Patent ID: 8113068

Claim:
A micro-liquid transfer apparatus for transferring a micro-liquid to a transfer object, the micro-liquid transfer apparatus comprising: a pin tool holder for alternately mounting thereon two pin tools including multiple pins each holding a micro-liquid attached to lower end portions of the pins; a work stage, in which a container storing a sample and the transfer object are arranged; two washing tanks, each storing a solvent for washing the lower end portions of the pins; a pin tool stocker for supporting one of the pin tools separated from the pin tool holder such that the lower end portions of the pins of the separated pin tool are immersed in the solvent when the separated pin tool is supported by the pin tool stocker; and a pin tool transfer mechanism for moving the pin tool holder in a range including the work stage and two washing tanks, and capable of carrying out an operation to transfer the attached sample to the transfer object by attaching the sample in the container to the lower ends of the pins at the work stage; wherein while one of the pin tools is mounted on the pin tool holder to carry out the operation to transfer the micro-liquid, the lower end portions of the pins of the other pin tool stocked by the pin tool stocker in either of the washing tanks are washed.