Patents Assigned to Labcon, North America
  • Patent number: 11548008
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for measuring head framing and tip straightness in a liquid handler. The present system uses a test plate, having an upper surface formed of clay or other impressionable material. The test plate may be placed at a liquid handling station. Pipette tips may then be loaded onto the head, and the head positioned at the station including the test plate. The head may be actuated in the z-direction so that the tips leave an imprint in the upper surface of the test plate. The imprint of the tips on the test plate may then be analyzed using any of a variety of measurement techniques to determine head framing alignment or misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventor: Venus Happ
  • Publication number: 20200023369
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for measuring head framing and tip straightness in a liquid handler. The present system uses a test plate, having an upper surface formed of clay or other impressionable material. The test plate may be placed at a liquid handling station. Pipette tips may then be loaded onto the head, and the head positioned at the station including the test plate. The head may be actuated in the z-direction so that he tips leave an imprint in the upper surface of the test plate. The imprint of the tips on the test plate may then be analyzed using any of a variety of measurement techniques to determine head framing alignment or misalignment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Labcon, North America
    Inventor: Venus Happ
  • Publication number: 20190064241
    Abstract: A container is disclosed which may be used with fluids sensitive to light of one or more known wavelengths. The container may be formed of a thermochromic material or including a thermochromic coating. The properties of the thermochromic material or coating may be selected so as to be transparent to light of the wavelength to which the fluid is sensitive at a first temperature and to be opaque to that wavelength of light at a second temperature. While a technician is handling the container, the container is controlled to be at the first temperature. When the technician is finished, the container is controlled to move to the second temperature to protect the fluid within the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: Labcon, North America
    Inventors: Thomas Moulton, Scott Weitze
  • Patent number: 8540476
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a system for storing and/or transporting platforms of pipette tips. The system includes packaging in which a stacked tower of platforms may be transported. Embodiments of the present invention further include a loader for transferring platforms from the packaging to a rack for holding pipette tip platforms. The loader transfers the platforms by accessing the uppermost platform in the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventor: Thomas Moulton
  • Patent number: 6666644
    Abstract: A device for dispensing units of platform-loaded goods from a stack is provided which comprises a dispenser including a dispenser frame, capture blades, and a blade control. The capture blades retain the stack within the dispenser when in closed position and release the stack when in open position, and the blade control opens and closes the capture blades. The device also includes a device for engaging the dispenser such that the blade control is moved upwardly in relation to the dispenser frame to open said capture blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventors: Peter Michael Lind, Sean Rutledge, Joshua Hanney, Nora McCallie, James Happ
  • Patent number: 6247891
    Abstract: An apparatus for transporting pipette tips is provided which comprises a vacuum manifold and one or more air conduits. The vacuum manifold internally defines a vacuum chamber, and has a wall which defines one or more apertures. The vacuum manifold is adapted for use in conjunction with a vacuum source. An air conduit is fixed to each of the one or more apertures defined by the wall of the vacuum manifold. Each air conduit defines an air channel, and is sized such that it can be inserted through a proximal opening defined by the head of one of the pipette tips without contacting the inner surface of the head of the pipette tip. The air channel of each air conduit is larger than a distal opening defined by the body of the pipette tip, such that when each air conduit is inserted through the proximal opening of one of the pipette tips and a vacuum source is used in conjunction with the vacuum manifold to create a vacuum in the vacuum chamber, the pipette tips are held in engagement with the vacuum manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventor: Peter Lind
  • Patent number: 6063282
    Abstract: A filtration apparatus for extracting particles from a fluid sample is provided. The filtration apparatus comprises a filtration well plate which forms one or more filtration wells. Each filtration well has a proximal chamber into which the fluid sample may be deposited and a distal channel into which a filter is fitted. Each filter comprises a plurality of vertically oriented cylindrical micro fibers defining a set of vertically oriented linear pores. Upon application of a sufficient downward force to the fluid sample, the fluid sample is driven into the filter and the particles are expelled from a lower end of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: LABCON, North America
    Inventor: Thomas Moulton
  • Patent number: 5851491
    Abstract: A filter for a pipette tip is provided, comprising a plurality of vertically-oriented cylindrical micro fibers cohesively bundled in adjoining columns which are composed of a core of an autoclavable material and an outer coating of a hydrophobic material. The micro fibers are packed together such that each micro fiber is compressed against the other fibers and the inner surface of the pipette tip. The compression of the fibers creates vertically-oriented pores interstitially between the micro fibers, each pore having a pore size at various points within the filter. Each filter has an equal predetermined density of micro fibers per square millimeter in its uncompressed state, such that when the filter is compressed, its pore sizes will be consistent with another filter used in a pipette tips of the same size and shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventor: Tom Moulton
  • Patent number: 5725109
    Abstract: A novel rack for holding test tubes, elongated objects and the like in an upright position. The rack is formed in a one-piece construction having upper and intermediate panels, both panels having holes which are aligned with one another to receive tubes passing through both panels. The holes securely retain the tubes upright and separate from each other during shipping and dispensing by means of easily deformable holes having integral slits radiating from each hole. The carton is lightweight, collapsible and can be easily scored and recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: LABCON, North America
    Inventors: Tom Moulton, Bob Hill
  • Patent number: 5622676
    Abstract: A pipette tip rack loader is disclosed that will load a flat of pipette tips into a rack for use on a laboratory bench. The flat for the pipette tips is substantially the same dimensions as the top surface of the tip rack to be loaded, and has an identical hole pattern so that the ends of the tips loaded in the flat can be positioned one-to-one in the holes of the tip rack. The loader consists of an upper platform that holds the flat and a lower platform or base that holds the unloaded tip rack. The upper platform is biased in a first position sufficiently high enough above the tip rack that the tips do not hit the rack. The upper platform can be depressed so that the tips in the flat thread into the tip rack holes. As the upper platform nears the tip rack, the flat is released from the upper platform to rest on the tip rack with the tips registered in the rack. Several flats with tips may be positioned in the loader with tips in the upper flats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: LABCON, North America
    Inventor: Peter M. Lind
  • Patent number: 5470538
    Abstract: A pipette tip rack loader is disclosed that will load a flat of pipette tips into a rack for use on a laboratory bench. The flat for the pipette tips is substantially the same dimensions as the top surface of the tip rack to be loaded, and has an identical hole pattern so that the ends of the tips loaded in the flat can be positioned one-to-one in the holes of the tip rack. The loader consists of an upper platform that holds the flat and a lower platform or base that holds the unloaded tip rack. The upper platform is biased in a first position sufficiently high enough above the tip rack that the tips do not hit the rack. The upper platform can be depressed so that the tips in the flat thread into the tip rack holes. As the upper platform nears the tip rack, the flat is released from the upper platform to rest on the tip rack with the tips registered in the rack. Several flats with tips may be positioned in the loader with tips in the upper flats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1995
    Assignee: LABCON, North America
    Inventor: Peter M. Lind
  • Patent number: D639445
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventors: Linda Newman, Venus Happ, Jim Happ, Tom Moulton
  • Patent number: D645092
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventors: Linda Newman, Venus Happ, Jim Happ, Tom Moulton
  • Patent number: D665919
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Labcon, North America
    Inventors: Linda Newman, Venus Happ, Jim Happ, Tom Moulton