Patent ID: 7429359
Filing Date: 2008-09-30
Classification: B01L,G01N

Abstract:
1. A non-contact liquid transfer apparatus comprising: an acoustic wave emitter; a plurality of liquid containment structures, wherein at least one of said plurality of liquid containment structures further comprises a plurality of source liquid pools; a plurality of target devices, wherein (i) each of said plurality of target devices comprises a structure that is capable of retaining liquid ejected from one of said plurality of liquid continment structures, (ii) at least one of said plurality of target device includes a plurality of target locations; a first mechanical displacement mechanism capable of moving and aligning one of said plurality of liquid containment structures on a first X/Y plane with said acoustic wave emitter; a second mechanical displacement mechanism capable of moving and aligning one of said plurality of target devices on a second X/Y plane with said acoustic wave emitter; and a computer configured to control movements of said first and second mechanical displacement mechanisms, wherein said apparatus is configured to align one of said plurality of source liquid pools within one of said plurality of liquid containment structures, with one of said plurality of target locations within one of said plurality of target devices, and the acoustic wave emitter, and wherein said computer is configured to accept or obtain information on at least one of viscosity of at least one liquid of said source liquid pools, surface tension of at least one liquid of said source liquid pools, and speed of sound of at least one liquid of said source liquid pools and use said information to select an acoustic power of the acoustic emitter or facilitate relative positioning of the acoustic emitter and the liquid containment structure.