US 11,692,220 B2
Apparatus for applying thermal energy to a receptacle and detecting an emission signal from the receptacle
David Buse, San Diego, CA (US); David Howard Combs, San Diego, CA (US); Norbert D. Hagen, Carlsbad, CA (US); David Opalsky, San Diego, CA (US); Bruce Richardson, Los Gatos, CA (US); Anita Prasad, Los Gatos, CA (US); Keith Moravick, Los Gatos, CA (US); Tyler Moore, Los Gatos, CA (US); and Byron J. Knight, San Diego, CA (US)
Assigned to GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by Gen-Probe Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 21, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/27,433.
Application 17/027,433 is a continuation of application No. 17/025,735, filed on Sep. 18, 2020, granted, now 11,230,733.
Application 17/025,735 is a continuation of application No. 16/434,910, filed on Jun. 7, 2019, granted, now 10,961,572.
Application 16/434,910 is a continuation of application No. 13/956,022, filed on Jul. 31, 2013, granted, now 10,494,668, issued on Dec. 3, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/783,952, filed on Mar. 14, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/677,976, filed on Jul. 31, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2021/0002705 A1, Jan. 7, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C12Q 1/686 (2018.01); B01L 7/00 (2006.01); G01N 21/64 (2006.01); B01L 9/06 (2006.01)
CPC C12Q 1/686 (2013.01) [B01L 7/52 (2013.01); G01N 21/6452 (2013.01); B01L 9/06 (2013.01); B01L 2200/141 (2013.01); B01L 2200/142 (2013.01); B01L 2300/042 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0654 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0829 (2013.01); B01L 2300/0851 (2013.01); B01L 2300/1822 (2013.01); G01N 2021/6482 (2013.01); G01N 2021/6484 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions, the apparatus comprising:
a thermally-conductive receptacle holder comprising a plurality of receptacle wells, each of the receptacle wells being configured to receive a receptacle, and each of the receptacle wells having a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the receptacle well to an outer surface of the receptacle holder;
a cover rotatable between an open position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, wherein the cover does not obstruct access to the receptacle wells when the cover is in the open position, wherein the cover blocks access to the receptacle wells when the cover is in the closed position, and wherein the cover is configured to exert a force onto each of any receptacles in the receptacle wells when the cover is in the closed position, wherein the cover is affixed to a rigid rotatable member, the rotatable member being in movable communication with an electric motor, and wherein the cover comprises a plurality of flexible extensions attached to and extending laterally away from the rotatable member; and
a plurality of optical fibers, each of the optical fibers providing optical communication between one of the receptacle wells and at least one of an excitation signal source and an emission signal detector, wherein a first end of each of the optical fibers is disposed outside, within, or extends through the through-hole of a corresponding one of the receptacle wells, and wherein a second end of each optical fiber is in optical communication with the excitation signal source and/or the emission signal detector.