Patent ID: 7459302
Filing Date: 2008-12-02
Classification: B01L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A thermocycling apparatus comprising: (a) a sample block having a top surface and at least one sample well for receiving a sample tube, said sample block having the ability to cycle between different temperatures; (b) a sample tube having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being the portion protruding past the top surface of said sample block; (c) a side-wall heating block comprising a heat-conducting material, said heat-conducting material comprising at least one sample hole for receiving at least a part of the upper portion of the sample tube; wherein said sample hole runs from an upper surface of said side-wall heating block through a lower surface of said side-wall heating block, said sample hole alignable with said sample well, wherein said side-wall heating block is selected to heat only the upper portion of the sample tube, and wherein said lower portion of said sample tube protrudes past the lower surface of said side-wall heating block; (d) a heating element disposed on or in said side-wall heating block, said heating element connectable to a power supply for activating said heating element to thereby provide heat to the heat-conducting material; and (e) a processor programmed to cycle the temperature of said sample block said processor also programmed to maintain the temperature of said side-wall heating block at a temperature that is greater than the temperature of said sample block while said sample block is cycled.