US 12,286,669 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. 17/027,363.
Application 17/027,363 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 2021/0062245 A1, Mar. 4, 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)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions, the apparatus comprising:
a thermally-conductive receptacle holder, the 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 movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, the cover being configured to seat or secure receptacles disposed within the receptacle wells when the cover moves from the open position to the closed position; and
a plurality of optical fibers, each of the optical fibers having a first end and a second end, the first end of each optical fiber being in optical communication with an associated one of the receptacle wells, and the second end of each optical fiber being in optical communication with at least one of an excitation signal source and an emission signal detector, wherein the first end of each of the optical fibers extends through the through-hole of the associated receptacle well and into the associated receptacle well when a receptacle is not present in the associated receptacle well and the cover is in the closed position, and wherein the first end of each of the optical fibers contacts a receptacle disposed in the associated receptacle well when the cover is in the closed position.