Acoustic droplet ejection of non-newtonian fluids
AssigneeLabcyte Inc.
InventorsSammy S. Datwani, Carson Riche, Marsha N. Blauwkamp, Justin Blonigan
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Abstract
Methods of ejecting droplets containing a non-Newtonian fluid by an acoustic droplet ejector can include applying a tone burst of focused acoustic energy to a fluid reservoir containing a non-Newtonian fluid at sufficient amplitude to effect droplet ejection according to a tone burst pattern. The tone burst pattern may include three discrete tone burst segments, the first tone burst segment having greater duration than the second and third segments, and third segment having greater duration than the second segment. The exact durations and amplitudes of the tone burst segments can be tuned to influence the ejection properties.
Claims14
A method of ejecting a droplet from a reservoir containing a non-Newtonian fluid by an acoustic droplet ejector, the method comprising:
- applying focused acoustic energy in a first pattern comprising a first tone burst segment to a fluid surface of the non-Newtonian fluid to generate a leading lobe and a filament from the fluid surface without separating the filament from the leading lobe or the fluid surface;
- and
- applying focused acoustic energy in a second pattern comprising a second tone burst segment and a third tone burst segment to the leading lobe to eject a droplet by separating the leading lobe from the filament to form the droplet;
- wherein the first tone burst segment has greater duration than each one of the second and third tone burst segments.
A droplet ejection system configured to eject a droplet from a non-Newtonian fluid in a reservoir, the system comprising:
- an acoustic ejector configured to:
- apply focused acoustic energy in a first pattern to a fluid surface of the non-Newtonian fluid to generate a leading lobe and a filament from the fluid surface without separating the filament from the leading lobe or the fluid surface;
- and
- apply focused acoustic energy in a second pattern to the leading lobe to separate the leading lobe from the filament without ejecting satellite droplets such that the filament retreats into the fluid surface;
- and
- a processor and memory device storing executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the acoustic ejector to apply the focused acoustic energy in the first pattern to a fluid surface of the non-Newtonian fluid and apply focused acoustic energy in the second pattern to the leading lobe;
- wherein the first pattern comprises a first tone burst segment, and the second pattern comprises a second tone burst segment and a third tone burst segment;
- and
- the first tone burst segment has a greater duration than each one of the second and third tone burst segments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.