Patent ID: 8283181
Filing Date: 2012-10-09
Classification: B41J,C12Q,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of printing a microarray, said method comprising: providing an array substrate in a microarray printing device, said printing device comprising: a microarray substrate holder attached to a platen wherein said substrate holder contains said array substrate; and a microarray print head, said print head comprising: a plurality of spotting capillaries disposed in a support that permits the spotting capillaries to move in a direction parallel to the long axis of said capillaries, wherein said capillaries are coupled to pistons; a vacuum chamber comprising an upper wall and a lower wall through which the capillaries and the pistons are disposed; and a port in said chamber to which a vacuum can be applied; wherein said pistons and capillaries are disposed such that increasing the vacuum in said chamber increases a force holding the pistons into the chamber and thereby increases the resistance of said capillaries to deflection away from a printing substrate; providing a series of solutions comprising reagents that will form features of said microarray; and operating said microarray printing device to print said micro array on the array substrate.