Contact pin printhead for microarray spot printing
AssigneeAnalog Devices, Inc.
InventorsMax Marcel Shulaker, Alicia Ann Coto, Graham E McGrath
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A contact pin printhead for microfluidic array spot printing can include a printhead chassis with a plurality of micro-pins insertable within respective sockets in the printhead chassis. An individual micro-pin can include a micro-pin tip that can be individually biased in a distal direction toward a target substrate via an elastic mechanical biaser associated with the micro-pin. An individual micro-pin can deposit fluid carried within a cavity therein and onto a target substrate during physical contact therewith at a micro-pin tip. Also, an individual micro-pin can retain fluid carried within the cavity, without depositing, absent physical contact at the micro-pin tip.
Claims20
A contact pin printhead for microfluidic array spot printing, the printhead comprising:
- a printhead chassis including a plurality of micro-pin sockets for respectively receiving an individual micro-pin;
- and
- a plurality of micro-pins, sized and shaped to be at least partially inserted within respective individual sockets in the printhead chassis, wherein an individual micro-pin of the plurality of micro-pins includes:
- an internal cavity configured to carry fluid;
- and
- a micro-pin tip that is individually biased, with respect to other micro-pin tips of the plurality of micro-pins, in a distal direction toward a target substrate via an elastic mechanical biaser associated with the individual micro-pin, and configured to:
- deposit fluid carried within the internal cavity of the individual micro-pin onto a target substrate during physical contact therewith at the micro-pin tip;
- and
- retain fluid carried within the internal cavity, without depositing, absent physical contact at the micro-pin tip.
A micro-spotting apparatus comprising:
- a reservoir;
- a contact pin printhead including:
- a printhead chassis including a plurality of micro-pin sockets for respectively receiving an individual micro-pin;
- and
- a plurality of micro-pins, individual ones of the plurality of micro-pins being sized and shaped to be inserted within respective individual sockets in the printhead chassis, wherein an individual micro-pin of the plurality of micro-pins includes:
- an internal cavity configured to be loaded with fluid;
- and
- a micro-pin tip that is individually biased, with respect to other micro-pin tips of the plurality of micro-pins, in a distal direction towards a target substrate via an elastic mechanical biaser associated with the individual micro-pin, and wherein the individual micro-pin is configured to:
- deposit fluid carried within a cavity of the individual micro-pin onto a target substrate during physical contact therewith at a micro-pin tip;
- and
- retain fluid carried within the cavity, without depositing, absent physical contact at the micro-pin tip;
- and
- a plurality of intermediate chambers fluidly connected in a series arrangement between the reservoir and a cavity of an individual micro-pin, wherein fluid communication between at least two of the plurality of intermediate chambers is controllable by at least one actuatable valve.
A method for microfluidic array spot printing onto a target substrate, the method comprising:
- positioning a printhead chassis with respect to the target substrate for spot printing thereon, the printhead chassis including a plurality of micro-pin sockets including a plurality of micro-pins respectively insertable therein;
- retaining fluid carried within an internal cavity of an individual micro-pin, without depositing, absent external physical contact at a micro-pin tip and when the respective micro-pin tip is individually biased in a distal direction towards the target substrate via an elastic mechanical biaser associated with the individual micro-pin;
- and
- depositing fluid carried within the internal cavity of an individual micro-pin onto a target substrate during physical contact therewith at a micro-pin tip and when the respective micro-pin tip is moved against its respective elastic mechanical biaser.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.