Electrowetting dispensing devices and related methods

• US 20060102477A1
• Filed: 08/26/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Biosystems LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Applera Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Beard, Nigel P., Vann, Charles S., Banerjee, Debjyoti, Nurse, James C., Geiser, Timothy G.
• Application Number:
  US11/213,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20060102477A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/450
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00315 Microtiter plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0036 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00418 using pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00653 the compounds being bound to electrodes embedded in or on the solid supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 4/008 Feed or outlet control devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/089 Virtual walls for guiding liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/02 Drop detachment mechanisms of single droplets from nozzles or pins
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0427 Electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0241 Drop counters; Drop formers making arrays for combinatorial libraries B01J19/0046; automation of dispensing for analysis G01N35/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502792 for moving individual droplets on a plate, e.g. by locally altering surface tension
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44743 Introducing samples

Abstract

A method for dispensing liquid for use in biological analysis may comprise positioning liquid to be dispensed via electrowetting. The positioning may comprise aligning the liquid with a plurality of predetermined locations. The method may further comprise dispensing the aligned liquid from the plurality of predetermined locations through a plurality of openings respectively aligned with the predetermined locations. The dispensing may be via electrowetting.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing liquid for use in biological analysis, the method comprising:

positioning liquid to be dispensed via electrowetting, the positioning comprising aligning the liquid with a plurality of predetermined locations; and

dispensing the aligned liquid from the plurality of predetermined locations through a plurality of openings respectively aligned with the predetermined locations.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising dividing the liquid into a plurality of individual portions via electrowetting, wherein the positioning comprises aligning each of the plurality of individual portions with the plurality of predetermined locations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid comprises dispensing the aligned liquid through a plurality of openings of a plurality of nozzles.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising spotting the liquid to a testing platform via the plurality of nozzles.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid includes dispensing the liquid through the plurality of openings to a plurality of reservoirs.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to the plurality of reservoirs comprises centrifuging the liquid into the reservoirs.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs coated with a hydrophilic material.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the aligned liquid to the plurality of reservoirs via electrowetting.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the dispensing the aligned liquid to the plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs coated with a layer of electrically conductive material and a layer of hydrophobic material.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs via electrowetting comprises dispensing the liquid to a plurality of wells in a titer plate via electrowetting.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the liquid via capillarity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reservoirs comprise hydrophilic capillary tubes.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the liquid via electrophoresis.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the dispensing the liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises dispensing the liquid to a plurality of wells in a titer plate.

15. A method for dispensing liquid for use in biological analysis, the method comprising:

supplying a liquid to be dispensed to a housing comprising an interior surface;

altering a wettability of the interior surface so as to divide the liquid in the housing into a plurality of individual portions of liquid and to move the plurality of individual portions of liquid to a plurality of respective predetermined locations;

dispensing the plurality of individual portions of liquid from the plurality of predetermined locations through a plurality of openings respectively aligned with the plurality of predetermined locations.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the interior surface comprises an electrical conductor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the interior surface comprises a dielectric covering an electrical conductor.

18. A method for dispensing liquid for use in biological analysis, the method comprising:

moving liquid to be dispensed via electrowetting so as to align the liquid with a plurality of predetermined locations; and

moving the aligned liquid via electrowetting from the plurality of predetermined locations to a plurality of reservoirs aligned with the predetermined locations.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the moving the aligned liquid to a plurality of reservoirs comprises moving the aligned liquid to a plurality of nozzle reservoirs.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising dispensing the liquid from the plurality of nozzle reservoirs to a plurality of locations on a testing platform.