Microfluidic transfer pin

• US 8,685,340 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hasan, Leila, Linton, John, Brenan, Colin J. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nagpaul, Jyoti
• Application Number:
  US12/148,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,175 Days
• Field of Search: 422 99-101, 422500-504, 436/180
• US Class Current: 422/500
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00283 Reactor vessels with top opening
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00286 Reactor vessels with top and bottom openings
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00387 Applications using probes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0642 Filling fluids into wells by specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/142 Preventing evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/027 electrostatic forces between substrate and tip
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/0244 using pins
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A liquid dispenser for a microfluidic assay system is described. The dispenser includes at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle. A pin tip at one end of the transfer pin is structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle. The tip uses capillary action to transfer the sample from the pin to the receptacle.

Claims

1. A microfluidic liquid dispenser system, comprising:

a target receptacle comprising an opening and a corresponding through-hole through a platen, the through-hole characterized by a hole diameter and hole volume; and

a dispenser comprising;

at least one transfer pin adapted for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle; and

a pin tip at one end of the transfer pin, the pin tip comprising a tapered shape and a slot, the tapered shape comprising a smaller diameter that is less than the hole diameter and a larger diameter that is greater than the hole diameter;

wherein the tapered end is configured to hold an amount of liquid that is sufficient to fill a multiple number of the through-hole in succession without replenishment.

2. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, wherein the through-hole extends from a first opening on one planar surface of the platen array to a second opening on an opposing surface of the platen array.

3. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 2, wherein the second opening is not bonded to a substrate.

4. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, wherein the opening includes hydrophilic wall, the openings being surrounded by hydrophobic material.

5. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transfer pin array including a plurality of transfer pins adapted for transferring a plurality of samples to a corresponding plurality of target receptacles.

6. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 5, wherein the target receptacle comprises a plurality of openings and a corresponding plurality of through-holes through the plate, the transfer pin array is characterized by a spacing between a adjacent transfer pins in a predetermined direction, and the plurality of openings is characterized by a spacing between adjacent opening in the predetermined direction that is less than the spacing between a adjacent transfer pins.

7. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, wherein the the tapered shape is characterized by a proximal portion having a diameter greater than a diameter of the opening and distal portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the opening.

8. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, wherein the pin tip has one or more structural features that increase the surface area of a sample at the pin tip.

9. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transfer pin is adapted to dispense multiple samples without replenishment.

10. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a positioning module configured to place the transfer pin in direct contact with the target receptacle.

11. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 10, wherein the positioning module is configured to accelerate and decelerate the transfer pin.

12. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, wherein the pin tip comprises a tapered slot.

13. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 12, wherein the tapered shape of the pin tip is characterized by a first taper angle and the tapered slot is characterized by a second taper angle that is less than the first taper angle.

14. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 1, wherein the opening is characterized by an outer periphery and the dispenser comprises a configuration in which a transfer pin of the at least one transfer pin contacts the opening along the outer periphery.

15. A method for use in dispensing a microfluidic sample of a liquid, the method comprising:

providing a microfluidic sample of at least one liquid to at least one transfer pin adapted for transferring the sample to a target receptacle, one end of the at least one transfer pin having a pin tip comprising a tapered shape and a slot, the tapered shape comprising a smaller diameter and a larger diameter;

using capillary action between the pin tip and the target receptacle to transfer the sample from the at least one transfer pin to the target receptacle, wherein the target receptacle comprises a plurality of through-holes in a platen, each through-hole characterized by a hole diameter and hole volume, the smaller diameter being less than the hole diameter and the larger diameter being greater than the hole diameter; and

filling a plurality of the through-holes in succession without replenishing the pin tip with the at least one liquid.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein each of plurality of through-holes extends from a first opening on one planar surface of the platen array to a second opening on an opposing surface of the platen array.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein each of the second opening is not bonded to a substrate.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein the first opening is characterized by an outer periphery, the method further comprising moving one of the at least one transfer pins so as to contact the first opening along outer periphery.

19. A method according to claim 16, further comprising moving a plurality of the transfer pins so as to contact a corresponding through-hole of the plurality of through-holes.

20. A method according to claim 16, further comprising moving a plurality of the transfer pins so as to contact a corresponding through-hole of the plurality of through-holes and to correct for errors in pin placement relative to the placement of the plurality of corresponding through-holes.

21. A method according to claim 15, wherein the target receptacle includes hydrophilic walls that attract the sample.

22. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

providing samples to a transfer pin array including a plurality of transfer pins adapted for transferring a plurality of the samples to a corresponding plurality of target receptacles.

23. A method according to claim 15, wherein the transfer pin has a diameter greater than the opening of the target receptacle.

24. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

applying evaporation control measures to the target receptacle.

25. A method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one transfer pin is adapted to dispense multiple samples without replenishment.

26. A method according to claim 15, wherein the pin tip has a slotted end.

27. A method according to claim 15, wherein the pin tip has one or more structural features that increase the surface area of a sample at the pin tip.

28. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

placing the transfer pin in direct contact with the target receptacle.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the step of placing the transfer pin in contact with the target receptacle includes accelerating and decelerating the transfer pin.

30. A microfluidic liquid dispenser system, comprising:

a plurality of transfer pins, each transfer pin configured to transfer a sample of liquid to a target receptacle comprising a platen including a plurality of through-holes having a corresponding plurality of openings, each through-hole characterized by a hole diameter and hole volume;

wherein each transfer pin of the plurality of transfer pins comprises a pin tip comprising a tapered shape and a slot, the tapered shape comprising a smaller diameter that is less than the hole diameter and a larger diameter that is greater than the hole diameter;

wherein each transfer pin is configured to hold an amount of liquid that is sufficient to fill a multiple number of the through-holes in succession without replenishment.

31. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 30, wherein the pin tip comprises a tapered slot.

32. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 31, wherein the tapered shape of the pin tip is characterized by a first taper angle and the tapered slot is characterized by a second taper angle that is less than the first taper angle.

33. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 30, wherein the transfer pin is spring loaded.

34. A liquid dispenser system according to claim 30, wherein each of the corresponding openings is characterized by an outer periphery and the dispenser comprises a configuration in which the transfer pins are configured to contact their corresponding opening along the outer periphery.