Patent ID: 7537377

Claim:
A method for calibrating a removable assembly for cycling samples through a series of temperature excursions, the removable assembly being attached to an instrument and comprising a sample block for receiving vials, a plurality of thermoelectric devices, a heat sink, a clamping mechanism positioned so as to clamp said thermoelectric devices between said sample block and said heatsink, and a memory device capable of storing data related to said removable assembly, said method comprising: applying power to said thermoelectric devices, causing said removable assembly to cycle through a desired series of temperature excursions; measuring the actual temperature excursions; comparing said actual temperature excursions with said desired temperature excursions; calibrating the removable assembly by adjusting said power applied to said thermoelectric devices so that said actual temperature excursions match said desired temperature excursions and recording said adjusted power in said memory device for further utilization in obtaining said desired series of temperature excursions, to form a calibrated removable assembly; removing the calibrated removable assembly from the instrument; and attaching the removable assembly to a different instrument.