Patents Examined by Timothy G Kingan
  • Patent number: 9488613
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide diagnostic devices, systems and methods for determining the presence or absence of one or more markers or characteristics in one or more samples. An exemplary diagnostic device may display a first two-dimensional machine-readable output to indicate the presence or absence of a first characteristic in a sample. Similarly, the exemplary diagnostic device may display a second two-dimensional machine-readable output to indicate the presence or absence of a second characteristic in a sample. An image capture device may be used to automatically detect the two-dimensional machine-readable output appearing in the diagnostic device. A computational device may be used to automatically determine whether the presence or absence of the first characteristic and/or the second characteristic based on the two-dimensional machine-readable output displayed in the diagnostic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Irene Bosch, Kimberly S. Hamad-Schifferli, Lee Gehrke, Nevan Clancy Hanumara, Jacqueline Linnes, David Wood, Jose F. Gomez-Marquez
  • Patent number: 9429500
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for multiple single-cell capturing and processing utilizing microfluidics. Tools and techniques are provided for capturing, partitioning, and/or manipulating individual cells from a larger population of cells along with generating genetic information and/or reactions related to each individual cell. Different capture configurations may be utilized to capture individual cells and then processing each individual cell in a multi-chamber reaction configuration. Some embodiments may provide for specific target amplification, whole genome amplification, whole transcriptome amplification, real-time PCR preparation, copy number variation, preamplification, mRNA sequencing, and/or haplotyping of the multiple individual cells that have been partitioned from the larger population of cells. Some embodiments may provide for other applications. Some embodiments may be configured for imaging the individual cells or associated reaction products as part of the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Fowler, Jake Kimball, Myo Thu Maung, Andrew May, Michael C. Norris, Dominique G. Toppani, Marc A. Unger, Jing Wang, Jason A. A. West
  • Patent number: 9353398
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for isolating at least one fluid sample well laid out in a test card for analysis, said test card including a plate (3) having at least one first main face from which is laid out at least one channel communicating with at least said well, this first face being coated with a membrane (17) provided with an adhesive (18) and which will cover said channel with a covering area (171), the method for isolation including a phase for introducing a fluid sample into at least said well and a phase for isolating said well consisting of exerting a force on at least one portion of the covering area (171) of the adhesive membrane (17) for ensuring displacement of the adhesive into an obturation area for the sample well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: BIOMERIEUX
    Inventors: Bruno Colin, Cécile Paris
  • Patent number: 9346051
    Abstract: A microchip including a fluid circuit composed of a space formed inside is provided. The space includes a first space, a second space, and a space connecting portion connecting the first space and the second space, and the space connecting portion has a structure portion restraining liquid moving between the first space and the second space from moving due to wettability with respect to the space connecting portion surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shun Momose
  • Patent number: 9341636
    Abstract: The method according to the invention is capable of characterizing a variation in the speed of particles or agglomeration of particles, the particles, such as blood particles, being contained in a liquid (12). The characterization method includes the following steps: introducing the liquid (12) into a fluid chamber (14); lighting the fluid chamber (14) using an excitation light beam (18) emitted by a light source (16), the light beam (18) extending through the fluid chamber (14) in a longitudinal direction (X); acquiring at least one image using a matrix photodetector (20), the image being formed by radiation transmitted by the lighted fluid chamber (14); and calculating, from at least one acquired image, at least one indicator characterizing the variation of the speed or agglomeration of the particles. During the acquisition step, the photodetector (20) is positioned at a distance (D2) smaller than 1 cm from the fluid chamber (14) in the longitudinal direction (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
    Inventors: Vincent Poher, Myriam-Laure Cubizolles, Patrick Pouteau, Cédric Allier, Johanna Spiaczka
  • Patent number: 9327303
    Abstract: A microfluidic droplet generator device, a kit of parts for assembling a microfluidic droplet generator device, and a method of generating microfluidic droplets. The generator device comprises a substrate; a microfluidic channel formed in the substrate; a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the microfluidic channel; and a mechanical element configured such that vibration of the mechanical element causes droplet dispensing from the fluid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Wei Wang, Zhiping Wang
  • Patent number: 9328380
    Abstract: A real time analysis in accordance with temperature change and highly sensitive detection are permitted. A flow passage device has a flow passage (1) and is able to heat a fluid in the flow passage. A state of the fluid in the flow passage is observable using light. The flow passage device includes a first member (2) including an observation surface (3) and an upper inner wall surface (4), and a second member (5) including a lower inner wall surface that opposes the upper inner wall surface (4) and that is part of inner walls of the flow passage. A heating resistor (6) having a reflective surface that reflects light is provided on the lower inner wall surface. The light reflected by the reflective surface passes through the upper inner wall surface (4) and the observation surface (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Ogusu
  • Patent number: 9322755
    Abstract: A cell capturing filter, in which cells or particles having a predetermined size or greater in a sample may be easily captured, and clogging of a flow passage due to the captured cells or particles may be prevented, and stresses acting on the captured cells or particles may be reduced, having a first surface and a second substrate having a second surface that is bonded to the first surface, wherein the first substrate may include a flow passage formed in the first surface of the first substrate so that a sample flows in the flow passage, and a barrier that protrudes across the flow passage, and the second substrate may include a fine groove formed in an area on the second surface corresponding to the barrier, and a gap may exist between a surface of the barrier and the fine groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae-seok Sim, Min-seoks Kim, Mi-jeong Song, Jeong-gun Lee, June-young Lee, Yeon-jeong Kim, Sang-hyun Baek, Jin-mi Oh, Hyo-young Jeong
  • Patent number: 9322784
    Abstract: A microplate reader and method has at least one measuring device and a holding device for accommodating at least one microplate and for positioning samples-containing wells of microplates in relation to the measuring device. The at least one measuring device is used for detecting light emitted by samples in wells of a microplate and/or which is influenced by samples transilluminated by light in the wells. The microplate reader has a control unit for controlling the composition of a gas atmosphere surrounding the wells containing the samples. A respective use is characterized particularly in that living cells are measured in a controlled gas atmosphere, wherein the living cells are chosen from microaerophilic, optionally anaerobic and obligatorily anaerobic microorganisms as well as fungi and eukaryotic cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Josef Grassl, Gerald Probst, Markus Schürf
  • Patent number: 9315856
    Abstract: An inspection tool for nucleic acid chromatography includes an elongated porous sheet and a backing member. The porous sheet has a surface including a detection surface that has a strip-shaped indication portion where a nucleic acid probe for capturing the target nucleic acid is fixed. The backing member has an attached surface in a concave shape. The porous sheet has a warped shape following the concave shape of the attached surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidemasa Okumura, Toshikazu Hirota
  • Patent number: 9309590
    Abstract: A method for making multiple single molecule receptors in a nanopore structure includes depositing a first material and a second material by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique onto different selected interior surfaces of a nanochannel and functionalizing a surface of the first material, the second material, or both the first and second materials with a chemical compound having at least two functional groups. The first and second materials can be the same or different and form patches having diameters of about 1 to about 100 nanometers (nm). Also disclosed are embodiments of a nanopore structure including multiple single molecule receptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julia Baldauf, Stefan Harrer, Christine Schieber
  • Patent number: 9304065
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for multiple single-cell capturing and processing utilizing microfluidics. Tools and techniques are provided for capturing, partitioning, and/or manipulating individual cells from a larger population of cells along with generating genetic information and/or reactions related to each individual cell. Different capture configurations may be utilized to capture individual cells and then processing each individual cell in a multi-chamber reaction configuration. Some embodiments may provide for specific target amplification, whole genome amplification, whole transcriptome amplification, real-time PCR preparation, copy number variation, preamplification, mRNA sequencing, and/or haplotyping of the multiple individual cells that have been partitioned from the larger population of cells. Some embodiments may provide for other applications. Some embodiments may be configured for imaging the individual cells or associated reaction products as part of the processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Fowler, Jake Kimball, Myo Thu Maung, Andrew May, Michael C. Norris, Dominique G. Toppani, Marc A. Unger, Jing Wang, Jason A. A. West
  • Patent number: 9303310
    Abstract: A method for making multiple single molecule receptors in a nanopore structure includes depositing a first material and a second material by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique onto different selected interior surfaces of a nanochannel and functionalizing a surface of the first material, the second material, or both the first and second materials with a chemical compound having at least two functional groups. The first and second materials can be the same or different and form patches having diameters of about 1 to about 100 nanometers (nm). Also disclosed are embodiments of a nanopore structure including multiple single molecule receptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julia Baldauf, Stefan Harrer, Christine Schieber
  • Patent number: 9297062
    Abstract: A method for making a single molecule receptor in a nanopore structure includes depositing a material by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique onto a selected interior surface of a nanochannel and functionalizing a surface of the material with a chemical compound having at least two functional groups. The material forms a patch having a diameter of about 3 to about 10,000 nanometers (nm). Also disclosed are embodiments of a nanopore structure including a single molecule receptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Julia Baldauf, Stefan Harrer, Christine Schieber
  • Patent number: 9285330
    Abstract: A microfluidic sensor includes a microchannel that includes a reaction site with a reagent and a sample inlet. A liquid substance is received at the sample inlet and travels by capillary action to the reaction site. A temperature sensor measures a temperature as a result of a reaction between the reagent and a chemical in the liquid substance. A controller is communicatively connected to the temperature sensor, receives the temperature measured by the temperature sensor, and derives a concentration of the chemical in the liquid substance from the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Marquette University
    Inventors: Chung Hoon Lee, Benyamin Davaji
  • Patent number: 9278350
    Abstract: The present application provides methods and devices for producing micro-fluids. Each device comprises a plurality of parallel inlet channels, an intersection and a plurality of parallel outlet channels. The plurality of parallel inlet channels comprises a first set of inlet channels for introducing a first fluid at a first flow rate, a second set of inlet channels for introducing a second fluid at a second flow rate and a third set of inlet channels for introducing a third fluid at a third flow rate. Once introduced, the first fluid, the second fluid and the third fluid flow through the corresponding channels to intersect at the intersection and form micro-fluids, which can be collected from the plurality of parallel outlet channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)
    Inventors: Hanaa Mohamed Samy Hegab, Ahmed Mamdouh Mahmoud Elmekawy
  • Patent number: 9278332
    Abstract: An insulator unit for a multipurpose flow module, such as a plate reactor, comprising a plurality of thermally insulating layers arranged in a sandwich structure with a plurality of plates, to provide thermal insulation across the sandwich structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Alfa Laval Corporate AB
    Inventors: Kasper Hoglund, Magnus Lingvall
  • Patent number: 9266108
    Abstract: An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Tanya S. Kanigan, Steve Smith, John Linton, Robert Hess, Karl Yoder, Colin John Herbert Brenan
  • Patent number: 9259731
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid reagent containing microchip having a fluid circuit formed of a space inside thereof. Liquid present in the fluid circuit is transferred to a desired position in the fluid circuit by applying centrifugal force. The fluid circuit includes a reagent retaining portion for accommodating a liquid reagent. The microchip includes an air introduction path formed of a groove provided on an outer surface of the microchip and coupled to the reagent retaining portion for introducing air into the reagent retaining portion, and a sealing portion provided so as to be detachable from the microchip for sealing the air introduction path. A method of using the microchip and a packaged liquid reagent containing microchip using the microchip are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shun Momose, Hidetaka Okada
  • Patent number: 9255321
    Abstract: A method for making a single molecule receptor in a nanopore structure includes depositing a material by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique onto a selected interior surface of a nanochannel and functionalizing a surface of the material with a chemical compound having at least two functional groups. The material forms a patch having a diameter of about 3 to about 10,000 nanometers (nm). Also disclosed are embodiments of a nanopore structure including a single molecule receptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Julia Baldauf, Stefan Harrer, Christine Schieber