Patent ID: 8273307

Claim:
A microdispenser for dispensing a liquid sample in a dispensing device, comprising a) a sample container for holding the liquid sample, b) a nozzle for dispensing the sample located in the sample container, wherein the nozzle is adapted to dispense the liquid sample in a form of microdroplets, c) an actuator for discharging the liquid sample located in the sample container through the nozzle, wherein the actuator is a piezo actuator, d) a closure adapted for closing the nozzle for storage of the microdispenser and adapted for opening the nozzle for dispensing the sample liquid, e) a valve for venting the sample container during the dispensing of the liquid sample, a marking containing information about the microdispenser or about the liquid sample located in the sample container, said marking being an optical code, and g) a sponge arranged in the sample container such that the sponge is adapted to generate a holding vacuum in the sample container due to capillary forces acting on the liquid sample, wherein: (i) the microdispenser with the sample container containing the liquid sample can be stored independently of and fluidically separated from the dispensing device, without the sample escaping from the sample container during storage, (ii) the sample container has an integrated sample reservoir in order to be able to dispense a plurality of samples one after the other without a need for refilling, (iii) no sample supply line for the microdispenser is provided, (iv) the nozzle is provided with a coating, and (v) the coating has an effect selected from the group consisting of protein-immobilization, DNA-immobilization, permission of specific adsorption of biomolecules, prevention of coagulation of the liquid sample, purification of the liquid sample and concentrating of the liquid sample.