Capillary pins for high-efficiency microarray printing device

• US 7,312,068 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• 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: Pinkel, Daniel, Albertson, Donna G., Gray, Joe W., Hamilton, Greg, Brown, Nils W., Clark, Steven M., Hanson, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Sisson, Bradley L.
• Application Number:
  US10/456,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20040071603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,663 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/19.1, 435/183, 435/287.1, 435/287.2, 422/63, 422/98, 422/100
• US Class Current: 435/287.2
• 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 printing device comprising:

a microarray printhead, said microarray printhead comprising a spotting microcapillary, wherein said microcapillary;

comprises a tapered tip

has an internal diameter ranging from about 20 μ

m to about 100 μ

m;

has an aperture ID or OD ranging from about 20 μ

m to about 75 μ

m;

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

has a load volume ranging from about 0.05 μ

L to about 1 μ

L; and

wherein said microcapillary is in fluid communication with a manifold.

2. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said tapered tip is ground.

3. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary is fabricated by heating and pulling a quartz or glass microcapillary tube and then beveling the tip using a glass grinder.

4. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary has maximum load volume of about 0.5 μ

L.

5. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary has a minimum load volume of about 0.05 μ

L.

6. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary has a load volume of about 0.2 μ

L.

7. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of glass, a mineral, ceramic, and porcelain.

8. The microarray printing device of claim 7, wherein said spotting capillary is fabricated from quartz.

9. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary is fabricated from glass.

10. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary has an inside diameter (bore width) at the tip of less than about 100 μ

m.

11. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said spotting capillary has an inside diameter (bore width) at the tip of less than about 50 μ

m.

12. The microarray printing device of claim 1, wherein said tapered tip is beveled.