METHOD AND DISPENSER DEVICE FOR DEPOSITING A SUBSTANCE ON A TARGET SUBSTRATE

Abstract

A method of depositing at least one substance on a target substrate (1) comprises the step of operating at least one droplet dispenser (21) such that droplets (2) including the at least one substance are deposited on the target substrate (1), wherein the target substrate (1) has a substrate surface including spatially delimited receptacle sections (3) being arranged for accommodating the droplets (2), and the at least one droplet dispenser (21) is controlled in dependency on the locations of the receptacle sections (3) such that the droplets (2) are directed onto the receptacle sections (3). Furthermore, a dispenser device (100) for depositing at least one substance on a target substrate (1) is described.

Claims

1. A method of depositing at least one substance on a target substrate, comprising the step of: operating at least one droplet dispenser such that droplets including the at least one substance are deposited on the target substrate, wherein the target substrate has a substrate surface including spatially delimited receptacle sections being arranged for accommodating the droplets, and the at least one droplet dispenser is controlled in dependency on locations of the receptacle sections such that the droplets are directed onto the receptacle sections.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one droplet dispenser is controlled by adjusting at least one of a droplet speed, a droplet frequency, a droplet shape, a droplet diameter, a droplet viscosity, and a dispensing angle.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one droplet dispenser is controlled using dispensing coordinates which are selected such that the droplets are deposited on the receptacle sections.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein selecting the dispensing coordinates includes the steps of storing a receptacle map representing a geometric arrangement of the receptacle sections on the target substrate, detecting a substrate position of the target substrate relative to the at least one droplet dispenser using a first detector device, and providing the dispensing coordinates based on the substrate position and the stored receptacle map.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein selecting the dispensing coordinates includes the steps of detecting receptacle positions of the receptacle sections relative to the at least one droplet dispenser using a first detector device, and providing the dispensing coordinates based on the detected receptacle positions.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of detecting the receptacle positions includes the steps of collecting an image of the target substrate, recognizing the receptacle sections in the image, and calculating the receptacle positions relative to the at least one droplet dispenser.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first detector device includes a first camera.

8. The method according to claim 1, including the step of detecting droplets dispensed by the at least one droplet dispenser with a second detector device at least one second camera.

9. The method according to claim 1, including the step of setting deposition conditions of the target substrate, comprising at least one of relative humidity in a substrate space including the substrate surface and temperature of the target substrate, such that the droplets, are dried immediately after being deposited on the receptacle sections.

10. The method according to claim 1, including at least one of the features the step of operating the at least one droplet dispenser is repeated for depositing at least one of different substances and multiple quantities of one substance at the receptacle sections, and the step of operating the at least one droplet dispenser includes depositing different substances at different of the receptacle sections.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein multiple droplet dispensers are synchronously operated such that multiple droplets are directed along different droplet paths onto at least one of the receptacle sections.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle sections include at least one of structures projecting from a main surface of the target substrate, at least one of needles, pyramids, cones, lamellas and parts thereof, projection from a main surface of the target substrate, structures recessed in a main surface of the target substrate, microfluidic channels recessed in a main surface of the target substrate, filaments arranged as a two- or three-dimensional network, micromechanical components, cantilevers, and hydrophobic coatings provided on the receptacle sections.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the target substrate includes a needle array for vaccination purposes, an implant device, a stent, or a micro-mechanical component.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle sections have a characteristic lateral dimension below 100 m.

15. The method according to claim 1, including the further step of imaging the target substrate after depositing the droplets on the receptacle sections.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the target substrate is illuminated with illumination light having a wavelength selected in dependency on spectroscopic properties of the at least one substance deposited on the target substrate.

17. A dispenser device, being arranged for depositing at least one substance on a target substrate, comprising: a substrate support device being arranged for accommodating the target substrate, a dispenser head including at least one droplet dispenser, wherein the substrate support device and the dispenser head can be positioned relative to each other such that the at least one droplet dispenser is arranged above the target substrate, and a control device being arranged for operating the at least one droplet dispenser such that droplets including the at least one substance are deposited on the target substrate, wherein the control device is configured for controlling the at least one droplet dispenser in dependency on the locations of the receptacle sections such that the droplets are deposited at spatially delimited receptacle sections of the target substrate.

18. The dispenser device according to claim 17, wherein the control device is configured for adjusting at least one of a droplet speed, a droplet frequency, a droplet shape, a droplet diameter, a droplet viscosity, and a dispensing angle.

19. The dispenser device according to claim 17, wherein the control device is configured for selecting dispensing coordinates and operating the at least one droplet dispenser at the selected dispensing coordinates such that the droplets are deposited at the receptacle sections.

20. The dispenser device according to claim 19, wherein the control device includes a storage portion being arranged for storing a receptacle map representing a geometric arrangement of the receptacle sections on the target substrate, a first detector device is arranged for detecting a substrate position of the target substrate relative to the at least one droplet dispenser, and the control device is arranged for providing the dispensing coordinates based on the substrate position and the stored receptacle map.

21. The dispenser device according to claim 19, wherein a first detector device is arranged for detecting receptacle positions of the receptacle sections relative to the at least one droplet dispenser, and the control device is arranged for providing the dispensing coordinates based on the substrate position and the detected receptacle positions.

22. The dispenser device according to claim 21, wherein the control device is arranged for an image recognition and for calculating the receptacle positions relative to the droplet dispenser.

23. The dispenser device according to claim 20, wherein the first detector device includes a first camera being coupled with the at least one droplet dispenser or a dispenser head support.

24. The dispenser device according to claims 17, further comprising a second detector device being arranged for detecting droplets dispensed by the at least one droplet dispenser, and the control device is arranged for providing dispensing coordinates based on one or more positions of dispensed droplets.

25. The dispenser device according to claim 22, wherein the second detector device includes at least one second camera coupled with the droplet dispenser or a dispenser head support.

26. The dispenser device according to claim 17, wherein the dispenser head includes multiple droplet dispensers being arranged for directing droplets along different droplet paths onto at least one of the receptacle sections.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle sections have a characteristic lateral dimension below 50 m.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Further advantages and details of the invention are described in the following with reference to the attached drawings, which show in

[0033] FIG. 1: a schematic sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a dispenser device according to the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2: a schematic perspective view of a needle array, e. g. for vaccination purposes;

[0035] FIG. 3: a flow chart illustrating further features of preferred embodiments of the dispensing method according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 4: further examples of target substrates comprising delimited receptacle sections; and

[0037] FIG. 5: a schematic view of a further preferred embodiment of a dispenser device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0038] Features of preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the following with exemplary reference to a dispenser device having one single dispenser head with one single droplet dispenser, wherein the dispenser head is moveable relative to a target substrate. It is emphasized that the implementation of the invention is not restricted to this configuration, but correspondingly possible e. g. with a dispenser device having multiple dispenser heads and/or multiple droplet dispensers at the dispenser head. Furthermore, the substrate device can be moveable relative to the dispenser head. First and second detector devices with respective functions are described in an exemplary manner. Alternatively, only one detector device can be provided, e.g. fulfilling all described functions. While cameras are described below which have vertical fields of view, additionally or alternatively cameras can be used which have horizontal fields of view.

[0039] Furthermore, exemplary reference is made to a dispenser device having a piezoelectric dispenser. Details of the piezoelectric dispenser and the operation thereof are not described as far as they are known from conventional piezoelectric dispensers. Other types of contact-free droplet dispensers can be used as well, like e. g. a bubble-jet-dispenser.

[0040] Embodiments of the invention are described in the following with reference to an orthogonal coordinate system, including x- and y-axis extending in a target plane, and a z-axis perpendicular to the target plane. The direction of moving a droplet from the dispenser to the target substrate substantially is the negative z-direction (negative vertical direction).

[0041] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a dispenser device 100 comprising a substrate support device 10, a dispenser head 20 with a droplet dispenser 21, a control device 30, a first detector device 40 and a second detector device 50.

[0042] The substrate support device 10 is a substrate carrier platform, which is adapted for accommodating a target substrate 1. The target substrate 1 is secured to the substrate support device 10, e. g. with holding elements (not shown) and or by a vacuum. The substrate support device can be adapted for an inclination of the target substrate 1 relative to the z-axis, e. g. using piezoelectric drive elements (not shown).

[0043] The dispenser head 20 is carried by a dispenser head support 22. The substrate support device 10 with the target substrate 1 and the dispenser head 20 are moveable relative to each other, e. g. by translating the dispenser head 20 along the dispenser head support 22. The droplet dispenser 21 is a piezoelectric dispenser including a liquid reservoir 23, a piezoelectric drive unit 24 and a dispenser nozzle 25. In response to an activation of the piezoelectric drive unit 24, a droplet 2 is created and moved towards the substrate target 1. The droplet 2 has a volume of e. g. 300 pl, and the distance between the nozzle 25 and the target substrate 1 is e. g. 300 m to 600 m.

[0044] The substrate support device 10 and the dispenser head 20 with the dispenser 21 and the dispenser head support 22 can be structured as it is known from conventional dispenser devices, e. g. sciFLEXARRAYER Sx Vacuum Holder, manufacturer: Scienion AG, Germany.

[0045] The dispenser device 100 is adapted for depositing droplets 2 onto the target substrate 1 having multiple receptacle sections 3 connected with a base plate 4. The receptacle sections 3 comprise an array arrangement of needles as further illustrated in FIG. 2. The array arrangement comprises a matrix of straight columns and rows of receptacle sections 3. The target substrate 1 can be provided with additional marker elements (not shown). The marker elements can be adapted for facilitating the image recognition of the target substrate 1 with the first or second detector devices 40, 50.

[0046] With a preferred application of the invention, the target substrate 1 is a needle pad for vaccination or drug delivery purposes. With these examples, a few hundered up to several thousand needles are provided, which are made of e. g. Ti, Si or a ceramic. The needles have a longitudinal, polygonal shape as schematically illustrated. Depending on the structuring method for creating the receptacle sections 3, the needles may have a differing shape, e. g. a pyramid shape or a cone shape. Typically, the receptacle sections have a length in z-direction of about 300 m, a cross-sectional dimension in the x-y plane of about 40 m and a tip diameter of about 10 m to 20 m.

[0047] The tips of the receptacle sections 3 have receptacle coordinates x.sub.r,i,y.sub.r,j, which represent the receptacle positions with a local coordinate system relative to the boundaries 5 of the target substrate 1 or in a global coordinate system relative to the dispenser head support 22. Depending on the structuring method used for manufacturing the target substrate 1, the positions of the receptacle sections 3 can deviate from ideal positions e. g. on a rectangular lattice. The real positions may result e. g. from bending receptacle sections 3 or from manufacturing tolerances. Furthermore, the substrate can be located on the substrate support device 10 such that the orientation of rows of receptacle sections 3 is rotated relative to the translation direction of the dispenser head 20. As a main advantage of the invention, the dispenser device 100 is capable of precisely depositing droplets 2 on the receptacle sections 3 by controlling the dispenser 21 even on these real positions.

[0048] The first detector device 40 is connected with the dispenser head 20. It comprises e. g. a first camera 41 (so-called head camera, CCD-camera). Preferably, the first camera 41 is arranged for detecting receptacle positions of the individual receptacle sections 3 relative to the dispenser 21, detecting a substrate position of the target substrate 1 relative to the dispenser 21, and/or collecting image data of the loaded target substrate 1 for testing or controlling purposes. The coordinates x.sub.r,i, y.sub.r,j can be obtained from an image collected with the first camera 41. In combination with the substrate position data, the first detector device 40 provides the receptacle positions relative to the position of the dispenser 21. Furthermore, with position data of the dispenser head 20 relative to the dispenser head support 22 and the image data obtained with the first camera 41, the substrate position of the target substrate 1 relative to the droplet dispenser 21 can be obtained.

[0049] The first detector device 40 is combined with one or two light sources 42, 43, which can be arranged above or below the target substrate 1. Preferably, two light sources 42, 43 having different illumination wavelengths are used. The illumination wavelengths are selected for optimizing the collection of an image of the receptacle sections 3 before and after the position of the droplets 2, respectively. As an example, the illumination wavelength of the light source 43 may be adapted for exciting fluorescence of a substance deposited on the receptacle sections 3.

[0050] The second detector device 50 comprises at least one second camera 51 (so-called droplet camera, CCD-camera), which is capable of detecting flying droplets 2 during dispensing operation of the droplet dispenser 21 and detecting one or more droplet positions (droplet path). The second camera 51 is connected e. g. with the dispenser head support 22. Alternatively, two droplet cameras can be provided for obtaining a three-dimensional image (3D image) of the droplet and detecting one or more droplet positions thereof. Detecting the droplet position(s) allows a further position control of the dispenser head 20. Optionally, the second detector device 50 can be used for detecting the droplet deposition in real time, and the control of the droplet dispenser 21 with the control device 30 can be corrected if necessary.

[0051] FIG. 3 illustrates features of a method of depositing droplets on a target substrate according to preferred embodiments of the invention. The method of FIG. 3 can be used e. g. for loading vaccination substances at the tips of a needle patch or depositing droplets on other types of target substrates, e. g. as shown in FIG. 4.

[0052] With step S1 of FIG. 3, receptacle positions of the receptacle sections 3 (see FIGS. 1, 2) are provided. In FIG. 3, two variants of providing the receptacle positions are illustrated, which can be used as alternatives or in combination. Firstly, the receptacle positions can be provided using a receptacle map, which is stored e. g. in the control device 30. The substrate position is detected e. g. with the first detector device 40. In combination with the receptacle map data, the substrate position provides the receptacle positions, e. g. in a global coordinate system. With the second variant, the receptacle positions are detected directly, using e. g. the first detector device 40.

[0053] With step S2, dispensing coordinates for dispensing droplets 2 onto the receptacle elements 3 are calculated, e. g. using the control unit 30. The calculated dispensing coordinates represent the positions, where the droplet dispenser 21 is to be operated for creating a droplet even on the receptacle sections 3, e. g. on the tips of the needles as shown in FIGS. 1 or 2. The dispensing coordinates are calculated in dependency on the receptacle positions and optionally in dependency on characteristics of the droplet path of the droplet from the nozzle 25 to the receptacle section 3. These droplet path characteristics are features of the droplet dispenser which can be obtained with a separate calibration measurement or using the image data collected with the second detector device 50.

[0054] With steps S3 an S4, the dispenser head 20 is positioned at the dispensing coordinates corresponding to one of the receptacle sections 3, and at least one droplet 2 is deposited on the receptacle element 3. The dispenser head 20 can be stopped or even moved during the dispensing step. Thus, a spot-on-the-fly method can be implemented for depositing single droplets without a stop-and-spot mode but by dispensing droplets while the head is moving. This embodiment of the invention leads to significant time savings.

[0055] Depending on the particular task of the dispensing method, only one receptacle section or multiple receptacle sections is/are coated with one or more droplets. Furthermore, the needles can be loaded with multiple substances, which is not possible with the conventional dipping method.

[0056] With step S5, the progress of depositing droplets on the target substrate is checked. If further droplets are to be deposited on further receptacle sections, steps S3 and S4 are repeated. Otherwise, the loaded target substrate is imaged with step S6 for testing purposes. In dependency on the result of the test, further droplets can be deposited on further receptacle sections, i. e. the steps S2 to S6 are repeated, possibly with modified operating parameters of the droplet dispenser 21, or another target substrate can be provided for droplet deposition. Otherwise, if the deposition task has been fulfilled, the process stops.

[0057] FIG. 4 illustrates further examples of target substrates 1. According to FIG. 4A, a side view of a 3D filament arrangement, e. g. of a stent, is shown. With the method of the invention, substances are to be deposited even on receptacle sections 3 comprising the filaments or crossings thereof, but not through the spacing between the filaments. The substances comprise e. g. antibiotic substances or coagulation suppressor substances. As described with reference to FIG. 3, the positions of the filaments can be provided using the position of the stent relative to a dispenser and the positions of the filaments, and the dispenser can be controlled such that droplets of a liquid are placed exclusively on the filaments.

[0058] FIG. 4B schematically illustrates another example, wherein the target substrate 1 comprises a micro-mechanical component, wherein receptacle sections 3 are located at the end of micro-mechanical levers. Again, the dispenser is controlled such that droplets are deposited on the receptacle sections 3 only.

[0059] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates features of a further embodiment of a dispenser device 100 according to the invention, wherein a dispenser head 20 carrying two dispensers 21 is used. The droplet paths of the dispensers 21 intersect each other. The droplet dispensers 21 are synchronously operated under control of the control device 30 as described above when both droplet paths hit the receptacle section 3 (target needle). With this embodiment, two droplets 2 are commonly driven towards the receptacle section 3 thus covering the receptacle section 3 from two sides.

[0060] The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, the drawings and the claims can be of significance both individually as well as in combination for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.