Microvolume liquid handling system

• US 6,203,759 B1
• Filed: 04/07/1998
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Packard Instrument Co., Inc. (Revvity, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Packard Instrument Co., Inc. (Revvity, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chibucos, Nicholas S., Papen, Roeland F., Meyer, Wilhelm, Pelc, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUDLOW, JAN M
• Application Number:
  US09/056,233
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 422/100, 222/55, 222/57, 222/63, 222/64, 222/66, 222/148, 222/333, 738/630.2, 436/180, 436/49
• US Class Current: 422/521
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00378 Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0265 using valves to interrupt or meter fluid flow, e.g. using solenoids or metering valves
• 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 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/48 the pressure or differential pressure being created by a capillary element
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 3/00 Measuring the volume flow of fluids or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through the meter in successive and more or less isolated quantities, the meter being driven by the flow measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00237 Handling microquantities of analyte, e.g. microvalves, capillary networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1018 Detecting inhomogeneities, e.g. foam, bubbles, clots
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1025 Fluid level sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1039 Micropipettes, e.g. microcapillary tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1041 Ink-jet like dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1065 Multiple transfer devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/114998 with treatment or replacement of aspirator element [e.g., cleaning, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

In a microvolume liquid handling system, a system reservoir is connected with tubing to a pressure control system for controlling the liquid system pressure in the system reservoir. The system reservoir is coupled to one or more microdispensers through a distribution tube having a branched section for each microdispenser. In this embodiment, each microdispenser is coupled to its own flow sensor and to enable a system controller to respectively measure and control the flow of liquid in the each microdispenser.

Claims

1. A microvolume liquid handling system for dispensing small quantities of liquids, comprising:

a system liquid reservoir containing a system liquid;

a pressure control system having a pump capable of increasing or decreasing pressure of said system liquid in said system liquid reservoir;

a hollow tube connecting said pressure control system to said system liquid reservoir;

a distribution tube having at least one section;

a microdispenser having a capillary portion for dispensing droplets of a transfer liquid through a nozzle and a constricting portion for constricting said capillary portion;

a valve coupled at a first end to said system liquid reservoir through one section of said distribution tube, said valve coupled at a second end to said microdispenser;

a sensor coupled to said section of said distribution tube, said sensor capable of detecting at least one of either pressure or flow of system liquid in said distribution tube and generating a corresponding signal; and

a system controller coupled to said valve to control said valve, said system controller coupled to said sensor to receive said signal, said system controller coupled to said pressure control system to direct said pressure control system to increase or decrease pressure in said system liquid, and said system controller being coupled to said constricting portion to activate said constricting portion.

2. The microvolume liquid handling system for dispensing small quantities of liquids of claim 1, wherein said constricting portion is capable of being constricted at a frequency sufficiently high to dislodge foreign material adhering to said microdispenser.

3. The microvolume liquid handling system of claim 1 wherein said constricting portion of said microdispenser is capable of vibrating said microdispenser at a frequency sufficiently high to dislodge foreign material adhering to interior surfaces of said microdispenser.