Multi-Well Droplet Ejection via Segmented Nozzle Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Droplet ejecting apparatuses face challenges in efficiently dispensing highly volatile solutions into multiwell plates with many wells, as the process takes too long, leading to potential changes in solution concentration due to volatilization, which affects the accuracy of the concentration dropped into each well.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus is designed with multiple nozzle groups and pressure chambers, allowing simultaneous droplet dispensing into multiple wells from a single solution holding container, reducing the overall time required and minimizing the impact of solution volatilization, using a combination of piezoelectric and thermal jet methods to control droplet ejection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single nozzle is used to dispense solutions sequentially into each well, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity is insufficient and the process takes too long causing solution volatilization
Solution Approach 1:
The single pressure chamber is divided into multiple segmented pressure chambers (first, second, third pressure chambers), each controlling a separate nozzle group. This allows parallel dispensing into multiple wells simultaneously, dramatically increasing productivity while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple nozzle groups are merged into a single droplet ejecting apparatus, with each nozzle group connected to its own pressure chamber. The solution holding container supplies solution to all pressure chambers through a unified structure, enabling simultaneous multi-point dispensing while sharing common solution supply infrastructure.
2Productivity
If the nozzle density is increased to handle more wells, then the productivity improves, but the manufacturing precision and alignment difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle array is segmented into multiple nozzle groups (first, second, third nozzle groups), each with 3 nozzles arranged in a triangle pattern. This segmentation allows each group to be precisely aligned with corresponding well groups in the multiwell plate, reducing overall alignment complexity while increasing total capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzles within each group are arranged in a triangular configuration rather than a linear array, utilizing two-dimensional spatial arrangement. This allows more nozzles to be packed into a compact area while maintaining precise alignment with the well plate structure, improving both density and alignment accuracy.
3Productivity
If the dispensing time is extended to cover all wells, then the productivity improves, but the solution concentration changes due to volatilization
Solution Approach 1:
The dispensing process is segmented into parallel operations across multiple pressure chambers and nozzle groups. Instead of sequentially dispensing into one well at a time, the system simultaneously dispenses into multiple wells across different pressure chambers, reducing total dispensing time and minimizing volatilization-related concentration changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution supply system maintains continuous flow to all pressure chambers simultaneously, ensuring that solution is constantly available to all nozzles. This continuous supply mechanism prevents concentration changes in the solution reservoir while enabling parallel dispensing operations across all wells.
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
This approach significantly reduces the time needed to dispense solutions into large multiwell plates, minimizing concentration changes due to volatilization and ensuring accurate delivery of the compound concentration, while also potentially lowering production costs by increasing nozzle density.
Implementation Method 1
a first actuator configured to cause a pressure change in a first pressure chamber to control an ejection of a droplet of the solution from the first nozzle
Implementation Method 2
using a combination of piezoelectric and thermal jet methods to control droplet ejection
Data Source
AI summary
A droplet ejecting apparatus includes a plurality of nozzle groups each including a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of pressure chambers each configured to supply a solution to a corresponding nozzle of a nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups, a plurality of actuators each configured to cause a pressure change in a corresponding pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers to control an ejection of a droplet of the solution from the corresponding nozzle, and a solution holding container having a solution inlet for receiving solution and a solution outlet, the solution holding container being configured to supply the solution to the plurality of nozzle groups via the plurality of pressure chambers.