Patent Publication Number: US-2011068095-A1

Title: Heating device capable of circularly heating an object at different temperatures

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application No. 098132284, filed on Sep. 24, 2009. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a heating device, more particularly to a heating device capable of circularly heating an object at different temperatures. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a conventional heating device  1  for circularly heating a biochip sample (not shown) at different temperatures. The conventional heating device  1  includes a base seat  11  formed with an inner receiving space  111 , a heating unit  12  disposed in the inner receiving space  111  and operable to generate heat, and a control unit  13  for controlling operation of the heating unit  12 . The biochip sample is disposed in the inner receiving space  111  in the base seat  11 , and is in thermal contact with the heating unit  12 . The heating unit  12  is controlled by the control unit  13  to heat the biochip sample at different temperatures for heat-circulation purposes. 
     However, for the conventional heating device  1 , transition of the heating unit  12  from one temperature to another temperature takes a period of time. As such, the biochip sample cannot be accurately heated during transition of the heat ing unit  12  such that predetermined heat-circulation cannot be ensured. Furthermore, the whole heating period is relatively long. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates another heating device  2  for circularly heating biochip samples (not shown) at different temperatures. The conventional heating device  2  includes a main body  21 , three angularly equidistant heating members  22  mounted on the main body  21  for generating heat under respective temperature conditions, and a transporting tube  23  wound around the heating members  22  and filled with fluid  24  therein. 
     In use, the biochip samples are sent into the transporting tube  23  through an inlet  231  thereof. Then, by controlling a flow speed of the fluid  24  in the transporting tube  23 , the biochip samples move toward an outlet  232  of the transporting tube  23  with flow of the fluid  24  such that the biochip samples are circularly heated by the heating members  22  under the temperature conditions. However, in such a configuration, since the transporting tube  23  is very long, remaining of the biochip samples in the transporting tube  23  cannot avoided. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a heating device that can overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art. 
     According to the present invention, a heating device comprises:
         a housing configured with an accommodating space that has a plurality of space parts;   a heating unit disposed in the accommodating space in the housing and operable to generate heat so that temperature of air in each of the space parts of the accommodating space in the housing is maintained to a respective predetermined temperature;   a heat-conducting casing configured with an inner receiving space that is adapted for receiving an object to be heated therein; and   a driving unit mounted to the housing for driving the casing to move back and forth in the accommodating space in the housing such that the casing received with the object therein circularly passes through the space parts, thereby circularly heating the object received in the casing at the predetermined temperatures.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invent ion will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional heating device; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of another conventional heating device; 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of a heating device according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmentary schematic sectional view showing the preferred embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the preferred embodiment of a heating device according to the present invention is shown to include a housing  4 , a heating unit  5 , a heat-conducting casing  6 , and a driving unit  7 . 
     In this embodiment, the housing  4  includes a lower portion  41 , and an upper portion  42  cooperating with the lower portion  41  to define an accommodating space  43  therebetween. The accommodating space  43  has a plurality of space parts  431  that is arranged in a direction (X). In this embodiment, the lower portion  41  has a top surface formed with a guiding groove  411  extending in the direction (X) and in spatial communication with the accommodating space  43 . 
     The heating unit  5  is disposed in the accommodating space  43  in the housing  4 . In this embodiment, the heating unit  5  includes a plurality of heating members  51 . Each heating member  51  is disposed in a corresponding space part  431  of the accommodating space  43  in the housing  4 , and is operable to generate heat so that temperature of air in the corresponding space part  431  of the accommodating space  43  in the housing  4  is maintained to a respective predetermined temperature. 
     The casing  6  is configured with a closed inner receiving space  61  adapted for receiving an object  100  to be heated, such as a biochip sample, therein. 
     The driving unit  7  is mounted to the housing  4  for driving the casing  6  to move back and forth in the accommodating space  43  in the housing  4 . In this embodiment, the driving unit  7  includes a carrier  71  and a fluid cylinder  72 . The carrier  71  is mounted on the top surface of the lower portion  41  of the housing for carrying the casing  6  thereon, and has an extension  711  that extends into the lower portion  41  of the housing  4  through the guiding groove  411 . The fluid cylinder  72 , such as a pneumatic cylinder, is disposed in the lower portion  41  of the housing  4 , and has a piston rod  721  movable in the direction (X) and connected to the extension  711  of the carrier  71  such that the casing  6  is co-movable with an assembly of the carrier  71  and the piston rod  721 . The fluid cylinder  72  is operable to move the piston rod  721  back and forth in the direction (X) such that the carrier  6  moves back and forth along the guiding groove  411  and that the casing  6  received with the object  100  therein is movable back and forth in the accommodating space  43  in the housing  4 . As a result, the casing  6  circularly passes through the space part  431 , thereby circularly heating the object  100  received in the casing  6  at the predetermined temperatures. 
     In sum, by controlling the driving unit  7 , the casing  6  can exactly pass through each space part  431  of the accommodating space  43  within a desired time period. Therefore, the heating device of the present invention can circularly and accurately heat the object  100  received in the casing  6  at the predetermined temperatures within a relatively short heating period. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.