Patents Assigned to Technicon Instruments Corporation
  • Method for treating red blood cells to effect sphering and reagent therefor
    Patent number: 4412004
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of blood serum sample preparation for improved, more accurate and precise, electro-optical method for measuring erythrocyte volumes, individually and as an average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Leonard Ornstein, Young R. Kim
  • Immunoassays employing labeled reagent and a conjugate having two binding sites
    Patent number: 4401764
    Abstract: In the immunoassay of antigens in liquids, a reaction mixture is formed containing the liquid under assay, labelled antigen, and a mixed binding reagent which contains an antigen-binding site and a label-binding site, the two sites being spaced apart in the reagent so that a single molecule of labelled antigen cannot bind to both sites. The label is one whose activity is changed upon binding to a label-binding site, and the amount of antigen in the original liquid sample is determined by measuring the activity of the label in the reaction mixture. A preferred label is a fluorophore. The mixed binding reagent preferably consists of two antibodies linked together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: David S. Smith
  • Immunoassays using F(AB').sub.2 fragments
    Patent number: 4397960
    Abstract: Immunoassays for antigens or haptens are effected using, instead of an immunoglobulin antibody, the F(ab').sub.2 fragments thereof. In this way, interference from endogenous RF and Clq in the fluid under assay is avoided without the necessity of pre-treating the fluid to remove or inactivate the RF or Clq. The assays may be of various types including latex agglutination and competitive binding assays. A reagent for such use comprising F(ab').sub.2 fragments insolubilized on a water-insoluble substrate, especially a particulate substrate, is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Claude H. Moussebois, Pierre L. Masson, Jean-Pierre Vaerman, Joseph Limet, Cesar L. Cambiaso
  • Heat stable, polymer-forming composition
    Patent number: 4376839
    Abstract: A heat-stable, polymer-forming composition of a polymerizable material, a transition metal compound, a polymer chain terminator, and, optionally, a preventive antioxidant is disclosed as well as particular uses of such composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1983
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Miachael J. Malin
  • Agglutination immunoassays carried out with agent to reduce non-specific interferences
    Patent number: 4362531
    Abstract: In particle agglutination immunoassays for an analyte (e.g. an antigen or antibody) in a liquid sample (e.g. human serum), interferences arise due to non-specific protein-protein interactions and the like. These interferences are reduced or overcome by including in the assay mixture a chaotropic or chaotropic-like agent, in a carefully controlled amount. Such agents include guanidine, guanidinium hydrochloride or thiocyanate, sodium or ammonium thiocyanate, and urea, sodium chloride and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1982
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Floris de Steenwinkel, Daniel Collet-Cassart, Pierre L. Masson
  • Infrared radiation lamp
    Patent number: 4346323
    Abstract: An incandescent radiation lamp features a novel design which provides for an infrared beam of higher radiance than similar lamps. The higher radiance beam is accomplished by a surrounding reflective screen which internally focuses the generated radiation back upon the bulb filament of the lamp. The focused radiation is then redirected by reflection from the filament, and is emitted from the lamp as an intensified beam through a small window in the surrounding reflective screen.An added benefit of the new design is the improvement in the thermal efficiency of the lamp, so that less power is required for its operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1982
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Tomas Hirschfeld
  • Stabilization of creatine kinase (CK) and its application as a reference standard
    Patent number: 4339533
    Abstract: A stable intermediate composition of human or animal serum or a protein solution which contains a stable component consisting essentially of a mixed disulfide or dithiosulfonate derived from creatine kinase (ATP: creatine N-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.3.2) is disclosed as well as its employment as a reference standard for the assay of creatine kinase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1982
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas K. Chu
  • Method for the analysis of triglycerides
    Patent number: 4338395
    Abstract: Method of analyzing for triglycerides in a biological fluid is disclosed which eliminates interferences arising from endogenous glycerol and pyruvate and the need for parallel blank correction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1982
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Luis P. Leon, Chien-Kuo Yeh, Syed I. Ahmad
  • Radioassay for vitamin B.sub.12
    Patent number: 4333918
    Abstract: The amount of vitamin B.sub.12 in solution in a liquid is determined by mixing a sample of the solution with vitamin B.sub.12 -binding proteins from chicken serum in a pH of about 12.8 to 13.2, and then analyzing a component of the mixture. In preferred procedures, especially useful in assaying human sera, a competitive binding technique is employed utilizing labelled vitamin B.sub.12 and a buffer containing cyanide ion. By operating at very high pH and with chicken serum proteins, the assay can be conducted relatively simply and with very accurate results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1982
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Carney, Adrienne R. McGregor
  • Methods and apparatuses for performing immunoassays
    Patent number: 4307070
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are featured for preconcentrating immunological reactants prior to their contact and reaction to enhance the rate of reaction for separating reacted and unreacted reactants and, also, to increase the sensitivity at the detector-measuring system. The preconcentration of the reactants finds particular use in immunoassays, where very often an immunospecies is very dilute causing a time consuming and/or insensitive assay. The preconcentration and separation are accomplished within the reaction medium resulting in a simplified and compact apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce J. Oberhardt, Leonard Ornstein
  • Immunoassay using ascitic fluid
    Patent number: 4307190
    Abstract: A liquid, particularly but not exclusively a liquid of human origin such as blood serum or urine, is immunoassayed for antibodies, antigens or antibody: antigen complexes, using as a reagent in the analysis an active fraction from mouse ascitic fluid. This active fraction is a euglobulin and has the ability, like human C1q, to combine with antibody:antigen complexes but not with free antibody or antigen. Unlike human C1q, however, it remains active at high pH's and its activity is not destroyed by 0.1 M putrescine or 0.1 M hydrazine, so analyses on human body fluids can be carried out at high pH's or in the presence of putrescine and hydrazine, without interference from endogenous human C1q. The active fraction is a very broadly applicable reagent in immunoassays and particularly useful in techniques involving agglutination of latex particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1979
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Pierre L. Masson, Cesar L. Cambiaso
  • Whole blood analyses and diffusion apparatus therefor
    Patent number: 4288228
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are featured for analyzing whole blood samples by diffusion techniques in porous media. A fluid component of the whole blood is diffused into a thin-film porous medium of a given predetermined volume. Hematocrit dependent errors in diffusion time do not pose a problem in obtaining a precise aliquot of the fluid component of the whole blood due to rapid diffusion and saturation of the fluid component into the porous medium.In another embodiment, diffusion switches or valves allow for precise aliquots in porous media by control of the diffusion and/or reaction of sample analyte with reagents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Bruce J. Oberhardt
  • Method and apparatuses for electrophoretic immunoassay
    Patent number: 4288425
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are featured for preconcentrating immunological reactants prior to their contact and reaction, to greatly enhance the rate of reaction and the sensitivity. The preconcentration is accomplished within the reaction medium and is followed automatically by the separation of unreacted and reacted reactants resulting in a simplified and compact apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Martin J. Lee, Leonard Ornstein
  • Analysis of biological fluids
    Patent number: 4283383
    Abstract: Biological fluids, such as serum, are analyzed for the presence, nature and/or amount of antibodies, antigens and antibody:antigen complexes therein using as a reagent, insolubilized rheumatoid factor or insolubilized Clq. These reagents are themselves novel. They bind to antibody:antigen complexes, but not to free antibodies or antigens, and complexes can thus be removed from mixtures thereof with other materials, such as antibodies and antigens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Pierre L. Masson, Joseph F. Heremans
  • Electrochemiluminescent immunoassay and apparatus therefor
    Patent number: 4280815
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing a chemiluminescent immunoassay featuring electrochemical techniques to generate an oxidant used to trigger the chemiluminescence of the labelled immunoreactant. The generation of the oxidant is precisely controlled and the oxidant precisely and uniformly delivered to provide a more accurate, precise and sensitive assay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Bruce J. Oberhardt, Neil Wotherspoon
  • Iummunoassay involving agglutination
    Patent number: 4279617
    Abstract: A particle agglutination assay for antigens, antibodies and other binding proteins such as rheumatoid factor, uses two different, microscopic or submicroscopic particulate reagents. The first particulate reagent binds with the antigen or antibody under assay, and then the second particulate reagent is added which binds only to those first reagent particles which have bound to the antigen or antibody under assay, so causing agglutination. The free unbound first or second particles are assayed to indicate the presence and/or amount of the antigen or antibody under assay. The assay of rheumatoid factor may be so conducted to reveal the fractions of each immunoglobulin class of RF present. The assay is particularly useful for small quantities of antibodies present in human sera indicating allergy, infection or autoimmune diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Pierre L. Masson, Cesar L. Cambiaso, Floris De Steenwinkel, Adrian E. Leek
  • Fluid sample cell
    Patent number: 4278887
    Abstract: A fluid sample cell comprising a sample compartment of precisely predetermined depth bounded by opposed surfaces of a transparent window and a diffuse mirror is disclosed, and comprises inlet and outlet ports for the flow of a series of successive samples into and through said sample compartment and the spectroscopic analysis thereof by irradiation and detection of transmitted and reflected radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Victor G. Lipshutz, Edward Stark
  • Enzyme immunoassays using immobilized reagents in a flowing stream
    Patent number: 4277560
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the rapid quantitative determination of an antigen contained in aqueous biochemical samples, for example, blood. The method comprises a series of sequentially arranged stages through which a buffered stream flows. The sample, containing an unknown concentration of the antigen, is injected into the buffered flowing stream and contacts various reagents in the sequential series of stages. An initial solubilization stage comprises an immobilized antibody on a substrate which antibody is specific to the antigen in the sample. The immobilized antibody has been reacted previously to saturation with an enzyme-antigen complex, the antigen of the complex being the same as the antigen in the sample, and the complex is reversably bound to the immobilized antibody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Don N. Gray, Melvin H. Keyes
  • Method for histology specimen labelling
    Patent number: 4276253
    Abstract: A method for labelling a histological specimen, wherein such specimen is embedded in a paraffin block along with an integral set of supported elongated elements identifying such specimen for subsequent sectioning on a microtome. The identification elements are sectioned concurrently with the specimen, so as to form an integral part of the section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1981
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Stanford L. Adler, Sr., Abraham Gordon, Leonard Ornstein
  • Method and apparatus for casting metals
    Patent number: RE30979
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for casting a metal article in a mold at least as long as the article, utilizing a cooled mold of elongated form having top and bottom portions. The method includes the steps of introducing molten metal from a source through the bottom portion of the mold, flowing molten metal into the mold so as to form a solidifying casting shell which .Iadd.a .Iaddend.during casting occupies at least 40% of the cross-sectional mold area and .Iadd.a .Iaddend.has a molten core, and flowing molten metal from the source through the core towards the mold top .Iadd.at a filling rate, dependent on the mold cross sectional area, such that the product produced will have a relatively fine grained structure throughout the cross-section thereof.Iaddend..
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: Technicon Instruments Corporation
    Inventor: Leonard Watts