Patents by Inventor Michael E. Cobb

Michael E. Cobb 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: 5413939
    Abstract: A solid-phase binding assay that measures interferometrically either antibodies or binding pair antigens bound to a spinning disc on which the complementary antigen or antibody has previously been coated in an alternating pattern of immunologically active and inactive spots. The spinning disc is inserted into one arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and as the disc spins the bound and unbound spots pass one after another through the two light beams causing a periodic phase shift in the light. These phase modulated light beams are then recombined at a beam-splitter converting the phase modulation into an amplitude modulation. The two recombined beams then fall on a photodetector which converts the periodically varying optical power into a periodically varying electrical current whose amplitude is proportional to the amount of bound protein on the surface of the disc and whose modulation frequency is equal to the frequency with which the spots pass through the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Assignee: First Medical, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric K. Gustafson, Jimmy D. Allen, Michael E. Cobb
  • Patent number: 5300779
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the basic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Biotrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 5204525
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the basic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Biotrack
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 5164598
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the basic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Biotrack
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 5144139
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the basic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Biotrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 5140161
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastics devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the basic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Biotrack
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 5077017
    Abstract: A dilution and mixing cartridge comprising a sample application site, a mixing chamber in fluid receiving relationship to the sample application site, a diluent application site in fluid donating relationship to the mixing chamber, a first valve means selectively preventing flow from the diluent application site to the mixing chamber, and a mixture isolating chamber hydrostatically connected to the mixing chamber is provided along with a method for using this cartridge to sequentially dilute a sample with the same or different diluents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Biotrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael M. Gorin, Robert S. Hillman, Ian Gibbons, Michael E. Cobb
  • Patent number: 5004923
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the basic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Biotrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 4963498
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1990
    Assignee: Biotrack
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 4948961
    Abstract: Novel methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutiniation particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the basic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Biotrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jimmy D. Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 4797283
    Abstract: An automatic drug tape dispensing and metering device and a roll of drug tape housed in a small portable dispenser unit. The dispenser contains a measurement device for carefully measuring the length of tape as it is dispensed from the dispenser. A counter monitors the remaining doses of drug tape remaining within the dispenser. A timer device may be provided to alert the patient that it is time for the medicament to be dispensed. As the lid of the dispenser unit is opened, the measured length of drug tape is severed from the roll by a cutter blade incorporated into the lid. The device permits a physician to accurately customize the dosage and administration of the medicament to be given a patient by adjusting the tape length released for each single dose and selecting the time intervals between dosages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: Biotrack, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jimmy D. Allen, Michael E. Cobb, Robert S. Hillman, Dennis R. Mungall, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Gary H. Stroy
  • Patent number: 4756884
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided involving at least one chamber, at least one capillary, and at least one reagent involved in a system providing for a detectable signal. As appropriate, the devices provide for measuring a sample, mixing the sample with reagents, defining a flow path, and reading the result. Of particular interest is the use of combinations of specific binding pair members which result in agglutination information, where the resulting agglutination particles may provide for changes in flow rate, light patterns of a flowing medium, or light absorption or scattering. A fabrication technique particularly suited for forming internal chambers in plastic devices is also described along with various control devices for use with the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Biotrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert S. Hillman, Michael E. Cobb, Jim Allen, Ian Gibbons, Vladimir Ostoich, Laura J. Winfrey
  • Patent number: 4712460
    Abstract: An automatic drug tape dispensing and metering device and a roll of drug tape housed in a small portable dispenser unit. The dispenser contains a measurement device for carefully measuring the length of tape as it is dispensed from the dispenser. A counter monitors the remaining doses of drug tape remaining within the dispenser. A timer device may be provided to alert the patient that it is time for the medicament to be dispensed. As the lid of the dispenser unit is opened, the measured length of drug tape is severed from the roll by a cutter blade incorporated into the lid. The device permits a physician to accurately customize the dosage and administration of the medicament to be givne a patient by adjusting the tape length released for each single dose and selecting the time intervals between dosages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: Biotrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimmy D. Allen, Michael E. Cobb, Robert S. Hillman, Dennis R. Mungall, Vladimir E. Ostoich, Gary H. Stroy