2. 2. The thermal control unit of claim 1, wherein the mass is a mass made of metal having a protruding portion shaped and sized to contact the surface of the diagnostic chip.
  3. 3. The thermal control unit of claim 1, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises a metal.
  4. 4. A thermal control unit according to claim 3, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises copper.
  5. 5. The thermal control unit of claim 1, further comprising: A control unit configured to selectively apply pressurized air via the cylinder during one or more cooling portions of a thermal cycle to selectively move the diagnostic chip and engage the diagnostic chip with the block.
  6. 6. The thermal control unit of claim 1, further comprising: A heater positioned adjacent to the diagnostic chip and configured to selectively heat the diagnostic chip during a heating portion of a thermal cycle.
  7. 7. A thermal control unit comprising: a chip carrier device having one or more layers for supporting semiconductor chips therein; a thermally conductive layer disposed adjacent to the diagnostic chip and movable between a first position spaced apart from the diagnostic chip and a second position contacting the diagnostic chip, and An inflatable bladder disposed adjacent to the diagnostic chip, wherein the thermally conductive layer is disposed between the inflatable bladder and the diagnostic chip, Wherein the assembly is configured such that when the inflatable bladder is inflated, the thermally conductive material contacts a back surface of the diagnostic chip in the second position, and when the inflatable bladder is deflated, the thermally conductive material is disposed in the first position spaced apart from the back surface of the diagnostic chip.
  8. 8. The thermal control unit of claim 7, wherein the bladder is expandable to one or more intermediate positions to achieve a proportional contact area between the thermally conductive layer and the chip, thereby achieving a proportional cooling effect and/or heating effect.
  9. 9. The thermal control unit of claim 7, wherein when the bladder is expandable to provide full area contact with the chip, and pressure is further variable to change thermal resistance of contact between the thermally conductive layer and the chip, thereby enabling an auxiliary mode of proportional cooling effect and/or heating effect.
  10. 10. The thermal control unit of claim 7, further comprising: an air pump coupled with the inflatable bladder.
  11. 11. The thermal control unit of claim 7, wherein the air pump is disposed in an instrument of a module that interfaces with the chip carrier device, and the air pump is removably coupled with the inflatable bladder by one or more conduits or openings through one or more layers of the chip carrier device.
  12. 12. The thermal control unit of claim 7, wherein the thermally conductive material comprises a PGS film.
  13. 13. The thermal control unit of claim 10, further comprising: A control unit is operatively coupled with the air pump and configured to selectively expand the inflatable bladder during a cooling portion of a thermal cycle to effect cooling.
  14. 14. The thermal control unit of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to deflate the inflatable bladder after cooling during a thermal cycle process to facilitate heating during a heating portion of the thermal cycle.
  15. 15. The thermal control unit of claim 10, further comprising: A heater disposed adjacent to the diagnostic chip to effect heating during the thermal cycling process.
  16. 16. The thermal control unit of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to selectively heat the heater to facilitate heating and selectively expand the inflatable bladder to cool to cycle between heating and cooling during thermal cycling of a biological sample in contact with the diagnostic chip.
  17. 17. The thermal control unit of claim 13, wherein the heater comprises a thermoelectric cooler.
  18. 18. The thermal control unit of claim 15, wherein the thermoelectric cooler is thermally coupled with the thermally conductive material to distribute heat over the back surface of the diagnostic chip.
  19. 19. A thermal control unit comprising: A heat sink comprising a mass made of a thermally conductive material, wherein the heat sink comprises a protruding portion sized and dimensioned to engage a surface of a diagnostic chip; A movable support supporting the heat sink and configured to move the heat sink between a plurality of positions, and A controller configured to move the movable support between a plurality of positions including a first position spaced apart from the diagnostic chip for heating and a second position in which the protruding portion is in contact with the surface of the diagnostic chip for cooling.
  20. 20. The thermal control unit of claim 19, wherein the thermally conductive material is a metal.

Description

Thermal switch for diagnostic test chip device and related method of manufacture and use Cross Reference to Related Applications The application was filed on 10 month 18 of 2024 as PCT international application and claims the benefit and priority of U.S. application No. 63/592,087 filed on 10 month 20 of 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The present application relates generally to U.S. application Ser. No.16/577,650 entitled "System, apparatus, and method for sample processing Using semiconductor detection chips" filed on day 9, month 20, 2017, U.S. application Ser. No. 15/718,840 entitled "fluid bridge apparatus and sample processing method", filed on day 9, month 28, 2000, U.S. patent No. 6,374,684 entitled "fluid control and processing System", filed on day 8, month 25, 2002, U.S. patent No. 8,048,386 entitled "fluid handling and control", and filed on day 22, 2016, 7, U.S. application Ser. No. 15/217,902 entitled "thermal control apparatus and method of use", each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Background The present disclosure relates generally to temperature control devices for use in diagnosing thermal cycling of samples in a test chip device, and methods of manufacturing, assembling, and using thermal switches, particularly for rapid cooling. In recent years, there has been considerable development in the use of semiconductor test chips to perform fluid sample analysis (e.g., testing of clinical, biological, or environmental samples). One of the continuing challenges in diagnostics of conventional MEMS technology is the lack of a flexible sample preparation front-end to provide a fluid sample suitable for analysis using a semiconductor chip. Sample preparation of such fluid samples involves a series of process steps that include thermal cycling for sample preparation prior to performing a test on the prepared fluid sample with a diagnostic chip. Whether integrated into a desktop instrument, portable analyzer, disposable cartridge, or a combination thereof, such processing typically involves complex components and processing algorithms. In particular, thermal cycling is often one of the more time-consuming processes in sample preparation. Conventional methods for processing fluid samples typically involve a large number of manual operations, while more recent methods have attempted to automate many of the processing steps and may involve the use of sample cartridges that employ a series of compartments or chambers each configured to subject the fluid sample to a particular processing step. As the fluid sample flows sequentially from a zone or chamber of the cartridge to a subsequent zone or chamber through the cartridge, the fluid sample undergoes various processing steps according to a particular protocol. However, such systems typically include integrated analytical devices and are generally not suitable for use with semiconductor chips. Standard methods of testing chips using semiconductors, such as "lab-on-a-chip" devices, typically require quite complex, time consuming and costly efforts, requiring the chip to be incorporated into a conventional chip package and then into a larger system that utilizes conventional fluid delivery devices to deliver fluid samples to the chip device. Fluid samples are typically prepared by one or more completely independent systems (typically involving manual interaction) and then pipetted into a fluid delivery system to be supplied to the chip package. These challenges associated with pre-and post-testing procedures generally minimize the advantages and benefits of such "lab-on-a-chip" devices and present practical barriers to the widespread use and acceptance of these devices in diagnostic testing. In order to make high functionality MEMS/silicon chip technology viable in the context of high volume diagnostic tests, it has been proposed to combine such devices with existing sample cartridge technology that performs sample preparation. Although this approach represents a significant advancement in the art, conventional thermal cycling approaches are less suitable for use with semiconductor chips for a variety of reasons. Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods that improve the thermal cycling efficiency of fluid samples when used with semiconductor diagnostic chips, particularly those incorporated into sample preparation systems, such as cartridges and modules that perform sample preparation. There is also a need to develop thermal cycling components and methods that are compatible with existing sample processing techniques to allow for seamless integration of diagnostic chips with existing sample preparation techniques. There is also a need to perform faster thermal cycling for PCR testing by using thermally conductive transfer that is less susceptible to dust and less susceptible to ambient temperature. PCR thermal cycling requires precise temperature c