Patent ID: 6657169
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: B01L

Abstract:
An apparatus for heating samples of biological material, comprising:a thermal block assembly including a plurality of sample holders for receiving samples of biological material; a heat sink thermally coupled to the thermal block assembly, said heat sink transferring heat away from the thermal block assembly to ambient air in contact with the heat sink; a first heat source thermally coupled to the thermal block assembly to provide heat to the thermal block assembly, said first heat source generally positioned in a stacked relationship between the heat sink and the thermal block assembly; and a second heat source located below the first heat source with a substantial portion of the second heat source located outside the first heat source and thermally coupled to the first heat source to provide heat to at least a portion of the first heat source, wherein said thermal block assembly is positioned above the heat sink in said stacked relationship with the heat sink, and further wherein the arrangement of the heat sink, first heat source and second heat source provides substantial temperature uniformity among the plurality of sample holders.