EP1618954A1 - Probenröhrchen aus Stahl - Google Patents

Probenröhrchen aus Stahl Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1618954A1
EP1618954A1 EP04077039A EP04077039A EP1618954A1 EP 1618954 A1 EP1618954 A1 EP 1618954A1 EP 04077039 A EP04077039 A EP 04077039A EP 04077039 A EP04077039 A EP 04077039A EP 1618954 A1 EP1618954 A1 EP 1618954A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sample
tube
sample tube
wall
steel
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04077039A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Edwin De Wit
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Tata Steel Ijmuiden BV
Original Assignee
Corus Staal BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Corus Staal BV filed Critical Corus Staal BV
Priority to EP04077039A priority Critical patent/EP1618954A1/de
Publication of EP1618954A1 publication Critical patent/EP1618954A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
    • B01L3/508—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes rigid containers not provided for above
    • B01L3/5082—Test tubes per se
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/12—Specific details about materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/18—Means for temperature control
    • B01L2300/1805—Conductive heating, heat from thermostatted solids is conducted to receptacles, e.g. heating plates, blocks
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
    • B01L3/508—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes rigid containers not provided for above
    • B01L3/5085—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes rigid containers not provided for above for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates
    • B01L3/50851—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes rigid containers not provided for above for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates specially adapted for heating or cooling samples
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L7/00—Heating or cooling apparatus; Heat insulating devices
    • B01L7/52—Heating or cooling apparatus; Heat insulating devices with provision for submitting samples to a predetermined sequence of different temperatures, e.g. for treating nucleic acid samples

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a sample tube, for instance for use in a PCR thermal cycler.
  • Such a tube is known from US patent 6,015,534.
  • the known sample tube is filled with a sample.
  • the sample may contain, for instance, DNA.
  • the sample tube may be used in combination with a thermal cycler, to perform a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the DNA, wherein a certain liquid reaction mixture is cycled through a PCR protocol including several different temperature incubation periods.
  • PCR polymerase chain reaction
  • 96 sample tubes are used at the same time, in a microtiter plate format, for performing PCR reactions.
  • the sample tube known from US 6,015,534 is a thin walled disposable tube, having a conical section, for decreasing the delay between changes in the temperature of a sample block and corresponding changes in temperature of the reaction mixture.
  • this known sample tube is made of polypropylene such as Himont PD701 with a wall thickness in the range of 0.009 to 0.012 inches, corresponding to 226 - 301 ⁇ m.
  • a problem of the sample tube shown in US 6,015,534 is, that a delay between changes in the temperature of an environment of the tube on the one hand and corresponding changes in temperature of a sample contained therein on the other hand are still relatively large. Therefore, it is relatively difficult to bring the sample within a desired period of time to a desired treatment temperature during use.
  • a cylindrical sample container is known, made of metal having a thickness in the range from 0.02 mm to 1.0 mm, further having a resin layer having a thickness ranging from 1 ⁇ m to 100 ⁇ m.
  • US 6,140,631 discloses one example of an aluminium container, having a bottomed cylindrical shape and a wall thickness of 0.29 mm, further having a polypropylene layer of 0.01 mm.
  • this example of an aluminium sample container had a 40% of increase of speed of temperature rise, whereas a delay of temperature rise is decreased, in comparison with one mainly constituted of polypropylene.
  • a disadvantage of this example of an aluminium sample container is, that its utilisation still leads to relatively long delays in the thermal control of a sample contained therein. Besides, the thin wall of this aluminium sample container is relatively weak, which makes the handling of that container difficult. Also, aluminium is relatively vulnerable to higher temperatures, so that the aluminium sample container may not be so durable during a certain thermal process.
  • the present invention aims to provide a durable sample tube, suitable for a precise control of the temperature of a sample contained therein, wherein a sample can be brought to one or more desired temperatures relatively fast.
  • a sample tube for instance for use in a PCR thermal cycler, wherein the tube comprises a steel wall.
  • the sample tube according to the invention provides for relatively short delays between changes in the temperature of an environment of the tube on the one hand and corresponding temperature changes of a sample contained in the tube on the other hand. Therefore, a precise control of the sample temperature can be achieved during use of the present sample tube. For instance, any desired warming up of contents of the present sample tube can be achieved relatively fast, so that said contents may undergo any thermal process relatively fast, resulting in a high throughput and/or short analysis times. Similarly, any desired cooling down of a sample contained in the tube can be achieved relatively fast.
  • the steel wall has a relatively homogeneous thickness distribution, particularly in respect to the wall thickness of a known polypropylene sample tube. Because of the relatively homogeneous thickness distribution of the present sample tube wall, heat conductivity through the tube wall can be controlled more effectively, leading to an increased chance of success of a temperature dependent treatment, reaction and/or process which takes place in the sample tube during use. Also, because of the homogeneous thickness distribution of the steel tube wall, any results concerning samples which have been treated using a number of the present sample tubes at the same time, will be more reliable.
  • sample tube according to the present invention is durable.
  • the steel tube wall can be made relatively thin, for instance in the below-mentioned range of about 50-200 ⁇ m whilst remaining sufficiently robust for use.
  • the present sample tube can be handled conveniently and at high speed, for instance using robot handlers or the like, wherein the risk is low that the tube is deformed or broken.
  • the sample tube according to the present invention is relatively resistant to temperature changes and to high temperatures, depending on the polymer used, of up to 200°C. Consequently, the tube wall may substantially retain its shape and its size during a thermal process, also retaining said desired homogeneous wall thickness distribution, so that a desired temperature control of the contents of the sample tube can be upheld.
  • the present invention is based, amongst others, on the notion, that steel has a relatively high heat transfer coefficient. Besides, steel has a relatively low heat capacity, for instance with respect to polypropylene and aluminium.
  • the application of steel in the wall of a sample tube brings a fast and efficient heat transfer between the tube environment and a sample contained in the tube. Until the present invention, apparently to use steel as a sample tube wall material was unknown.
  • At least part of said steel wall forms a conical section.
  • the conical section is suitable for holding a relatively small sample within a confined space, so that the sample may be thermally controlled in a well-defined manner. Besides, such a conical section can make good thermal contact with, for instance, a surrounding heat exchanger.
  • the volume of said conical section may be, for instance, in the range of about 0.01-0.50 ml, for instance about 100 ⁇ l.
  • the inner surface of said steel wall comprises a polymer coating.
  • Such a coating prevents direct contact between the sample and the steel wall.
  • the polymer coating may prevent certain samples from sticking to the steel wall. Besides, the coating may protect samples which may be adversely affected by direct contact with steel. Furthermore, the polymer coating avoids interference between the sample and the steel wall.
  • a suitable coating material comprises a polypropylene or a polyester.
  • the polymer coating is relatively thin.
  • said polymer coating may have a thickness which is less than the thickness of said steel wall. Therefore, the overall tube wall, comprising the steel wall and said polymer coating, has a relatively high heat transfer coefficient for providing precise and fast control of the sample temperature.
  • the said steel wall has a thickness in the range of about 50-200 ⁇ m, more preferably 70-140 ⁇ m.
  • the heat capacity of such a sample tube is relatively low, which leads to desired high rates of heat transfer between the tube environment and the tube contents.
  • the temperature of the tube contents can be controlled efficiently.
  • the internal volume of the tube is less than about 1 ml.
  • the tube is particularly suitable for thermally controlling small samples, for instance for sample treatment and/or sample testing purposes.
  • the internal volume of the sample tube may be in the range of about 0,1-0,5 ml.
  • a method for manufacturing a sample tube particularly a sample tube according to the invention, wherein a blank is cut from steel sheet and the blank is drawn to a tube.
  • the blank may be of polymer coated steel sheet or alternatively, draw forming may take place in a so-called polymer injection forming process.
  • any value which is provided with a term such as 'circa', 'about' or 'substantially' is to be construed as indicating a range from minus 10% to plus 10% of that value.
  • Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a sample tube 1, for instance for use in a PCR thermal cycler.
  • the sample tube 1 has an upper, substantially cylindrical section 4 and an integral lower, conical section 5 having a rounded tip.
  • a sample can be held in a relatively small space, in the lower part of the conical section 5.
  • the wall 2 of the tube 1 is made from steel.
  • the inner surface of the tube wall 2 is coated with a plastic layer 3.
  • the coating 3 comprises of polypropylene.
  • different coating materials may be used.
  • the overall internal volume of the tube 1, which is surrounded by the surface of said coating 3, is less than about 1 ml.
  • the internal volume of the sample tube is in the range of about 0.1-0.5 ml, particularly about 0.2 ml.
  • the volume I of said conical section 5 is preferably less than 0.2 ml, for instance about 100 ⁇ l, for receiving relatively small samples during use.
  • At least part of said steel wall 2 has a thickness in the range of circa 50-100 ⁇ m.
  • at least the conical section 5 has such a wall thickness in the range of circa 50-100 ⁇ m, measured in a direction perpendicular to said conical section, which direction has been indicated with a dashed line X in fig. 1.
  • the first, cylindrical section 4 may have a similar wall thickness, or for instance a somewhat greater thickness.
  • Said coating 3 has a thickness which is less than the thickness of said steel wall 2.
  • the thickness of the coating 3 is less than about 50 ⁇ m, particularly less than about 25 ⁇ m.
  • the sample tube 1 is filled with a sample S. Then, the temperature of the tube 1 is being controlled, for instance by heating or cooling the tube wall 2, for controlling the temperature of the sample S.
  • Fig. 2 shows a particular embodiment of the use of a number of sample tubes 1.
  • the sample tubes 1 are positioned in suitable apertures 6 of a metal block H.
  • Said apertures 6 are substantially conical for receiving the conical sections 5 of the sample tubes 1.
  • the temperature of the metal block H is controlled for controlling the temperatures of the sample tubes 1 and the respective samples S. For instance, a method for performing a polymerase chain reaction may be carried out, using sample tubes 1 in combination with the metal block H.
  • the sample tubes 1 comprise relatively thin steel walls 2 having thin coatings 3, the temperatures of the samples S can be controlled homogeneously, precisely, efficiently and fast. This is particularly ascribed to the application of steel tube walls 2, since steel has a relatively low heat capacity and a relatively high thermal conductivity.
  • the substantially steel sample tubes 1 are relatively durable, mechanically as well as thermally.
  • the present sample tubes 1 are robust, as well as relatively resistant against temperature changes.
  • a thermal process utilizing the sample tubes 1, as has been shown in fig. 2 can be performed relatively safely, wherein chances of deformation or breakage of any of the tubes 1 are relatively low.
  • the robustness of the tubes 1 also allows a fast and safe handling of the tubes 1, for instance transportation to and from the metal block H.
  • a first tube I comprises a polyethylene wall, such as disclosed in US patent 6,015,534 .
  • a second tube II comprises an aluminium wall and a polypropylene coating, similar to the one disclosed in US 6,140,613.
  • a third tube III is a tube according to the present invention, comprising a thin, robust steel wall and a polypropylene coating.
  • Tube III may be made by cutting a circular blank with a diameter of 14.0 mm from a polymer coated steel sheet.
  • the blank is drawn to a cup of 8.0 mm diameter having a height of 4.1 mm in a first drawing step and to a cup of 5.5 mm diameter and 7.5 mm height in a successive drawing step.
  • the bottom of the cup is drawn to a conical shape.
  • the tube is cut to the required height to remove earing that may result from the forming operations.
  • each tube I, II, III is assumed to be just conical, having a height H of 10 mm and an overall base plane diameter Db of 5.5 mm.
  • Dimensions H, Db, Do, Di of the tubes have been indicated in fig. 1.
  • the inner surface of the polyethylene wall encloses a cone having the base plane diameter Di of 5.0 mm.
  • the volume V I of this polyethylene wall is about 1.5*E-8 m 3 .
  • the second tube II has an aluminium wall 2 with a thickness of 0.29 mm, combined with a 0.01 mm layer 3 of polypropylene.
  • the volume of the aluminium wall 2 is about 1.8*E-8 m 3 .
  • the volume of the polyethylene coating 3 is about 5.3*E-10 m 3 .
  • the steel wall has a thickness of 0.135 mm.
  • the polymer layer 3 has a thickness of 0.015 mm.
  • the volume of the steel wall is about 5.8*E-9 m 3 , whereas the volume of the coating is about 9.7*E-10 m 3 .
  • E c p . V . ⁇ . ⁇ T ( J )
  • E the energy (J)
  • c p the heat capacity (J/kg.K)
  • V the volume of the material (m 3 )
  • ⁇ the specific density (kg/m 3 ).
  • Table II gives the results for E, for uncoated and internally polymer coated tubes (values in brackets) respectively, following from the above formula for the tube variants I, II, III, in case a temperature rise of 40K is desired.
  • Table II - results wall thickness (mm) and material coating thickness (mm) and material E(J) tube I 0.22 mm PP - 0.92 (-) tube II 0.29 mm Al (0.01 mm PP) 1.77 (1.81) tube III 0.08 mm steel (0.015 mm PP) 0.86 (0.92)
  • the tube according to the present invention being the third tube III, has a somewhat lower heat capacity compared to the first tube I, which is made completely from polypropylene.
  • the heat capacity of the second tube II, which has an aluminium wall, is significantly higher than the third tube III.
  • the third tube will provide a relatively fast and precise thermal control of the contents thereof, because of the relatively high heat conductivity of steel.
  • Said plastic coating may comprise one or more plastics, for instance polypropylene and/or other suitable plastics.
  • each sample tube may be disposable, to prevent cross-contamination.
  • the sample tube may be provided with a cover.
  • sample tubes may be provided in an assembly of tubes, for instance in a rod-like assembly, plate-like assembly, in a microtiter plate format, and the like.
  • various means can be used for controlling the temperature of the sample tube and its contents.
  • a heat exchanger a thermal cycler, metal sample block, liquid bath, gas flow or airflow, oven etcetera can be used.
  • an upper sample section 4 may be provided with handling means, for instance a rim, flange or the like, for handling purposes.
  • Each sample tube may have various shapes and dimensions.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Hematology (AREA)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Automatic Analysis And Handling Materials Therefor (AREA)
EP04077039A 2004-07-14 2004-07-14 Probenröhrchen aus Stahl Withdrawn EP1618954A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04077039A EP1618954A1 (de) 2004-07-14 2004-07-14 Probenröhrchen aus Stahl

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP04077039A EP1618954A1 (de) 2004-07-14 2004-07-14 Probenröhrchen aus Stahl

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1618954A1 true EP1618954A1 (de) 2006-01-25

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EP04077039A Withdrawn EP1618954A1 (de) 2004-07-14 2004-07-14 Probenröhrchen aus Stahl

Country Status (1)

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Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2247946A5 (en) * 1973-10-16 1975-05-09 Inst Francais Du Petrole Constant wt. absorption tube for microanalysis - is of glass with thin external metal coating
GB2033257A (en) * 1978-10-28 1980-05-21 Fisons Ltd Container Assembly for Centrifuge
US6015534A (en) * 1990-11-29 2000-01-18 The Perkin-Elmer Corporation PCR sample tube
US6140613A (en) * 1996-10-18 2000-10-31 Ngk Insulators, Ltd PCR method for amplifying a gene using metallic sample container having inner surface coated with a resin or metal oxide

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2247946A5 (en) * 1973-10-16 1975-05-09 Inst Francais Du Petrole Constant wt. absorption tube for microanalysis - is of glass with thin external metal coating
GB2033257A (en) * 1978-10-28 1980-05-21 Fisons Ltd Container Assembly for Centrifuge
US6015534A (en) * 1990-11-29 2000-01-18 The Perkin-Elmer Corporation PCR sample tube
US6140613A (en) * 1996-10-18 2000-10-31 Ngk Insulators, Ltd PCR method for amplifying a gene using metallic sample container having inner surface coated with a resin or metal oxide

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 0171, no. 71 (C - 1044) 2 April 1993 (1993-04-02) *

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