Patents Examined by Christopher Vandeusen
  • Patent number: 8753569
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing embedded electronics in environments where radiation or extreme temperatures are used is disclosed. Embedded electronics are affixed to various components of a pharmaceutical system, thereby enabling the customer to download pertinent information about the component, such as lot number, date of manufacturer, test parameters, etc. Additionally, these electronics allow an array of functions and features to be implemented, such as integrity tests and diagnostics. The electronics in the pharmaceutical components utilize a technology that is not as susceptible to radiation and extreme temperatures as traditional electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation
    Inventor: Aaron Burke
  • Patent number: 8746964
    Abstract: Flexible bag includes at least a first wall, a second wall facing the first wall when the flexible bag is folded and a functional part having at least a portion protruding from the first wall inside the bag. The second wall includes protective means intended to prevent damage to the flexible bag and/or to the functional part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Artelis S.A.
    Inventors: Jose Castillo, Florence Bosco
  • Patent number: 8708550
    Abstract: A fluid is processed between processing surfaces capable of approaching to and separating from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other. A first fluid is introduced between processing surfaces, by using a micropump effect acting with a depression arranged on the processing surfaces from the center of the rotating processing surfaces. A second fluid, independent of this introduced fluid, is introduced from another fluid path that is provided with an opening leading to the processing surfaces, whereby the processing is done by mixing and stirring between the processing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: M. Technique Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masakazu Enomura
  • Patent number: 8658089
    Abstract: Apparatus for concentrating a nebulant comprising a nebulant flow conduit and a counter-flow conduit, or preferably, a plurality of alternating nebulant flow conduits and corresponding counter-flow conduits eg in layered or coaxial arrangement, and wherein at least a portion of the nebulant flow conduit and said counter-flow conduits define respective opposed sides of a gas permeable membrane. In use a nebuliser is in communication with the nebulant flow conduit and the nebulant flow and counter-flow are in the same or opposite directions and act to concentrate the amount of active in a droplet eg from 35 wt % to 60 wt % hydrogen peroxide in water to disinfect and/or sterilize an article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Saban Ventures PTY Limited
    Inventors: Vladimir Berentsveig, Ron Weinberger
  • Patent number: 8636950
    Abstract: A medical instrument disinfecting chamber in which one or several instruments are suspended and a disinfecting radiation is generated. A radiation-transparent element maintains the instrument in an extended state substantially vertically oriented, under the suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Germitec
    Inventor: Clement Deshays
  • Patent number: 8617481
    Abstract: An indexable cartridge and method that is useable in either a stagnant fluid environment or in a moving fluid environment with the indexable cartridge floatable in a stagnant fluid environment and securable in a moving fluid environment with the indexable cartridge having a housing having one or more diffusion ports and a sleeve having one or more diffusion ports indexable to a diffusion port alignment through resilient yielding of the sleeve while a set of ribs inhibit lateral flow therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: King Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Snetting, Jeffrey D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8591807
    Abstract: A method for disinfecting or sterilizing an article comprising enclosing the article or article part inside a container having a wall of which at least a part is a semipermeable fabric or membrane and introducing an amount of vaporizable biocide, preferably hydrogen peroxide in water, to the interior of said container in solution, vapor, liquid or preferably nebulant form. The semipermeable fabric or membrane is selected to allow the biocide to pass from inside to outside of the container as a vapor at atmospheric pressure and to provide a barrier against entry of micro-organisms. The biocide is allowed to exit the container through said membrane while at or above atmospheric pressure, a fluid eg air is directed to flow adjacent the outside of the membrane to expedite vapor removal from the interior side. The article is exposed to the biocide for a time sufficient to disinfect or sterilize the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Saban Ventures Pty Limited
    Inventors: Vladimir Berentsveig, Ron Weinberger
  • Patent number: 8591825
    Abstract: An extraction apparatus capable of continuously and efficiently extracting a biological substance is provided. Multiple rotation discs are utilized in the extraction apparatus to significantly improve the efficiency of extracting the biological substance by using an extraction solvent. Specifically, when the extraction solvent is applied to extract lipids from microalgae, retention time of the microalgae in the extraction solvent can be significantly increased, and solubility of the microalgal lipids in the extraction solvent can be improved. Hence, the efficiency of extracting the lipids from the microalgae by using the extraction solvent can be enhanced. On the other hand, owing to the improvement of the efficiency of extracting the lipids from the microalgae, the amount of the extraction solvent can be reduced, and production costs can be reduced as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chen-Hsi Cheng, Chung-Cheng Han, Tz-Bang Du, Yun-Huin Lin, Hom-Ti Lee
  • Patent number: 8591808
    Abstract: A nebulant suitable for sterilization comprising finely divided liquid droplets suspended in a gas, said droplets including a solute, which is advantageously hydrogen peroxide and a solvent, for example water, wherein the droplets have a concentration of greater than 60 wt % of solute and an average diameter of less than 1.0 micron, preferably less than 0.8 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Saban Ventures Pty Limited
    Inventors: Vladimir Berentsveig, Gary Erickson, Ron Weinberger
  • Patent number: 8585967
    Abstract: An indexable cartridge and method that is useable in either a stagnant fluid environment or in a moving fluid environment with the indexable cartridge floatable in a stagnant fluid environment and securable in a moving fluid environment with the indexable cartridge having a housing having one or more diffusion ports and a sleeve having one or more diffusion ports indexable to a diffusion port alignment through resilient yielding of the sleeve while a set of ribs inhibit lateral flow therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: King Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Snetting, Jeffrey D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8574508
    Abstract: A method for cooling a jacketed autoclave or steam sterilizer by allowing a film of water to flow down as inner wall of the sterilizer's jacket. Condensate from the jacket space is drawn into a water ring pump. The water ring pump draws condensate from the lowest point of the jacket to a water side of the pump, and gas from the jacket to a normal suction inlet of the pump. During the process of cooling the sterilizer, a stream of water and air from the water ring pump is conducted to an upper part of the jacket of the steam sterilizer and is allowed to flow as a film down the inner wall of the jacket. Evaporation of the water is enhanced by lowering the pressure in the jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: STERIS Europe, Inc. Suomen Sivuliike
    Inventors: Mauri Salmisuo, Jani Pettersson
  • Patent number: 8562913
    Abstract: A system for filtering and purifying air within a closed environment. Air is drawn through a sequence of six filtration and purification stages, comprising, in order, an electrostatic prefilter to remove airborne impurities >=3 microns, an ultraviolet light source, a catalytic surface effective for breaking down hydrocarbons, a HEPA or other particulate filter for mechanically capturing airborne particles, a gas absorption filtration medium for removing volatile organic compounds and comprised primarily of activated charcoal, and an ionization module. The UV light is directed both upstream and downstream. The catalytic surface is semitransparent to UV light so that UV light strikes and kills microbes in the HEPA or other particulate filter medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Acepower Logistics, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce R. Searle
  • Patent number: 8557187
    Abstract: A method and a series of devices for dry cleaning, activating, modifying, coating, and biologically decontaminating (degerming, disinfecting, sterilizing) surfaces by means of an atmospheric pressure plasma generated using a surface barrier discharge are provided. The invention is used for dry cleaning, activating, coating, modifying, and biologically contaminating surfaces by means of an atmospheric pressure plasma generated in a defined, flowing gas atmosphere by a surface barrier discharge, comprising a high-voltage electrode that is covered with a dielectric or ferroelectric material, an electrically conducting grounded contact electrode, a high-voltage supply, a gas supply, and a gas nozzle (encompassing a gas outlet); said gas nozzle is located in the direct vicinity of the grounded contact electrode, is integrated into the contact electrode, or acts as the grounded contact electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Neoplas GmbH
    Inventors: Joerg Ehlbeck, Ruediger Foest, Eckhard Kindel, Norbert Lembke, Manfred Stieber, Klaus-Dieter Weltmann
  • Patent number: 8524165
    Abstract: A pipe reactor, especially for production of UAS, includes a tubular body and a reactor head, wherein the reactor head has a device for axial injection of acid, a device for injection of ammonia, a device for supply of urea and a reaction chamber, where acid and ammonia can react before coming into contact with urea.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Yara International ASA
    Inventors: Francois Ledoux, Vincent Duponchel, Edmond Vogel
  • Patent number: 8518341
    Abstract: A collapsible single-use sterilization container for use in the sterilization of medical instruments is provided. The sterilization container includes a lid having central portion defined by a frangible region. Upon activation of the frangible region, the central portion may be removed rendering the sterilization container inoperable for future use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Scott Friderich, Denise E. O'Connor, Joseph A. Cesa
  • Patent number: 8501090
    Abstract: An apparatus and method administering nitric oxide at very high concentrations to healthy skin, tools, implements, support surfaces, and sterile fields to provide sterilization. The apparatus and method providing sterilization in a dry environment lacking the common undesirable effects of anti-microbial soaps and antiseptics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Christian S. Minton, Stephen Minton, John William Randolph Miller
  • Patent number: 8454224
    Abstract: A fomite tumbler and method of transferring an agent from a source object to one or more fomites is provided. The tumbler provides reproducible and adjustable experimental determination of agent transfer between objects such as during handling. The inventions provide a unique mechanism for studying the transfer of a biological agent through a public use system such as the United States Postal System.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Warren L. Gardner, Jerold R. Bottiger, William R. Sayers, Leslie I. Williams
  • Patent number: 8449828
    Abstract: A chemical cartridge for a blower-type chemical diffusing apparatus includes a chemical-impregnated body including an air-permeable and liquid-absorptive sheet impregnated with a chemical, and a retainer receptacle for containing the chemical-impregnated body. The retainer receptacle includes a liquid pool recess formed at a central area thereof such that liquid chemical stored in the liquid pool recess is permeable towards a peripheral area of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Fumakilla Limited
    Inventors: Kazunori Yamamoto, Shinya Kawamura, Satoshi Yamasaki, Yasuharu Takei, Takao Jo
  • Patent number: 8444926
    Abstract: A heater liner assembly suitable for covering the interior of a plasma processing chamber is provided. In some embodiments, a liner assembly for a processing chamber can include a heating element embedded in a body. A flange extending outward from an outer diameter of the body includes an upper surface having a sealing surface and at least one pad that extends from the upper surface of the flange to an elevation beyond the sealing surface. The pad contributes to control of the temperature of the liner assembly by maintaining the liner assembly spaced apart from the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Fodor, Sophia M. Velastegui, Bok Hoen Kim, Dale R. DuBois
  • Patent number: 8444919
    Abstract: A method for disinfecting a volume or surfaces bounding a volume comprising nebulizing a solution comprising a sterilizing agent in a solvent having a lower boiling point than the sterilizing agent to form a nebulant. The nebulant is subjected to energy of a kind and for a duration sufficient to vaporize solvent in preference to sterilizing agent to increase the concentration of the agent in the nebulant particles. Vaporized solvent is removed from the gas stream at or above atmospheric pressure and, if necessary, the nebulant is cooled to below 70° C. The volume or surfaces are exposed to the nebulant for a time sufficient to sterilize said volume or surfaces. Also, apparatus for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Saban Ventures PTY Limited
    Inventor: Gary Erickson