Acoustic determination of properties of reservoirs and of fluids contained therein

• US 7,454,958 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Labcyte, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Labcyte, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Ellson, Richard N., Stearns, Richard G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers; David A.
• Application Number:
  US10/946,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20050092058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 73/190.3, 73/32.A, 73/540.1, 73/540.2, 73 6141- 6143, 73/617.6, 73/617.9, 73/645.3, 73/645.6
• US Class Current: 73/61.43
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00362 Acoustic nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00702 Processes involving means for analysing and characterising the products
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/143 Quality control, feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0436 acoustic forces, e.g. surface acoustic waves [SAW]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0439 ultrasonic vibrations, vibrating piezo elements
• 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 23/296 Acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2968 Transducers specially adapted for acoustic level indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02818 Density, viscosity
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02836 Flow rate, liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02881 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2695 Bottles, containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/02 Analysing fluids using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 ; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/22 Details , e.g. general constructional or apparatus details
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/222 Constructional or flow details for analysing fluids optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/28 providing acoustic coupling , e.g. water impedance matching G10K11/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1016 Control of the volume dispensed or introduced

Abstract

The invention provides devices and methods for acoustically determining the properties of the contents of one or more reservoirs in a plurality of reservoirs. Each reservoir is adapted to contain a fluid. An acoustic radiation generator can be positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to each of the reservoirs. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through each reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of analyzing a characteristic of the transmitted acoustic radiation and optionally correlating the characteristic to a property of the reservoirs'"'"' contents. Properties that may be determined include volume, temperature, and composition. The invention is particularly suited to determining the properties of the contents of a plurality of reservoirs to allow for accuracy and control over the dispensing of fluids therefrom.

Claims

1. A method for acoustically determining a temperature-dependent property of a fluid in a reservoir, the reservoir being integral with or located on a substrate, the method comprising:

(a) acoustically coupling an acoustic radiation generator and the reservoir, with the acoustic radiation generator located external to the reservoir;

(b) activating the acoustic radiation generator to generate acoustic radiation and direct the acoustic radiation generated into and through the substrate toward the reservoir, such that the acoustic radiation is transmitted into the fluid in the reservoir and thereafter reflected from an interior surface of the reservoir;

(c) measuring a temperature-dependent characteristic of the reflected acoustic radiation, said characteristic selected so as to correlate with the temperature of the fluid; and

(d) employing the characteristic to determine the temperature-dependent property of the fluid in a temperature-compensated manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interior surface of the reservoir is an interface between the fluid and an interior surface of the reservoir.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the temperature (T_F1) of the fluid is lower than 20°

C. or greater than 25°

C.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the temperature-dependent characteristic of the reflected acoustic radiation is the acoustic velocity V_F1 in the fluid at temperature T_F1.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein (d) comprises comparing V_F1 with the acoustic velocity V_F-RT of the fluid at a temperature T_RT in the range of 20°

C. to 25°

C.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein (d) further comprises deriving from the difference between V_F1 and V_F-RT the difference between the acoustic impedance Z_F1 of the fluid at temperature T_F1 and the acoustic impedance Z_F-RT of the fluid at temperature T_RT.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the temperature-dependent property is the composition of the fluid, and (d) further comprises determining the composition of the fluid in the reservoir from Z_F1 and Z_F-RT.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fluid in the reservoir is at least partially nonsolid.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the fluid in the reservoir comprises at least one liquid.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the fluid in the reservoir comprises a combination of miscible, partially miscible, or immiscible liquids.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the fluid in the reservoir comprises a mixture of an organic solvent and an aqueous solvent.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid in the reservoir comprises a mixture of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and water.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mixture contains more than 40 vol. % DMSO.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the mixture contains more than 40 vol. % water.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is integral with a substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the reservoir is an individual container.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the container is enclosed.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the reservoir is a tube.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is one of a plurality of reservoirs, each reservoir being integral with or located on a substrate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the reservoirs are integral with a substrate.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the substrate is a well plate and each reservoir is a well therein.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated successively for additional reservoirs.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated successively for each additional reservoir.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated at a rate of at least 96 reservoirs per minute.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated at a rate of at least about 384 reservoirs per minute.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated at a rate of at least about 1536 reservoirs per minute.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated at a rate of at least about 3456 reservoirs per minute.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein steps (a) through (d) are repeated at a rate of at least 10,000 reservoirs per minute.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustic radiation generated is directed into the reservoir through a region of the reservoir'"'"'s exterior surface having an identifier thereon.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the identifier is a barcode.