Patents Assigned to Labcyte Inc.
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Patent number: 9908133Abstract: The invention provides apparatuses and methods for acoustically ejecting the fluid from a reservoir contained in or disposed on a substrate. The reservoir has a portion adapted to contain a fluid, and an acoustic radiation generator is positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to the reservoir. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through at least the portion of the reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of determining the energy level of the transmitted acoustic radiation and raising the energy level of subsequent pulses to a level sufficient to eject fluid droplets from the reservoir. The invention is particularly suited for delivering fluid from a plurality of reservoirs in an accurate and efficient manner.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2015Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard G. Stearns, Shehrzad Ahmed Qureshi
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Patent number: 9861987Abstract: Provided herein is generally tubular container, preferably including a plurality of reservoirs defined therein. The container can be adapted for acoustic ejection of a fluid disposed within at least one of the reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs. Alternatively, the container can be adapted for extraction of a fluid disposed within at least one of the reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs using a non-acoustic liquid handling method.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: LABCYTE INC.Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
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Patent number: 9610577Abstract: In an aspect of this invention, a closure for a well plate is provided which has a reservoir. The closure has openings through which acoustic ejection of fluid droplets can take place without removing the closure. The reservoirs in the closure may help to maintain acceptable levels of solvent in the wells of the well plate despite the evaporation which may occur during the course of ejection.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2015Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: LABCYTE INC.Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
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Patent number: 9586215Abstract: A system for fluid transport is provided where a quantity of fluid is held in a reservoir. A droplet generator is employed to generate droplets from the fluid, for example a nozzle-based system or a nozzleless system such as an acoustic ejection system. A generated droplet has a trajectory whereby it arrives at a target. A circuit is used to modify one or more characteristics of the generated droplet in a way which increases the likelihood that the droplet will not splash or bounce when it arrives at the target. The circuit may in different embodiments control the speed of the droplet or the Weber number of the droplet. The circuit may create an electric field in an area of space where the droplet passes. The circuit may charge the droplet by causing it to contact ions.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard G. Stearns, Stephen J. Hinkson
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Patent number: 9221250Abstract: The invention provides apparatuses and methods for acoustically ejecting the fluid from a reservoir contained in or disposed on a substrate. The reservoir has a portion adapted to contain a fluid, and an acoustic radiation generator is positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to the reservoir. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through at least the portion of the reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of determining the energy level of the transmitted acoustic radiation and raising the energy level of subsequent pulses to a level sufficient to eject fluid droplets from the reservoir. The invention is particularly suited for delivering fluid from a plurality of reservoirs in an accurate and efficient manner.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2014Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: LABCYTE INC.Inventors: Richard G. Stearns, Shehrzad Ahmed Qureshi
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Patent number: 9192932Abstract: In an aspect of this invention, a closure for a well plate is provided which has a reservoir. The closure has openings through which acoustic ejection of fluid droplets can take place without removing the closure. The reservoirs in the closure may help to maintain acceptable levels of solvent in the wells of the well plate despite the evaporation which may occur during the course of ejection.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2008Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: LABCYTE INC.Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
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Publication number: 20140340441Abstract: The invention provides apparatuses and methods for acoustically ejecting the fluid from a reservoir contained in or disposed on a substrate. The reservoir has a portion adapted to contain a fluid, and an acoustic radiation generator is positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to the reservoir. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through at least the portion of the reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of determining the energy level of the transmitted acoustic radiation and raising the energy level of subsequent poises to a level sufficient to eject fluid droplets from the reservoir. The invention is particularly suited for delivering fluid from a plurality of reservoirs in an accurate and efficient manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard G. Stearns, Shehrzad Ahmed Qureshi
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Patent number: 8882226Abstract: To ejecting a droplet from a reservoir, the reservoir holding a fluid is moved with respect to an acoustic ejector. As the reservoir and ejector move closer together, the acoustic ejector sends one or more interrogation pulses towards the reservoir. Based on the interrogation pulses, the system determines when the movement of the reservoir has placed a free surface of the fluid in a position where a droplet can be ejected.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2013Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
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Patent number: 8770691Abstract: The invention provides apparatuses and methods for acoustically ejecting the fluid from a reservoir contained in or disposed on a substrate. The reservoir has a portion adapted to contain a fluid, and an acoustic radiation generator is positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to the reservoir. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through at least the portion of the reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of determining the energy level of the transmitted acoustic radiation and raising the energy level of subsequent pulses to a level sufficient to eject fluid droplets from the reservoir. The invention is particularly suited for delivering fluid from a plurality of reservoirs in an accurate and efficient manner.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2010Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard Stearns, Shehrzad Ahmed Qureshi
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Publication number: 20140092156Abstract: To ejecting a droplet from a reservoir, the reservoir holding a fluid is moved with respect to an acoustic ejector. As the reservoir and ejector move closer together, the acoustic ejector sends one or more interrogation pulses towards the reservoir. Based on the interrogation pulses, the system determines when the movement of the reservoir has placed a free surface of the fluid in a position where a droplet can be ejected.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2013Publication date: April 3, 2014Applicant: Labcyte Inc.Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
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Patent number: 8544976Abstract: To ejecting a droplet from a reservoir, the reservoir holding a fluid is moved with respect to an acoustic ejector. As the reservoir and ejector move closer together, the acoustic ejector sends one or more interrogation pulses towards the reservoir. Based on the interrogation pulses, the system determines when the movement of the reservoir has placed a free surface of the fluid in a position where a droplet can be ejected.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2011Date of Patent: October 1, 2013Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
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Patent number: 8503266Abstract: A method of determining the volume or height of fluid in a reservoir is provided. A first burst of focused acoustic energy is used to raise temporarily a protuberance on a free surface of the fluid. A second burst of acoustic energy is directed to the free surface of the fluid. Echoes from the second burst of acoustic energy are detected. The detected echoes are employed to compute the height of the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2011Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard G. Stearns, Sammy S. Datwani
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Publication number: 20130193243Abstract: A system for fluid transport is provided where a quantity of fluid is held in a reservoir. A droplet generator is employed to generate droplets from the fluid, for example a nozzle-based system or a nozzleless system such as an acoustic ejection system. A generated droplet has a trajectory whereby it arrives at a target. A circuit is used to modify one or more characteristics of the generated droplet in a way which increases the likelihood that the droplet will not splash or bounce when it arrives at the target. The circuit may in different embodiments control the speed of the droplet or the Weber number of the droplet. The circuit may create an electric field in an area of space where the droplet passes. The circuit may charge the droplet by causing it to contact ions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2013Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: Labcyte Inc.Inventor: Labcyte Inc.
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Patent number: 8453507Abstract: Methods are provided for analyzing characteristics of fluids in the context of an acoustic ejection system. Such a system has a controller, an acoustic radiation generator, and a coupling medium coupling the radiation to a reservoir holding fluid. The methods can use acoustic radiation to both perturb a surface of the fluid in the reservoir and analyze the effect of the perturbation. The methods may use information about prior fluids. The methods of the invention can determine physical characteristics such as speed of sound and viscosity. The methods also include ways to determine a level of acoustic energy suitable to eject a droplet. Preferably the methods are executed automatically under control of programming of a controller of an acoustic ejection system.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2011Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard N. Ellson, Mitchell W. Mutz
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Publication number: 20130109042Abstract: Sample container for holding and transferring a liquid sample and method thereof. The sample container includes an inlet configured to allow a liquid sample to enter a sample container, and an outlet configured to allow one or more droplets of the liquid sample to exit the sample container by one or more acoustic ejections respectively. The inlet and the outlet are in different locations.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2012Publication date: May 2, 2013Applicant: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard N. Ellson, Joseph D. Olechno, Robert G. Kuimelis
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Patent number: 8389295Abstract: A system for fluid transport is provided where a quantity of fluid is held in a reservoir. A droplet generator is employed to generate droplets from the fluid, for example a nozzle-based system or a nozzleless system such as an acoustic ejection system. A generated droplet has a trajectory whereby it arrives at a target. A circuit is used to modify one or more characteristics of the generated droplet in a way which increases the likelihood that the droplet will not splash or bounce when it arrives at the target. The circuit may in different embodiments control the speed of the droplet or the Weber number of the droplet. The circuit may create an electric field in an area of space where the droplet passes. The circuit may charge the droplet by causing it to contact ions.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard G. Stearns, Stephen J. Hinkson
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Patent number: 8361418Abstract: In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a closure for a container comprises at least two closure members. The relative position of the closure members with respect to each other is altered upon mating of the closure and container. The alteration of the relative position of the closure members may result in one or more of the members approaching the container more closely. The alteration may result in one or more of the members pressing against the container. The pressing may take place in such a way that exit paths for vapor from fluid in the container would require passage through the pressed surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2011Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventor: Richard N. Ellson
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Patent number: 8252603Abstract: Fluid containers are disclosed which have fluid reservoirs in their closures. These reservoirs are advantageous to hold sacrificial fluid which lessens the loss of the fluid of interest to the outside through evaporation. The reservoirs may have openings to the inside or outside of the container, or to both. Reservoirs with openings to the outside serve to reduce evaporative loss by raising the partial pressure of fluid in the vicinity of the contact between the closure and the remainder of the container. The reservoirs may be refillable without opening the container. In one embodiment a fluid reservoir allows the zone of contact between the closure and the remainder of the container to be immersed in fluid, so that gases seeking to escape the interior of the container must pass through fluid.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2010Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard N. Ellson, Michael F. Miller, Arlen Mark Bramwell
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Patent number: 8107319Abstract: A method of determining the volume or height of fluid in a reservoir is provided. A first burst of focused acoustic energy is used to raise temporarily a protuberance on a free surface of the fluid. A second burst of acoustic energy is directed to the free surface of the fluid. Echoes from the second burst of acoustic energy are detected. The detected echoes are employed to compute the height of the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Labcyte Inc.Inventors: Richard G. Stearns, Sammy S. Datwani
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Publication number: 20120006106Abstract: Methods are provided for analyzing characteristics of fluids in the context of an acoustic ejection system. Such a system has a controller, an acoustic radiation generator, and a coupling medium coupling the radiation to a reservoir holding fluid. The methods can use acoustic radiation to both perturb a surface of the fluid in the reservoir and analyze the effect of the perturbation. The methods may use information about prior fluids. The methods of the invention can determine physical characteristics such as speed of sound and viscosity. The methods also include ways to determine a level of acoustic energy suitable to eject a droplet. Preferably the methods are executed automatically under control of programming of a controller of an acoustic ejection system.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2011Publication date: January 12, 2012Applicant: LABCYTE INC.Inventors: Richard N. Ellson, Mitchell W. Mutz, Shehrzad Ahmed Qureshi, Richard G. Stearns