|Número de publicación||US6940055 B2|
|Tipo de publicación||Concesión|
|Número de solicitud||US 10/172,993|
|Fecha de publicación||6 Sep 2005|
|Fecha de presentación||18 Jun 2002|
|Fecha de prioridad||12 Dic 2000|
|También publicado como||US6423948, US20020070208, US20020179590, WO2002047821A1|
|Número de publicación||10172993, 172993, US 6940055 B2, US 6940055B2, US-B2-6940055, US6940055 B2, US6940055B2|
|Inventores||Joseph Kwasnoski, F. Raymond Salemme|
|Cesionario original||Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C.|
|Exportar cita||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Citas de patentes (11), Citada por (5), Clasificaciones (7), Eventos legales (6)|
|Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesión de USPTO, Espacenet|
This application is a Divisional patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/012,560, filed Dec. 12, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,948, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/254,582, filed on Dec. 12, 2000.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multi-well vessels and, more particularly, to multi-well vessels, such as microtiter plates, with integral heaters.
2. Background Art
Multi-well vessels, such as microtiter plates, are used for storage, processing and testing of biological and chemical samples in the pharmaceutical industry, for example. In many instances, a temperature controlled environment is required to preserve compound integrity or to conduct experiments where temperature is a controlled parameter. It is often desirable to position heating and/or cooling elements close to the samples in order to efficiently control the temperature in the multi-well vessel in a quick an uniform manner.
A typical approach is to provide a cooled or heated metal block, such as aluminum, in contact with a thin-walled plastic microtiter plate. However, the plate-to-block fit is typically inconsistent, which results in inconsistent heating and cooling. Also, the typically large thermal mass of the metal block causes undesirable effects such as temperature non-uniformity between samples. The large thermal mass of the metal block also limits the speed, or response time, at which the samples can be thermally cycled.
What is needed is a method and system for quickly, uniformly, and consistently controlling temperature in multi-well vessels.
The present invention is a multi-well system, which includes a multi-well vessel such as a microtiter plate, and an integral heater formed therein for quickly, uniformly, and consistently controlling temperature. In an implementation, the integral heater includes a heater plate beneath wells of a microtiter plate. In an implementation, the integral heater includes resistive wires positioned beneath and/or between wells of a microtiter plate.
In an embodiment, the multi-well vessel includes optically clear well bottoms that permit sensing and measurement of samples through the optically clear well bottoms. In an implementation, the integral heater includes an optically clear heater positioned beneath the optically clear well bottoms. In an implementation, the integral heater includes resistive wires between the wells.
In an embodiment, the multi-well vessel system includes a lid with an integral heater, which can include a heater plate, resistive wires, and the like.
In an embodiment, the multi-well vessel system includes an integral non-contact heater, such as a ferrous plate and/or ferrous particles, powder and/or fibers, which generate heat when subjected to an electromagnetic field, which can be generated by an inductive coil, for example.
In an embodiment, the multi-well vessel system includes a non-metallic substance, which generates heat when subjected to microwave radiation.
In an embodiment, the multi-well vessel system includes an integral thermostat that maintains a substantially constant temperature in the multi-well vessel system.
Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein. Such embodiments are presented herein for illustrative purposes only. Additional embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein.
The drawing in which an element first appears is typically indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding reference number.
The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Table of Contents
Microtiter Plate with Integral Heater
Integral Heater Plate
Integral Resistive Heater Wires
Optically Clear Well Bottoms
Microtiter Plate Lid with Integral Heater
Integral Non-Contact Heating
Electromagnetic Power Source
Microwave Power Source
I. Microtiter Plate with Integral Heater
A. System Overview
The present invention is a method and system for quickly, uniformly, and consistently controlling temperature in multi-well vessels such as microtiter plates.
The microtiter plate system 110 includes a support structure or body 112, and a plurality of wells 114 formed therein for holding test samples. The body 112 is preferably formed from a thermally conductive and chemically inert material. The body 112 includes a heater integrally formed therein. Example implementations of the heater are illustrated in
The integral heater is preferably in direct contact with the thermally conductive and chemically inert material that forms the body 112. In an embodiment, the body 112 is encapsulated by an insulating material 116, which minimizes environmental effects while providing suitable access to the wells 114 for filling the wells 114, measuring effects within the wells 114, etc.
Example implementations of the microtiter plate system 110 are provided below.
B. Integral Heater Plate
In an embodiment, the microtiter body 112 includes a heater plate integrally formed therein. For example,
An optional controller 214 includes a heater power controller 218, which provides electrical power to the heater plate 210 through contacts 216 and 212. The contacts 216 can be pogo type contacts, for example.
In an embodiment, the heater plate 210 is controlled by a feedback loop that includes one or more temperature sensors and controller 214. The temperature sensor(s) can include one or more integral temperature sensors 220 and/or one or more an external temperature sensors, such as an infrared temperature sensor 1010 illustrated in FIG. 10. Integral temperature sensor(s) 220 can include an RTD, a thermistor, a thermocouple, or any other suitable temperature sensor, and combinations thereof.
The integral temperature sensor 220, or an external temperature sensor, provides temperature information 222 to the controller 214. For example, temperature information 222 can be provided to a sensor amplifier 224 within the controller 214, which can amplify and/or process the temperature information 222, to control the electrical power output by the heater power controller 218. In an embodiment, the heater power controller 218 is an on/off type of controller. In an alternative embodiment, the heater power controller 218 provides a variable output.
C. Integral Resistive Heater Wires
In an embodiment, the microtiter body 112 includes resistive heater wires integrally formed therein. Heat is generated by the resistive heater wires when a power source is coupled across opposite ends of the wires.
Preferably, the resistive heater wires 310 are controlled by the control system 214 and one or more temperature sensors, as described above with reference to FIG. 2.
D. Optically Clear Well Bottoms
In an embodiment, the microtiter body 112 includes optically clear well bottoms and an integral heater that does not obstruct the optically clear well bottoms.
Preferably, the optically clear heater 410 is controlled by the control system 214 and one or more temperature sensors, as described above with reference to FIG. 2.
Preferably, the resistive heater wires 510 are controlled by the control system 214, and one or more temperature sensors, as described above with reference to FIG. 2.
E. Microtiter Plate Lid with Integral Heater
In an embodiment, the microtiter plate system 110 includes a lid with an integral heater. For example,
In alternative embodiments, the lid 610 includes a heater plate 210, as illustrated in
In the example of
F. Integral Non-Contact Heating
1. Electromagnetic Power Source
In an embodiment, the microtiter plate system 110 includes an integral, non-contact (i.e., no electrical connections between a microtiter plate and a power source) heater. An integral non-contact heater is useful where, for example, flammability and/or other safety issues arise.
In an embodiment, the electromagnetic field is generated by an induction coil. For example,
In an embodiment, the driving current provided to the induction coil 910 is controlled by a feedback loop similar to that described with reference to FIG. 2. For example,
In an embodiment, a lid is provided and includes a ferrous plate and/or ferrous particles, powder and/or fibers embedded therein.
In an embodiment, a non-contact heater system includes optically clear well bottoms.
2. Microwave Generator
In an embodiment, one or more integral temperature sensors 1505 control the temperature of the system 110 by regulating the power supplied to the microwave generator 1510. Power to the microwave generator 1510 is controlled by measuring the temperature indicated by the temperature sensors 1505 located inside the microtiter plate system 110. As the temperature increases, power to the microwave generator is adjusted using a computer controller (not shown).
G. Integral Thermostat
In many applications, a relatively constant temperature must be maintained. For example, many experiments need to be incubated to 37° C., or body temperature. Temperature control of a microtiter plate is typically provided by a cooled or heated metal block, typically aluminum, which is in contact with a thin-walled plastic microtiter plate. Alternatively, temperature control of a microtiter plate is typically provided by a heated or refrigerated environment for the microtiter plate. These approaches are insufficient if additional tests or manipulations are to be performed on the microtiter plate because associated enclosures tend to limit access to the sample wells.
Thus, in an embodiment of the present invention, the microtiter plate system 110 includes an integral self-regulating heating system. For example,
The integral thermostat 1210 can be a bimetal disc thermostat, for example. Alternatively, the functionality of the integral thermostat 1210 can be implemented with an equivalent solid state device or with a micro-controller that includes a temperature sensor and a power switch. Current pob and chip fabrication technology will allow for the latter two embodiments in the range of 0-100° C.
In the example of
The integral thermostat 1210 switches on or off depending on the temperature of the body 112. For example, as illustrated in
Example embodiments of the methods, systems, and components of the present invention have been described herein. As noted elsewhere, these example embodiments have been described for illustrative purposes only, and are not limiting. Other embodiments are possible and are covered by the invention. Such other embodiments include but are not limited to hardware, software, and software/hardware implementations of the methods, systems, and components of the invention. Such other embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
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|Clasificación de EE.UU.||219/635, 219/709, 219/433|
|Clasificación cooperativa||Y10S435/809, B01L3/50851|
|18 Jun 2002||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: 3-DIMENSIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC., PENNSYLVANIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:KWASNOSKI, JOSEPH;SALEMME, F. RAYMOND;REEL/FRAME:013020/0522
Effective date: 20011210
|13 May 2005||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: JOHNSON & JOHNSON PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH AND DEVE
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:3-DIMENSIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:016014/0053
Effective date: 20040624
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|11 Nov 2010||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: JOHNSON & JOHNSON PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & DEVELO
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Effective date: 20030328
|6 Dic 2010||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, CALIFORNIA
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