US 12,440,833 B2
Sample containers adapted for acoustic ejections and sample preservation and methods thereof
Richard N. Ellson, Palo Alto, CA (US); Joseph D. Olechno, Hayward, CA (US); and Robert G. Kuimelis, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to LABCYTE INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by LABCYTE INC., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on May 4, 2018, as Appl. No. 15/972,019.
Application 15/972,019 is a division of application No. 13/457,167, filed on Apr. 26, 2012, granted, now 10,016,757.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/479,985, filed on Apr. 28, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2018/0304251 A1, Oct. 25, 2018
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 3/02 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01)
CPC B01L 3/50 (2013.01) [B01L 3/0268 (2013.01); B01L 3/50215 (2013.01); G01N 35/10 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0684 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0415 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0436 (2013.01); G01N 2035/1041 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sample container for holding a liquid sample and enabling acoustic droplet ejection from the sample container, the sample container comprising:
a liquid sample comprising a plurality of components in a liquid, each-component having a component density;
an inlet through which the liquid sample can enter the sample container;
an outlet through which droplets of the liquid sample can be transferred out of the sample container by one or more acoustic ejections, wherein the inlet and the outlet are in different locations;
a side surface that allows acoustic coupling between the sample container and an acoustic generator and focusing of an acoustic beam to a focal point within the liquid sample, wherein the outlet is opposite to the side surface and the container is configured to allow acoustic ejection of the droplets of the liquid sample through the outlet when the side surface is placed in the horizontal orientation; and
a plurality of acoustically uniform floats each having a float density selected to match the component density of a corresponding component in the liquid sample and including a collection region comprising a depression region in which the liquid sample containing the density-matched component is collected and from which droplets of the liquid sample containing the density-matched component can be acoustically ejected through the outlet using an acoustic radiation generator when the collection region and the acoustic radiation generator are aligned with the outlet.