Patent ID: 8246243

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a thermal cycler comprising: a removable assembly configured to receive a plurality of vials and cycle the plurality of vials through a series of temperatures; a computer device configured to control cycling of the plurality of vials through a series of temperature excursions; and a cover, the cover being configured to press against an upper portion of vials when the vials are disposed in the removable assembly; wherein the removable assembly comprises a sample block configured to receive the plurality of vials, a plurality of Peltier thermal electric devices in thermal communication with the sample block, a heat sink in thermal communication with the ample block, and a memory device that stores data related to the removable assembly, wherein the memory device in electrical communication with the computer device, and wherein the removable assembly is configured to be removed from the apparatus and is configured to be attached to a different apparatus for cycling vials through a series of temperatures.