EP-4739437-A1 - THERMAL CYCLER

EP4739437A1EP 4739437 A1EP4739437 A1EP 4739437A1EP-4739437-A1

Abstract

According to the disclosure, a thermal cycler comprising: a thermal unit comprising a thermal block for receiving a sample and a thermal element in thermal contact with the thermal block; a control unit comprising a control circuit board configured to control thermal cycling of the thermal element; and a cooling unit comprising a duct positioned between the thermal unit and the control unit and configured to provide an air flow passage, and a cooling fan configured to provide an air flow to the duct, wherein the thermal unit, the control unit, and the cooling unit are combined into an integrated module.

Inventors

YUK, NAM SU
Mok, Young Jae
KIM, SANG MIN
JEONG, HO JUN
AN, KYUNG TAE
LEE, GI HUN

Assignees

Seegene, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20240705

Claims (20)

A thermal cycler comprising: a thermal unit comprising a thermal block for receiving a sample and a thermal element in thermal contact with the thermal block; a control unit comprising a control circuit board configured to control thermal cycling of the thermal element; and a cooling unit comprising a duct positioned between the thermal unit and the control unit and configured to provide an air flow passage, and a cooling fan configured to provide an air flow to the duct, wherein the thermal unit, the control unit, and the cooling unit are combined into an integrated module.
The thermal cycler according to claim 1, wherein the thermal unit, the cooling unit, and the control unit are combined in this order, and the thermal unit and the control unit are simultaneously cooled by air passing through a duct of the cooling unit.
The thermal cycler according to claim 2, wherein the thermal unit, the cooling unit, and the control unit are stacked downward in this order.
The thermal cycler according to claim 3, further comprising a connection unit electrically connecting the thermal unit and the control unit, wherein the connection unit extends in a vertical direction at one side of the integrated module and is detachably coupled to the integrated module.
The thermal cycler according to claim 1, wherein the thermal unit further comprises a thermal circuit board electrically connected to the thermal element, and wherein the thermal circuit board comprises a first connection portion connected to the control circuit board.
The thermal cycler according to claim 5, further comprising a connection unit electrically connecting the first connection portion and a second connection portion of the control circuit board, and detachably coupled to the first connection portion and the second connection portion.
The thermal cycler according to claim 6, wherein the cooling fan comprises a pair of cooling fans respectively located at both ends of the duct, wherein the cooling fans are installed at side surfaces of the integrated module in a first direction, and wherein the first connection portion, the second connection portion, and the connection unit are all located at one of side surfaces of the integrated module in a second direction crossing the first direction.
The thermal cycler according to claim 1, wherein the duct of the cooling unit extends in a first direction, the thermal unit comprises a first heat sink configured to dissipate heat of the thermal block, and the control unit comprises a second heat sink configured to dissipate heat of the control circuit board.
The thermal cycler according to claim 8, wherein the first heat sink and the second heat sink are spaced apart from each other.
The thermal cycler according to claim 8, wherein each of the first heat sink and the second heat sink comprises a plurality of cooling fins extending in the first direction, and the cooling fins are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
The thermal cycler according to claim 10, wherein the cooling fins of the first heat sink and the cooling fins of the second heat sink are alternately disposed in the second direction.
The thermal cycler according to claim 1, wherein a flow of air passing through the duct is configured to cool both the thermal unit and the control unit.
The thermal cycler according to claim 12, wherein the thermal unit comprises a first heat sink configured to dissipate heat from the thermal block, wherein the control unit comprises a second heat sink configured to dissipate heat from the control circuit board, and wherein a flow of air passing through the duct is configured to cool the first heat sink and the second heat sink at the same time.
The thermal cycler according to claim 13, wherein the thermal element, the first heat sink, the second heat sink, and the control circuit board are arranged in this order.
The thermal cycler according to claim 1, wherein the thermal element comprises a thermoelectric element and an electrical resistance element, and wherein the electrical resistance element is located on a top surface of the thermal block.
The thermal cycler according to claim 15, wherein the thermal block comprises a plurality of recesses capable of accommodating each of a plurality of wells of a reaction container, and wherein the electrical resistance element is provided as a flexible heater comprising holes corresponding to the recesses of the thermal block.
The thermal cycler according to claim 15, wherein the thermal unit comprises a first heat sink configured to dissipate heat of the thermal block, wherein the thermoelectric element is disposed between the thermal block and the first heat sink, wherein a plurality of thermoelectric elements that are independently controlled are disposed side by side in one direction of the thermal block, and wherein the duct extends in the same direction as a direction in which the thermoelectric elements are disposed.
The thermal cycler according to claim 1, wherein the cooling unit further comprises a middle frame to which the cooling fan is coupled, and wherein the thermal unit and the control unit are coupled to the middle frame in opposite directions, respectively.
The thermal cycler according to claim 18, further comprising a first cover coupled to one side of the middle frame and configured to cover the top of the thermal unit and a second cover coupled to the other side of the middle frame and configured to cover the bottom of the control unit.
The thermal cycler according to claim 19, wherein the first cover comprises a plurality of openings corresponding to the recesses of the thermal block.

Description

THERMAL CYCLER The disclosure relates to a thermal cycler used for detecting a target analyte and an apparatus for detecting a target analyte having the same. Nowadays people's interest in health increases and life expectancy extends. Thus, accurate analysis of pathogens and in vitro nucleic acid-based molecular diagnosis such as genetic analysis for a patient become significant, and the demand therefor is on the rise. Nucleic acid-based molecular diagnosis is performed by extracting nucleic acids from a sample and confirming whether a target nucleic acid is present in the extracted nucleic acids. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most widely used nucleic acid amplification method, and the PCR process is performed by repeated cycling comprising denaturation of double-stranded DNA, annealing of oligonucleotide primers to the DNA templates and extension of primers by DNA polymerase. A general real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device comprises a thermal cycler provided at a lower portion to generate a nucleic acid amplification reaction, and an optics mechanism provided at an upper portion to analyze or monitor the nucleic acid amplification reaction in real time. The denaturation of the DNA proceeds at about 95℃, and the annealing and primer extension proceeds at a temperature of 55℃ to 75℃, which is lower than 95℃. Therefore, the thermal cycler repeats the process of raising and lowering the temperature of the reaction containers comprised in the heat block to perform a nucleic acid amplification reaction of the sample comprised in the reaction containers. In this case, the heat provided to the heat block is generated by the heat generating element, and the heat generated by the heat generating element is discharged to the outside through the heat radiating plate. At least one thermal cycler for generating a nucleic acid amplification reaction is provided, and an optics mechanism measures fluorescence generated from a reaction container in which the amplification reaction is generated by each thermal cycler. The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a thermal module of a thermal cycler according to an embodiment of the disclosure; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a view illustrating FIG. 2 when viewed from below; FIG. 4 is a detailed exploded perspective view of FIG. 2; FIG. 5 is a view illustrating FIG. 4 when viewed from below; FIG. 6 is a side view of a thermal module; FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a thermal unit; FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state of FIG. 8 viewed from below; FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a configuration of a controller of a thermal cycler. Hereinafter, the disclosure will be explained with reference to embodiments and example drawings. The embodiments are for illustrative purposes only, and it should be apparent to a person having ordinary knowledge in the art that the scope of the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments. In addition, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that same reference numerals are assigned to same components as much as possible even though they are shown in different drawings. In addition, in describing the embodiments of the disclosure, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related well-known configuration or function interferences with the understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, in describing the components of the embodiments of the disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), (a), and (ii) may be used. These terms are only for distinguishing the components from other components, and the nature or order of the components is not limited by the terms. When a component is described as being "connected", "coupled", or "fastened" to other component, the component may be directly connected or fastened to the other component, but it will be understood that another component may be "connected", "coupled", or "fastened" between the components. An embodiment of the disclosure may relate to a detection device for detecting a target analyte in a sample. In the disclosure, the term "sample" may comprise a biological sample (e.g., cells, tissues, and fluids from a biological source) and a non-biological sample (e.g., food, water, and soil). Examples of the biological sample may comprise viruses, bacteria, tissues, cells, blood (e.g., whole blood, plasma, and serum), lymph, bone marrow fluid, salvia, sputum, swab, aspiration, milk, urine, feces, ocular fluid, semen, brain extract, spinal fluid, joint fluid, thymus fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, ascites, and amniotic fluid. Also, the sample ma