Microfluidic Transfer Pins

Abstract

A liquid dispenser for a microfluidic assay system is described. The dispenser includes at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle. A pin tip at one end of the transfer pin is structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle. The tip uses a high voltage potential to transfer the sample from the pin to the receptacle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A microfluidic liquid dispenser for an assay system, the dispenser comprising:
 at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle; and   a pin tip at one end of the transfer pin structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle, the pin tip having a high voltage potential for transferring the sample from the at least one transfer pin to the target receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the target receptacle is a through-hole well in a platen array of wells. 
     
     
         3 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the target receptacle is a closed-ended well in a platen array of wells. 
     
     
         4 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the target receptacle includes hydrophilic walls regions that attract the sample. 
     
     
         5 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the target receptacle includes an opening hydrophilic region surrounded by hydrophobic material. 
     
     
         6 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transfer pin array including a plurality of transfer pins for transferring a plurality of samples to a corresponding plurality of target receptacles.   
     
     
         7 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein individual transfer pins in the array are sequentially actuable. 
     
     
         8 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one transfer pin in the array is independently positionable for alignment with respect to the opening of a target receptacle. 
     
     
         9 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one individual transfer pin in the array is gravity-fed floating. 
     
     
         10 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the microfluidic sample is from 0.2 to 100 nanoliters. 
     
     
         11 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer pin has a diameter greater than the opening of the target receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the sample is a polar liquid. 
     
     
         13 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 12 , wherein the polar liquid is an aqueous, DMSO, dimethylformamide (DMF), or acetonitrile solution. 
     
     
         14 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the high voltage potential is between 100V and 5 kV. 
     
     
         15 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a voltage control module for controlling when the high voltage potential is applied to and removed from the pin tip.   
     
     
         16 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 15 , wherein the voltage control module operates to apply the high voltage potential to the pin tip before the transfer pin is positioned at the target receptacle, and to remove the high voltage potential after the transfer pin is moved away from the target receptacle. 
     
     
         17 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 15 , wherein the voltage control module includes a resistor network. 
     
     
         18 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 15 , wherein the voltage control module includes a controllable switch in series with the transfer pin. 
     
     
         19 . A liquid dispenser according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transfer pin is able to dispense multiple samples without replenishment. 
     
     
         20 . A method for use in dispensing a microfluidic sample of a liquid, the method comprising:
 providing at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target receptacle, one end of the transfer pin having a pin tip structured to cooperate with an opening in the target receptacle; and   applying a high voltage potential between the pin tip and the target receptacle for transferring the sample from the at least one transfer pin to the target a receptacle.   
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the target receptacle is a through-hole well in a platen array of wells. 
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the target receptacle is a closed-ended well in a platen array of wells. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the high voltage potential is applied to the transfer pin. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the high voltage potential is applied to the target receptacle. 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the target receptacle includes hydrophilic walls that attract the sample. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the target receptacle includes an opening surrounded by hydrophobic material. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 providing a transfer pin array including a plurality of transfer pins for transferring a plurality of samples to a corresponding plurality of target receptacles.   
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein individual transfer pins in the array are sequentially actuable. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein at least one transfer pin in the array is independently positionable for alignment with respect to the opening of a target receptacle. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 27 , wherein at least one transfer pin in the array is gravity-fed floating. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the microfluidic sample is from 0.2 to 100 nanoliters. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the transfer pin has a diameter greater than the opening of the target receptacle. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the sample is a polar liquid. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the polar liquid is an aqueous, DMSO, dimethylformamide (DMF), or acetonitrile solution. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the high voltage potential is between 100V and 5 kV. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 controlling when the high voltage potential is applied to and removed.   
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 36 , wherein the controlling step includes applying the high voltage potential before the transfer pin is positioned at the target receptacle, and removing the high voltage potential after the transfer pin is moved away from the target receptacle. 
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 36 , wherein the controlling step uses a resistor network. 
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 36 , wherein the controlling step uses a controllable switch in series with the transfer pin. 
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 applying evaporation control measures to the target receptacle.   
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein the applying step includes immersing the target receptacle in an immiscible liquid. 
     
     
         42 . A method according to  claim 41 , wherein the immiscible liquid is a perfluorinated hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon, or silicone fluid. 
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 40 , wherein the applying step uses at least one of humidity control, fluid pressure, and receptacle cooling. 
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the applying step includes positioning the transfer pin in direct contact with target receptacle. 
     
     
         45 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the applying step includes positioning the transfer pin near the target receptacle without direct contact. 
     
     
         46 . A method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 sequentially transferring multiple samples to the target receptacle to produce a layered pattern of samples.   
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one transfer pin is able to dispense multiple samples without replenishment. 
     
     
         48 . A microfluidic assay system comprising:
 at least one liquid sample storage device including a plurality of storage receptacles; and   a microfluidic liquid dispenser having:
 i. a high voltage supply that develops a high voltage potential; 
 ii. at least one transfer pin for transferring a microfluidic sample of liquid to a target storage receptacle, one end of the transfer pin having a pin tip structured to cooperate with an opening in the target storage receptacle; and 
 iii. a voltage controller for applying the high voltage potential from the high voltage supply between the pin tip and the target storage receptacle for transferring the sample from the at least one transfer pin to the target storage receptacle; and 
   a dispenser positioning module that positions the liquid dispenser to enable the transfer pin to cooperate with the target receptacle for transferring the sample.   
     
     
         49 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the storage device is a platen array of through-hole wells. 
     
     
         50 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the storage device is a platen array of closed-ended wells. 
     
     
         51 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the voltage controller applies the high voltage potential to the transfer pin. 
     
     
         52 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the voltage controller applies the high voltage potential to the target storage receptacle. 
     
     
         53 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the target storage receptacle includes hydrophilic walls that attract the sample. 
     
     
         54 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the target storage receptacle includes an opening surrounded by hydrophobic material. 
     
     
         55 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the liquid dispenser includes a transfer pin array including a plurality of transfer pins for transferring a plurality of samples to a corresponding plurality of target storage receptacles. 
     
     
         56 . An assay system according to  claim 55 , wherein individual transfer pins in the array are sequentially actuable. 
     
     
         57 . An assay system according to  claim 55 , wherein at least one transfer pin in the array is independently positionable for alignment with respect to the opening of a target storage receptacle. 
     
     
         58 . An assay system according to  claim 55 , wherein at least one transfer pin in the array is gravity-fed floating. 
     
     
         59 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the microfluidic sample is from 0.2 to 100 nanoliters. 
     
     
         60 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the transfer pin has a diameter greater than the opening of the target storage receptacle. 
     
     
         61 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the sample is a polar liquid. 
     
     
         62 . An assay system according to  claim 61 , wherein the polar liquid is an aqueous, DMSO, dimethylformamide (DMF), or acetonitrile solution. 
     
     
         63 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the high voltage potential is between 100V and 5 kV. 
     
     
         64 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the voltage controller applies the high voltage potential to the pin tip before the transfer pin is positioned at the target storage receptacle, and removes the high voltage potential after the transfer pin is moved away from the target storage receptacle. 
     
     
         65 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the voltage controller uses a resistor network. 
     
     
         66 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the voltage controller uses a controllable switch in series with the transfer pin. 
     
     
         67 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the storage device uses evaporation control measures to control evaporation of samples from the storage receptacles. 
     
     
         68 . An assay system according to  claim 67 , wherein the evaporation control measures include immersing the storage receptacles in an immiscible liquid. 
     
     
         69 . An assay system according to  claim 68 , wherein the immiscible liquid is a perfluorinated hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon, or silicone fluid. 
     
     
         70 . An assay system according to  claim 67 , wherein the evaporation control measures include at least one of humidity control, fluid pressure, and receptacle cooling. 
     
     
         71 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the positioning module positions the dispenser so that the at least one transfer pin makes direct contact with target storage receptacle for transferring the sample. 
     
     
         72 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the positioning module positions the dispenser so that the at least one transfer pin is near the target storage receptacle without direct contact for transferring the sample. 
     
     
         73 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the liquid dispenser operates to sequentially transfer multiple samples to the target storage receptacle to produce a layered pattern of samples. 
     
     
         74 . An assay system according to  claim 48 , wherein the at least one transfer pin is able to dispense multiple samples without replenishment.