Patents Assigned to FLUIDIC, INC.
  • Patent number: 11933780
    Abstract: A method for assessing an effect, such as a treatment, disease, or passage of time on a cellular unit of an organism includes providing a sample including a cellular unit subject to the effect in a supporting medium in a hermetically sealed container. The container is deoxygenated to induce at least one of a predetermined amount of hypoxia and a predetermined rate of oxygen consumption in the medium. Values for variables associated with the medium and/or the cellular unit are determined at each of a plurality of different times. Various combinations of the predetermined amount of hypoxia, the predetermined rate of oxygen consumption, the values for the variables associated with the medium and/or cellular unit, and the times and then correlated to generate a multi-dimensional surface. This surface is compared with another surface correlating corresponding values relating to another cellular unit such as one not subject to the effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Functional Fluidics Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Tarasev, Xiufeng Gao, Marta Ferranti
  • Patent number: 11839873
    Abstract: Provided are valveless microfluidic flowchips comprising fluid flow barrier structures or configurations. Further provided are systems and methods having increased fluid transfer control in a valveless microfluidic flowchip. The systems and methods can be used in the present valveless microfluidic flowchips as well as in currently available valveless microfluidic flowchips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Protein Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Evan Francis Cromwell, Wilson Toy, Liran Yosef Haller, Ori Hoxha, Braxton Dunstone, Hong Jiao
  • Patent number: 11662353
    Abstract: A method for assessing an effect of hypoxia on a tissue includes providing a sample of the tissue in a hermetically sealed container, determining a first amount of a reaction substrate (e.g., protocatechuic acid) to be introduced into the sealed container and determining a second amount of a reaction enzyme (e.g., protocatechuate dioxygenase) to be introduced into the sealed container. The method further includes introducing the reaction substrate and the reaction enzyme into the sealed container. At least one of the first amount of the reaction substrate and the second amount of the reaction enzyme is selected to induce at least one of a predetermined amount of hypoxia less than anoxia and a predetermined rate of hypoxia in the tissue during a reaction between the reaction substrate and the reaction enzyme. Values of properties of the tissue can be measured before and after the reaction to assess effects of hypoxia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Functional Fluidics Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Tarasev, Lucas Gelmini
  • Patent number: 11543037
    Abstract: A dual latching microvalve is capable of a metastable state, wherein a one or more complete flow paths are open, before switching to another state that allows only an inlet or outlet valve to be open at any time on any fluid path. One valve mechanism uses a cam to alternately open and close two valves, with an external force applying pressure to move one valve arm onto a resting position on the cam, thereby opening the closed valve and provided an uninterrupted flow path through the dual latching microvalve. The metastable state provides, for example, a means to prime the pump before operation, such as pumping of insulin into a patient. When released from the metastable state, the dual latching microvalve operates in a fashion whereby opening of both valves simultaneously is prevented, thereby protecting the patient from injury.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SFC Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Forrest W. Payne, Bradley Ledden, Gil Kan, Greg Lamps
  • Patent number: 11376589
    Abstract: Provided are valveless microfluidic flowchips comprising fluid flow barrier structures or configurations. Further provided are systems and methods having increased fluid transfer control in a valveless microfluidic flowchip. The systems and methods can be used in the present valveless microfluidic flowchips as well as in currently available valveless microfluidic flowchips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Protein Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Evan Francis Cromwell, Wilson Toy, Liran Yosef Haller, Ori Hoxha, Braxton Dunstone, Hong Jiao
  • Publication number: 20200368429
    Abstract: A method and device employing the method that identifies a solution based on characteristic electrochemical signal. Many solutions are electroactive, thus producing an electric signal following excitation with an applied potential. An electrochemical sensor can detect these electric signals if it is placed in contact with the fluid. Moreover, a fluid of known composition will produce a characteristic electrochemical signal and this characteristic signal can be used to confirm the presence of that fluid. The use of characteristic electrochemical signal to identify a fluid can be conducted at all scales and in many different fields. A few examples include quality control in food production or pharmaceutical manufacturing or for detection of air bubbles in a fluid stream or for identification of medicament prior to administration via a body worn patch pump/pod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: SFC Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley LEDDEN, Greg LAMPS, Forrest PAYNE, Emma SUN
  • Patent number: 10576201
    Abstract: A valve for use in connection with microfluidic devices includes a safety feature such that flow is controlled even in the case of a loss of power, thus having applications in critical applications such as the precise delivery of drugs overtime. The valve may be used in connection with multiple tubes delivering drugs, and may be used with a pump, such as an electrochemical pump, to provide the force to move the fluids containing drugs for delivery. In certain applications, more than one medicine may be delivered and metered independently using a single pump with multiple reservoirs and valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: SFC Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Forrest W. Payne, Greg Lamps, Champak Das, Sai Kumar, Ashley Shemain
  • Publication number: 20200038865
    Abstract: A threaded fluidic fitting may include a fluid passage, at least one fluid port, a threaded fitting portion, an engageable body portion, and an electro-fluidic leak detection element. The fluid passage extends from the fluid port of the threaded fluidic fitting. The threaded fitting portion comprises a helical thread, extends from a leak detection face of the engageable body portion, and is configured to rotate with the engageable body portion to enhance a fluidically sealed engagement of one of the fluid ports with a complementary fluidic component. The electro-fluidic leak detection element is positioned on the leak detection face of the engageable body portion or on a drip edge portion of a face extending from the leak detection face. A fluid handling system may include a plurality of threaded fluidic fittings and a leak detecting computing hub in communication with the plurality of threaded fluidic fittings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Bio-Chem Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry X Huang, Ethan Matthew Gardner, Razvan Bulugioiu, Michael Swern, William A Easterbrook, Sharad Harihar Joshi, Sr.
  • Publication number: 20200040890
    Abstract: A reciprocating piston pump may include a fluid handling portion comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a pump chamber; a drive assembly portion comprising a piston drive assembly, a reciprocating piston, a drive assembly housing, and a drive assembly chamber; and an electro-fluidic leak detection element comprising a fluid sensing portion. The reciprocating piston of the drive assembly portion extends into the pump chamber of the fluid handling portion. The piston drive assembly operates to reciprocate the reciprocating piston within the pump chamber. The electro-fluidic leak detection element is mounted within the drive assembly portion. The electro-fluidic leak detection element is configured to generate a fluid leakage signal when fluid from the pump chamber enters the drive assembly chamber and contacts the fluid sensing portion of the electro-fluidic leak detection element. A plurality of reciprocating piston pumps may be incorporated into fluid handling systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Bio-Chem Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry X. Huang, Ethan Matthew Gardner, Razvan Bulugioiu, Michael Swern, William A. Easterbrook, Sharad Harihar Joshi, SR.
  • Publication number: 20200041035
    Abstract: A pinch valve configuration may include a pinch valve comprising a valve body, a valve plunger, and a fluidic tubing pinch passage defined between a tubing seat of the valve body and an operative end of the valve plunger. The pinch valve configuration may further include a Hall effect sensor assembly comprising a stationary element anchored to the valve body and a motive element anchored to the valve plunger. The pinch valve configuration additionally includes a failure prediction module in communication with the Hall effect sensor assembly. The failure prediction module is programmed to process an output signal of the Hall effect sensor assembly as a displacement reading, to compare the displacement reading with a failure prediction threshold, and to generate a failure prediction signal from the comparison of the displacement reading with the failure prediction threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Applicant: Bio-Chem Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry X Huang, Ethan Matthew Gardner, Razvan Bulugioiu, Michael Swern, William A. Easterbrook, Sharad Harihar Joshi, SR.
  • Patent number: 10256460
    Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to apparatuses and methods of fabricating solid-state electrochemical cells having redox-active polymers. In one aspect, an electrochemical cell comprises a negative electrode including a first redox-active polymer and configured to be reversibly oxidized during a discharging operation and further configured to be reversibly reduced during a charging operation. The electrochemical cell additionally comprises a positive electrode including a second redox-active polymer and configured to be reversibly reduced during the discharging operation and further configured to be reversibly oxidized during the charging operation. The electrochemical cell further comprises an electrolyte including a solid ion-exchange polymer, the electrolyte interposed between positive and negative electrodes and configured to conduct ions therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Fluidic, Inc.
    Inventors: Cody A. Friesen, Jose Antonio Bautista-Martinez
  • Patent number: 9935319
    Abstract: Methods of preparing hetero ionic complexes, and ionic liquids from bisulfate salts of heteroatomic compounds using dialkylcarbonates as a primary quaternizing reactant are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making electrochemical cells comprising the ionic liquids, and an electrochemical cell comprising an alkaline electrolyte and a hetero ionic complex additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: FLUIDIC, INC.
    Inventors: Cody A. Friesen, Derek Wolfe, Paul Bryan Johnson
  • Publication number: 20180073502
    Abstract: A reciprocating piston pump may include a pump chamber, a piston seal, a monolithic partially fluorinated polymer piston with a fluid engaging end, a seating end, and a longitudinal outer piston surface extending between the fluid engaging end and the seating end. The reciprocating piston pump may further include a drive assembly coupled to the seating end of the monolithic partially fluorinated polymer piston. The drive assembly operates to reciprocate the monolithic partially fluorinated polymer piston within the pump chamber between full aspirate and full dispense positions. The piston seal forms an interface between the longitudinal outer piston surface of the piston and the pump chamber. The monolithic partially fluorinated polymer piston and the drive assembly are configured such that the piston seal interfaces with the longitudinal outer piston surface over a full stroke length of the drive assembly between the full aspirate and full dispense positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Applicant: Bio-Chem Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Huang, Razvan Bulugioiu, William Easterbrook
  • Patent number: 9893396
    Abstract: A process for conditioning an electrochemical cell system comprising at least two electrochemical cells comprises selecting from the fuel electrodes of the electrochemical cells groups comprising: a charged group and a reset group. The process also comprises holding the fuel electrodes within the charged group at a predetermined state of charge associated with a set concentration of metal fuel ions in solution in the ionically conductive medium. The process further comprises resetting the fuel electrodes within the reset group. An electrochemical cell system includes a plurality of fuel electrodes and one or more controllers configured to regulate the concentration of reducible metal fuel ions in solution with an ionically conductive medium by maintaining a predetermined state of charge of at least one of the fuel electrodes, and initiate a charging, discharging, or resetting process on at least one other fuel electrode. Other features and embodiments are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: FLUIDIC INC.
    Inventors: Todd Trimble, Sergey Puzhaev, Joel Hayes, Ramkumar Krishnan, Cody A. Friesen
  • Patent number: 9793586
    Abstract: Methods of preparing hetero ionic complexes, and ionic liquids from bisulfate salts of heteroatomic compounds using dialkylcarbonates as a primary quaternizing reactant are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making electrochemical cells comprising the ionic liquids, and an electrochemical cell comprising an alkaline electrolyte and a hetero ionic complex additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: FLUIDIC, INC.
    Inventors: Cody A. Friesen, Derek Wolfe, Paul Bryan Johnson
  • Patent number: 9768472
    Abstract: Methods of preparing hetero ionic complexes, and ionic liquids from bisulfate salts of heteroatomic compounds using dialkylcarbonates as a primary quaternizing reactant are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making electrochemical cells comprising the ionic liquids, and an electrochemical cell comprising an alkaline electrolyte and a hetero ionic complex additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: FLUIDIC, INC.
    Inventors: Cody A. Friesen, Derek Wolfe, Paul Bryan Johnson
  • Patent number: 9761920
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a metal-air electrochemical cell with a high energy efficiency mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: FLUIDIC, INC.
    Inventors: Cody A. Friesen, Ramkumar Krishnan, Todd Trimble, Joel Hayes
  • Publication number: 20170233877
    Abstract: Methods of preparing hetero ionic complexes, and ionic liquids from bisulfate salts of heteroatomic compounds using dialkylcarbonates as a primary quaternizing reactant are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of making electrochemical cells comprising the ionic liquids, and an electrochemical cell comprising an alkaline electrolyte and a hetero ionic complex additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: FLUIDIC, INC.
    Inventors: Cody A. Friesen, Derek Wolfe, Paul Bryan Johnson
  • Patent number: 9716300
    Abstract: An electrochemical cell system is configured to utilize an oxidant reduction electrode module containing an oxidant reduction electrode mounted to a housing to form a gaseous oxidant space therein that is immersed into the ionically conductive medium. A fuel electrode is spaced from the oxidant reduction electrode, such that the ionically conductive medium may conduct ions between the fuel and oxidant reduction electrodes to support electrochemical reactions at the fuel and oxidant reduction electrodes. A gaseous oxidant channel extending through the gaseous oxidant space provides a supply of oxidant to the oxidant reduction electrode, such that the fuel electrode and the oxidant reduction electrode are configured to, during discharge, oxidize the metal fuel at the fuel electrode and reduce the oxidant at the oxidant reduction electrode, to generate a discharge potential difference therebetween for application to a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: FLUIDIC, INC.
    Inventors: Cody Friesen, Ramkumar Krishnan, Michael Mihalka, Grant Friesen, Andrew Goodfellow
  • Publication number: 20170205330
    Abstract: A particle screening device is provided. The particle screening device comprises: a substrate including a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; a micropore array formed on the substrate, wherein each micropore penetrates through the substrate from the first side to the second side and has a size configured to at least permit particles smaller than target particles flow through; and electrodes formed on at least one side of the first and second sides of the substrate and around at least some micropores, wherein the electrodes are configured to generate an electric field at corresponding micropores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: Ocular Fluidics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chengjun Huang, Jun Luo, Chao Zhao