Hybrid valve apparatus and method for fluid handling

• US 20050129584A1
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BioNex Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovadyne Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, James E., Doktycz, Mitchel J., Picha, Neil R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,497,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/103
• 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 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00394 in multiple arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00412 In multiple arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00605 the compounds being directly bound or immobilised to solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0743 with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0001 Microvalves microdevices B81B1/00; manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate B81C1/00; microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; micropumps F04B19/006
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0013 Rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0028 Valves having multiple inlets or outlets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/14 Suction devices, e.g. pumps; Ejector devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1041 Ink-jet like dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1097 characterised by the valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86863 Rotary valve unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A hybrid valve apparatus for use with an aspiration actuator and a dispensing actuator to transfer fluid from a reservoir to a test site on a substrate surface. The hybrid valve includes a valve assembly movable between an aspiration condition and a dispensing condition, and a manifold device coupled to the valve assembly. The manifold device includes a fluid aspiration conduit having a first aspiration port in fluid communication with the aspiration actuator. On an opposite end of the aspiration conduit is a second aspiration port in selective fluid communication with the valve assembly to selectively aspirate a liquid sample slug from the reservoir into a discrete sample path when the valve assembly is in the aspiration condition. The manifold device further includes a fluid dispensing conduit having a first dispensing port in fluid communication with the dispensing actuator, and a second dispensing port in selective fluid communication with the valve assembly. When the valve assembly is in the dispensing condition, the sample path is fluidly coupled to the dispensing actuator to selectively dispense at least one droplet of the liquid sample slug therefrom, while simultaneously being out of fluid communication with the aspiration actuator. In contrast, in the aspiration condition, the sample path is in fluid communication with the aspiration actuator, while being out of fluid communication with the dispensing actuator.

Claims

1. A liquid transfer apparatus for transferring a sample liquid slug from a reservoir to a test site on a substrate surface comprising:

an aspiration source;

a dispensing source;

a manifold device providing a liquid aspiration conduit having a first aspiration port, for liquid communication with the aspiration source, and a second aspiration port, said manifold device further providing a liquid dispensing conduit having a first dispensing port, for liquid communication with the dispensing source, and a second dispensing port;

a liquid communication structure defining a dispensing orifice, said liquid communication structure and said manifold device cooperating to define a discrete sample path extending from the dispensing orifice and through at least a portion of said manifold device; and

a valve assembly fluidly coupled to said manifold device for actuation between;

an aspiration condition, fluidly coupling the second aspiration port to said discrete sample path to enable selective aspiration of a liquid sample slug from the reservoir into the sample path through said dispensing orifice, while fluidly decoupling the second dispensing port from the sample path to prevent liquid communication with the dispensing source, and

a dispensing condition, fluidly coupling the second dispensing port to the sample path to enable selective dispensing of at least one droplet of the liquid sample slug from said dispensing orifice, while fluidly decoupling the second aspiration port from the sample path to prevent liquid communication with the aspiration source.

2. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein

said communication structure includes a nozzle member terminating at said dispensing orifice configured to aspirate said sample slug and dispense said droplet.

3. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein

said through at least a portion of said manifold includes a primary passage portion of the sample path.

4. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 3, wherein

said manifold device includes a stator face containing the second aspiration port and the second dispensing port, and

said valve assembly includes a valve body having a contact face slideably contacting the stator face at a stator-contact interface for sliding sealed contact between

the aspiration condition, fluidly coupling the second aspiration port to said primary passage portion of the sample path, and

the dispensing condition, fluidly coupling the second dispensing port to said primary passage portion of the sample path.

5. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein

said contact face of the valve body includes

an aspiration channel, fluidly coupling the second aspiration port to said primary passage portion of the sample path through the aspiration channel, in the aspiration condition, and

a dispensing channel, fluidly coupling the second dispensing port to said primary passage portion of the sample path through the dispensing channel, in the dispensing condition.

6. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 5, wherein

said valve body is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis extending substantially perpendicular to the stator-contact interface to rotate said contact face, said aspiration channel and said dispensing channel relative to the stator face between the aspiration condition and the dispensing condition.

7. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 6, wherein

said dispensing channel and said aspiration channel extend in a direction substantially radially from said rotational axis.

8. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein

said primary passage portion having an upper communication port terminating at the stator face, and an opposite end in liquid communication with the dispensing orifice of the communication structure, and

said manifold device further including a source conduit having an upper communication opening terminating at the stator face, and an opposite end in liquid communication with the reservoir.

9. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 8, wherein

said contact face of the valve body includes a sample channel forming at least a portion of the sample path, said sample channel fluidly coupling the second aspiration port of the aspiration conduit to the upper communication opening of the source conduit, in the aspiration condition, and fluidly coupling the second dispensing port of the dispensing conduit to the upper communication port of the primary passage, in the dispensing condition.

10. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 9, wherein

said manifold device includes a flush passage having an upper flush port terminating at the stator face, and an opposite end in liquid communication with a flush source, and

said contact face of the valve body includes a flush channel fluidly coupling the flush port of the flush passage to the upper communication port of the primary passage, in the aspiration condition, to flush said nozzle member, and fluidly coupling the flush port to the upper communication opening of the source conduit, in the dispensing condition.

11. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 4,wherein

said manifold device includes at least two plate members fixedly mounted together in a manner cooperatively defining at least one of the aspiration conduit and said dispensing conduit.

12. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 11, wherein

said at least two plate members includes a first plate member having a first interface surface and a second plate member having an opposed second interface surface fixedly joined therebetween at a first interface, said first interface surface defining a first groove which cooperates with the second interface surface of the second plate member to define at least one of the aspiration conduit and the dispensing conduit.

13. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 12, wherein

said stator face of the first plate member is oriented opposite the first interface surface, and said stator face is configured for rotational sliding contact with the contact face at a contact-stator interface.

14. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein

said dispensing source includes drop-on demand ink-jet printing valving.

17. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 14 wherein

said ink-jet printing valving is one of a thermal ink-jet valve, a solenoid ink-jet valve, a piezoelectric ink-jet valve, and a pneumatic pilot valve.

15. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined in 14, further including

a digitally regulated hydraulic pressure system which supplies a computer-selectable liquid pressure head to the ink-jet printing valving to effectively alter the dispensing range.

16. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined in 14, wherein

said ink-jet printing valving is adapted to articulate the voltages that are pulse width-independent to enable improved dispensing precision.

18. A liquid transfer apparatus for selectively and independently transferring a plurality of sample liquid slugs from a plurality of reservoirs to a plurality of test sites on a substrate surface, said transfer apparatus comprising:

a plurality of aspiration actuators;

a plurality of dispensing actuators;

a manifold device providing a plurality of liquid aspiration conduits each having a first aspiration port, for liquid communication with a corresponding aspiration actuator, and a second aspiration port, said manifold device further providing a plurality of liquid dispensing conduits each having a first dispensing port, for liquid communication with a corresponding dispensing actuator, and a second dispensing port;

a liquid communication structure defining a plurality of dispensing orifices, said liquid communication structure and said manifold device cooperating to define a plurality of respective discrete sample paths extending from a corresponding dispensing orifice and through a respective at least a portion of said manifold device; and

a valve assembly fluidly coupled to said manifold device for actuation between;

an aspiration condition, fluidly coupling a respective second aspiration port to a respective discrete sample path to enable selective and independent aspiration of a respective liquid sample slug from a respective reservoir into the corresponding sample path through a respective dispensing orifice, while fluidly decoupling a respective second dispensing port from the respective sample path to prevent liquid communication with a respective dispensing actuator, and

a dispensing condition, fluidly coupling the respective second dispensing port to the respective sample path to enable selective and independent dispensing of at least one respective droplet of the respective liquid sample slug from the corresponding dispensing orifice, while fluidly decoupling the respective second aspiration port from the respective sample path to prevent liquid communication with the respective aspiration actuator.

19. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 18, wherein

said manifold device includes a stator face containing the plurality of second aspiration ports and the plurality of second dispensing ports, and

said valve assembly includes a valve body having a contact face slideably contacting the stator face at a stator-contact interface for sliding sealed contact between

the aspiration condition, fluidly coupling each of the second aspiration ports to the corresponding sample path, and

the dispensing condition, fluidly coupling each of the second dispensing ports to the corresponding sample path.

20. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 19, wherein

said contact face of the valve body includes

a plurality of aspiration channels, each fluidly coupling the corresponding second aspiration port to the corresponding sample path through the corresponding aspiration channel, in the aspiration condition, and

a plurality of dispensing channels, each fluidly coupling the corresponding second dispensing port to the corresponding sample path through the corresponding dispensing channel, in the dispensing condition.

21. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 20, wherein

said manifold device includes a plurality of primary passages each defining at least a portion of a respective sample path, each having an upper communication port terminating at the stator face such that a respective aspiration channel fluidly couples a respective primary passage to a respective aspiration actuator, in the aspiration condition, and a respective dispensing channel fluidly couples a respective primary passage to a respective dispensing actuator in the dispensing condition.

22. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 21, wherein

said manifold device includes a first plate member having a first interface surface and a second plate member having an opposed second interface surface fixedly joined therebetween at a first interface, said first interface surface defining a plurality of first grooves each of which cooperates with the second interface surface of the second plate member to define at least one of the plurality of aspiration conduits and the dispensing conduits.

23. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 22, wherein said manifold is comprised of one of glass, synthetics or stainless steel.

24. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 19, wherein

said manifold device includes

a plurality of primary passages each having an upper communication port terminating at the stator face, and an opposite end in liquid communication with a respective nozzle member having a dispensing orifice configured to dispense said droplet, and

a plurality of source conduits each having an upper communication opening terminating at the stator face, and an opposite end in liquid communication with the reservoir.

25. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 24, wherein

said contact face of the valve body includes a plurality of sample channels each forming at least a portion of the corresponding sample path, each said sample channel fluidly coupling the corresponding second aspiration port of the aspiration conduit to the corresponding upper communication opening of the source conduit, in the aspiration condition, and fluidly coupling the corresponding second dispensing port of the dispensing conduit to the corresponding upper communication port of the primary passage, in the dispensing condition.

26. The liquid transfer apparatus as defined by claim 25, wherein

said manifold device includes a flush passage having an upper flush port terminating at the stator face, and an opposite end in liquid communication with a flush source, and

said contact face of the valve body includes a flush channel fluidly coupling the flush port of the flush passage to the respective upper communication ports of the primary passages, in the aspiration condition, to flush said nozzle members, and fluidly coupling the flush port to the respective upper communication openings of the source conduits, in the dispensing condition.