Acoustic determination of properties of reservoirs and of fluids contained therein

• US 7,784,331 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US12/187,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 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: 73/61.49
• 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 reservoir material, the method comprising:

(a) acoustically coupling an acoustic radiation generator and a 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 through an exterior surface of the reservoir toward an interior surface of the reservoir such that acoustic radiation is thereafter reflected from the interior surface of the reservoir;

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

(d) analyzing the characteristic to determine the temperature-dependent property of the reservoir material, wherein a temperature T_R1 of the reservoir is lower than 20°

C. or greater than 25°

C. and wherein the temperature-dependent characteristic of the reflected acoustic radiation is an acoustic velocity V_R1 in the reservoir material at the temperature T_R1, and wherein (d) comprises comparing the acoustic velocity V_R1 with an acoustic velocity V_R-RT in the reservoir material at a temperature T_RT in the range of 20°

C. to 25°

C.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (d) further comprises deriving from the difference between V_R1 and V_R-RT the difference between an acoustic impedance Z_R1 of the reservoir material at temperature T_R1 and an acoustic impedance Z_R-RT of the reservoir material at the temperature T_RT.

3. A method for acoustically determining the properties of a substrate wherein a reservoir is contained in or located on the substrate, the reservoir comprising a solid surface of the substrate adapted to contain a fluid, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) positioning a first acoustic radiation generator in acoustic coupling relationship to the reservoir;

(b) actuating the first acoustic radiation generator to generate first acoustic radiation, then transmitting the generated first acoustic radiation through the substrate, to be reflected from the fluid in the reservoir;

(c) delivering the acoustic radiation reflected from the fluid in the reservoir to an analyzer to process a fluid-reflected acoustic energy;

(d) positioning a second acoustic radiation generator in acoustic coupling relationship to a portion of the substrate adjacent to the reservoir;

(e) actuating the second acoustic radiation generator to generate second acoustic radiation, then transmitting the generated second acoustic radiation through the portion of the substrate adjacent to the reservoir, to be reflected from a surface of the portion of the substrate adjacent to the reservoir;

(f) delivering the acoustic radiation reflected from the surface of the portion of the substrate adjacent to the reservoir to the analyzer to process a substrate-reflected acoustic energy;

(g) processing the reflected acoustic energy obtained in steps (c) and the reflected acoustic energy obtained in step (f), provided to the analyzer, to analyze a characteristic thereof, wherein the characteristic provides information about a property of the substrate.