Perkinelmer Las, Inc.

General Scanning, Inc.

Paul E Glynn

Mack J Schermer

C Brian Candiloro

Steven M Burgarella

A microarray spotter printhead is mounted to a bracket with a semi-kinematic mounting system for avoiding the need for calibration when replaced.

Printhead mounting system for a microarray spotting instrument

The disclosed pin-lifter can selectively lift pins partially out of a printhead of a spotting instrument and thereby prevent the lifted pins from contacting the substrate during any printing. Methods of using pin-lifters to increase the rate of production of compact microarrays are disclosed.

Method and apparatus for producing compact microarrays

A resonant electromechanical oscillator which includes a base portion, a driven portion, a cantilevered sheet-form flexural suspension which spaces the driven portion from the base portion for oscillation about an axis in the plane of the sheet-form suspension, and an electromagnetic drive which includes cooperating portions on the base and driven portions for oscillating the driven portion at a resonant frequency. The ends of the sheet-form suspension are coupled to the base and driven portions with at least one end coupling being adjustable to select the resonant frequency of the oscillator by changing the effective length of the sheet suspension. Fixed surfaces on the base portion limit angular excursion of the driven portion and limit buckling distortion of the sheet-form suspension. Preferred embodiments of the oscillator have a driven portion with a mass in the range of two to ten grams, and withstand impact loads of at least five hundred g's. In particular, a rugged resonant scanner, capable of use in a portable device is shown.

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Braintree, MA, United States of America

Paul E Glynn