Patents Examined by Brian R. Gordon
  • Instrument for analyzing biological samples and reagents
    Patent number: 11231430
    Abstract: An instrument for processing a biological sample includes a chassis. Connected to the chassis is a tape path along which a tape with a matrix of wells can be automatically advanced through the instrument, a dispensing assembly for dispensing the biological sample and a reagent into the matrix of wells of the tape to form a biological sample and reagent mixture, a sealing assembly for sealing the biological sample and reagent mixture in the tape, and an amplification and detection assembly for detecting a signal from the biological sample and reagent mixture in the matrix of wells in the tape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Douglas Scientific, LLC
    Inventors: Darren Lynn Cook, Eric Guy Johnson, Nathan Luther Westad, Andrew Richard Haug, James Henry Konynenbelt, Grant Edward Maasjo, Jared Whittier Patterson, Brent Conrad Urke, Ryan John Zitzmann, Chad Steven Smith
  • Pipette based on surface charges
    Patent number: 11224872
    Abstract: A pipette based on surface charges includes a pipette body. A plurality of support rods are provided below the pipette body. Connecting rods are provided at the lower ends of two adjacent support rods. A substrate is provided between the connecting rods. A porous SiO2 coating is provided on the substrate. A hydrophobic molecule layer is provided on the surface coating by the vapor deposition method. A superamphiphobic surface is formed on the substrate by the surface coating and the hydrophobic molecule layer. The substrate and the surface coating are made of dielectric materials. A circular limit plate is provided above the pipette body. The pipette body, the support rods, the connecting rods and the limit plate are integrally formed, and are electrically non-conductive. An electrically conductive sliding rod is movably provided within the pipette body and the limit plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF CHINA
    Inventors: Xu Deng, Qiangqiang Sun, Yu Zhou
  • Focusing agents and methods of using same
    Patent number: 11215596
    Abstract: A method for reducing the variability, as measured by relative standard deviation (RSD), of an analytical testing technique is provided. This improvement in RSD improves the confidence in the values obtained during field testing. The method includes incorporating a focusing agent into the sampling media, which permits providing sampling media such as thermal desorption tubes preloaded with the focusing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: H. Mitchell Rubenstein
  • Droplet dispensing apparatus
    Patent number: 11213813
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a droplet dispensing apparatus include a droplet ejecting array having a plurality of nozzles from which solution can be ejected into a microplate on a baseplate, a sensor configured to detect a solution amount in the microplate, and a controller configured to detect that a nozzle in the plurality of nozzles is malfunctioning during a solution ejection process based on an initial solution amount in the microplate and a final solution amount in the microplate as detected by the sensor, and control a supplemental droplet dispensing operation in which an additional solution amount is ejected into the microplate based on the initial solution amount and the final solution amount in the microplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Higuchi, Satoshi Kaiho, Ryutaro Kusunoki
  • Systems, sensing devices and methods for detection of airborne contaminants
    Patent number: 11209376
    Abstract: A device for detecting airborne contaminants includes a protonated, electrically conductive sensing material with affinity for binding with, and capable of being deprotonated by, the airborne contaminant. Electronics measure a property of the sensing material that is sensitive to deprotonation and generates signals indicative of the airborne contaminant. A method for detecting airborne contaminants includes: determining a property change of the protonated, electrically conductive material; and determining presence of the airborne contaminant based on the change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
    Inventors: Joseph J. Belbruno, Susanne E. Tanski
  • Integrated modular unit containing one or more analyte concentrator-microreactor devices to be coupled to a cartridge-cassette and methods of operation
    Patent number: 11198118
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an immunoaffinity device for capturing, isolating and purifying one or more analytes of interest present at high or low concentration in simple or complex matrices. The device is designed as an integrated modular unit that includes one or more analyte concentrator-microreactor devices anchored into a T-shaped support box, which is built-in or connected to a interchangeable cartridge-cassette of a capillary electrophoresis or liquid chromatography apparatus for the isolation, enrichment, derivatization, separation and characterization of small molecules and polymeric macromolecules, primarily protein and peptide biomarkers. The integrated modular unit is also designed to perform metabolic or bioactivity studies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: PRINCETON BIOCHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Norberto Guzman, Daniel E. Guzman
  • Medication adherence monitoring device
    Patent number: 11193925
    Abstract: A Self Monitoring And Reporting Therapeutics, SMART® composition, method apparatus and system are provided which flexibly provide options, by combining different embodiments of the device with different embodiments of the composition, the ability to conduct definitive medication adherence monitoring over the short term (Acute Medication Adherence Monitoring, immediately up to an hour or so after taking a medication), intermediate term (Intermediate Medication Adherence Monitoring, IMAM, an hour or so to a day or so after taking a medication), and longer term (Chronic Medication Adherence Monitoring, CMAM, a day to several days after taking a medication).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc., Xhale, Inc.
    Inventors: Donn Dennis, Matthew Booth, Scott Wasdo, Chris Batich, Hank Wohltjen, Douglas Crumb, Mark Tanner, Susan Baumgartner, Poonam Kaul
  • Liquid sample loading
    Patent number: 11179724
    Abstract: The assembly includes a docking console and a manifold. The docking console includes a cartridge support surface having a first end and a second end. The manifold has one or more wells defined therein. The docking console further includes a manifold retention bracket to releasably hold the manifold against a fluid cartridge supported on the cartridge support surface at an interface position such that the one or more wells are in fluid communication with the fluid cartridge and a biased seal bar to press the fluid cartridge against the manifold held by the manifold retention bracket. A hydrophilic porous frit disposed within at least one of the wells and is to permit liquid to flow through the outlet aperture but prevent gas from passing through the outlet aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignees: Illumina, Inc., Illumina Cambridge Limited
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Gudrun Stengel, James Christopher Blake, Mohammed Kafeel Ahamed, Michael Steven Becker, Michael Dangelo, Mark J. Nibbe, Daniel L. Fuller, Oliver Jon Miller
  • Methods and devices for single-cell based digital high resolution melt
    Patent number: 11174504
    Abstract: Provided are devices, systems, and methods for the identification, quantification, and profiling of microscopic organisms. The methods for the identification, quantification, and profiling of microscopic organisms include, for example, the selective enrichment of microscopic organisms from a heterogeneous sample; subsequent loading of the microscopic organisms into microfluidic channels or reaction chambers; direct amplification of nucleic acids from single, isolated microscopic organisms; and examination of amplification products using digital High Resolution Melting (HRM) analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: MELIOLABS INC.
    Inventors: Mridu Sinha, Ryan Simkovsky, Kaushik Sridhar, Shubhodeep Paul, Amol Chaudhary
  • Transport tool for transporting a laboratory article
    Patent number: 11167424
    Abstract: A transport tool for transporting a laboratory article using a pipette of a pipetting system and having a plug-in sleeve at a top end, an article holder at a bottom end, and a connecting part which connects the plug-in sleeve to the article holder. The plug-in sleeve has a side sleeve wall and a bottom which surround an interior space of the plug-in sleeve having a cylindrical and conically tapering shape. The plug-in sleeve further has an upward-facing opening for receiving an end of a pipette of an automated pipetting system. The connecting part has a top surface which defines the bottom of the plug-in sleeve, is positioned between the interior space of the plug-in sleeve and the article holder. The article holder has a holding plate which is flat and faces downward away from the plug-in sleeve, and further has a flatly acting magnet on the holding plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Stefan Buchloh, Thomas Iten, Sara Ferdi, Nico Birkner
  • Apparatus for supplying reagents to a flow cytometry system
    Patent number: 11169073
    Abstract: The disclosure provides example rinse station apparatus, cartridges, and methods for flow cytometry. The rinse station apparatus includes: (a) a cartridge docking station having a base with a recessed receptacle for a cartridge, a vertical support coupled to the base's first end and a top support coupled to the vertical support and cantilevered over the base, the top support has an opening that aligns with the cartridge's opening, (b) a locking arm coupled to the base's second end, the locking arm's free end has a ridge to cooperate with a detent coupled to the cartridge's rear wall to retain the cartridge in place, (c) a spring coupled to the vertical support's front face to apply force to the cartridge's front wall to bias the cartridge toward the locking arm, and (d) a load cell coupled to the base of the cartridge docking station, the load cell measure's the cartridge's weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Essen Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Barnes, Zachary Kane, Richard Bennett, Jason Barrett
  • Substrate assembly and method of bonding substrates
    Patent number: 11167284
    Abstract: A substrate assembly includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a bonding member. The first substrate includes a first surface-modified region having a functionality different from that of a remainder region of the first substrate. The second substrate includes a second surface-modified region connected to the first surface-modified region through a physical interaction and having a functionality different from that of a remainder region of the second substrate. The first and second substrates cooperatively define a space therebetween. The bonding member is disposed within said space to bond said first and second substrates together. A method for bonding substrates is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Green Point Enterprises Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Yi Yang, Pao-Chuan Wang
  • Automatic analyzer
    Patent number: 11162965
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to avoid a decrease in dispensing accuracy of a sample, a reagent, or the like as a temperature changes. In an automatic analyzer, a dispensing nozzle sucks the sample from a sample container holding the sample and discharges the sample to a reaction container. A syringe pump controls an amount of change in a volume of water. A first pipe connects the dispensing nozzle and the syringe pump. An electromagnetic valve flows or stops the water. A second pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the syringe pump. A branch pipe branches the water. A third pipe connects the electromagnetic valve and the branch pipe. A case accommodates at least the syringe pump, the first pipe, the electromagnetic valve, the second pipe, the branch pipe, and the third pipe. Further, the third pipe includes a heat exchange unit that performs heat exchange of the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Azuma, Isao Yamazaki, Masashi Fukaya, Takumi Ito
  • Enhanced colorimetric apparatus and method for explosives detection using ionic liquids
    Patent number: 11162904
    Abstract: An inspection tester for testing a surface for suspected explosive substances includes a body unit, a breakable ampoule carried by the body unit, and an ionic explosive detecting reagent in the breakable ampoule wherein the body unit and the breakable ampoule are positioned to deliver the ionic explosive detecting reagent to the surface for testing the surface for the suspected explosive substances. The ionic explosive detecting reagent is a salt in a liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: John G. Reynolds, Lara D. Leininger, Thomas W. Myers
  • Method for dosing liquid by means of a pipette and a syringe, and pipette for actuating a syringe for dosing liquid
    Patent number: 11154854
    Abstract: A method for dosing liquid by using a pipette and a syringe, including releasably connecting the syringe to the pipette. Then displaying the dosing volume corresponding to a set dosing increment by using a display apparatus. Next, sucking liquid into the syringe by actuating a drawing lever. Next, detecting a respective position of a drive element along its path of movement when the drive element is shifted along the path. Finally, determining and displaying by the display apparatus a possible maximum number of dosing steps with the set dosing increment without refilling the syringe after executing a reverse stroke starting from a position of the drive element reached at the end of filling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Eppendorf AG
    Inventor: Burkhardt Reichmuth
  • Removing bubbles in a microfluidic device
    Patent number: 11141727
    Abstract: Methods of removing bubbles from a microfluidic device are described where the flow is not stopped. Methods are described that combine pressure and flow to remove bubbles from a microfluidic device. Bubbles can be removed even where the device is made of a polymer that is largely gas impermeable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: EMULATE, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Levner, Josiah Daniel Sliz, Christopher David Hinojosa, Joshua Gomes, Kyung Jin Jang
  • System and apparatus for point-of-care diagnostics
    Patent number: 11131666
    Abstract: A system comprised of an apparatus and a test device is described. The test device and the apparatus are designed to interact to determine the presence or absence of an analyte of interest in a sample placed on the test device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Quidel Corporation
    Inventors: Richard L. Egan, Michael Jon Hale, Jhobe Steadman
  • Micro-pipette tip for forming micro-droplets
    Patent number: 11130120
    Abstract: A micro-droplet-emulsifier to generate a micro-droplet-emulsion for application on digital polymerase chain reaction is provided. This device includes a micropipette to hold a dispersed-phase-liquid; a droplet generator that attaches to the micro-pipette and has a plurality of substantially flat micro-channels. The dispersed-phase-liquid is forced through the micro-channels to form micro-droplet-emulsion of dispersed-liquid-phase in the continuous-liquid-phase inside the chamber. The size of the micro-droplets is controlled by the shape and the aspect ratio of the micro-channels, the depth of the micro-channels and the material of the micro-droplet-generator-head that dictates the contact angle of the droplet on the micro-channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Inventors: Lifeng Xiao, Yuan Min Wu, Yuanji Chen
  • Liquid-sealed cartridge and liquid transferring method
    Patent number: 11117135
    Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid-sealed cartridge in which a liquid is transferred by a centrifugal force generated when the liquid-sealed cartridge is rotated around a rotation shaft, including: a liquid storage portion configured to store the liquid therein; a seal having an outer peripheral portion connected to the liquid storage portion, the seal being configured to seal the liquid storage portion; a flow path connected to the liquid storage portion via the seal, through which the liquid in the liquid storage portion is transferred by the centrifugal force in a direction away from the rotation shaft, wherein, when the seal receives a pressing force, the seal is inclined in a pressing direction, with one portion of the outer peripheral portion thereof remaining connected with the liquid storage portion, and the other portion of the outer peripheral portion being separated from the liquid storage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignees: Sysmex Corporation, ASTI Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Horii, Takao Fujiwara, Tomoyuki Nose, Yasunori Maekawa, Noriyuki Ogai, Yasuhiro Toda
  • Airborne agent collectors, methods, systems and devices for monitoring airborne agents
    Patent number: 11112339
    Abstract: Air flow systems, devices and methods for monitoring airborne agents include airborne agent collectors. Airborne agent collectors for collecting and detecting the presence and/or identification of an airborne agent(s) include a soluble and hydrophilic polycaprolactone (PCL) that has been treated with a base having a pH greater than 8 and in some embodiments, also treated with a neutralizing agent for increasing hydrophilicity. Detection and identification of airborne agents captured by an airborne agent collector can be performed using any suitable analytical protocols. Such protocols include nucleic acid assays, protein assays, and bioassays. The airborne agent collectors can be used for the detection and identification of nucleic acid from cells or organisms of any type in fixed structures and in mobile, portable devices or machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Diomics Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Kindt, John F. Steel, Beverly Lynn Wolgast