Patent · US Expired

Manufacturing method and apparatus for biological probe arrays using vision-assisted micropipetting

US5601980A · kind A · utility

133Cited by
9References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 23, 1994
Grant dateFeb 11, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 23, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T436/12
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for spotting a biological probe onto an array. A micropipette containing a quantity of the biological probe in solution is manipulated to a position above a selected location within the array. The micropipette is pressurized sufficiently to produce a droplet of the biological probe at an open tip of the micropipette. Formation of the droplet is simultaneously visually monitored during the pressurization of the micropipette in order to estimate a volume measurement of the droplet. Upon reaching a predetermined volume for the droplet, the pressurizing of the micropipette is discontinued. The droplet of the predetermined volume is then dispensed onto the selected location.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.