Patent ID: 9120107
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: B01L,B05B,G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. An induction based fluidic apparatus for inductively transporting or dispensing materials which is a) useful for accurately transporting or dispensing one liquid or for accurately transporting or dispensing a plurality of the same or different liquids, in similar or different microliter to femtoliter volume ranges, and optionally, b) is useful for performing one or more other operations concurrently or sequentially on the same or different liquids including those eluting from capillaries, pipettes, syringes, syringe pumps, dispensers and pumps of all types, SPE columns, chips, HPLC, UPLC or other liquid handling and treatment devices or pumps and devices that align and couple matter flows and optionally provide energy to it for transport to mass spectrometers of any type or other scientific or other instruments energizing same with sample placement devices; and furthermore which, c) is useful for accurately and precisely in both volumetric and spatial terms delivering treated liquids or liquids, drugs, anesthetics, taggants, slurries or cells, dissolved cells, suspended cells, biological fluids, DNA/RNA samples, glues, whole blood, paint, lubricants, viscous liquids, tears, serum, semen, or suspended or other solids including nanoparticles to entities of all types including MALDI targets and microtiter plates, mass spectrometers and scientific instruments or all types, drugs or prescriptions, food, plants, animal and human subjects, packages or containers of all types, inanimate objects, and other objects either of a conductive, semi-conductive or non-conductive material, rapidly, without touching same, and d) which is useful for manufacturing of 2D and 3D components; such as charged functionalized solid entities or polymers or mixtures thereof, or non-charged polymers or pills, or wafers and or electronic or other components and e) which is useful for sample preparation for MALDI, tissue MALDI, and LC/MALDI, LC/ESI/MS and IMS variants and also for the characterization of bacteria by MALDI, SIMS, DART, DESI, LDI or other energy, target systems and which is also useful for desolvating fluids of all types and which is also useful for sample preparation and sample introduction and other testing related to medical diagnostics, disease and health biomarker testing via liquid processing to assess the condition of living or other systems which is comprised of: a) a source or electric power; b) at least one on/off switch; c) a programmable digital bipolar electric HV power supply with each pole electrically connected to at least one fast HV relay switch; d) HV flying leads electrically connected to said HV relay switch and electrically connected to at least one inductor and switchably to targets or ground; e) a computer or microprocessor, which is programmed to select and control energy, polarity and application locale of power and which is connected to circuitry to select individually said at least one inductor and or said targets; f) at least one gaussian surface located inside and enclosed by the said at least one inductor with a terminal end of said gaussian surface open and connected to at least one UPLC system, HPLC system, or dispensing system; g) energy and actions of said at least one system are coordinated by said microprocessor or computer to apply and to coordinate said electrical energy to said at least one inductor or to said targets in coordination with said at least one UPLC system, HPLC system, or dispensing system to create one or a plurality of fluidic paths to allow for the creation drops, flows, or sprays; h) at least one IR heater or resistance heater to further energize the said drops, flows, or sprays and wherein such energization is coordinated by said microprocessor or computer that likewise coordinates said droplet production; i) where the at least one inductor through which said drops, flows or sprays are caused to move in the atmosphere are aligned and/or connected to at least one scientific instrument; j) said at least one scientific instrument has a sample introduction robotic device to provide relative motion for sample introduction to and from the said UPLC system, HPLC system, or dispensing system, with said robotic device being controlled and coordinated by said microprocessor or said computer.