Patent US6284113B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6284113B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method for transferring liquids
Assignee: Monogram Biosciences Inc
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Filing: 1998-09-15
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Granted: 2001-09-04
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Expires: 2018-09-15
Abstract
Abstract The present invention concerns devices, apparatus and methods for transferring liquids. One aspect of the present invention is a device comprising a plate having a plurality of transfer elements. Each of the transfer elements comprises an aperture in the plate where the aperture is capable of being electrically activated. The plate has one of more attaching elements for attaching the plate to a multiwell plate to form a sealed system except for the apertures of the transfer elements. Usually, the device is adapted for sealing attachment to a multiwell plate. In a method in accordance with the present invention a quantity of liquid is disposed to a second side of a plate having a plurality of apertures in the plate. The apertures are capable of being electrically activated. The liquid is present in a closed well except for the apertures in the plate. To simultaneously expel liquid from the apertures, the apertures are electrically activated. Also disclosed are kits comprising a device in accordance with the present invention.
Inventors
- 👤 Torleif Ove Bjornson
- 👤 Timothy F. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 01:52
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01L; B01L3/00; B01L3/02; B01L3/0241; B01L3/0268; B01J; B01J19/00; B01J19/0046; B01J2219/00; B01J2219/00274; B01J2219/00277; B01J2219/00279; B01J2219/00306; B01J2219/00313; B01J2219/00315; B01J2219/00317; B01J2219/00351; B01J2219/00353; B01J2219/00358; C; C40; C40B; C40B60/00; C40B60/14; G; G01; G01N; G01N35/00; G01N35/10; G01N2035/1027; G01N2035/1034; G01N2035/1037; G01N35/1065; G01N35/1074
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
A device comprising: (a) a first plate having a plurality of transfer elements, each transfer element comprising an aperture in said plate wherein said aperture is capable of being electrically activated; (b) a multiwell plate comprising a plurality of wells; (c) one or more attaching elements on a first side of said first plate for sealingly attaching said first plate to said multiwell plate to form a sealed system except for said apertures; (d) electrodes for electrically activating said aperture.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
80 words
A device comprising: (a) a first plate having a plurality of transfer elements, each transfer element comprising an aperture in said plate wherein said aperture is capable of being electrically activated; (b) a multiwell plate comprising a plurality of wells; (c) one or more attaching elements on a first side of said first plate for sealingly attaching said first plate to said multiwell plate to form a sealed system except for said apertures; (d) electrodes for electrically activating said aperture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 1 wherein each of said transfer elements further comprises a nozzle on a second side of said plate as an extension of said aperture wherein said nozzle is formed from an electroconductive material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said electroconductive material is adapted for activation by an applied electric potential.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said attaching element is removably attachable to said multiwell plate.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for transferring liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first plate comprising a plurality of individual wells containing said liquid, said wells being formed in said first plate on a first side thereof, wherein a second side of said first plate is free of openings; (b) a second plate comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of transfer elements, each transfer element comprising an aperture in said second plate, wherein said apertures are capable of being electrically activated, said second plate being adapted for simultaneously transferring precise amounts of a liquid from said first plate to a sample receiving plate by electrically activating said apertures, said second side of said second plate being sealingly attached to the first side of said first plate; and (c) electrodes for electrically activating said aperture.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for transferring liquid, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first plate comprising a plurality of individual wells containing said liquid, said wells being formed in said first plate on a first side thereof, wherein a second side of said first plate is free of openings; (b) a second plate comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of transfer elements, each transfer element comprising an aperture in said second plate, wherein said apertures are capable of being electrically activated, said second plate being adapted for simultaneously transferring precise amounts of a liquid from said first plate to a sample receiving plate by electrically activating said apertures, said second side of said second plate being sealingly attached to the first side of said first plate; and (c) electrodes for electrically activating said aperture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a sample receiving plate, wherein said sample receiving plate comprises a plurality of sample receiving reservoirs that are part of a microfluidic network.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apertures are comprised of an electroconductive material serving as a first electrode and said sample receiving plate has a second electrode adjacent thereto and cooperative with said first electrode to provide for application of an electric potential between said electroconductive material and said second electrode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said transfer elements further comprises a nozzle on a second side of said plate as an extension of said aperture wherein said nozzle is formed from an electroconductive material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second side of said second plate comprises one or more friction members to render said second plate sealingly attached to the first side of said first plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second plate is removably attached to the first side of said first plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second side of said second plate comprises an adhesive layer to render said second plate sealingly attached to the first side of said first plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 5 which further comprises an acceleration electrode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 5 which further comprises an array of capillaries.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
56 words
A method for trnsfering liquid, said method comprising: (a) disposing a quantity of liquid to a second side of a plate having a plurality of apertures therein that are capable of being electrically activated, wherein said liquid is present in a closed container comprising individual wells of a multiwell plate and (b) electrically activating said apertures.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
56 words
A method for trnsfering liquid, said method comprising: (a) disposing a quantity of liquid to a second side of a plate having a plurality of apertures therein that are capable of being electrically activated, wherein said liquid is present in a closed container comprising individual wells of a multiwell plate and (b) electrically activating said apertures.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said container is a well that is part of a 96 multiwell plate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said well of said multiwell plate comprises a bottom wall wherein said bottom wall is substantially free of contact with said liquid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said second side of said plate comprises one or more friction members to render said plate sealingly attached to said multiwell plate to form said closed system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said multiwell plate is removably attached to the first side of said first plate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said apertures are part of transfer elements, each of said transfer elements comprising a nozzle on a first side of said plate as an extension of said aperture wherein said nozzle is formed from an electroconductive material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said second side of said plate comprises an adhesive layer to render said plate sealingly attached to said multiwell plate to form said closed system.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for transferring liquid, said method comprising: (a) providing a first plate comprising a plurality of individual wells containing said liquid, said wells being formed in said first plate on a first side thereof, (b) providing a second plate comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of transfer elements, each transfer element comprising an aperture in said second plate, wherein said apertures are capable of being electrically activated, said second plate being adapted for simultaneously transferring precise amounts of a liquid from said first plate to a sample receiving plate by electrically activating said apertures, (c) sealingly attaching said second side of said second plate to the first side of said first plate, (d) positioning said apertures adjacent to an array of sample receiving plate, and (e) electrically activating said apertures.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for transferring liquid, said method comprising: (a) providing a first plate comprising a plurality of individual wells containing said liquid, said wells being formed in said first plate on a first side thereof, (b) providing a second plate comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of transfer elements, each transfer element comprising an aperture in said second plate, wherein said apertures are capable of being electrically activated, said second plate being adapted for simultaneously transferring precise amounts of a liquid from said first plate to a sample receiving plate by electrically activating said apertures, (c) sealingly attaching said second side of said second plate to the first side of said first plate, (d) positioning said apertures adjacent to an array of sample receiving plate, and (e) electrically activating said apertures.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said sample receiving plate comprises a plurality of sample receiving reservoirs that are part of a microfluidic network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said apertures are comprised of an electroconductive material serving as a first electrode and said sample receiving plate has a second electrode adjacent thereto and cooperative with said first electrode to provide for application of an electric potential to electrically activate said apertures.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 21 wherein each of said transfer elements further comprises a nozzle on a first side of said plate as an extension of said aperture wherein said nozzle is formed from an electroconductive material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said second side of said second plate comprises one or more friction members to render said second plate sealingly attached to the first side of said first plate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said second plate is removably attached to the first side of said first plate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said second side of said second plate comprises an adhesive layer to render said second plate sealingly attached to the first side of said first plate.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for transferring liquid, said method comprising: (a) attaching, to a multiwell plate having liquid contained in the wells thereof, a second plate comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of apertures therethrough, each of said apertures being at least partially comprised of an electroconductive material, each of said apertures being aligned with a corresponding well of said multiwell plate, said second plate comprising on said second side one or more attaching elements and said second plate being attached to the top of said multiwell plate by said attaching element, (b) inverting said multiwell plate attached to said second plate so that liquid is disposed at each of said apertures, the dimensions of said apertures being such that liquid does not exit said apertures, (c) positioning said apertures adjacent to an array of sample receiving reservoirs of a microfluidic network in a third plate wherein each of said microfluidic networks has an electrode connected to an electrode adjacent one of said apertures, (d) applying an electric potential across said electrodes causing a portion of said liquid to exit said apertures and enter a corresponding sample receiving reservoir.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for transferring liquid, said method comprising: (a) attaching, to a multiwell plate having liquid contained in the wells thereof, a second plate comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of apertures therethrough, each of said apertures being at least partially comprised of an electroconductive material, each of said apertures being aligned with a corresponding well of said multiwell plate, said second plate comprising on said second side one or more attaching elements and said second plate being attached to the top of said multiwell plate by said attaching element, (b) inverting said multiwell plate attached to said second plate so that liquid is disposed at each of said apertures, the dimensions of said apertures being such that liquid does not exit said apertures, (c) positioning said apertures adjacent to an array of sample receiving reservoirs of a microfluidic network in a third plate wherein each of said microfluidic networks has an electrode connected to an electrode adjacent one of said apertures, (d) applying an electric potential across said electrodes causing a portion of said liquid to exit said apertures and enter a corresponding sample receiving reservoir.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said apertures are part of a transfer element, each of said transfer elements further comprising a nozzle on a first side of said plate as an extension of said aperture wherein said nozzle is formed from an electroconductive material.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said attaching element comprises one or more friction members.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said attaching element comprises an adhesive layer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
18 words
A kit comprising in packaged combination: (a) the device of claim 1 and (b) a sample receiving plate.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The kit of claim 32 wherein said sample receiving plate is selected from the group consisting of planar surfaces and sample receiving reservoirs.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
The kit of claim 32 which comprises one or more reagents for conducting a chemical synthesis or an analysis.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
10 words
The kit of claim 32 which comprises a multiwell plate.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-09-03 | 2005-03-05 | 2005-09-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-09-03 | 2009-03-05 | 2009-09-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-09-03 | 2013-03-05 | 2013-09-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |