Patents Assigned to Flodesign Sonics, Inc.
-
Patent number: 9675906Abstract: Acoustophoretic devices for separating particles from a non-flowing host fluid are disclosed. The devices include a substantially acoustically transparent container and a separation unit, with the container being placed within the separation unit. An ultrasonic transducer in the separation unit creates a planar or multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave within the container, trapping particles disposed within the non-flowing fluid and causing them to coalesce or agglomerate, then separate due to buoyancy or gravity forces.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2017Assignee: FLODESIGN SONICS, INC.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jeff King, David Sokolowski, Anthony B. Masi, Brian T. Kennedy, Brian McCarthy, Benjamin Ross-Johnsrud, Jason Dionne, Dane Mealey, Jason Barnes
-
Patent number: 9670477Abstract: Devices for separating materials from a host fluid are disclosed. The devices include a flow chamber, an ultrasonic transducer, and a reflector. The ultrasonic transducer and reflector create an angled acoustic standing wave oriented at an angle relative to the direction of mean flow through the flow chamber. The angled acoustic standing wave results in an acoustic radiation force having an axial force component that deflects the materials, so that the materials and the host fluid can thus be separated. The angled acoustic standing wave can be oriented at an angle of about 20° to about 70° relative to the direction of mean flow through the flow chamber to deflect, collect, differentiate, or fractionate the materials from the fluid flowing through the device at flow rates of about 400 mL/min up to about 700 mL/min.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2016Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Walter M. Presz, Kedar Chitale, Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Ben Ross-Johnsrud
-
Patent number: 9663756Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for acoustic separation of cellular supporting materials such as microcarriers or microbubbles from cell culture are provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2016Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Rudolf Gilmanshin, Ben Ross-Johnsrud, Kedar Chitale
-
Patent number: 9623348Abstract: An apparatus includes a flow chamber having at least one inlet and at least one outlet. At least one ultrasonic transducer is located on a wall of the flow chamber, which operates to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the flow chamber. A reflector is located on the wall on the opposite side of the flow chamber from the at least one ultrasonic transducer. The reflector is formed from a thin structure that provides a pressure release boundary, such as a plastic film/air interface.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2015Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Brian McCarthy, Ben Ross-Johnsrud, Bart Lipkens
-
Patent number: 9567559Abstract: A perfusion bioreactor includes at least one ultrasonic transducer that can acoustically generate a multi-dimensional standing wave. The standing wave can be used to retain cells in the bioreactor, and can also be utilized to dewater or further harvest product from the waste materials produced in a bioreactor.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2016Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: FLODESIGN SONICS, INC.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Louis Masi, Stanley Kowalski, III, Walter M. Presz, Jr., Jason Dionne, Brian Dutra, Ari Mercado, Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Arthur Martin
-
Patent number: 9556411Abstract: Microorganisms such as microalgae are collected and separated from a host medium such as water. Cellular walls and membranes of the microorganisms are then ruptured to release their lipids using a lipid extraction unit. Thereafter, the lipids from the host medium are collected and separated using a lipid collection and separation unit. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2013Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Eric Mitchell, Joey Carmichael, Dane Mealey, Jason Dionne
-
Patent number: 9550134Abstract: A method for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid is disclosed. The method includes flowing the mixture through an acoustophoretic device comprising an acoustic chamber, an ultrasonic transducer, and a reflector. The transducer includes a piezoelectric material driven by a voltage signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber. A voltage signal is sent to drive the ultrasonic transducer in a displacement profile that is a superposition of a combination of different mode shapes that are the same order of magnitude to create the multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber such that the second fluid or particulate is continuously trapped in the standing wave, and then agglomerates, aggregates, clumps, or coalesces together, and subsequently rises or settles out of the host fluid due to buoyancy or gravity forces, and exits the acoustic chamber.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2016Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Benjamin Ross-Johnsrud, Evgenia Zabolotskaya, Yuril Ilinskii
-
Patent number: 9533241Abstract: Devices for separating materials from a host fluid are disclosed. The devices include an acoustic chamber having an inlet and an outlet. An ultrasonic transducer and reflector create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber that traps the materials and permits a continuous separation of the materials from the host fluid. The materials and the host fluid can thus be separately collected. Multiple sets of trapping lines are generated by the acoustic standing wave, and the transducer is oriented to minimize cross-sectional area for straight vertical channels between the trapping lines.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2016Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Walter M. Presz, Jr., Kedar Chitale, Bart Lipkens
-
Publication number: 20160368000Abstract: A flow chamber is provided through which is flowed a mixture of a fluid and a particulate. The flow chamber comprises at least one multi-phase water inlet through which multi-phase water enters the flow chamber, a water outlet through which water exits the flow chamber, a solids outlet through which particles having a density at or above a pre-defined threshold exit the flow chamber, and a low density outlet through which particles having a density below the pre-defined threshold exit the flow chamber. Also provided are one or more ultrasonic transducers and one or more reflectors corresponding to each transducer to acoustically filter the fluid and cause particles/fluid to be selectively diverted to one of the outlets. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Applicant: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Jason Dionne, Bart Lipkens, Edward Rietman
-
Publication number: 20160369236Abstract: A series of multi-dimensional acoustic standing waves is set up inside a growth volume of a bioreactor. The acoustic standing waves are used to hold a cell culture in place as a nutrient fluid stream flows through the cell culture. The nutrient fluid stream dislodges some cells from the cell culture, which can then be recovered for cell therapy applications. The cell culture continues to expand and reproduce, permitting continuous recovery of cells from the bioreactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2016Publication date: December 22, 2016Applicant: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Bart Lipkens, Louis Masi, Stanley Kowalski, Chris Leidel
-
Patent number: 9512395Abstract: An acoustophoresis device made up of modular components is disclosed. Several modules are disclosed herein, including ultrasonic transducer modules, input/output modules, collection well modules, and various connector modules. These permit different systems to be constructed that have appropriate fluid dynamics for separation of particles, such as biological cells, from a fluid.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jason Barnes, Dane Mealey, Walter M. Presz, Jr., Stanley Kowalski, III, Louis Masi, Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Brian McCarthy, Ben Ross-Johnsrud
-
Patent number: 9458450Abstract: A system having improved trapping force for acoustophoresis is described where the trapping force is improved by manipulation of the frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. The transducer includes a ceramic crystal. The crystal may be directly exposed to fluid flow. The crystal may be air backed, resulting in a higher Q factor.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2013Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jason Dionne, Walter M. Presz, Jr., Thomas J. Kennedy, III
-
Patent number: 9457302Abstract: An apparatus for separating particles from a fluid stream includes a flow chamber that has at least one inlet and at least one outlet. At least one ultrasonic transducer is located on a wall of the flow chamber. The transducer includes a piezoelectric array with at least two piezoelectric elements. The piezoelectric array includes a piezoelectric material to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the flow chamber. A reflector is located on the wall on the opposite side of the flow chamber from the at least one ultrasonic transducer.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2015Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jason Dionne
-
Patent number: 9422328Abstract: A series of multi-dimensional acoustic standing waves is set up inside a growth volume of a bioreactor. The acoustic standing waves are used to hold a cell culture in place as a nutrient fluid stream flows through the cell culture. Biomolecules produced by the cell culture are collected by the nutrient fluid stream and separated downstream of the cell culture.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2014Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Bart Lipkens, Louis Masi, Stanley Kowalski, III, Chris Leidel
-
Patent number: 9421553Abstract: A flow chamber is provided through which is flowed a mixture of a fluid and a particulate. The flow chamber comprises at least one multi-phase water inlet through which multi-phase water enters the flow chamber, a water outlet through which water exits the flow chamber, a solids outlet through which particles having a density at or above a pre-defined threshold exit the flow chamber, and a low density outlet through which particles having a density below the pre-defined threshold exit the flow chamber. Also provided are one or more ultrasonic transducers and one or more reflectors corresponding to each transducer to acoustically filter the fluid and cause particles/fluid to be selectively diverted to one of the outlets. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2011Date of Patent: August 23, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Jason Dionne, Bart Lipkens, Edward A. Rietman
-
Patent number: 9416344Abstract: A perfusion bioreactor includes at least one ultrasonic transducer that can acoustically generate a multi-dimensional standing wave. The standing wave can be used to retain cells in the bioreactor, and can also be utilized to dewater or further harvest product from the waste materials produced in a bioreactor.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2014Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Louis Masi, Stanley Kowalski, III, Walter M. Presz, Jr., Jason Dionne, Brian Dutra, Ari Mercado, Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Arthur Martin
-
Patent number: 9410256Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for separation of particulate from water using ultrasonically generated acoustic standing waves.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2014Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Jason Dionne, Bart Lipkens, Edward Rietman
-
Patent number: 9340435Abstract: An acoustic standing wave is utilized to separate components from a multi-component fluid, such as oil from an oil-water mixture, in a fluid flow scheme with an acoustophoresis device. For example, the flow scheme and device allows for trapping of the oil as the oil coalesces, agglomerates, and becomes more buoyant than the water.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2015Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jason Dionne, Ari Mercado, Brian Dutra, Walter M. Presz, Jr., Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Louis Masi
-
Patent number: 9272234Abstract: An acoustic standing wave is utilized to separate components from a multi-component fluid, such as oil from an oil-water mixture, in a fluid flow scheme with an acoustophoresis device. For example, the flow scheme and device allows for trapping of the oil as the oil coalesces, agglomerates, and becomes more buoyant than the water.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: FloDesign Sonics, Inc.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jason Dionne, Ari Mercado, Brian Dutra, Walter M. Presz, Jr., Thomas J. Kennedy, III, Louis Masi
-
Patent number: D787630Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2015Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: FLODESIGN SONICS, INC.Inventors: Bart Lipkens, Jason Barnes, Dane Mealey, Walter M. Presz, Jr., Brian McCarthy, Benjamin Ross-Johnsrud, Kedar Chitale