Capillary Dispensing Apparatus for Nanoliter Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dispensing apparatuses face challenges in precisely dispensing small volumes of liquid, particularly at the nanoliter order, and adapting to narrow dispensing intervals, which limits their ability to handle high-density dispensing in biological and drug discovery applications.
Innovation Solution
A dispensing apparatus utilizing capillaries with a pump unit and controller to control the liquid surface position within the capillaries, allowing for precise suction and discharge of predetermined volumes, and featuring a variable pitch mechanism to adjust dispensing pitches for high-density dispensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional dispensing apparatuses are used, then dispensing of liquid can be performed, but precise control of nanoliter-order liquid volumes cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the liquid handling function into multiple capillaries with different inner diameters. Each capillary is optimized for specific volume ranges, allowing precise control of nanoliter-order volumes through selective use of appropriate capillary sizes rather than attempting to measure all volumes with a single system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical parameter of capillary inner diameter to achieve different dispensing precision levels. By selecting capillaries with specific inner diameters from a set of varying sizes, the system adapts its measurement and dispensing precision to match the required liquid volume, enabling accurate nanoliter-order dispensing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If variable pitch mechanisms are used to change nozzle array pitch, then adaptability to different dispensing intervals is improved, but the ability to achieve narrow dispensing pitches of several tens of micrometers is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle array is segmented into multiple independently controllable groups or rows. By selectively activating and positioning specific groups of nozzles, the system achieves narrow effective pitches among active nozzles even when the physical nozzle array has larger spacing. This segmentation allows achieving several tens of micrometers dispensing pitch through selective usage rather than requiring all nozzles to be densely packed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from one-dimensional pitch adjustment to two-dimensional positioning control. By controlling which rows and columns of nozzles are activated and their relative positions, the system creates a flexible virtual pitch that can achieve narrow spacing in the dispensing plane without requiring physically dense nozzle arrangement, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional variable pitch mechanisms.
3Productivity
If high-density dispensing is performed in narrow areas, then productivity is improved, but cycle time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing task is segmented into multiple independent dispensing operations using different capillary groups. Multiple capillaries can dispense simultaneously at different locations, and the segmented approach allows parallel processing of dispensing operations, maintaining high productivity while reducing the time each individual dispensing action takes, thus shortening overall cycle time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the active capillary configuration based on the dispensing pattern requirements. By dynamically selecting and positioning appropriate capillary groups for each dispensing task, the system optimizes the dispensing path and reduces unnecessary movements, thereby maintaining high-density dispensing capability while minimizing cycle time through adaptive real-time control.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise dispensing of extremely small liquid volumes with improved accuracy and flexibility, allowing for high-density dispensing in narrow areas with short cycle times.
Implementation Method 1
a pump unit configured to pump an operating liquid into the capillary and to pump the operating liquid out of the capillary
Implementation Method 2
a capillary provided with a distal end and a proximal end
Data Source
AI summary
In a dispensing apparatus for dispensing a liquid, such as a sample solution, on a substrate, such as a glass slide, the dispensing apparatus includes a capillary provided with a distal end and a proximal end, a pump unit configured to pump an operating liquid into the capillary and to pump the operating liquid out of the capillary, and a controller configured to control the pump unit so as to change a position of a liquid surface of the operating liquid in the capillary so that a predetermined volume of liquid is suctioned from the distal end into the capillary and the liquid suctioned in the capillary is discharged from the distal end. As a result, it is possible to precisely dispense extremely small volume amounts of liquids such as a nanoliter.