Patents by Inventor Horst Menzler

Horst Menzler 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).

  • Patent number: 7156996
    Abstract: The invention is a multichamber microdialysis device with a multitude of sample chambers in close side by side arrangement (similar to a microtiter plate) for receiving liquid samples, and at least one dialysate chamber for receiving a dialysate liquid. The sample chambers are surrounded by circumferential sidewalls and are in liquid exchange contact to a neighboring dialysis chamber via an exchange opening covered by a semipermeable membrane. The semipermeable membrane is fixed liquid-tight to the walls of the sample chamber, so that a diffusion exchange between the sample chamber and the correspondingly neighboring dialysate chamber is only possible via the membrane. Consequently, only molecules with a molecular weight below the molecular cut-off of the semipermeable membrane can diffuse from the sample chamber to the dialysate chamber or from the dialysate chamber to the sample chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Manfred Watzele, Bernd Buchberger, Hans Schels, Horst Menzler, Ulrike Fischer
  • Publication number: 20040195163
    Abstract: The invention is a multichamber microdialysis device with a multitude of sample chambers in close side by side arrangement (similar to a microtiter plate) for receiving liquid samples, and at least one dialysate chamber for receiving a dialysate liquid. The sample chambers are surrounded by circumferential sidewalls and are in liquid exchange contact to a neighboring dialysis chamber via an exchange opening covered by a semipermeable membrane. The semipermeable membrane is fixed liquid-tight to the walls of the sample chamber, so that a diffusion exchange between the sample chamber and the correspondingly neighboring dialysate chamber is only possible via the membrane. Consequently, only molecules with a molecular weight below the molecular cut-off of the semipermeable membrane can diffuse from the sample chamber to the dialysate chamber or from the dialysate chamber to the sample chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Manfred Watzele, Bernd Buchberger, Hans Schels, Horst Menzler, Ulrike Fischer
  • Patent number: 6670173
    Abstract: A bioreaction module for biochemical reactions, in particular for cell-free polypeptide biosynthesis, having a housing (1) including a system chamber (12) and a supply chamber (10), wherein the system chamber (12) contains a producing system during the biochemical reaction and the supply chamber (10) contains a supply liquid during the biochemical reaction, and the system chamber (12) and the supply chamber (10) are separated by a semi-permeable membrane (7). The housing (1) comprises a system chamber element (5) and at least one supply chamber element (3) between which the semi-permeable membrane (7) is mounted in such a manner that the system chamber (12) is defined by the system chamber element (5) and the semi-permeable membrane (7) and the supply chamber (10) is defined by the supply chamber element (3) and the semi-permeable membrane (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Schels, Horst Menzler, Ulrike Fischer
  • Patent number: 6107055
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for carrying out biochemical reactions in particular for cell-free polypeptide biosynthesis. A bioreactor has, within a housing, a reaction chamber containing a producing system as well as a supply chamber separated from the reaction chamber by means of a semi-permeable membrane and containing a liquid serving as supply medium for the producing system. The supply chamber is subdivided within the bioreactor into a first partial chamber and a second partial chamber which are each connected to the reaction chamber via a semi-permeable supply membrane and which are connected to each other by means of a connection conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH
    Inventors: Hermann Bauer, Horst Menzler, Gerd Kleinhammer, Hans Schels, Peter Bendzko, Ute Fink, Bernd Maciej
  • Patent number: 5830413
    Abstract: A device for processing slides-mounted samples where a slide is urged against a cell block so that a chamber is formed between cell block and slide. Via a fluid channel having a funnel at its one end, the chamber can be filled with liquid by means of a pipetting device having a connecting tip which matches the supply funnel. A device for processing samples where a contact pressure plate serves to press a slide against the cell block of the device. A device for processing samples comprising a down-pressure element which, when in non-operating mode, blocks the device from supplying liquid and where liquid can be supplied when said element is pressed down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Lang, Horst Menzler
  • Patent number: 5819508
    Abstract: Device for pulling out or twisting off caps from vessels, wherein the vessel is held, and the cap is removed by means of a cap-holding device; the cap-holding device executes both a linear movement in direction of the vessel axis as well as a rotating movement around the vessel axis. The cap-holding device advantageously has several clamping jaws that are pressed against the circumference of the cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1998
    Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Kraft, Horst Menzler, Hans Schels, Peter Wenzig
  • Patent number: 5780306
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for mixing a liquid with another liquid or a solid material by blowing a gas onto the surface of the liquid. The invention further relates to a system for implementing said method. Gas is blown onto the surface of the liquid from a distance which can be adjusted by determining the level of the liquid. A system of the invention, hence, comprises a device for blowing a gas onto the surface of a liquid and a device for detecting the level of a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Schels, Karl-Heinz Mann, Horst Menzler, Leonhard Geissler, Georg Kuffer
  • Patent number: 5362147
    Abstract: Method for the contactless automatic mixing of a liquid reaction mixture in an analysis unit, in which the reaction mixture is located in a vessel accessible from above through an opening, by means of a gas jet escaping from an outlet opening of a mixing element, a rapid, effective and reliable non-invasive thorough mixing of the liquid is achieved by the mixing element being lowered at the start of the mixing operation in the direction of the liquid surface and the lowering movement being stopped in a bottom end position in which the mixing element projects into the vessel, but does not touch the liquid surface, the gas jet is switched on during the lowering of the mixing element, the gas jet is so aligned that it brings about an asymmetrical lowering of a part of the liquid surface in the vicinity of the vessel wall, and the gas jet has a rotational component of motion so that the lowered part of the liquid surface is set in rotation about the axis of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Schels, Horst Menzler
  • Patent number: 5298425
    Abstract: Device for the positionally correct feeding of test strips to an analysis unit. The test strips 10 include a base layer and at least one raised test field fixed to one side of the base layer. The test strips are contained disordered with respect to their longitudinal axis rotation position in a storage container. A separation and position correcting device 1 serves to feed the test strips 10 individually one after the other in a defined position to the analysis unit. Simplicity of construction and reliable operation are achieved due to the fact that the separation and position correcting device 1 includes a position correcting stage 30 with two rolls, between which a narrow gap 35 exists. The rolls rotate so that the surface 31a of the first roll 31 moves in the region of the gap 35 from top to bottom, while the surface 32a of the second roll 32 moves from bottom to top. The first roll 31 includes peripheral raised webs 37 which are in alignment with test field-free regions of the test strips 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Jurgen Kuhn, Horst Menzler, Stephan Sattler
  • Patent number: D437408
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Roche Diagnostics GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Menzler, Hans Schels