Microvolume liquid handling system
First Claim
1. A system for dispensing precise quantities of a transfer liquid, said system comprising:
- an enclosed space for holding fluids including said transfer liquid, a system liquid and a compressible fluid, said compressible fluid separating said transfer liquid from said system liquid said enclosed space having an outlet;
means for supplying said system liquid into said enclosed space;
means for introducing said compressible fluid into said enclosed space adjacent to said system liquid;
means for providing said transfer liquid into said enclosed space adjacent to said compressible fluid and on the other side of the said compressible fluid from said system liquid, such that said compressible fluid separates said system liquid from said transfer liquid; and
said transfer liquid is between said outlet and said compressible fluid;
means for dispensing a quantity of said transfer liquid out of said outlet without introducing any fluid into said enclosed space during dispensing;
means for sensing pressure change in said enclosed space resulting from the volume of the transfer liquid being dispensed;
means for converting said pressure change to the volume of the transfer liquid dispensed by said dispensing means.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In one embodiment, a microvolume liquid handling system includes a microdispenser employing a piezoelectric transducer attached to a glass capillary, a positive displacement pump for priming and aspiring transfer liquid into the microdispenser, controlling the pressure of the liquid system and washing the microdispenser between liquid transfers, and a pressure sensor to measure the liquid system pressure and produce a corresponding electrical signal. The pressure signal is used to verify and quantify the microvolume of transfer liquid dispensed and is used to perform automated calibration and diagnostics on the microdispenser. In another embodiment of the 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 microdispenser through a distribution tube having a branched section for each microdispenser. In this embodiment, each microdispenser is coupled to its own flow sensor and which enables a system controller to respectively measure and control the flow of liquid in each dispenser.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. A system for dispensing precise quantities of a transfer liquid, said system comprising:
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an enclosed space for holding fluids including said transfer liquid, a system liquid and a compressible fluid, said compressible fluid separating said transfer liquid from said system liquid said enclosed space having an outlet;
means for supplying said system liquid into said enclosed space;
means for introducing said compressible fluid into said enclosed space adjacent to said system liquid;
means for providing said transfer liquid into said enclosed space adjacent to said compressible fluid and on the other side of the said compressible fluid from said system liquid, such that said compressible fluid separates said system liquid from said transfer liquid; and
said transfer liquid is between said outlet and said compressible fluid;
means for dispensing a quantity of said transfer liquid out of said outlet without introducing any fluid into said enclosed space during dispensing;
means for sensing pressure change in said enclosed space resulting from the volume of the transfer liquid being dispensed;
means for converting said pressure change to the volume of the transfer liquid dispensed by said dispensing means.
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2. A method for dispensing from an enclosed space having a dispensing port, precise quantities of a transfer liquid and determining the precise volume of the transfer liquid,
(a) transferring into the enclosed space a system liquid; -
(b) supplying into the enclosed space a compressible fluid adjacent to said system liquid;
(c) transferring into the enclosed space a transfer liquid on the other side from said system liquid such that the compressible fluid, separates said transfer liquid from said system liquid adjacent to said compressible fluid, said transfer liquid being adjacent to the dispensing port;
(d) dispensing droplets of the transfer liquid through said dispensing port;
(e) sensing pressure change in the enclosed space resulting from the droplets being dispensed;
(f) converting the pressure change sensed in step (e) into volume of liquid dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A method for dispensing from an enclosed space having a dispensing port precise quantities of a transfer liquid, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) introducing into the enclosed space a system liquid;
(b) introducing into the enclosed space a compressible fluid;
(c) introducing into the enclosed space a transfer liquid such that said compressible fluid separates said system liquid from said transfer liquid, said dispensing liquid being adjacent to said dispensing port;
(d) dispensing a predetermined number of droplets of the transfer liquid through the dispensing port;
(e) sensing the pressure change in the enclosed space resulting from dispensing of the drops in step (d);
(f) converting the pressure change into the volume of the transfer liquid;
(g) comparing the volume of the liquid dispensed in step (d) with the volume of the predetermined number of droplets.
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Specification