JP2005509128A - Thermostatic device with temperature control device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention pertains to an incubator system provided with a temperature control system comprising a chamber (13) that is suitable for housing a substrate (3,4), and at least one wall that is partially or wholly transparent (2), characterized in that the incubator system comprises a heater (6), a system for providing a thermal flow (7), and a thermal resistance barrier (8) that thermally separates the chamber and the partially or wholly transparent wall.

Description

  The present invention relates to an incubator system provided with a thermal control device.

  Thermostats are known in the art. For example, in PCT / US00 / 24885, a thermostatic apparatus suitable for providing a substrate such as a metal oxide film having a through-going oriented channel that can be manufactured inexpensively through electrochemical etching of a metal sheet. Is disclosed. Such membranes have orientation channels with well-controlled diameters and favorable chemical surface properties. When used in analysis, a channel in at least one region of the surface of an electrochemically produced metal oxide film is provided with a first binding substance that can bind to the analyte.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the metal oxide film is composed of aluminum oxide. The reagents used in these analyzes are held in the channels of the substrate, and the sample fluid is contacted with the reagents through the channels.

  The apparatus comprises one or more circular wells having a diameter, the wells exposing a substrate of a specific thickness, the substrate having oriented through channels, and in the region of the substrate exposed by the wells. Is provided with at least one binding substance specific to at least one of the analytes. Sample fluid is added to one or more wells of the device, and the amount of sample fluid added is calculated based on the well and substrate dimensions. Another flow is generated through the substrate in the well, so that the liquid volume of the sample fluid is routed through the channel of the substrate under conditions that favor the reaction between the analyte present in the sample and the binding material. At the same time, it is returned from the upper side of the substrate to the lower side of the substrate and at least once returned. Any signal generated in any of the plurality of wells is read and from the signal the presence, amount and / or identity of the one or more analytes is determined. If the top wall of the thermostat is covered with a transparent material such as a glass cover, the well can be analyzed and the read signal can be determined through the glass. It goes without saying that it is advantageous to close the incubator on the side of the well to avoid contamination and uncontrolled processes. When closed, the well must remain visible to allow measurement of the generated signal. The problem is therefore that the water present in the thermostat condenses on the relatively cool walls. Condensation on the water glass cover severely reduces the transparency of the glass cover, thereby hindering signal measurement.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a solution and prevent water from condensing on transparent walls.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a thermostatic device comprising a temperature control device having a chamber suitable for containing a substrate and at least one wall partly or wholly transparent, the heater and the heat flow. There is provided a thermostatic device comprising: a feeding device; and a heat-resistant barrier that thermally separates the chamber and the partially or totally transparent wall portion.

  The invention will be further described with reference to the drawings. Of course, it is obvious that the invention is not limited to these examples and can be varied in many ways within the scope of the claims.

  Referring to the drawings, an embodiment of the thermostatic device of the present invention is shown. The thermostat typically comprises a casing 1 made of metal or other thermally conductive material and a partially or totally transparent wall 2. These transparent members are made of glass such as Pyrex glass or transparent plastic, and the like. The transparent member is at least located above the well so that the sample signal can be measured. The apparatus includes a chamber 14. The chamber 14 includes an array film holder apparatus including an array film 3 and a holder 4 having wells 5 as substrates in this embodiment. The well 5 has a cylindrical structure, for example, so that a sample can be introduced. The array membrane can be known as such, for example from EP 0975427. The array membrane holder with wells can be formed from any material, such as metal or plastic. The thermostat may further comprise one or more switching means 10 for selecting an array cuvette whose sample flow is to be driven by a pressure controller (not further shown). Good. At least one heater 6 is required to maintain the temperature within a narrow range that is conveniently defined. The temperature is measured by one or a plurality of temperature sensors 11. The heater 6 can be any kind of heater, but is usually electrically driven, for example by a spiral filament. Preferably, the heater 6 and the temperature sensor 11 are connected to a control device (not shown) so as to obtain a temperature control device having a feedback loop.

  The thermostatic device further includes a heat-resistant barrier 8 provided between the transparent wall 2 and the array film holder 4. This heat resistant barrier completely separates the array membrane holder from the transparent wall. In the apparatus shown, heat flow is generated to keep the temperature within the array membrane holder apparatus constant. In the preferred embodiment, a circulating heat flow is generated. Due to this heat flow, a heat flow is formed from the heat-resistant barrier 8 toward the array film holder 4. Such heat flow is provided by a heat flow device 7, which may comprise a heat pump, a heat exchanger, or preferably a Peltier element. Alternatively, the heat flow device can be formed with two separate heating elements. The space between the refractory barrier and the array membrane holder is filled with a metal or other thermally conductive material 13, which may be different from or the same as the metal or thermally conductive material 1.

  The refractory barrier can be a single layer structure or a multilayer structure so that each layer can be controlled by the device in two ways: the sample level temperature and the temperature gradient within and between different parts of the thermostat. In addition, it is formed from any heat-resistant material that is suitably chosen to have suitable heat capacity characteristics. The heat resistant barrier can be formed from any heat resistant material. Preferably, one or more organic polymeric materials such as polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, and the like are used. When a multilayer structure is used, a combination of such materials can be used.

  The heating device 9 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is composed of a heating element continuous with, for example, a Peltier element. The Peltier element generates a circulating heat flow through the thermostat so that the temperature of the transparent wall (i.e. the cover) is always higher than the temperature of the sample volume, and the ambient temperature across the transparent cover is large. Does not oppose the cooling effect. As already mentioned, other embodiments can be used to provide heat flow.

  The temperature sensor 11 is preferably located in the casing 1 near the array membrane holder. Because of the relatively high heat transfer properties of the aluminum surrounding the array membrane (when an aluminum casing is used), the temperature accuracy of the array membrane and sample fluid is high throughout the chamber. Preferably, the heater and the device for applying heat flow are arranged together with the heating device. More preferably, the heater and the device providing the heat flow are thermally insulated from the array film holder and the heat resistant barrier. In another preferred embodiment, both the heater and the device that provides the circulating heat flow, or both as a heating device, are thermally insulated from the array membrane holder and the refractory barrier by using a thermally insulating material 12. In order to provide sufficient heat flow from the refractory barrier to the array membrane holder, it is advantageous to house the heating device partially or entirely in such an insulating material. Conventional thermal insulation materials known to those skilled in the art can be used for this purpose. Such a device is preferred when a circulating heat flow is to be obtained.

  Note that a heat sink or other suitable heat release means may be provided on the underside of the casing 1. In this method, if the temperature gradient of the apparatus is sufficient to maintain the heat flow, the temperature of the array film can be maintained at a desired level without using a Peltier element in the heating apparatus 7. The heat sink can be coupled to the underside of the casing 1 via a Peltier element if desired. When such a heat release means is used in the constant temperature apparatus described above, the temperature can be set to the ambient temperature or lower.

It is sectional drawing which shows the Example of this invention. It is a figure which shows the thermostat of the Example of FIG. 1 in detail.

Explanation of symbols

2 Wall 3, 4 Substrate 6 Heater 7 Heat flow device 8 Heat-resistant barrier 13 Chamber

Claims (10)

A thermostatic device comprising a temperature control device having a chamber (13) suitable for containing a substrate (3, 4) and at least one wall (2) which is partially or totally transparent. ,
A heater (6);
A device (7) for applying heat flow;
A heat resistant barrier (8) that thermally separates the chamber and the partially or totally transparent wall;
A thermostatic device comprising: The thermostat according to claim 1,
The apparatus for providing a heat flow includes a second heater, a heat pump, a heat exchanger, or a Peltier element. The thermostat according to claim 1 or 2,
The thermostatic device, wherein the array film holder is made of polycarbonate. In the thermostat according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The thermostat is characterized by having a single layer structure or a multilayer structure. In the thermostat according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The thermostatic device is characterized in that the heat-resistant barrier is made of polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, or a combination thereof. In the thermostat as described in any one of Claim 1 to 5,
The thermostatic device, wherein the heater and the device for applying the heat flow are disposed together in a heating device. In the thermostat as described in any one of Claim 1 to 6,
The thermostatic device, wherein the heater and the device for applying the heat flow are thermally isolated from the array film holder and the heat-resistant barrier. In the thermostat as described in any one of Claim 1 to 7,
The thermostatic device, wherein the transparent wall is made of glass. In the thermostat as described in any one of Claim 1 to 7,
The thermostatic device, wherein the heat flow is a circulating flow. In the thermostat according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A thermostatic device further comprising a heat sink and an additional heat pump, heat exchanger, or Peltier element.

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