Droplet ejecting apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018085745-A1
Application number	US-201715683574-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Mar 29, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A droplet ejecting apparatus, comprising:
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.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a distance between two adjacent nozzles in each nozzle group is shorter than a distance between two adjacent nozzle groups.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each nozzle group is spaced from each other nozzle group such that each nozzle group can be positioned above a different well of a multiwell plate such that droplets ejected from each respective nozzle group are received by a respectively different well of the multiwell plate.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the plurality of actuators operate such that droplets of the solution are ejected simultaneously from the plurality of nozzle groups.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of actuators comprises a piezoelectric film that is configured to deform a pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the plurality of actuators comprises a thin film heater that is configured to heat the solution in one pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected.

7 . A solution dispenser, comprising:
a base on which a multiwell plate can be disposed; a droplet ejecting apparatus having first surface side facing the base and a second surface side opposite the first surface side, the droplet ejecting apparatus including:
a plurality of nozzle groups on the first surface side, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles, each nozzle group being disposed so as be positioned above a well of the multiwell plate;
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 on the second surface side, the solution holding container being configured to supply the solution to the plurality of nozzle groups via the plurality of pressure chambers; and
a moving stage connected to the droplet ejecting apparatus and configured to move the droplet ejecting apparatus to position the plurality of nozzle groups above wells of the multiwell plate.

8 . The solution dispenser according to claim 7 , wherein
the moving stage is configured to move in a two dimensional plane parallel to the base.

9 . The solution dispenser according to claim 7 , wherein
a distance between adjacent nozzles within each nozzle group is shorter than a distance between adjacent nozzle groups in the plurality of nozzle groups.

10 . The solution dispenser according to claim 7 , wherein
each nozzle group is spaced from each other nozzle group such that each nozzle group can be positioned above a different well of a multiwell plate such that droplets ejected from each respective nozzle group are received by a respectively different well of the multiwell plate.

11 . The solution dispenser according to claim 10 , wherein
droplets of the solution are ejected simultaneously from each nozzle group in plurality of nozzle groups.

12 . The solution dispenser according to claim 7 , wherein
each of the plurality of actuators comprises a piezoelectric film that is configured to deform one pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected.

13 . The solution dispenser according to claim 7 , wherein
each of the plurality of actuators comprises a thin film heat that is configured to heat the solution in one pressure chamber in the plurality of pressure chambers and cause the solution to be ejected.

14 . A droplet ejecting apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of nozzle groups each including a plurality of nozzles; a plurality of actuators each configured to control an ejection of a droplet of the solution from a corresponding nozzle of a nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups; 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, the plurality of nozzle groups ejecting droplets of the solution at a same time.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
the plurality of nozzles in each nozzle group are arranged in an array having a width dimension less than a width dimension of a single well in a 1,536 well multiwell plate.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
a distance between two adjacent nozzles in each group is shorter than a distance between two adjacent groups of nozzles.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
each nozzle group is spaced from each other nozzle group such that each nozzle group can be positioned above a different well of a multiwell plate such that droplets ejected from each respective nozzle group are received by a different well of the multiwell plate.

18 . The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein
droplets of the solution are ejected simultaneously from each nozzle group in the plurality of nozzle groups.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
each of the plurality of actuators comprises a piezoelectric film that is configured to cause the solution to be ejected from the corresponding nozzle.

20 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein
each of the plurality of actuators comprises a thin film heater that is configured to heat the solution in the vicinity of the corresponding nozzle and cause the solution to be ejected from the corresponding nozzle.

Assignees

• Toshiba Tec Kk

Inventors

• Yokoyama Shuhei
• Kaiho Satoshi

Classifications

• B01L2300/0893

  having a very large number of wells, microfabricated wells · CPC title

• B01L2300/185

  using a liquid as fluid · CPC title

• B01L3/0237

  Details of electronic control, e.g. relating to user interface · CPC title

• B01L3/0268 Primary

  using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries · CPC title

• G01N35/1002

  Reagent dispensers · CPC title