Apparatus and method for dispensing fluid, semi-solid and solid samples

Abstract

The invention relates generally to the field of automated collection and deposition of fluid, semi-solid, and solid samples of biological or chemical materials. More specifically, the invention relates to the field of microarrayers, which are devices for autonomously depositing minute droplets of biological or chemical fluid samples in ordered arrays onto substrates. The invention also relates to tissue arrayers, which are devices for the collection and deposition of solid and semi-solid tissue samples in ordered arrays. Other aspects of the invention relate to fluidics robots, which are devices for the autonomous collection, dispensing and processing of biological or chemical fluid samples. The invention improves the throughput of microarrayers, tissue arrayers, and fluidics robots by providing methods and apparatuses to precisely and repeatably load supplies into the machines.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 .- 108 . (canceled) 
     
     
         109 . A method of depositing minute droplets of fluid on a substrate comprising:
 operatively connecting a plurality of deposition engines, each deposition engine comprising at least one printhead comprising at least one deposit element adapted to deposit minute droplets of fluid onto a surface of the substrate; and   transferring at least one holder between the deposition engines, the holder:
 adapted to hold at least one of a substrate and a fluid reservoir and 
 comprising an apparatus for precisely and repeatably positioning the holder on a support. 
   
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein each deposition engine comprises a plurality of printheads. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 109 , further comprising the step of transferring at least one holder from a first hotel to a first deposition engine. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 111 , further comprising the step of transferring at least one holder from the first deposition engine to a second hotel. 
     
     
         113 . (canceled) 
     
     
         114 . A microarray produced in accordance with the method of  claim 109 . 
     
     
         115 .- 119 . (canceled) 
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 112 , wherein at least one of (i) the step of transferring the holder from the first hotel to the first deposition engine and (ii) the step of transferring the holder from the first deposition engine to the second hotel, occurs while at least one other deposition engine is performing at least one of a fluid capture operation and a droplet deposition operation. 
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 112 , further comprising:
 re-stocking the first hotel with at least one additional holder while at least one deposition engine is performing at least one of a fluid capture and a droplet deposition operation.   
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 121 , wherein the first hotel and the second hotel comprise a same hotel. 
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein the holder comprises at least one holder adapted to hold the substrate and at least one holder adapted to hold the fluid reservoir. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 123 , wherein (i) the holder adapted to hold the substrate is transferred between the deposition engines and (ii) the holder adapted to hold the fluid reservoir is installed in a single deposition engine. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein the apparatus for precisely and repeatably positioning the holder on a support comprises a datum plane defined by at least three datums. 
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 109 , wherein the deposit element comprises a solid pin. 
     
     
         127 . A microarrayer assembly comprising:
 a plurality of operatively connected deposition engines, wherein each deposition engine comprises at least one printhead comprising at least one deposit element adapted to deposit minute droplets of fluid onto a surface of a substrate; and   an automated supply and return apparatus adapted to transfer at least one holder between the deposition engines, the holder:
 adapted to hold at least one of a substrate and a fluid reservoir, and 
 comprising an apparatus for precisely and repeatably positioning the holder on a support. 
   
     
     
         128 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , wherein at least one deposition engine comprises a plurality of printheads. 
     
     
         129 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , wherein at least one deposition engine comprises a wash station adapted to wash the deposit element. 
     
     
         130 . The microarrayer of  claim 129 , wherein the plurality of deposition engines operate synchronously with each other. 
     
     
         131 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , wherein the plurality of deposition engines operate asynchronously with each other. 
     
     
         132 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , wherein the deposit element comprises a solid pin. 
     
     
         133 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , wherein the automated supply and return apparatus comprises a conveyor system. 
     
     
         134 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , wherein the holder comprises at least one holder adapted to hold the substrate and at least one holder adapted to hold the fluid reservoir. 
     
     
         135 . The microarrayer of  claim 134 , wherein the automated supply and return apparatus comprises:
 a first apparatus for transferring the holder adapted to hold the substrate, and   a second apparatus for transferring the holder adapted to hold the fluid reservoir.   
     
     
         136 . The microarrayer of  claim 134 , wherein (i) the holder adapted to hold the substrate is adapted to be transferred between the deposition engines and (ii) the holder adapted to hold the fluid reservoir is adapted to be installed in a single deposition engine. 
     
     
         137 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , further comprising:
 at least one hotel adapted to store at least one holder, the hotel operatively connected to the automated supply and return apparatus.   
     
     
         138 . The microarrayer of  claim 137 , wherein the automated supply and return apparatus is adapted to transfer the holder from a first hotel to a first deposition engine. 
     
     
         139 . The microarrayer of  claim 138 , wherein the automated supply and return apparatus is further adapted to transfer the holder from the first deposition engine to a second hotel. 
     
     
         140 . The microarrayer of  claim 139 , wherein the automated supply and return apparatus is adapted to at least one of (i) transfer the holder from the first hotel to the first deposition engine and (ii) transfer the holder from the first deposition engine to the second hotel, while at least one other deposition engine is performing at least one of a fluid capture operation and a droplet deposition operation. 
     
     
         141 . The microarrayer of  claim 138 , wherein the first hotel is adapted to be re-stocked while at least one deposition engine is performing at least one of a fluid capture operation and a droplet deposition operation. 
     
     
         142 . The microarrayer of  claim 141 , wherein the first hotel and the second hotel comprise a same hotel. 
     
     
         143 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , further comprising at least two hotels, wherein one hotel is adapted to store at least one substrate holder and another hotel is adapted to store at least one fluid reservoir holder. 
     
     
         144 . The microarrayer of  claim 127 , further comprising a controller adapted to coordinate the operations of the deposition engines and the automated supply and return apparatus.