Patent ID: 6902702

Claim:
The manifold assembly for removing liquid from in combination, a plurality of microarray spotting members, and a plurality of microarray spotting members, the spotting members each having a spotting member body and a first open end portion for printing a spot on a microarray slide, comprising: a plate, the plate defining a plurality of fluid flow apertures extending through the plate, each aperture located to cooperate with a corresponding spotting member, each aperture having an axis a first diameter, an upstream edge forming an inlet and a downstream edge forming an outlet, the edges defining the aperture, the corresponding spotting member body having a second diameter wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter so that the spotting member may not entirely pass through the aperture, and wherein the first open end portion of the spotting member is adapted to extend into the corresponding aperture to a position where there is space between the spotting member and the aperture; and turbulence means for creating turbulence in air flowing from the inlet to the outlet in the space between the spotting member and the aperture for removing liquid from the first open end portions of the spotting members.