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KR-102963884-B1 - Thermal Cycler

KR102963884B1KR 102963884 B1KR102963884 B1KR 102963884B1KR-102963884-B1

Abstract

A thermal cycler according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a thermal module for heating or cooling one side of a sample holder in which a sample is received; a thermal pusher including a pressurizing part for pressing the sample holder against the thermal module and a heating part for heating the opposite side of the one side of the sample holder; and a slot space formed between the thermal module and the thermal pusher and capable of positioning one or more sample holders.

Inventors

  • 김재영

Assignees

  • 주식회사 씨젠

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20211125
Priority Date
20201126

Claims (20)

  1. A thermal module comprising a first heating element for heating one side of a sample holder in which a sample is received and a cooling element for cooling; A thermal pusher comprising a second heating element for heating the opposite surface of the one side of the sample holder, and configured to press the sample holder to press against the thermal module; and A slot space formed between the thermal module and the thermal pusher, capable of accommodating one or more sample holders; A thermal cycler including
  2. In Article 1, The above thermal module is, It includes a first heat conductor configured to contact the one surface of the sample holder, a first heating element for heating the first heat conductor, and a cooling element for cooling the first heat conductor. The above thermal pusher is, A thermal cycler characterized by including a heating unit comprising a second heat conductor configured to contact the opposing surface of the sample holder and a second heating element for heating the second heat conductor.
  3. In Article 1, The above thermal pusher is, A support unit configured to have the second heating element coupled thereto and to face the opposite surface of the sample holder; and A thermal cycler characterized by including a pressurizing unit comprising a driving unit for moving the support unit in a direction toward the thermal module.
  4. In Article 2, A thermal cycler characterized in that the first thermal conductor and the second thermal conductor include a metal layer.
  5. In Article 2, A thermal cycler characterized in that the first heating element and the second heating element are controlled to heat the sample holder to at least one of two target temperatures.
  6. In Article 2, The first heating element and the second heating element include a resistance heating element, A thermal cycler characterized in that the above-mentioned cooling element includes a thermoelectric element.
  7. In Article 1, A thermal cycler characterized in that the slot space is configured in a shape such that the sample holder can be positioned in a vertical direction.
  8. In Article 1, A thermal cycler characterized in that the above slot space is configured in a shape in which a square column-shaped sample holder can be positioned.
  9. In Paragraph 3, The thermal cycler is characterized by the above thermal pusher including a light path that penetrates the support unit and the second heating element, with one end opening in a direction toward the thermal module.
  10. In Article 9, A thermal cycler characterized by having one or more optical fibers inserted into the above optical path.
  11. In Article 9, The above slot space is configured to accommodate a plurality of the above sample holders arranged side by side, and A thermal cycler characterized in that the above optical path is formed at a position corresponding to each of the sample holders.
  12. In Article 9, A thermal cycler characterized by having a lens provided in the opening of the above-mentioned optical path facing the above-mentioned thermal module.
  13. In Article 1, A thermal cycler characterized by further including a cover portion that covers at least three of the four sides of the slot space to thermally isolate the sample holder from the outside.
  14. In Article 1, A thermal cycler characterized by further including a cover portion for covering at least three directions of the surface of a sample holder located in the slot space and in close contact with the thermal module, which is not covered by the thermal module and the thermal pusher.
  15. A method of operation of a thermal cycler comprising: a thermal module for selectively heating or cooling one side of a sample holder in which a sample is received; a thermal pusher including a pressure part for pressing the sample holder against the thermal module and a heating part for heating the opposite side of the one side of the sample holder; and a slot space formed between the thermal module and the thermal pusher and capable of positioning one or more sample holders. A positioning step of positioning the sample holder in the slot space; A contact step of operating the thermal pusher to bring the sample holder into close contact with the thermal module; A heating step for heating the sample holder; and It includes a cooling step for cooling the sample holder, A method of operation of a thermal cycler characterized by maintaining the contact step while the heating step and the cooling step are performed.
  16. In Article 15, In the above contact step, A method of operation of a thermal cycler in which the heating part is in close contact with the opposite surface of the sample holder.
  17. In Article 16, In the above contact step, A method of operation of a thermal cycler in which one surface of the above sample holder is in close contact with a thermal conductor of the above thermal module.
  18. In Article 16, In the above contact step, A method of operation of a thermal cycler in which the heat conductor of the heating part is in close contact with the opposite surface of the sample holder.
  19. In Article 15, In the above heating step, The above thermal module is a method of operation of a thermal cycler that heats one side of the above sample holder.
  20. In Article 15, In the above cooling step, The above thermal module is a method of operation of a thermal cycler that cools one side of the above sample holder.

Description

Thermal Cycler The present invention relates to a thermal cycler for nucleic acid reactions. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most widely used nucleic acid amplification reaction and involves a repeated cycle of denaturation of double-stranded DNA, annealing of oligonucleotide primers into a DNA template, and primer extension by DNA polymerase (Mullis et al., U.S. Patents No. 4,683,195, 4,683,202 and 4,800,159; Saiki et al., (1985) Science 230, 1350-1354). Denaturation of DNA proceeds at approximately 95 degrees, and annealing and primer extension proceed at temperatures lower than 95 degrees, between 55 and 75 degrees. A typical real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) device comprises a thermal cycler in which a reaction vessel is located and which performs a nucleic acid amplification reaction of a sample contained in the reaction vessel, and an optics mechanism that analyzes (or monitors) the nucleic acid amplification reaction in real time. The PCR device requires a light irradiation and detection method capable of high energy efficiency and accurate detection of target nucleic acids in the operation of the thermal cycler and the optics mechanism. Looking at the structure of a PCR device according to the prior art, a thermal cycler in which a reaction vessel is located is provided at the bottom of the device, and an optical device is provided at the top of the device so as to be driven up and down by a motor or the like, positioned adjacent to and spaced apart from the upper surface of the reaction vessel. The thermal cycler performs an amplification reaction by heating or cooling the reaction vessel from the lower side of the reaction vessel, and the optical device includes a light source that irradiates excitation light onto the upper surface of the reaction vessel and a photodetector that detects emitted light from a sample solution, thereby analyzing the amplification reaction in real time. However, the above-mentioned PCR device is designed for simultaneously detecting nucleic acids from a large volume of samples. The thermal cycler of the conventional PCR device is structured to be suitable for well-plate type reaction vessels, and there is a problem in that it is difficult to apply to POC systems designed to process extraction and nucleic acid detection from small volumes of samples in a one-step manner using a single cartridge. Therefore, as a thermal cycler suitable for Point-of-Care (POC) systems, there is a need to develop a thermal cycler that ensures high energy efficiency, blocks external light, and can accurately detect target nucleic acids. FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a thermal cycler according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a part of a thermal cycler according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a part of a thermal cycler according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing the operating state of a thermal cycler according to one embodiment of the present invention. The present invention will be described in more detail below through examples. These examples are intended solely to illustrate the present invention more specifically, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not limited by these examples according to the gist of the invention. It should be noted that when assigning reference numerals to the components of each drawing, the same components are assigned the same reference numeral whenever possible, even if they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions could obscure the essence of the invention, such detailed description is omitted. In addition, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used when describing the components of the present invention. These terms are intended only to distinguish the components from other components, and the essence, order, or sequence of the components is not limited by the terms. Where it is stated that a component is "connected," "combined," or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that the component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but that another component may also be "connected," "combined," or "connected" between each component. In this specification, the term “sample” refers to a substance that contains or is presumed to contain an analyte. “Samples” may include biological samples (e.g., cells, tissues, and body fluids from biological sources) and non-biological samples (e.g., food, water, and soil). The biological samples may include, but are not limited to, viruses, bacteria, tissues, cells, blood (e.g., whole blood, plasma, and serum), lymph, bone marrow fluid, saliva, sputum, swabs, aspirations, breast milk, urine, feces, ocular fluid, s