An ultrasonic pipetting method and apparatus based on a ring array transducer

Abstract

This invention provides an ultrasonic liquid transfer method based on a ring array transducer, comprising: placing a source liquid-carrying platform with multiple liquid-carrying orifices on a ring array transducer, wherein the projection of the liquid-carrying orifices on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements; exciting each sub-array element to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave; the first emitted ultrasonic wave generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave upon reaching the bottom of the liquid-carrying orifice and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave upon reaching the solution surface; filtering out the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave of the liquid-carrying orifice based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-array elements; analyzing and obtaining the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying orifice; sequentially exciting the first array element to emit a second emitted ultrasonic wave based on each liquid surface distance, thereby moving the solution within each liquid-carrying orifice to the target liquid-carrying platform. This invention achieves single-step distance measurement of multiple solution surfaces, improving the efficiency of liquid surface distance measurement and increasing the overall liquid transfer speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ultrasonic application technology, and specifically to an ultrasonic pipetting method and apparatus based on a ring array transducer. Background Technology

[0002] Synthetic biology is hailed as one of the three disruptive technologies facing the challenges of human development. Pipetting is one of the most common tasks in synthetic biology laboratories, and selecting the correct pipette is a crucial step in achieving precise experiments.

[0003] Ultrasonic pipetting utilizes ultrasonic radiation to transfer samples from a source liquid platform to a target liquid platform, enabling rapid, safe, precise, and contactless liquid transfer. Compared to traditional pipettes, ultrasonic pipetting avoids contact with the sample and eliminates the need for pipette tips and consumables, effectively preventing cross-contamination and reducing costs in large-scale experiments. Therefore, ultrasonic pipetting technology has broad application prospects in biological research and industrial applications.

[0004] Currently, the liquid parameter detection process of non-contact ultrasonic pipetting is time-consuming, and it can only measure the distance of a single liquid surface within the source liquid platform at a time. The efficiency of liquid surface measurement is low, which seriously affects the overall pipetting rate and cannot meet the needs of practical applications. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides an ultrasonic pipetting method and apparatus based on a ring array transducer.

[0006] The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0007] An ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer, the ring array transducer including a first array element and at least one second array element, the first array element being located within the second array element, the second array element being composed of at least two connected sub-array elements, the ultrasonic pipetting method comprising:

[0008] The solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying holes of the source liquid-carrying platform, which is placed on a ring array transducer, and the projection of the liquid-carrying holes on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

[0009] Each sub-element is excited to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave, and the first emitted ultrasonic wave emitted by the sub-element simultaneously acts on the liquid-carrying hole position whose projection on the ring array transducer coincides with that of the sub-element.

[0010] The first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the bottom of the liquid-carrying hole and generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave. After the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the liquid surface in the liquid-carrying hole, it generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave. The subarray element receives the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave.

[0011] Based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-elements, the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves that project onto the ring array transducer and coincide with the two sub-elements are selected.

[0012] Analyze the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves corresponding to the liquid-carrying hole position to obtain the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying hole position.

[0013] The first array element is excited to emit a second ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance in each liquid-carrying hole, so that the solution in each liquid-carrying hole is moved to the target liquid-carrying platform in the form of droplets.

[0014] In one specific embodiment, the filtering of first and second reflected ultrasonic waves, whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with those of the two sub-array elements, based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-array elements, includes:

[0015] Determine the liquid-carrying pore positions corresponding to two adjacent sub-element elements;

[0016] Compare the first reflected ultrasonic wave received by two adjacent sub-elements and compare the second reflected ultrasonic wave received by two adjacent sub-elements.

[0017] Identical first reflected ultrasonic waves and identical second reflected ultrasonic waves are selected to obtain first and second reflected ultrasonic waves whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with the two sub-array elements.

[0018] In one specific embodiment, the first array element is excited to emit a second emitted ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance within each liquid-carrying orifice, thereby sequentially moving the solution within each liquid-carrying orifice in the form of droplets to the target liquid-carrying platform, including:

[0019] The first array element is stimulated to emit its first ultrasonic wave while the source liquid platform is continuously moved.

[0020] The first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the surface of the solution in the liquid-carrying well to be transferred, and then generates a third reflected ultrasonic wave.

[0021] The first array element receives the third reflected ultrasonic wave, and the moving source liquid platform stops moving when the amplitude of the third reflected ultrasonic wave received by the first array element reaches a specific maximum value.

[0022] Based on the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying orifice, the first array element is excited to emit a second ultrasonic wave, which moves the solution within the liquid-carrying orifice to the target liquid-carrying platform in the form of droplets.

[0023] The first array element is stimulated again to emit the first ultrasonic wave while the source liquid platform is continuously moved to move the solution in the next liquid orifice to the target liquid platform in the form of droplets.

[0024] In one specific embodiment, the solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying pores of a source liquid-carrying platform. The source liquid-carrying platform is placed on a ring array transducer, and the projection of the liquid-carrying pores on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements, including:

[0025] The solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying pores of the source liquid-carrying platform, and the multiple liquid-carrying pores are arranged in an array; the source liquid-carrying platform is placed on a ring array transducer, and the center of the source liquid-carrying platform is aligned with the center of the ring array transducer; the projection of the liquid-carrying pores on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

[0026] In one specific embodiment, the first array element is located at the center of the annular array transducer. When the source liquid platform is placed on the annular array transducer and the center of the source liquid platform is aligned with the center of the annular array transducer, the projection of the liquid port on the annular array transducer is located outside the first array element.

[0027] In one specific embodiment, the ring array transducer includes a first array element and a second array element, with the second array element arranged around the outer periphery of the first array element.

[0028] Alternatively, the ring array transducer includes a first array element and at least two second array elements, the second array elements being arranged around the outer periphery of the first array element, and the at least two second array elements being nested sequentially among each other.

[0029] In one specific embodiment, the first array element is a circular array element, the second array element is a ring array element, and the sub-array element is a fan-shaped array element.

[0030] In one specific embodiment, the capacities of the plurality of liquid-carrying orifices may be the same or different.

[0031] In one specific embodiment, the first emitted ultrasonic wave is a plane wave acoustic beam, and the second emitted ultrasonic wave is a focused wave acoustic beam.

[0032] An ultrasonic pipetting device based on a ring array transducer, comprising:

[0033] An initialization module is used to store solutions through multiple liquid-carrying holes of a source liquid-carrying platform, and to place the source liquid-carrying platform on a ring array transducer, wherein the projection of the liquid-carrying holes on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

[0034] The first excitation module is used to excite each sub-array element to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave. The first emitted ultrasonic wave emitted by the sub-array element simultaneously acts on the liquid-carrying hole position whose projection on the ring array transducer coincides with that of the sub-array element.

[0035] The receiving module is used to enable the first array element and the sub-array element to receive the corresponding first reflected ultrasonic wave and second reflected ultrasonic wave when the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the bottom of the liquid-carrying hole and generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave, and the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the liquid surface of the solution in the liquid-carrying hole and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave.

[0036] The filtering module is used to filter out the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with the two sub-array elements based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-array elements.

[0037] The analysis and acquisition module is used to analyze the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave corresponding to the same liquid-carrying hole position, and to obtain the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying hole position.

[0038] The second excitation module is used to excite the first array element to emit a second ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance in each liquid-carrying hole, so as to move the solution in each liquid-carrying hole in the form of droplets to the target liquid-carrying platform.

[0039] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0040] This invention provides an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer. The ring array transducer includes a first element and at least one second element, with the first element located within the second element. The second element is composed of at least two connected sub-elements. The ultrasonic pipetting method includes: storing a solution through multiple liquid-carrying holes of a source liquid-carrying platform; placing the source liquid-carrying platform on the ring array transducer, with the projection of the liquid-carrying holes on the ring array transducer coinciding with at least two sub-elements; exciting each sub-elements to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave, the first emitted ultrasonic wave simultaneously acting on the liquid-carrying hole whose projection on the ring array transducer coincides with that of the sub-elements; the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaching the bottom of the liquid-carrying hole generates... A first reflected ultrasonic wave is generated, and a second reflected ultrasonic wave is generated after the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the solution surface in the liquid-carrying orifice. Sub-array elements receive the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves. Based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-array elements, the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves of the liquid-carrying orifice whose projections on the ring array transducer coincide with those two sub-array elements are selected. The first and second reflected ultrasonic waves corresponding to the liquid-carrying orifice are analyzed to obtain the liquid surface distance within that orifice. The first array element is then excited to emit a second emitted ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance within each orifice, moving the solution in each orifice to the target liquid-carrying platform in the form of droplets. This invention, by setting at least one second array element, which is composed of at least two connected sub-array elements, allows for distance measurement of multiple liquid-carrying orifices on the source liquid-carrying platform by at least two sub-array elements. This eliminates the need for multiple distance measurements of the solution surfaces on the source liquid-carrying platform, achieving single distance measurement of multiple solution surfaces, greatly improving the efficiency of liquid surface distance measurement, and thus increasing the overall liquid transfer speed. Attached Figure Description

[0041] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a first flowchart of an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer provided in Example 1;

[0043] Figure 2 This is a second flowchart of an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer provided in Example 1;

[0044] Figure 3 The third flowchart of an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer provided in Example 1;

[0045] Figure 4This is a first schematic diagram of an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer provided in Example 1;

[0046] Figure 5 This is a second schematic diagram of an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer provided in Example 1;

[0047] Figure 6 This is a third schematic diagram of an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer provided in Example 1;

[0048] Figure 7 The fourth schematic diagram is provided for an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer in Example 1;

[0049] Figure 8 The fifth schematic diagram is provided for an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer in Example 1;

[0050] Figure 9 The sixth schematic diagram is provided for an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer in Example 1;

[0051] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic pipetting device based on a ring array transducer provided in Example 2.

[0052] Figure label:

[0053] 1-Control system; 2-Ring array transducer; 3-Source liquid platform; 4-Target liquid platform; 5-Initialization module; 6-First excitation module; 7-Receiving module; 8-Screening module; 9-Analysis and acquisition module; 10-Second excitation module; 11-First emitted ultrasonic wave; 12-Second emitted ultrasonic wave; 13-First reflected ultrasonic wave; 14-Second reflected ultrasonic wave at liquid orifice A; 15-Second reflected ultrasonic wave at liquid orifice B; 16-Second reflected ultrasonic wave at liquid orifice C; 17-Second reflected ultrasonic wave at liquid orifice D; 21-First array element; 22-Second array element; 23-First sub-array element; 24-Second sub-array element; 25-Third sub-array element; 31-Liquid orifice; 32-Droplet. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0055] In the following, the terms “comprising” or “may include” as used in various embodiments of the invention indicate the presence of the disclosed functions, operations, or elements, and do not limit the addition of one or more functions, operations, or elements. Furthermore, as used in various embodiments of the invention, the terms “comprising,” “having,” and their cognates are intended only to indicate a specific feature, number, step, operation, element, component, or combination of the foregoing, and should not be construed as primarily excluding the presence of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations of the foregoing, or the possibility of adding one or more combinations of the foregoing.

[0056] In various embodiments of the invention, the expression "or" or "at least one of A and / or B" includes any combination or all combinations of the words listed simultaneously. For example, the expression "A or B" or "at least one of A and / or B" may include A, may include B, or may include both A and B.

[0057] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "vertical," "upper," "lower," "horizontal," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0058] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0059] Example 1

[0060] Currently, the liquid parameter detection process of non-contact ultrasonic pipetting is time-consuming, and can only measure the distance of a single liquid surface in the source liquid platform at a time. If it is necessary to measure the distance of multiple liquid surfaces in the source liquid platform, the distance measurement process needs to be repeated many times. The process is cumbersome, the efficiency of liquid surface distance measurement is low, which seriously affects the overall pipetting rate and cannot meet the needs of practical applications.

[0061] like Figures 1 to 9As shown, this invention provides an ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer, applied to a system consisting of a control system 1, a ring array transducer 2, a source liquid platform 3, and a target liquid platform 4. The ring array transducer 2 includes a first array element 21 and at least one second array element 22. The first array element 21 is located within the second array element 22, and the second array element 22 is composed of at least two connected sub-array elements. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on the ring array transducer includes:

[0062] The solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying holes 31 of the source liquid-carrying platform 3. The source liquid-carrying platform 3 is placed on the annular array transducer 2, and the projection of the liquid-carrying holes 31 on the annular array transducer 2 coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

[0063] Each sub-element is excited to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave 11. The first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 emitted by the sub-element acts simultaneously on the liquid-carrying hole position 31 whose projection on the ring array transducer 2 coincides with that of the sub-element.

[0064] The first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 reaches the bottom of the liquid-carrying hole 31 and generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave. After the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the liquid surface in the liquid-carrying hole 31, it generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave. The subarray element receives the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave.

[0065] Based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-elements, the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves of the liquid-carrying hole position 31 whose projection on the ring array transducer coincides with the two sub-elements are selected.

[0066] Analyze the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves corresponding to the liquid-carrying hole 31 to obtain the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying hole 31.

[0067] Based on the liquid surface distance within each liquid-carrying hole 31, the first array element 21 is excited to emit a second ultrasonic wave 12, which moves the solution within each liquid-carrying hole 31 into the target liquid-carrying platform in the form of droplets.

[0068] This invention provides at least one second array element 22, which is composed of at least two connected sub-array elements. These at least two sub-array elements measure the distance to multiple liquid-carrying orifices on the source liquid-carrying platform, eliminating the need for multiple repeated distance measurements. This allows for obtaining the height of multiple solution surfaces in a single measurement, significantly improving the efficiency of liquid surface measurement and thus increasing the overall liquid transfer speed. Furthermore, compared to traditional arrayed ultrasonic transducers, the annular array ultrasonic transducer 2 of this invention has fewer array elements, resulting in lower overall system complexity and simpler liquid transfer and measurement operations, eliminating the need for complex operating methods.

[0069] Specifically, the first emitted ultrasonic wave is a plane wave acoustic beam, and the second emitted ultrasonic wave is a focused wave acoustic beam.

[0070] Specifically, the first array element is a circular array element, the second array element is a ring array element, and the sub-array elements are fan-shaped array elements.

[0071] Specifically, the capacities of the multiple liquid-carrying orifices may be the same or different.

[0072] like Figure 3 As shown, the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-elements are used to filter out the liquid-carrying hole positions 31 whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with the two sub-elements, including:

[0073] Determine the liquid-carrying pore positions corresponding to each pair of adjacent sub-array elements;

[0074] Compare the first reflected ultrasonic wave received by two adjacent sub-elements and compare the second reflected ultrasonic wave received by two adjacent sub-elements.

[0075] Identical first reflected ultrasonic waves and identical second reflected ultrasonic waves are selected to obtain first and second reflected ultrasonic waves whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with the two sub-array elements.

[0076] This invention improves ranging efficiency by making the projection of the liquid-carrying hole position 31 on the annular array transducer 2 coincide with at least two sub-array elements, and by filtering the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave corresponding to the liquid-carrying hole position through the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave received by the two adjacent sub-array elements corresponding to the liquid-carrying hole position 31.

[0077] like Figure 3 As shown, based on the liquid surface distance within each liquid-carrying orifice 31, the first array element 21 is excited to emit a second emitted ultrasonic wave 12, which moves the solution within each liquid-carrying orifice 31 to the target liquid-carrying platform 4 in the form of droplets 32, including:

[0078] The first array element 21 is stimulated to emit the first ultrasonic wave 11 while the source liquid platform 3 is continuously moved.

[0079] The first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 generates a third reflected ultrasonic wave after it reaches the liquid surface in the liquid-carrying hole 31 to be transferred.

[0080] The first array element 21 receives the third reflected ultrasonic wave, and stops moving the source liquid platform 3 when the amplitude of the third reflected ultrasonic wave received by the first array element 21 reaches a specific maximum value.

[0081] Based on the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying orifice 31, the first array element 21 is excited to emit a second ultrasonic wave 12, which moves the solution within the liquid-carrying orifice 31 to the target liquid-carrying platform 4 in the form of droplets 32.

[0082] The first array element 21 is stimulated again to emit the first emitted ultrasonic wave 11, while the source liquid platform 3 is continuously moved to move the solution in the next liquid orifice 31 to the target liquid platform 4 in the form of droplets 32.

[0083] In this embodiment, by positioning the liquid-carrying orifice 31 to be pipetted at a preset position on the annular array transducer 2, it is easier to excite the first array element 21 to emit a second emitted ultrasonic wave 12 that is compatible with the liquid-carrying orifice 31 to be pipetted, thereby improving the pipetting rate.

[0084] like Figure 7 As shown, the solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying holes 31 of the source liquid-carrying platform 3. The source liquid-carrying platform 3 is placed on the annular array transducer 2, and the projection of the liquid-carrying holes 31 on the annular array transducer 2 coincides with at least two sub-array elements, including:

[0085] The solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying holes 31 of the source liquid-carrying platform 3, and the multiple liquid-carrying holes 31 are arranged in an array; the source liquid-carrying platform 3 is placed on the annular array transducer 2, and the center of the source liquid-carrying platform 3 is aligned with the center of the annular array transducer 2; the projection of the liquid-carrying holes 31 on the annular array transducer 2 coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

[0086] Specifically, the first array element 21 is located at the center of the annular array transducer 2. When the source liquid platform 3 is placed on the annular array transducer 2 and the center of the source liquid platform 3 is aligned with the center of the annular array transducer 2, the projection of the liquid port 31 on the annular array transducer 2 is located outside the first array element 21.

[0087] like Figure 5 As shown, the ring array transducer 2 includes a first array element 21 and a second array element 22, with the second array element 22 surrounding the first array element 21. Alternatively, the ring array transducer 2 includes a first array element 21 and at least two second array elements 22, with the second array elements 22 surrounding the first array element 21, and the at least two second array elements 22 are nested sequentially among each other. Compared to traditional arrayed ultrasonic transducers, the ring array transducer 2 provided by this invention has fewer array elements, resulting in lower overall system complexity and simpler pipetting and measurement operations, eliminating the need for complex operating methods.

[0088] like Figures 4 to 9As shown, in one specific embodiment, the ring array transducer 2 includes a first array element 21 and two second array elements 22. The first array element 21 is located within the second array element 22, and the second array element 22 is composed of a first sub-array element 23, a second sub-array element 24, and a third sub-array element 25 connected in sequence. The source liquid-carrying platform 3 is provided with four liquid-carrying holes, namely liquid-carrying hole A, liquid-carrying hole B, liquid-carrying hole C, and liquid-carrying hole D.

[0089] Ultrasonic pipetting methods based on ring array transducers include:

[0090] A source liquid-carrying platform 3 carrying four solutions is placed on a ring array transducer. The solutions are stored through liquid-carrying holes A, B, C and D of the source liquid-carrying platform. Liquid-carrying holes A, B, C and D are located on the same horizontal plane and have the same structure and capacity. The projection of the liquid-carrying holes on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

[0091] The control system 1 excites the first sub-element 23, the second sub-element 24 and the third sub-element 25 to emit the first emitted ultrasonic wave 11. The first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 emitted by each sub-element simultaneously acts on the liquid-carrying hole position 31 whose projection on the ring array transducer 2 coincides with that of the sub-element. For example, the first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 emitted by the first sub-element 23 simultaneously acts on the liquid-carrying hole position A and the liquid-carrying hole position C.

[0092] The first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 reaches the bottom of each liquid-carrying hole and generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave 13. The first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 reaches the solution surface in liquid-carrying hole A and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave 14 in liquid-carrying hole A. It reaches the solution surface in liquid-carrying hole B and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave 15 in liquid-carrying hole B. It reaches the solution surface in liquid-carrying hole C and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave 16 in liquid-carrying hole C. It reaches the solution surface in liquid-carrying hole D and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave 17 in liquid-carrying hole D. Each array element receives the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave generated by its own first emitted ultrasonic wave. Since the four liquid-carrying holes are located on the same horizontal plane and have the same structure and capacity, the first reflected ultrasonic wave 13 received by the first sub-array element 23, the second sub-array element 24 and the third sub-array element 25 are the same.

[0093] Determine the liquid-carrying hole positions corresponding to each pair of adjacent sub-array elements. Compare the first reflected ultrasonic wave 13 received by the two adjacent sub-array elements (the first reflected ultrasonic wave 13 received by each sub-array element is the same, so this step is omitted) and the second reflected ultrasonic wave received by the two adjacent sub-array elements. Filter out the same first reflected ultrasonic wave and the same second reflected ultrasonic wave to obtain the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave corresponding to the liquid-carrying hole positions whose projections on the ring array transducer coincide with the two sub-array elements. For example, determine the liquid-carrying hole position corresponding to the first sub-array element 23 and the third sub-array element 25 as liquid-carrying hole position C. Compare the second reflected ultrasonic wave received by the first sub-array element 23 and the second reflected ultrasonic wave received by the third sub-array element 25 to filter out the same second reflected ultrasonic wave, obtaining the second reflected ultrasonic wave 16 corresponding to liquid-carrying hole position C. Similarly, the second reflected ultrasonic wave 14 of liquid-carrying hole position A, the second reflected ultrasonic wave 15 of liquid-carrying hole position B, and the second reflected ultrasonic wave 17 of liquid-carrying hole position D can be filtered out.

[0094] The liquid surface distance within liquid-carrying orifice A is obtained by analyzing the first reflected ultrasonic wave 13 and the second reflected ultrasonic wave 14 based on liquid-carrying orifice A; the liquid surface distance within liquid-carrying orifice B is obtained by analyzing the first reflected ultrasonic wave 13 and the second reflected ultrasonic wave 15 based on liquid-carrying orifice B; the liquid surface distance within liquid-carrying orifice C is obtained by analyzing the first reflected ultrasonic wave 13 and the second reflected ultrasonic wave 16 based on liquid-carrying orifice C; and the liquid surface distance within liquid-carrying orifice D is obtained by analyzing the first reflected ultrasonic wave 13 and the second reflected ultrasonic wave 17 based on liquid-carrying orifice D.

[0095] The first array element 21 is excited to emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 while continuously moving the source liquid platform 3. After the first emitted ultrasonic wave 11 reaches the liquid surface in the liquid-carrying orifice A, it generates a third reflected ultrasonic wave. The first array element 21 receives the third reflected ultrasonic wave until the amplitude of the third reflected ultrasonic wave received by the first array element 21 reaches a specific maximum value, at which point the movement of the source liquid platform 3 stops. Based on the liquid surface distance in the liquid-carrying orifice A, the first array element 21 is excited to emit a second emitted ultrasonic wave 12, which moves the solution in the liquid-carrying orifice A to the target liquid-carrying platform in the form of droplets 32. The liquid transfer process in the liquid-carrying orifices B, C, and D is the same as that in the liquid-carrying orifice A, and will not be described again here.

[0096] This invention incorporates at least one second array element 22, which is composed of at least two connected sub-array elements. These at least two sub-array elements measure the distance to multiple liquid-carrying orifices on the source liquid-carrying platform, eliminating the need for multiple repeated distance measurements. This allows for obtaining the height of multiple solution surfaces in a single measurement, significantly improving the efficiency of liquid surface measurement and consequently increasing the overall liquid transfer speed. Furthermore, compared to traditional arrayed ultrasonic transducers, the ring array ultrasonic transducer of this invention has fewer array elements, resulting in lower overall system complexity and simpler liquid transfer and measurement operations, eliminating the need for complex operating methods.

[0097] Example 2

[0098] like Figure 10 As shown, this embodiment provides an ultrasonic pipetting device based on a ring array transducer, applied to a system consisting of a control system, a ring array transducer, a source liquid platform, and a target liquid platform, including:

[0099] Initialization module 5 is used to store solution through multiple liquid-carrying holes of the source liquid-carrying platform, and to place the source liquid-carrying platform on the annular array transducer, wherein the projection of the liquid-carrying holes on the annular array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

[0100] The first excitation module 6 is used to excite each sub-array element to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave. The first emitted ultrasonic wave emitted by the sub-array element simultaneously acts on the liquid-carrying hole position whose projection on the ring array transducer coincides with that of the sub-array element.

[0101] The receiving module 7 is used to enable the first array element and the sub-array element to receive the corresponding first reflected ultrasonic wave and second reflected ultrasonic wave when the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the bottom of the liquid-carrying hole and generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave, and the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the liquid surface of the solution in the liquid-carrying hole and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave.

[0102] The screening module 8 is used to screen out the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with the two sub-array elements based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by the two adjacent sub-array elements.

[0103] Analysis and acquisition module 9 is used to analyze the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave corresponding to the same liquid-carrying hole position, and to obtain the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying hole position.

[0104] The second excitation module 10 is used to excite the first array element to emit a second ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance in each liquid-carrying hole, so as to move the solution in each liquid-carrying hole in the form of droplets to the target liquid-carrying platform.

[0105] This invention, through the cooperation of initialization module 5, first excitation module 6, receiving module 7, summary and filtering module 8, analysis and acquisition module 9, and second excitation module 10, eliminates the need for multiple repeated distance measurement processes. It eliminates the need for multiple distance measurements on the liquid surfaces of the source liquid platform, enabling the acquisition of the height of multiple liquid surfaces in a single distance measurement, greatly improving the efficiency of liquid surface distance measurement, and thus increasing the overall liquid transfer speed.

[0106] Those skilled in the art will understand that the modules or steps of the present invention described above can be implemented using general-purpose computing devices. They can be centralized on a single computing device or distributed across a network of multiple computing devices. Optionally, they can be implemented using computer-executable program code, thereby allowing them to be stored in a storage device for execution by a computing device, or they can be fabricated as separate integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps can be fabricated as a single integrated circuit module. Thus, the present invention is not limited to any particular combination of hardware and software.

[0107] Note that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, although the present invention has been described in detail through the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include many other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of the present invention, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the appended claims.

[0108] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer, characterized in that, The ring array transducer includes a first array element and at least one second array element, wherein the first array element is located within the second array element, and the second array element is composed of at least two connected sub-array elements. The ultrasonic pipetting method includes: The solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying holes of the source liquid-carrying platform, which is placed on a ring array transducer, and the projection of the liquid-carrying holes on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements. Each sub-element is excited to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave, and the first emitted ultrasonic wave emitted by the sub-element simultaneously acts on the liquid-carrying hole position whose projection on the ring array transducer coincides with that of the sub-element. The first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the bottom of the liquid-carrying hole and generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave. After the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the liquid surface in the liquid-carrying hole, it generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave. The subarray element receives the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave. Based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-elements, the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves that project onto the ring array transducer and coincide with the two sub-elements are selected. Analyze the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves at the liquid-carrying orifice to obtain the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying orifice. The first array element is excited to emit a second ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance in each liquid-carrying hole, so that the solution in each liquid-carrying hole is moved to the target liquid-carrying platform in the form of droplets.

2. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-elements, the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves that project onto the ring array transducer and coincide with the two sub-elements are selected, including: Determine the liquid-carrying pore positions corresponding to two adjacent sub-element elements; Compare the first reflected ultrasonic wave received by two adjacent sub-elements and compare the second reflected ultrasonic wave received by two adjacent sub-elements. Identical first reflected ultrasonic waves and identical second reflected ultrasonic waves are selected to obtain first and second reflected ultrasonic waves whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with the two sub-array elements.

3. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first array element is sequentially excited to emit a second ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance within each liquid-carrying orifice, moving the solution within each orifice in the form of droplets to the target liquid-carrying platform, including: The first array element is stimulated to emit its first ultrasonic wave while the source liquid platform is continuously moved. The first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the surface of the solution in the liquid-carrying well to be transferred, and then generates a third reflected ultrasonic wave. The first array element receives the third reflected ultrasonic wave, and the moving source liquid platform stops moving when the amplitude of the third reflected ultrasonic wave received by the first array element reaches a specific maximum value. Based on the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying orifice, the first array element is excited to emit a second ultrasonic wave, which moves the solution within the liquid-carrying orifice to the target liquid-carrying platform in the form of droplets. The first array element is stimulated again to emit the first ultrasonic wave while the source liquid platform is continuously moved to move the solution in the next liquid orifice to the target liquid platform in the form of droplets.

4. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying pores of a source liquid-carrying platform, which is placed on a ring array transducer. The projection of the liquid-carrying pores onto the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements, including: The solution is stored through multiple liquid-carrying pores of the source liquid-carrying platform, and the multiple liquid-carrying pores are arranged in an array; the source liquid-carrying platform is placed on a ring array transducer, and the center of the source liquid-carrying platform is aligned with the center of the ring array transducer; the projection of the liquid-carrying pores on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements.

5. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first element is located at the center of the ring array transducer. When the source liquid platform is placed on the ring array transducer and the center of the source liquid platform is aligned with the center of the ring array transducer, the projection of the liquid port on the ring array transducer is located outside the first element.

6. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ring array transducer includes a first array element and a second array element, with the second array element surrounding the outer periphery of the first array element; Alternatively, the ring array transducer includes a first array element and at least two second array elements, the second array elements being arranged around the outer periphery of the first array element, and the at least two second array elements being nested sequentially among each other.

7. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that, The first array element is a circular array element, the second array element is a ring array element, and the sub-array element is a fan-shaped array element.

8. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first emitted ultrasonic wave is a plane wave acoustic beam, and the second emitted ultrasonic wave is a focused wave acoustic beam.

9. The ultrasonic pipetting method based on a ring array transducer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple liquid-carrying pores may have the same or different capacities.

10. An ultrasonic pipetting device based on a ring array transducer, characterized in that, include: An initialization module is used to store solutions through multiple liquid-carrying holes of a source liquid-carrying platform, and to place the source liquid-carrying platform on a ring array transducer, wherein the projection of the liquid-carrying holes on the ring array transducer coincides with at least two sub-array elements. The first excitation module is used to excite each sub-array element to simultaneously emit a first emitted ultrasonic wave. The first emitted ultrasonic wave emitted by the sub-array element simultaneously acts on the liquid-carrying hole position whose projection on the ring array transducer coincides with that of the sub-array element. The receiving module is used to enable the first array element and the sub-array element to receive the corresponding first reflected ultrasonic wave and second reflected ultrasonic wave when the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the bottom of the liquid-carrying hole and generates a first reflected ultrasonic wave, and the first emitted ultrasonic wave reaches the liquid surface of the solution in the liquid-carrying hole and generates a second reflected ultrasonic wave. The filtering module is used to filter out the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves whose projections on the annular array transducer coincide with the two sub-array elements based on the first and second reflected ultrasonic waves received by two adjacent sub-array elements. The analysis and acquisition module is used to analyze the first reflected ultrasonic wave and the second reflected ultrasonic wave corresponding to the same liquid-carrying hole position, and to obtain the liquid surface distance within the liquid-carrying hole position. The second excitation module is used to excite the first array element to emit a second ultrasonic wave based on the liquid surface distance in each liquid-carrying hole, so as to move the solution in each liquid-carrying hole in the form of droplets to the target liquid-carrying platform.

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