An assay is a process used in laboratory medicine, pharmacology, analytical chemistry, environmental biology, and molecular biology to assess or measure the presence, amount, or functional activity of a sample. The sample may be a drug, a genomic sample, a proteomic sample, a biochemical substance, a cell in an organism, an organic sample, or other inorganic and organic chemical samples. In general, an assay is carried out by dispensing small amounts of fluid into multiple wells of a titration plate. The fluid in these wells can then be processed and analyzed. Such assays can be used to enable drug discovery as well as facilitate genomic and proteomic research.
The accompanying drawings illustrate various examples of the principles described herein and are part of the specification. The illustrated examples are given merely for illustration, and do not limit the scope of the claims.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover, the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.
An assay is a process used in laboratory medicine, pharmacology, analytical chemistry, environmental biology, and molecular biology to assess or measure the presence, amount, or functional activity of a sample. The sample may be a drug, a genomic sample, a proteomic sample, a biochemical substance, a cell in an organism, an organic sample, or other inorganic and organic chemical samples. In general, an assay is carried out by dispensing small amounts of fluid into multiple wells of a titration plate. The fluid in these wells can then be processed and analyzed. Such assays can be used to enable drug discovery as well as facilitate genomic and proteomic research.
Such assays have been performed manually. That is, a user fills fluid into a single channel pipette, or a multi-channel pipette, and manually disperses a prescribed amount of fluid from the pipette into various wells of a titration plate. As this process is done by hand, it is tedious, complex, and inefficient. Moreover, it is prone to error as a user may misalign the pipette with the wells of the titration plate and/or may dispense an incorrect amount of fluid. Still further, such manual deposition of fluid may be incapable of dispensing low volumes of fluid, for example in the picoliter range.
In some examples however, digital dispensing of fluid is replacing manual dispensing methods. In these examples, high precision digital fluid ejection devices, referred to herein as fluidic dies, are used. A fluidic die includes a number of ejection subassemblies. Each ejection subassembly holds a small volume of fluid and an actuator expels that fluid through an opening. In operation, the fluidic dies dispense the fluid onto a substrate, such as into wells of a titration plate positioned below the fluidic dies. A fluidic ejection system holds the fluidic dies and the substrate. This fluidic ejection system controls fluid ejection from the fluidic dies onto the substrate. As part of this, the fluidic ejection system may properly position the fluidic dies with respect to the substrate by moving either the fluidic dies or the substrate.
While fluidic die have undoubtedly advanced digital titration, some characteristics impede their more complete implementation. For example, certain fluid ejection systems include laser sensors to determine a height between the ejection heads disposed in the fluidic ejection system and the substrate onto which the fluid is ejected. Automated devices then adjust the height of the substrate while the ejection head remains stationary. Such automated equipment can be complex to both manufacture and operate. For example, the height between the substrate and an ejection head is carefully maintained in order to ensure that the fluid lands in the intended location on the substrate. Such precision can be difficult to control.
Accordingly, the present specification describes a fluidic ejection system that addresses these and other issues. Specifically, the present specification describes a fluidic ejection device and system that include a manual adjustment device to move the ejection head that is inserted into the fluid ejection device relative to the substrate and substrate stage.
Specifically, the present specification describes a fluid ejection device. The fluid ejection device includes a vertical support and an interface movably coupled to the vertical support. The interface receives an ejection head. The fluid ejection device also includes a manual adjustment device associated with the interface to adjust a distance between the interface and a substrate stage.
The specification also describes a fluid ejection system. The fluid ejection system includes a base and a substrate stage movably coupled to the base. The fluid ejection system also includes a fluid ejection device with its corresponding vertical support, interface, and manual adjustment device.
Still further, the specification also describes another example of the fluid ejection system that includes the base, substrate stage, the substrate disposed on the stage, as well as the fluid ejection device.
As used in the present specification and in the appended claims, the term “fluidic die” refers to a component that ejects fluid and includes a number of ejection subassemblies.
Accordingly, as used in the present specification and in the appended claims, the term “ejection subassembly” refers to an individual component of a fluidic die that ejects fluid onto a surface. The ejection subassembly may be referred to as a nozzle and includes at least an ejection chamber to hold an amount of fluid and an opening through which the fluid is ejected. In some examples, the ejection subassembly includes an actuator disposed within the ejection chamber.
Further, as used in the present specification and in the appended claims, the term “ejection head” refers to a component received in a fluidic ejection device that includes multiple fluidic die. In one example, an ejection head may be removably inserted into a fluidic ejection device. In another example, the ejection head may be integrated into the fluidic ejection device.
Accordingly, as used in the present specification and in the appended claims, the term “fluid ejection device” refers to a device that receives the ejection head and includes the vertical support that moves and the manual adjustment device. Specifically, an “interface” of the fluid ejection device receives the ejection head. That is, the “interface” is a component of the fluid ejection device.
As used in the present specification and in the appended claims, the term “fluid ejection system” refers to the fluidic ejection device as well as the substrate stage on which a substrate is disposed.
Turning now to the figures,
The fluid ejection device (100) includes a vertical support (101) and an interface (102) movably coupled to the vertical support (101). The interface (102) may move using any mechanism including, for example, a number of mating rails with one half of the mating rails being coupled to the vertical support (101) and the other half of the mating rails being coupled to the interface (102).
The fluid ejection device (100) also includes a manual adjustment device (120) associated with the interface (102) to adjust the distance between the interface (102) a substrate (150), which substrate (150) may be disposed on a substrate stage. The manual adjustment device (120) may include any number of non-automated components such as, for example a set screw—with or without preset position indicators, a shim, a motor and gear set, and a pneumatic device to move the interface (102) relative to the substrate (150)/substrate stage. The manual adjustment device (120) may include other components to aid in such movement including a graphical user interface (GUI) and a toggle switch. The inclusion of the manual adjustment device (120) reduces the cost in manufacturing and parts within the fluid ejection device (100) and the system of which it is a component.
The fluid ejection system (200) also includes a substrate stage (151) that is movably coupled to the base (152). The substrate stage (151) moves as instructed by a processing device in order to place the substrate (150) into a desired position underneath the ejection head which is disposed within the interface (102).
The substrate stage (151) refers to a component that retains the substrate (150), which as depicted in
Turning to the substrate (150), the substrate (150) may be any material on which fluid may be dispensed. In one example, the substrate (150) may be a titration plate with a number of wells in an array. Such a titration plate may be between approximately 4 and 50 millimeters thick. While specific reference is made to a particular substrate (150) thickness. The fluid ejection device (100) may be used with substrates (150) having a wide variety of thicknesses.
Note that while
The interface (102) provides an electrical interface to an ejection head (103). The ejection head (103) may include a number of fluidic die on a bottom surface and a number of reservoirs on a top surface to deliver fluid to the fluidic dies. A fluidic die may include a plurality of ejection subassemblies used to eject fluid from the fluidic die. The fluidic dies may be discrete MEMSs (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) where each fluidic die dispenses drops of between approximately 1.0 picoliters and 500 picoliters. The reservoirs are open at the top to receive fluid, for example from a pipette, and may have a narrower opening at the bottom to deliver the fluid to respective fluidic die on the bottom of the ejection head (103). In some examples, the ejection head (102) is removable from the fluid ejection system (200) for example as a replaceable cassette. In other examples, the ejection head (102) is integrated with the fluid ejection system (200).
As described above, in order to accommodate substrates (150) of different thicknesses and in order to bring the interface (102) into a desired position close to the substrate (150) to effectively deliver fluid to the substrate (150), the interface (102) may be manually adjusted in the z direction using a manual adjustment device (
Disengagement of the set screw (321) un-fixes the interface (102) from the vertical support (101), such that the interface (102) is movable along the vertical support (101). Engagement of the set screw (321) holds the interface (102) in a fixed position relative to the vertical support (101). The engagement and disengagement of the set screw (321) may be effectuated by loosening and tightening the set screw (321) in the directions indicated by arrow A. Loosening the set screw (321) allows the interface (102) to disengage from the vertical support (101) and move freely in the Z directions (250) closer to and further away from the substrate (150) as indicated in
In use, the shim (160) may be removed from the recess (161) by a user, and the user may place the shim (160) on top of the substrate (150). With the interface (102) disengaged from the vertical support (101) using the set screw (321) or any other mechanical adjustment device (
While, examples have been provided describing the placement of a shim (160) between the interface (102) and the substrate (150), in some examples, the shim (160) may be place between other components. For example, the shim (160) may be placed between the substrate (150) and the substrate mount (155) and between the substrate mount (155) and the substrate stage (151).
Once the desired dispensing distance between the interface (102) and the substrate (150) has been set, for example via the shim (160), the user may re-engage the set screw (321) at the desired position. Engaging the set screw (321) mechanically couples the interface (102) to the vertical support (101) at that position and holds the interface (102) fixed in the Z direction. The ejection of fluids from the ejection head (103) may then be performed by moving the substrate stage (151) relative to the base (152) in the X and Y directions to place the substrate (150) in a desired location underneath the ejection head (103). For example, wells of a titration plate may be aligned with corresponding fluidic die on the underside of the ejection head (103). Further, when a shim (160) is used, the shim (160) may be secured within the recess (161) in order to stow and retain the shim (160).
In summary, the interface (102) described herein may be positioned relative to the substrate (150) to provide delivery of fluid to a predetermined portion of the substrate (150). The interface (102) being moveable relative to the substrate (150) allows for adjustment of a spacing between the ejection head (103) and substrate (150) so as to ensure effective fluidic ejection. Were the interface (102) too far from the substrate (150), the fluid dispensed from the ejection head (103) may mis-eject the fluid onto a wrong location on the substrate (150). As a specific example, the fluid may be deposited in different well of a titration plate than what was desired/expected. This may create significant errors in the chemical and biological processes and reactions performed. Therefore, the systems and methods described herein help to ensure that the correct fluids are deposited on a correct and intended location on the substrate (150), for example within a correct and intended well of a titration plate.
In the example depicted in
The system may include a number of mechanical stops that correspond to the preset position indicators (523). Such mechanical stops may provide haptic feedback to indicate to a user that a particular dispensing distance has been selected. For example, the stops may include detents defined along a length of the rails used to mechanically and movably couple the interface (102) to the vertical support (101). The detents may provide mechanical, haptic feedback to the user as the user disengages the set screw (321) and moves the interface (102) in the Z direction. That is, the user may feel the detents, and engage the set screw (321) once a desired detent is reached. In one example, the set screw (321) may include a spring that biases the set screw (321) towards the rails and into the detents along the length of the rails. In this example, the user may disengage the set screw (321) by overcoming the spring force provided by the spring, and move the interface (102) relative to the vertical support (101) until the user feels that the set screw (321) has engaged with a detent. The detents together with the preset position indicators (523) allow the user to visually identify and precisely set a desired dispensing distance.
While
In the example depicted in
In one example, the motor (625) is activated using a toggle switch (629). The toggle switch (629) may include an up-movement position and a down-movement position indicating movement of the interface (102) upwards and downwards, respectively. Activation of the toggle switch (629) moves the interface (102) in the indicated direction. In this manner, the user may use the toggle switch (629) to move the interface (102) closer to, or farther away from, the substrate (150).
In one example, the fluid ejection system (200) may include a graphical user interface (GUI) (631). The GUI (631) may display various pieces of information including Information regarding the position of the interface (102) relative to the substrate (150) and/or the vertical support (101). In one example, this information may include an indication of distance in, for example, millimeters. In some examples, the GUI (631) may also include a field in which a user may enter a desired dispensing distance. In this example, the motor (625) may actuate to move the interface (102) to a position corresponding to the desired dispensing distance. In another example, the GUI (631) allows for entry of a type of substrate (150), such as different types of titration plates, that is placed on the substrate stage (151). The type of substrate (150) may define the dispensing distance between the interface (102) and the substrate stage (151). For example, titration plates from different manufacturers may have varying or different heights. Thus, the GUI (631) may be used to account for the different heights of the different titration plates. In response to entry of the type of substrate (150) in the GUI (631), the motor (625) activates to move the interface (102), and inserted ejection head (103), relative to the vertical support (101) to the distance represented by the type of substrate (150) selected. While
In this example, one end of the pneumatic adjustment device (733) is coupled to the vertical support (101), and the other end of the pneumatic adjustment device (733) is coupled to the interface (102). Accordingly, the user may disengage the set screw (321), and rather than allowing the dispense head (102) move freely relative to the vertical support (101), the pneumatic adjustment device (733) dampens the movement of the interface (102). This allows the user to move the interface (102) without fear that the interface (102) will simply drop and potentially be damaged. The pneumatic adjustment device (733) may be a pneumatic cylinder that uses compression and/or release of a fluid or gas to move one end of the pneumatic adjustment device (733) relative to the other.
In summary, in the examples described herein, the set screw (321), shim (160), motor (625), gear set (
Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein provide a high-precision system for dispensing fluids onto a substrate (150) that is less complex and thus less costly to manufacture, without sacrificing precision of fluid ejection. This creates a more effective and efficient product for users of fluid ejection systems (200).
The preceding description has been presented to illustrate and describe examples of the principles described. This description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit these principles to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2018/015828 | 1/30/2018 | WO | 00 |