Patents Examined by Charles D Hammond
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Patent number: 8580195Abstract: A laboratory system for handling sample tube racks, an alignment element for sample tube racks and a rack tray receiver assembly are disclosed. The laboratory system to handle laboratory sample tube racks comprises a robotic arm (220) with a gripper (222) for gripping primary racks (PR), wherein the primary racks (PR) to be handled comprise a first end surface (76) and a second end surface (78), the first end surface (76) having a first surface geometry and the second end surface (78) having a second surface geometry, and wherein the gripper (222) comprises a first gripping arm (226) and a second gripping arm (228), with the first gripping arm (226) having a gripping surface being complementary to the first surface geometry, and the second gripping arm (228) having a gripping surface being complementary to the second surface geometry.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2009Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.Inventors: Rolf Frey, Fritz Goedl, Bruno Koch, Joachim Lackner, Beat Widmer, Lydia Stettler
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Patent number: 8580196Abstract: When a problematic reagent is identified while operating an automatic analyzer, it is required to have a plurality of screens displayed, and it is difficult for inexperienced operators to identify a problematic position of a reagent. With the present invention, control information for reagents and a calibrator required for analysis with an automatic analyzer are displayed concurrently, so that all necessary information can be referred to one screen. In the automatic analyzer according to the present invention, screen switching as required in the conventional technology is not necessary, and improved operability and visibility are provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2007Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignees: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc.Inventors: Yasunao Awata, Kazuhiro Shimada, Yoshimitsu Takagi, Toshihide Orihashi, Shigeki Matsubara, Werner Döppen, Dietmar Kappelhoff
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Patent number: 8574512Abstract: A laboratory device unit (1) for processing or analyzing substances, mixtures or media, is provided having functional elements provided in or on a laboratory device (3) for carrying out said processing and/or analyzing. At least two remote controls (2, 6) are provided, wherein a range of functions of the functional elements can be used to a lesser extent with the one remote control (6) than with the other remote control (2).Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2009Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: IKA-Werke GmbH & Co. KGInventor: Erhard Eble
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Patent number: 8562919Abstract: It is to provide a device for sampling feces that enables an accurate and quantitative evaluation by decreasing the variations of feces sampling levels, wherein the confirmation of the presence or absence of feces sampling can be performed hygienically and simply from an outside of a container.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2009Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Kyowa Medex Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yasumasa Shimada
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Patent number: 8557597Abstract: A total organic carbon measuring instrument including a measuring unit composed of, integrated together, organic substance oxidation part and carbon dioxide separation part and conductivity measuring part, control unit and data processing unit. In order to enhance the accuracy of conductivity measurement, the control unit is constructed so as to stop feeding of a sample water at the time of oxidation of organic substance and carry out feeding of the sample water at the time of sample water moving to the organic substance oxidation decomposition part and carbon dioxide separation part. The data processing unit is constructed so as to measure the total organic carbon concentration on the basis of conductivity at the time of arriving of sample water irradiated with ultraviolet rays of which relative intensity is a given value or higher at the carbon dioxide separation part.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2012Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Shimadzu CorporationInventors: Masakazu Akechi, Hirohisa Abe, Yoichi Fujiyama
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Patent number: 8524152Abstract: Methods and systems for enhancing rates of in situ carbonation of peridotite are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods and systems include the following: fracturing a volume of peridotite in situ; heating the volume of peridotite in situ; injecting carbon dioxide into the volume of peridotite in situ; and forming carbonate in situ with the volume of peridotite and the carbon dioxide.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2008Date of Patent: September 3, 2013Assignee: The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New YorkInventors: Peter B. Kelemen, Juerg M. Matter
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Patent number: 8518345Abstract: A hand-held, multi-channel pipettor has an electronically controlled motor to reposition pipette tips for different center to center spacing. Each repositionable tip fitting assembly has a cam following pin that is driven by cam tracks in a motor driven roller drum. Stationary ports for the multiple aspiration cylinders are strategically placed to simplify management of flexible tubes leading to the repositionable pipette tip fitting assemblies. The pipettor has a user interface that can be operated conveniently by one hand to reposition pipette tips. It has a pipette tip ejection mechanism with a sinusoidal stripper bar.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2012Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Integra Biosciences Corp.Inventors: David E. Butz, Gregory Mathus, Richard Cote, George P. Kalmakis
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System and method of modeling mono-glycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides in biodiesel feedstock
Patent number: 8515722Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system of modeling physical properties of biodiesel feedstock are presented. The invention method and system include (i) estimating values of a physical property of constituent fatty acid fragments of a mono-, di-, or triglyceride, and (ii) computing a value of the physical property of the mono-, di-, or triglyceride by expressing the value of the physical property of the mono-, di-, or triglyceride as a sum of the estimated values of the physical property of constituent fatty acid fragments thereof. The method and system further include repeating steps (i) and (ii) for different mono-, di-, and/or triglycerides, resulting in a plurality of computed values of the physical property of different mono-, di-, and triglycerides. The determined value of the subject physical property enables blending of the biodiesel feedstock in production of biodiesel.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2010Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Aspen Technology, Inc.Inventors: Li Zong, Sundaram Ramanathan, Chau-Chyun Chen -
Patent number: 8513021Abstract: A measuring apparatus has a master communication interface for sequentially transmitting an operation command issued by a CPU to a plurality of mechanism units used for measurement of an analyte. The measuring apparatus also has a slave communication interface, provided for each mechanism unit, for receiving the operation command and a plurality of driving circuits for deriving the mechanism units in accordance with the received operation command. The master communication interface broadcasts an operation start instructing signal to the plurality of mechanism units after sequentially transmitting operation commands respectively to the plurality of mechanism units, and triggered by the operation start instructing signal, the driving units of the plurality of mechanism units concurrently initiate execution of the operation commands.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Sysmex CorporationInventor: Kazutoshi Tokunaga
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Patent number: 8515574Abstract: A system that generates brewed beverages may receive requests to produce specified brewed beverages. The system may include a scheduler that initiates and controls the performance of one or more chemical or mechanical processes to produce the beverages. While one chemical or mechanical process for producing a beverage is being performed, other processes may be performed for production of the beverage or another beverage. The scheduler may determine the time at which to perform each process, the time at which a beverage should be presented, the resources to be used to perform the processes, or the time at which to perform a cleaning process, dependent on an actual or expected demand for beverages, or dependent on a target time for beverage retrieval. Shared resources may be applied to the production of beverages for high priority orders, while partially completed beverages for lower priority orders are staged for subsequent advancement.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2012Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Briggo, Inc.Inventors: Charles F. Studor, J. Kevin Nater, Marwan M Hassoun
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Patent number: 8470243Abstract: A sample plate for a biochemical analyzer is provided, which includes a main shaft, an inner plate, an outer plate, a refrigeration bin, a tubing portion, a cooling fluid inlet and a cooling fluid outlet.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2011Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Baozhen Nie, Zaixing Gao, Leping Zhang, Ping Tian
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Patent number: 8460938Abstract: A blood analyzing device (100) comprises a holder (110) for receiving a cuvette (20) with a blood sample (30). The device (100) induces a movement of the blood cells in the sample (30) by applying a field (230) over the cuvette (20). A detector (130) detects, based on output light from the blood sample (30) originating from a light source (120), a change in the induced movement of the cells caused by an increase in viscosity of the blood due to an aggregation and/or coagulation process. A processor (140) processes the detector reading and generates a signal representative of the hemostasis function of the tested blood.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Inventor: Tommy Forsell
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Patent number: 8449847Abstract: Device and method for handling multi-component mixtures, comprising at least two not completely mixable fluid phases. The device comprises an arrangement of at least two high-pressure separators, being operatively connected each with a low-pressure separator. Each high-pressure separator comprises an outlet line for volatile gaseous constituents. Each low-pressure separator is operatively connected to a gas collecting container or shares at least one gas collecting container with a further low-pressure separator. At least one high-pressure separator has at least one outlet connection for gaseous constituents, being connected with a part to the analysis. The device is used in high-throughput research or in combinatory chemistry, preferably for the research of multi-component mixtures produced in experiments with catalyst, or in connection with high-pressure processes.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2007Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: HTE Aktiengesellschaft The High Throughput Experimentation CompanyInventors: Alfred Haas, Uwe Vietze, Andreas Christian Moeller
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Patent number: 8449835Abstract: A devise for fecal occult blood test comprises a first and a second casings, a sampling portion extending from the first casing, a specimen processing portion, at least a testing portion and a packing cylindrical member. The packing cylindrical member is coupled between the first and second casings when unused and dismantled therefrom when used. After sampling via a specimen collecting portion of the sampling portion, the specimen collecting portion is drawn into the first casing to reduce the device size. The first and second casings are fixedly coupled together in a specimen processing position thereof to mix specimens with a liquid of the specimen processing portion into a testing liquid, and then in a specimen testing position thereof to disperse onto the testing portions for testing and directly display test results. The present invention advantages high accuracy, rather hygiene, significant size reduction, real-time testing-result display and convenient use.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2011Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Taichung Veterans General HospitalInventor: Ming-Feng Wu
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Patent number: 8449821Abstract: A system includes a controller and an apparatus that includes a housing having a volume and an inlet. The inlet can receive a fluid that includes a gas and a liquid. The apparatus also includes a baffle that partitions the volume into a first portion and a second portion. The baffle extends from a base of the housing. The first portion can receive the liquid and separate the liquid into a first part and a second part. The second portion can receive the second part of the liquid from the first portion. The controller regulates an amount of the second part of the liquid in the second portion such that a level of the second part of the liquid is higher than a height that the baffle extends from the base of the housing, thus enabling the use of the extra surge capacity in the vessel.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Sanjay Kumar Sharma, Ravi Nath
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Patent number: 8426047Abstract: A multi-series battery control system comprises battery cell groups each having a plurality of serially connected battery cells, a plurality of integrated circuits each disposed in correspondence to one of the battery cell groups and a battery control device that exchanges signals with the individual integrated circuits. Each integrated circuit includes an address setting means that receives a message unique to the integrated circuit, different from messages sent to other integrated circuits, from the battery control device, writes over an initialized address of the integrated circuit with the message and alters the message to a message with which an initialized address of another integrated circuit cannot be overwritten in a step assigned with an ordinal number matching the position of the integrated circuit with regard to the connection order.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2008Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd.Inventors: Akihiko Emori, Youhei Kawahara, Kei Sakabe, Mutsumi Kikuchi, Tatsumi Yamauchi, Akihiko Kudo
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Patent number: 8420021Abstract: There is provided an ignition or plasma generation apparatus that eliminates the need for resonance means in a combustion chamber and simplifies the electrode structure within the combustion chamber in an instance where energy from each of a spark discharge and microwaves is used to ignite an air-fuel mixture gas in an internal combustion engine. The ignition or plasma generation apparatus includes a mixing circuit for mixing a high-voltage pulse from a high-voltage pulse generator and microwave energy from a microwave generator; and an ignition plug into which an output from the mixing circuit is supplied, the plug used for introducing the output into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The output supplied from the mixing circuit to the ignition plug is supplied in a manner in which the microwave energy and the high-voltage pulse are superimposed on each other on a same transmission line.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2012Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.Inventors: Minoru Makita, Yuji Ikeda
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Patent number: 8420029Abstract: A transportation system for transporting a biological material container between a sterile field and a nonsterile field and substantially maintaining sterility of the biological material container includes a housing assembly that removably houses the biological material container. The system also includes a port defined by the housing assembly, and the port provides communication into the biological material container from outside the housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a first member that covers a first portion of the biological material container such that a second portion of the biological material container extends from the first member. The housing assembly also includes a second member that covers the second portion of the biological material container. The second member is removably coupled to the first member to expose the second portion of the biological material container. A keying member that keys the transportation system in a centrifuge is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2012Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Biomet Biologics, LLCInventor: Jason Chavarria
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Patent number: 8423161Abstract: A system and method for modeling a gas turbine assembly include a plurality of sensors configured to measure a plurality of operating parameters of a turbine assembly. The system further includes a model configured to compare the plurality of operating parameters with a plurality of predicted parameters to determine difference values. A Kalman filter of system is configured to evaluate the difference values to facilitate adjusting the model. The Kalman filter is further configured to accommodate for a missing operating parameter of the plurality of operating parameters to facilitate tuning the model.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2011Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kevin Wood Wilkes, Randy Scott Rosson
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Patent number: 8414848Abstract: A substrate including a channel part having a chamber in which a liquid can be fed stepwise from a chamber to another chamber at the channel part formed in the substrate, depending on the rotational speed of the substrate. A first chamber, a second chamber, a third chamber, and a channel interconnecting them are formed at the channel part formed in the substrate. Furthermore, the width and/or the depth of the first chamber is set smaller than the width and/or the depth of the second chamber. Consequently, the volume of solution subjected to centrifugal force in the first chamber is larger than the volume of solution subjected to centrifugal force in the second chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Nobuhiko Ozaki, Airi Takagi