# US 10,245,584 B2 · Droplet ejecting apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,584 B2 - Document ID: US10245584B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/683,574 - Filed: 2017-08-22 - Published: 2018-03-29 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-23 - Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Shuhei Yokoyama; Satoshi Kaiho - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245584B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/0268: {using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries} - B01L 3/0237: {Details of electronic control, e.g. relating to user interface} - B01L 3/0293: {for liquids} - B01L 3/502: {with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures} - B41J 2/055: Devices for absorbing or preventing back-pressure - B41J 2/14201: {Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements} - G01N 35/02: using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations {(G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence)} - G01N 35/10: Devices for transferring samples {or any liquids} to, in, or from, the analysis apparatus, e.g. suction devices, injection devices {(G01N35/0099 takes precedence)} - G01N 35/1002: {Reagent dispensers} - G01N 35/1074: {arranged in a two-dimensional array} - B01L 2200/021: Adjust spacings in an array of wells, pipettes or holders, format transfer between arrays of different size or geometry - B01L 2300/0829: Multi-well plates; Microtitration plates - B01L 2300/0893: having a very large number of wells, microfabricated wells - B01L 2300/0896: Nanoscaled - B01L 2300/185: using a liquid as fluid - B01L 2400/0439: ultrasonic vibrations, vibrating piezo elements - B01L 2400/0442: thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet - B41J 2002/1437: {Back shooter} - B41J 2202/15: Moving nozzle or nozzle plate - G01N 2035/1041: {Ink-jet like dispensers} - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A droplet ejecting apparatus includes a plurality of nozzle groups each including a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of pressure chambers each configured to supply a solution to a corresponding nozzle of a nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups, a plurality of actuators each configured to cause a pressure change in a corresponding pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers to control an ejection of a droplet of the solution from the corresponding nozzle, and a solution holding container having a solution inlet for receiving solution and a solution outlet, the solution holding container being configured to supply the solution to the plurality of nozzle groups via the plurality of pressure chambers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A droplet ejecting apparatus, comprising: a plurality of nozzle groups each including a plurality of nozzles; a plurality of pressure chambers each configured to supply a solution to a corresponding nozzle of a nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups; a plurality of actuators each configured to cause a pressure change in a corresponding pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers to control an ejection of a droplet of the solution from the corresponding nozzle; and a solution holding container having a solution inlet for receiving solution and a solution outlet, the solution holding container being configured to supply the solution to the plurality of nozzle groups via the plurality of pressure chambers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between two adjacent nozzles in each nozzle group is shorter than a distance between two adjacent nozzle groups. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each nozzle group is spaced from each other nozzle group such that each nozzle group can be positioned above a different well of a multiwell plate such that droplets ejected from each respective nozzle group are received by a respectively different well of the multiwell plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of actuators operate such that droplets of the solution are ejected simultaneously from the plurality of nozzle groups. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a piezoelectric film that is configured to deform a pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a thin film heater that is configured to heat the solution in one pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected. ### Claim 7 A solution dispenser, comprising: a base on which a multiwell plate can be disposed; a droplet ejecting apparatus having first surface side facing the base and a second surface side opposite the first surface side, the droplet ejecting apparatus including: a plurality of nozzle groups on the first surface side, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle group being disposed so as be positioned above a well of the multiwell plate; a plurality of pressure chambers, each configured to supply a solution to a corresponding nozzle of a nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups; a plurality of actuators, each configured to cause a pressure change in a corresponding pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers to control an ejection of a droplet of the solution from the corresponding nozzle; and a solution holding container having a solution inlet for receiving solution and a solution outlet on the second surface side, the solution holding container being configured to supply the solution to the plurality of nozzle groups via the plurality of pressure chambers; and a moving stage connected to the droplet ejecting apparatus and configured to move the droplet ejecting apparatus to position the plurality of nozzle groups above wells of the multiwell plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The solution dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the moving stage is configured to move in a two dimensional plane parallel to the base. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The solution dispenser according to claim 7, wherein a distance between adjacent nozzles within each nozzle group is shorter than a distance between adjacent nozzle groups in the plurality of nozzle groups. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The solution dispenser according to claim 7, wherein each nozzle group is spaced from each other nozzle group such that each nozzle group can be positioned above a different well of a multiwell plate such that droplets ejected from each respective nozzle group are received by a respectively different well of the multiwell plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The solution dispenser according to claim 10, wherein droplets of the solution are ejected simultaneously from each nozzle group in plurality of nozzle groups. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The solution dispenser according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a piezoelectric film that is configured to deform one pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The solution dispenser according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a thin film heater that is configured to heat the solution in one pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected. ### Claim 14 A droplet ejecting apparatus, comprising: a plurality of nozzle groups each including a plurality of nozzles; a plurality of actuators each configured to control an ejection of a droplet of the solution from a corresponding nozzle of a nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups; and a solution holding container having a solution inlet for receiving solution and a solution outlet, the solution holding container being configured to supply the solution to the plurality of nozzle groups, the plurality of nozzle groups ejecting droplets of the solution at a same time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of nozzles in each nozzle group are arranged in an array having a width dimension less than a width dimension of a single well in a 1,536 well multiwell plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a distance between two adjacent nozzles in each group is shorter than a distance between two adjacent groups of nozzles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each nozzle group is spaced from each other nozzle group such that each nozzle group can be positioned above a different well of a multiwell plate such that droplets ejected from each respective nozzle group are received by a different well of the multiwell plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein droplets of the solution are ejected simultaneously from each nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a piezoelectric film that is configured to cause the solution to be ejected from the corresponding nozzle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of actuators comprises a thin film heater that is configured to heat the solution in the vicinity of the corresponding nozzle and cause the solution to be ejected from the corresponding nozzle.