Liquid discharge apparatus for producing probe carrier, apparatus for producing probe carrier and method for producing probe carrier

• US 20020153435A1
• Filed: 03/26/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirosawa, Toshiaki, Udagawa, Kenta
• Granted Patent: US 6,830,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/548
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0036 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00527 Sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00529 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0059 Sequential processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00608 DNA chips
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00612 the surface being inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00626 Covalent
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00637 by coating it with another layer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00702 Processes involving means for analysing and characterising the products
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00722 Nucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00725 Peptides
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/06 Libraries containing nucleotides or polynucleotides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 40/10 Libraries containing peptides or polypeptides, or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1069 : by adjusting the spacing between multiple probes of a single transferring head
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1067 : for transfer to or from containers having different spacing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

Is provided a liquid discharge apparatus for producing a probe carrier, having a configuration capable of supplying the discharge unit with plural probe solutions without increasing the dimension of the apparatus, an apparatus for producing the probe carrier utilizing such liquid discharge apparatus, and a method for producing the probe carrier, utilizing such apparatus.

The arrangement pitch of the supply openings to the liquid holding portions from the plural liquid discharging portions, provided in the liquid discharge apparatus respectively corresponding to the plural probes, is set to be larger than the arrangement pitch of the nozzle openings, thereby increasing the freedom in designing the position and capacity of the liquid holding portions for holding the probe solutions.

Claims

1. A liquid discharge apparatus for producing a probe carrier bearing, in different positions on a carrier, probes of plural kinds capable of specifically combining with a target substance, the apparatus comprising:

a liquid discharging portion, the number of which corresponds to the number of kinds of said probes, including;

1) a liquid holding portion for holding a liquid containing said probe;

2) a supply opening for supplying said liquid to said liquid holding portion;

3) a liquid discharging nozzle for discharging said liquid; and

4) a flow path connecting said nozzle with said liquid holding portion;

wherein said liquid discharge apparatus is provided with a nozzle opening arrangement face in which the openings of the nozzles are arranged and a supply opening arrangement face in which the liquid supply openings to said liquid holding portions are arranged, and the pitch of arrangement of the supply openings in said supply opening arrangement face is larger than the pitch of arrangement of the openings of the nozzles in said nozzle opening arrangement face.

2. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a member having a pair of mutually opposed faces wherein said nozzle opening arrangement face is provided on one of said pair of faces and said supply opening arrangement face is provided on the other.

3. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said member having said pair of mutually opposed faces has a laminated structure composed of a first plate-shaped member in which said nozzles are formed, and a second plate-shaped member in which said liquid holding portions are formed.

4. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plural nozzle openings are formed along a straight line or over vertical and lateral directions.

5. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said liquid holding portion is formed as a through hole penetrating said second plate-shaped member, an end of said through hole constitutes a connecting portion with said nozzle, and the other end constitutes an open end constituting said supply opening.

6. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said through hole is formed by a photolithographic process.

7. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the face bearing said supply openings is water repellent, in the periphery of each opening.

8. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the face bearing said supplying openings is provided with a groove communicating with each opening.

9. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid discharge energy generating element for liquid discharge from each of said nozzles.

10. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 9, where in s aid liquid discharge energy generating element is a heater element for generating thermal energy to heat said probe solution thereby inducing film boiling therein and causing the resulting pressure to discharge the liquid from said discharge opening.

11. The liquid discharge apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said liquid discharging portion is provided with such a configuration that a bubble is generated in the probe solution at the discharge thereof from said nozzle by the activation of said heater element and said generated bubble communicates with the external air through said nozzle.

12. An apparatus for producing a probe carrier bearing, in different positions on a carrier, probes of plural kinds capable of specifically combining with a target substance, the apparatus comprising:

A) a liquid discharge apparatus including a liquid discharging portion, the number of which corresponds to the number of kinds of said probes, provided with;

1) a liquid holding portion for holding a liquid containing said probe;

2) a supply opening for supplying said liquid to said liquid holding portion;

3) a liquid discharging nozzle for discharging said liquid; and

4) a flow path connecting said nozzle with said liquid holding portion;

wherein said liquid discharge apparatus is provided with a nozzle opening arrangement face in which the openings of the nozzles are arranged and a supply opening arrangement face in which the liquid supply openings to said liquid holding portions are arranged, and the pitch of arrangement of the supply openings in said supply opening arrangement face is larger than the pitch of arrangement of the openings of the nozzles in said nozzle opening arrangement face; and

B) aligning means for aligning the relative position of said carrier and said liquid discharge apparatus.

13. A method for producing a probe carrier bearing, in different positions on a carrier, probes of plural kinds capable of specifically combining with a target substance, the method comprising:

A) a step of preparing a liquid discharge apparatus including a liquid discharging portion, the number of which corresponds to at least the number of kinds of the probes, provided with;

1) a liquid holding portion for holding a liquid containing said probe;

2) a supply opening for supplying said liquid to said liquid holding portion;

3) a liquid discharging nozzle for discharging said liquid; and

4) a flow path connecting said nozzle with said liquid holding portion;

wherein said liquid discharge apparatus is provided with a nozzle opening arrangement face in which the openings of the nozzles are arranged and a supply opening arrangement face in which the liquid supply openings to said liquid holding portions are arranged, and the pitch of arrangement of the supply openings in said supply opening arrangement face is larger than the pitch of arrangement of the openings of the nozzles in said nozzle opening arrangement face; and

B) a step of discharging said liquid containing said probe onto the different positions on said carrier from said liquid discharge apparatus.