The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 26, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 05, 2001
Craig M. Kennedy, San Marcos, CA (US);
Fernando J. Ramirez, Fountain Valley, CA (US);
Autosplice, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
Several pin transfer assemblies are disclosed that utilize the surface tension of liquids for picking up and dispensing minute volumes of liquid from wells in a first well plate to a flat substrate surface or into wells in a second well plate. In one embodiment, a plurality of pins reciprocate through complementary arrays of holes in a base plate and an overlying spring plate biased apart by coil springs located around the periphery of the base plate. A foam layer sits on top of the spring plate and a weight plate sits on top of the foam layer. A single coil spring is positioned between a center of the weight plate and the cover to push the weight plate downwardly. The periphery of the cover guides the vertical movement of the weight plate and is connected to the periphery of the base plate. The periphery of the base plate is supported by a frame used to register the pin assembly in a receptacle of a manual or automated liquid transfer apparatus.