PROBE TIP ALIGNMENT FOR PRECISION LIQUID HANDLER

摘要

A probe drive system (24) of a precision liquid handler (20) sequentially inserts probe tips (36) of a multiple probe array (30) into a locator well (76) at a known position on a locator bed (28). The position of each probe tip (36) is determined by driving the probe tip (36) into contact with points on the side wall (88) of the locator well (76) and sensing the contacts. The positions of the probe tips (36) are mapped and checked for skew of the probe array (30). The probe tip positions ae overlaid to determine probe tip scatter. If a probe tip (36) is excessively misaligned, it is inserted into the locator well (76) and driven against the side wall (88) to bend the probe and reduce the misalignment of the probe tip (36). The center of the probe tip scatter is determined and is used by the probe drive system (24) as a global correction factor. Probe tips (36) with known positions are inserted into spaced apart locator wells (78,80) to detect skew of the locator bed.