# US 7,610,943 B2 · Systems and methods for dispensing portions of viscous material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,610,943 B2 - Document ID: US7610943B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/149,855 - Filed: 2005-06-08 - Published: 2006-03-02 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2004-06-10 - Assignees: Emerald Biosystems, Inc. - Inventors: Peter Nollert; Alexandrina Muntianu; Robert C. Haushalter; Dean Allyn Hopkins, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610943B2 ## CPC - G01N 35/08: using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis - B65B 3/326: {for dosing several products to be mixed} - 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) - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) ## Abstract Systems and methods are provided for dispensing portions of viscous material, such as the viscous materials used to form crystals of membrane proteins or soluble proteins. A liquid under pressure is used to divide the viscous materials into portions. The divided viscous material portions can optionally be deposited into are receptacle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for dispensing portions of a viscous material, the system comprising: (a) a first dispenser; (b) a second dispenser; and (c) a branched conduit connected to both the first dispenser and the second dispenser, the branched conduit comprising a splitter that divides the branched conduit, the splitter consisting of a first segment that connects the first dispenser to the splitter, a second segment that connects the second dispenser to the splitter, and a third segment leading from the splitter and connected to an exit port for depositing portions of viscous material onto a surface, wherein, in operation, a viscous material is introduced into the splitter from the first dispenser, a liquid is introduced into the splitter from the second dispenser, wherein the liquid divides the viscous material into portions within the splitter, wherein the branched conduit is a hollow tube having a generally circular transverse cross-section, the internal diameter of the conduit is in the range of from 0.001 inch to 0.016 inch, and the first dispenser and the second dispenser provide alternating pressure such that only one of the viscous material and the liquid is forced through the branched conduit at one time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A system of claim 1 wherein the first dispenser is a syringe. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A system of claim 1 wherein the second dispenser is a syringe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A system of claim 1 wherein the first dispenser is actuated by a first motor, and the second dispenser is actuated by a second motor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A system of claim 1 further comprising a mobile stage that supports a receptacle that receives a portion of the viscous material from the branched conduit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling operation of the syringes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A system of claim 1 further comprising a controller for controlling operation of the mobile stage. ### Claim 8 A method for dispensing portions of a viscous material, the method comprising the steps of: (a) using a directed stream of liquid provided by a second dispenser to divide a mass of viscous material, provided by a first dispenser and disposed within a branched conduit, to produce a plurality of portions of viscous material, wherein the branched conduit is a hollow tube having a generally circular transverse cross-section comprising a splitter that divides the branched conduit, the splitter consisting of a first segment that connects the first dispenser to the splitter, a second segment that connects the second dispenser to the splitter, and a third segment leading from the splitter and connected to an exit port for depositing portions of viscous material onto a surface, wherein the internal diameter of the conduit is in the range of from 0.001 inch to 0.016 inch, and the first dispenser and the second dispenser provide alternating pressure such that only one of the viscous material and the liquid is forced through the branched conduit at one time; and (b) dispensing the plurality of portions of viscous material from the branched conduit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the viscous material is selected from the group consisting of gels and lipidic cubic phase material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the lipidic cubic phase material comprises a monoalkylglyceride and water. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of aqueous solutions, oils, and organic solvents. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the volume of each portion of the plurality of portions of viscous material is in the range of from about 1 nL to about 10 mL. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein a portion of viscous material is dispensed from the branched conduit once during each time interval of a series of successive time intervals, wherein each time interval of the series of successive time intervals is between 100 milliseconds to 10 seconds.