High-efficiency microarray printing device

• US 6,855,538 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Clark, Steven M., Pinkel, Daniel, Gray, Joe W., Albertson, Donna G., Brown, Nils W., Hamilton, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Sisson, Bradley L.
• Application Number:
  US09/894,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20030003458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/287.2, 435/287.1, 436/94, 422/100, 536/23.1, 536/24.31
• US Class Current: 506/32
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/005 characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material printing by selective application of impact or pressure on a printing or impression-transfer material B41J2/22
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/25 Print wires
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6837 using probe arrays or probe chips C12Q1/6874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/507 characterised by the density of the capture oligonucleotide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/119163 with aspirator of claimed structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/143333 Saccharide [e.g., DNA, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

This invention provides improved components (e.g. array “pins”, print head, substrate platen, print head platen, and the like) for microarray printing devices as well as microarray printing devices incorporating such components. In one embodiment, this invention provides a microarray print head comprising a plurality of glass or quartz spotting capillaries disposed in a support that maintains a fixed spacing between the spotting capillaries and that permits the spotting capillaries to move in a direction parallel to the long axis of the capillaries.

Claims

1. A microarray print head, said print head comprising:

a plurality of glass or quartz spotting capillary tubes disposed in a support that maintains a fixed spacing between said spotting capillaries and that permits the spotting capillary tubes to move in a direction parallel to the long axis of said capillary tubes, wherein said capillary tubes;

have an internal diameter ranging from about 20 μ

m to about 100 μ

m;

have an aperture ID or OD ranging from about 20 μ

m to about 75 μ

m;

have an outside diameter ranging from about 0.4 mm to about 1 mm;

have a center-to-center spacing ranging from about 1 mm to about 10 mm;

have a load volume ranging from about 0.05 μ

L to about 1 μ

L; and

range in number from about 2 to 256;

wherein said capillary tubes are in fluid communication with a manifold.

2. The print head of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary tubes have a tapered tip.

3. The print head of claim 2, wherein said tapered tip is ground.

4. The print head of claim 1, wherein a capillary tube comprising said print head has a maximum load volume of about 0.5 μ

L.

5. The print head of claim 1, wherein a capillary tube comprising said print head has a minimum load volume of about 0.05 μ

L.

6. The print head of claim 1, wherein a capillary tube comprising said print head has a load volume of about 0.2 μ

L.

7. The print head of claim 1, wherein said print head comprises at least 4 spotting capillary tubes.

8. The print head of claim 1, wherein said print head comprises at least 16 spotting capillary tubes.

9. The print head of claim 1, wherein the spacing between two adjacent spotting capillary tubes is about 3 mm or less, center to center.

10. The print head of claim 1, wherein said the spotting capillary tubes have detents where said spotting capillary tubes have a rest position wherein said detents contact said support stopping the movement of said spotting capillary tubes in a direction toward the substrate that is to be printed.

11. The print head of claim 1, wherein said print head comprises a spring attached to a spotting capillary tube where, in the absence of a force against the printing tip of said spotting capillary tube said spring returns said spotting capillary tube to a rest position.

12. The print head of claim 1, wherein said print head is in a microarray printing device.

13. The print head of claim 1, wherein said manifold comprises a common port and individual ports wherein an aperture into an individual port is disposed inward of the inside wall of said manifold.