Patents Assigned to Mills Biopharmaceuticals LLC
  • Patent number: 7229400
    Abstract: An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of implant needles is comprised of a loading station into which a replaceable cartridge may be positioned. The cartridge is preloaded with a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers. The cartridge has at least one aperture and preferably the radioisotope seeds and spacers are loaded around the periphery of a rotatable drum within the cartridge. The loading station has a cartridge receiving structure and an automated motion control system. When the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure, the automated motion control system preferably drives a pair of stepper motors within the cartridge, one for rotating the rotatable drum and one for sliding a pushrod to selectively eject radioisotope seeds and spacers from the cartridge into each of a plurality of implant needles positioned so as to receive the radioisotopes seeds and spacers within the implant needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Mills Biopharmaceuticals LLC
    Inventors: Daniel M. Elliott, George M. Hoedeman, John J. Berkey, Jonathan D. Elliott