| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080254532 | Thermal cycler with optical detector - A reaction vessel having a reaction chamber for holding a sample is fabricated by producing a housing having a rigid frame defining the minor walls of the chamber. The housing also defines a port for introducing fluid into the chamber. At least one sheet or film is attached to the rigid frame to form at least one major wall of the chamber. In preferred embodiments, two sheets or films are attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form two opposing major walls of the chamber, the major walls being connected to each other by the minor walls. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080286151 | APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING HEAT-EXCHANGING CHEMICAL REACTIONS - An apparatus for controlling the temperature of a reaction mixture contained in a chamber of a reaction vessel comprises a thermal surface for contacting a flexible wall of the chamber and an automated machine for increasing the pressure in the chamber. The pressure increase in the chamber is sufficient to force the flexible wall to conform to the thermal surface for good thermal conductance. The apparatus also includes at least one thermal element for heating or cooling the surface to induce a temperature change within the chamber. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20090289076 | Method and Apparatus for Storing and Dispensing Reagent Beads - Embodiments of the invention provide an efficient and effective technique for storing and dispensing reagent beads. In some embodiments, an apparatus is provided for dispensing reagent beads contained in a bead storage device which includes a bead carrier having a plurality of wells; a plurality of reagent beads disposed in the wells; and a cover tape releasably attached to the bead carrier to cover the wells and retain the reagent beads in the wells. The apparatus comprises a channel in which to place the bead storage device with the bead carrier facing a support wall of the channel and the cover tape facing a stripping wall of the channel. The stripping wall includes a stripping gap disposed between a stripping edge and an opposite edge, and a dispense opening provided adjacent the opposite edge on a side of the stripping wall opposite from the stripping edge. The cover tape is insertable through the stripping gap to be pulled against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the wells individually to dispense the reagent beads. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090308886 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING REAGENT BEADS - Embodiments of the invention provide an efficient and effective technique for storing and dispensing reagent beads. In some embodiments, an apparatus is provided for dispensing reagent beads contained in a bead storage device which includes a bead carrier having a plurality of wells; a plurality of reagent beads disposed in the wells; and a cover tape releasably attached to the bead carrier to cover the wells and retain the reagent beads in the wells. The apparatus comprises a channel in which to place the bead storage device with the bead carrier facing a support wall of the channel and the cover tape facing a stripping wall of the channel. The stripping wall includes a stripping gap disposed between a stripping edge and an opposite edge, and a dispense opening provided adjacent the opposite edge on a side of the stripping wall opposite from the stripping edge. The cover tape is insertable through the stripping gap to be pulled against the stripping edge to peel the cover tape from the bead carrier to move the wells of the bead carrier inside the channel toward the dispense opening and expose the wells individually to dispense the reagent beads. | 12-17-2009 |