METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING A BIOLOGICAL FLUID ONTO A SUBSTRATE

• US 20120050411A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sicpa Holding SA
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia S.p.A.
• Inventors: Mabritto, Giacomo, Panciatichi, Cristina, Rossotto, Oriana, Sandri, Tazio
• Granted Patent: US 8,993,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/56
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0442 thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0268 using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04513 for increasing lifetime
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/04555 detecting current
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/0458 controlling heads based on heating elements forming bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1041 Ink-jet like dispensers

Abstract

There is described a method for depositing at least one biological fluid onto a surface (12) of a substrate (10), the method comprising the steps of (i) providing at least one thermal bubble-jet printhead (T1, T2, T3) loaded with at least one biological fluid, (ii) positioning the printhead (T1, T2, T3) next to the substrate, and (iii) supplying the printhead (T1, T2, T3) with energy thereby depositing the biological fluid onto the surface (12). The printhead (T1, T2, T3) is supplied with an energy E such that

E>1.6*E_th

where E_th is the threshold energy of the printhead (T1, T2, T3). There are also described an apparatus (DA) for depositing at least one biological fluid onto a surface (12) of a substrate (10) and a microarray (MA) obtained by carrying out the depositing method.

Claims

1. A method for depositing at least one biological fluid onto a surface of a substrate, said method comprising the steps of:

a) loading at least one thermal bubble-jet printhead with at least one biological fluid;

b) positioning said at least one printhead next to said substrate; and

c) depositing said at least one biological fluid onto said surface by supplying energy E to said at least one printhead, wherein

E>

1.6*E_th

and E_th is the threshold energy of the printhead for said biological fluid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing step includes supplying said at least one printhead with an energy E, such that 1.6*E_th<

E≦

3.0*E_th.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing step includes supplying said at least one printhead with an energy E such that 1.8*E_th≦

E≦

2.2*E_th.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depositing includes ejecting from said at least one printhead total number of drops ranging from about 0.5×

10⁶ to about 2×

10⁶.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising repeating the step of depositing of said at least one biological fluid onto said surface at least two times.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said depositing step is repeated a number of times ranging from 2 to 100.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein said depositing step is repeated a number of times ranging from 2 and 30.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the time period between two subsequent deposits ranges from about 5 to about 600 seconds.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the time period between two subsequent deposits ranges from about from 5 to about 60 seconds.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising filtering said at least one biological fluid before said loading step (a).

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein loading step includes loading said at least one thermal bubble-jet printhead with a biological fluid that comprises at least one biological substance dissolved in an aqueous solvent comprising more than 50% by weight, of water relative to the total weight of said biological fluid.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biological fluid comprises organic fluids, protein solution, tissue and cell lysates, nucleic acid solutions, nucleic acid analogue solutions, and the like.

16. A microarray comprising a substrate with a substrate surface and a plurality of biological fluid spots, wherein said microarray is obtained by carrying out a depositing method according to claim 1.

13. An apparatus for depositing at least one biological fluid onto a surface of a substrate, said apparatus comprising:

a processing device;

a thermal bubble-jet printhead assembly including at least one printhead, wherein the at least one printhead is at least partially loaded with said at least one biological fluid;

a controller connected to said processing device;

a power supply responsive to the controller for supplying energy to said thermal bubble-jet printhead assembly so that said at least one biological fluid is deposited onto said surface, wherein said power supply supplies said at least one printhead with an energy Ei such that

E_i>

1.6*E_th,

 

where E_th1 is the threshold energy of said at least one printhead for said at least one biological fluid.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said at least one printhead is supplied with an energy Ei, such that

1.6*E_thi<

E_i≦

3.0*E_thi

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said at least one printhead (T1, T2, T3) is supplied with an energy Ei, such that

1.8*E_thi<

E_i≦

2.2*E_thi

17. A method of creating a microarray of a plurality of biological fluid spots on a surface of a substrate, comprising utilizing the apparatus according to claim 13.