Patents by Inventor Donald R. Sandell

Donald R. Sandell has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080267829
    Abstract: A sample substrate configured for samples of biological material is provided. The sample substrate has a dual chambered sample well separated by a wall that may be punctured or otherwise breached to allow mixing of material contained in the two initially separate chambers. The chambers are connected by channels to fluid reservoirs, wherein the channels can be staked to prevent further fluid flow into and out of the chambers. Methods of loading a sample substrate are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: Applera Corporation
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: 7438438
    Abstract: A motion-activated decorative lighting fixture with a PIR motion detector having an adjustable field of view hidden behind a decorative slotted wall of the fixture body. The lighting fixture includes a motion detector housing that forms an integral part of the fixture body. The housing includes a slotted vertically extending exterior wall around the housing with an array of elongate vertically extending slots horizontally spaced apart from one another and extending along at least a portion of the wall. One or more PIR sensors are disposed within the housing, and a segmented Fresnel lens array is disposed within the housing behind the slots to direct infra-red energy from a monitored field of view to a sensor. The lens array includes a plurality of columns of lenslets, which are divided into at least two sets of columns, the columns of the first set alternating with the columns of the second set so as to form an alternating sequence of columns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Publication number: 20080194014
    Abstract: A cover for a biological sample well tray, comprising a cap for sealing a sample well. The cap comprises a well lens for focusing light into the sample well and collecting light from the sample. In another aspect, the cap comprises an elongate portion configured to permit incoming light to pass into the sample well and out of the sample well. Various other aspects comprise a microcard for biological material, and an apparatus for a plurality of sample well strips. A method for testing a biological sample is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: Applera Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene F. Young, Steven J. Boege, Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: 7384175
    Abstract: A worklight with spare bulb storage that is integrated storage into the existing worklight framework. Many worklights have one or more worklight heads supported on a base, which includes one or more generally hollow elongate cross bar structural support members. The spare bulb holder is integrated into the one or more of the cross bar structural support members and includes one or more spare-bulb retainers and a retainer support piece. The retainer itself has an elongate extent with an end cap at one end and is formed to hold an individual elongate double-ended halogen bulb. The retainer support piece is retained in an end of a cross bar structural support member and has at least one opening sized so that the retainer can be inserted through it into the cross bar structural support member. The end cap on the retainer is formed to close the opening through the retainer support piece and to be held securely within the opening when the retainer is inserted into the cross bar structural support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: 7375313
    Abstract: A motion-activated light fixture having an aimable motion detector with a zonal configuration providing improved monitoring of the region behind the motion detector. In one embodiment the motion detector defines a first plurality of generally forward-looking detection zones for monitoring the region in front of and to the sides of the motion detector, the forward-looking detection zones having a side-to-side coverage angle of at most 180 degrees and having forward zones for monitoring the far region in front of the motion detector. A second plurality of detection zones for monitoring the region behind the motion detector forms a zonal pattern angulated with respect to the zones of the first plurality monitoring the far region. At least some of the detection zones of the second plurality extend generally in the backward direction although in some embodiments the motion detector head must be tilted down through a pre-established offset angle before the angulated zonal pattern begins to look backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Wade Lee, Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: 7332348
    Abstract: A sample substrate configured for samples of biological material is provided. The sample substrate has a dual chambered sample well separated by a wall that may be punctured or otherwise breached to allow mixing of material contained in the two initially separate chambers. The chambers are connected by channels to fluid reservoirs, wherein the channels can be staked to prevent further fluid flow into and out of the chambers. Methods of loading a sample substrate are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Applera Corporation
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Publication number: 20080002396
    Abstract: A motion-activated decorative lighting fixture with a PIR motion detector having an adjustable field of view hidden behind a decorative slotted wall of the fixture body. The lighting fixture includes a motion detector housing that forms an integral part of the fixture body. The housing includes a slotted vertically extending exterior wall around the housing with an array of elongate vertically extending slots horizontally spaced apart from one another and extending along at least a portion of the wall. One or more PIR sensors are disposed within the housing, and a segmented Fresnel lens array is disposed within the housing behind the slots to direct infra-red energy from a monitored field of view to a sensor. The lens array includes a plurality of columns of lenslets, which are divided into at least two sets of columns, the columns of the first set alternating with the columns of the second set so as to form an alternating sequence of columns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Publication number: 20080001071
    Abstract: A motion-activated decorative lighting fixture with a PIR motion detector hidden behind a decorative slotted wall of the fixture body. The motion-activated decorative lighting fixture includes a motion detector housing that forms an integral part of the lighting fixture body. The housing includes a slotted vertically extending exterior wall around the housing with an array of elongate vertically extending slots horizontally spaced apart from one another and extending along at least a portion of the wall. One or more PIR sensors are disposed within the housing, and a segmented Fresnel lens array is disposed within the housing behind the slots to direct infra-red energy from a monitored field of view to a sensor. The lens array includes a plurality of columns of lenslets, at least a portion of which have at least two lenslets disposed one above the other. Each column is aligned with a corresponding slot so as to direct infra-red energy from a monitored zone passing through the corresponding slot to a sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Wade Lee, Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: 7169602
    Abstract: A sample substrate for use in biological testing is provided having a first member defining at least one sample well and a second member including at least one sample well closure element. The at least one sample well closure element may be configured to substantially seal a corresponding sample well. Methods of filling the sample substrate are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Applera Corporation
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: 7169355
    Abstract: The invention includes a heating apparatus for biological samples. The heating apparatus of the present invention includes a cover, a sample block having a plurality of openings in a top portion thereof for receiving a sample well tray having a plurality of sample wells, and an urging mechanism. The urging mechanism is positionable between the sample block and the sample well tray to urge the sample well tray away from the sample block when the cover is moved from a closed position toward an open position. The cover imparts a downward force on the top of the sample well tray to press the sample wells into the openings of the sample block when the heated cover is moved toward a closed position. The urging mechanism imparts an upward force on the sample well tray. The downward force imparted by the heated cover is sufficient to retain the sample well tray against the sample block when the cover is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Applera Corporation
    Inventors: Hon Siu Shin, Jew Kwee Ngui, Adrian Fawcett, Kenneth P. Chao, Gary L. Bordenkircher, Jessica E. Barzilai, Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: 7083974
    Abstract: A rotatable sample disk configured for samples of biological material. The sample disk may include a fill chamber for storing a first biological material, a plurality of first sample chambers positioned in the sample disk farther from the rotational axis of the sample disk than the fill chamber, a plurality of second sample chambers, and a plurality of circumferential fill channels. Each of the second sample chambers may be configured to permit fluid communication with a respective first sample chamber. The plurality of circumferential fill conduits may be configured to permit transfer of the first biological material from the fill chamber to the plurality of first sample chambers upon a first rotation of the sample disk about the rotational axis. Methods of loading a plurality of sample chambers in a sample disk are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Applera Corporation
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D528696
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Wade Lee, Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D552000
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Donald R. Sandell, Wade Lee
  • Patent number: D557853
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D558374
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D558375
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D561369
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D561370
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D568524
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell
  • Patent number: D569028
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: EML Technologies LLC
    Inventor: Donald R. Sandell