Patents Examined by Jessica L Burkman
  • Patent number: 11618038
    Abstract: An elutriation apparatus has a mechanism adapted to move water along a path, the water entraining material particles of different density, and a plurality of elutriation columns interfaced to the mechanism adapted to move the water with entrained particles, the elutriation columns interfaced along the path, each elutriation column having a vertical bore with water controlled to travel up the vertical bore at one velocity and having also a capture element at the bottom of the bore. As the water with entrained particles passes over each interface to an elutriation column along the path, particles of a density sufficient for the particles to settle in the elutriation column at a velocity greater than the upward velocity of water in the bore of the elutriation column, settle to the bottom of the column, and particles of lesser density pass on to a next elutriation column interfaced along the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Inventor: James Richmond
  • Patent number: 11610416
    Abstract: A classifying device for classifying cells in real-time, comprising: as alignment unit configured to align a cell to be classified along the cell's major axis; and a classifying unit configured to classify the aligned cell using a multilayer perceptron, MLP; wherein the MLP classifies the aligned cell based on one or more images of the aligned cell. By executing the classifying device, an improved and efficient cell classification in real-time based on cell images can be provided, while labelling of the cells to be classified can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignees: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT DRESDEN, MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER WISSENSC
    Inventors: Maik Herbig, Ahmad Ahsan Nawaz, Martin Nötzel, Jochen Guck
  • Patent number: 11591566
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for sorting sperm cells in a microfluidic chip. In particular, various steps are incorporated to align and orienting sperm in flow channels, as well as, to determining sperm orientation and measure relative DNA content for analysis and/or sorting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Inguran, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Charles Sharpe, Nemanya Sedoglavich, Blair Morad, Donald Francis Perrault, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11592386
    Abstract: Systems having an unfiltered light scatter detector configured to detect scattered light from a sample in a flow stream are provided. Systems according to certain embodiments include a light source having two or more lasers, a light detection system having an unfiltered light scatter detector and a processor having memory operably coupled to the processor where the memory includes instructions which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate one or more data signals in response to scattered light from each of the two or more lasers detected by the unfiltered light scatter detector; and determine one or more parameters of data acquisition based on the generated data signals from the unfiltered light scatter detector. Methods for determining one or more parameters for data acquisition with the subject systems are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
    Inventor: Pierce O. Norton
  • Patent number: 11579071
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include methods for characterizing particles of a sample in a flow stream. Methods according to certain embodiments include generating frequency-encoded fluorescence data from a particle of a sample in a flow stream; and calculating phase-corrected spatial data of the particle by performing a transform of the frequency-encoded fluorescence data with a phase correction component. In certain embodiments, methods include generating an image of the particle in the flow stream based on the phase-corrected spatial data. Systems having a processor with memory operably coupled to the processor having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to calculate phase-corrected spatial data from frequency-encoded fluorescence data of a particle a flow stream are also described. Integrated circuit devices (e.g., field programmable gate arrays) having programming for practicing the subject methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Lin, Keegan Owsley, Matthew Bahr
  • Patent number: 11577280
    Abstract: In a method for selectively sorting out free-flowing products (4) which are conveyed in a preferably groove-shaped conveying track (3) in a conveying direction (2) along a conveying path (1), the conveyed products (4) are checked by an inspection apparatus in an inspection portion of the conveying path (1). In a sorting-out portion arranged downstream along the conveying path (1), the product (4) that does not fulfil a predefinable inspection criterion is then sorted out and removed from the conveying track (3) by a suction device (8). To do this, the suction device (8) is arranged on the conveying path (1) and a suction flow that flows away from the conveying track (3) is generated for a predetermined suction duration in order to suction-off the product (4) out of the conveying track (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventor: Nils Dickfeld
  • Patent number: 11579073
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system to detect and characterize individual particles and cells using at least either optic or electric detection as the particle or cell flows through a microfluidic channel. The system also provides for sorting particles and cells or isolating individual particles and cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NODEXUS INC.
    Inventors: Hany Nassef, Karthik Balakrishnan, Anand Kesavaraju, Vincent Tuminelli, George Anwar
  • Patent number: 11548739
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for automated robotic sortation. In one embodiment, an example system may include a first robotic arm configured to grasp a moving object from a conveyor while the conveyor is in motion, a camera system configured to image objects moving on the conveyor, and a first scanner configured to scan machine-readable codes on objects moving on the conveyor. The system may be configured to sort objects from the conveyor using the first robotic arm based at least in part on an object destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Lanhao Mao, Jane Shi
  • Patent number: 11536704
    Abstract: To determine the sex of a bird egg, a hole is produced at the blunt end of the bird egg, wherein the hole affects the calcareous shell and the outer shell membrane, whereas the inner shell membrane remains intact. In the region of the hole at the blunt end, beneath the intact inner shell membrane, at least one blood vessel is registered and the blood therein is excited by means of a preset incident radiation, the back-scattered radiation of which blood is measured, detected and evaluated for the sex determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT DRESDEN
    Inventors: Gerald Steiner, Grit Preusse, Edmund Koch, Roberta Galli, Christian Schnabel
  • Patent number: 11534799
    Abstract: Screening media for screening material includes a main body and a plurality of openings extending through the main body between a contact face and back face. The openings are of a shape of a convex and non-regular polygon, and are arranged in an orientation such that a line through the most proximal vertex of the polygon and parallel to a defined material flow direction divides the most proximal interior angle of the polygon. Such a configuration allows the openings to not easily get pegged and to improve screening performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SANDVIK SRP AB
    Inventor: Mats Malmberg
  • Patent number: 11524318
    Abstract: A method and system for marking and encoding recyclability includes material identification markers to enable a robot with computer vision capability to properly identify and distinguish between various materials. The material identification markers could include marks or symbols to describe a recyclable item or material. The material identification markers may be incorporated into the design of the item, printed on the item or label, or placed in any other way as this is a vision-based system. Further, the material identification markers may be visible or invisible to the human eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventor: Michael David Shrout
  • Patent number: 11525767
    Abstract: To provide a technology of optimizing a suction condition of a microparticle. The present technology provides an optimizing method of a suction condition of a microparticle including: a particle number counting step of detecting a time point when a microparticle passes through a predetermined position on a main flow path through which liquid containing the microparticle flows, sucking the microparticle from the main flow path to a microparticle suction flow path by the microparticle suction flow path with a predetermined suction force, and counting the number of microparticles sucked into the microparticle suction flow path; and a step of determining an elapsed time from passage through the predetermined position with which the suction by the microparticle suction flow path should be performed on the basis of a time from the time point when the microparticle passes through the predetermined position on the main flow path until the suction is performed and the number of counted microparticles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Gakuji Hashimoto, Tatsumi Ito, Kazuya Takahashi, Junji Kajihara
  • Patent number: 11513054
    Abstract: Disclosed herein include systems, devices, and methods for determining a gating strategy. An acquisition system can cause a particle analyzer to collect parameter measurements of some particles of a sample. An analysis system can receive the parameter measurements and determine a gating strategy from the parameter measurements. The acquisition can collect measurements of some or all of the remaining particles of the sample using the gating strategy determined by the analysis system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Joseph T. Trotter, Allison Irvine, Nikolay Samusik
  • Patent number: 11491488
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sperm sorting chip and a method for sorting sperm using the same. Said sperm sorting chip includes: a flow channel structure sequentially configured with a gradually diverging flow field region, a main flow channel, and a gradually converging main flow channel intercommunicated with each other from a first side end to a second side end; a fluid injection port, a semen injection port, and a semen extraction port separately located at the first side end and communicated with a main input channel of the gradual diverging flow field region; and a waste fluid outlet located at the second side end and communicated with the gradually converging main flow channel. The gradually diverging flow field region further includes a plurality of sub-input channels derived from the main input channel and converged into the main flow channel, and the plurality of sub-input channels have a gradually widening channel width at the junction with the main flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: iPreg Inc.
    Inventors: Bor-Ran Li, Chung-Hsien Huang
  • Patent number: 11491492
    Abstract: A separation apparatus and method for separating ore is provided. The separation apparatus (10) includes a separation chamber (12) and is configured to be utilised with a fluid pulsing mechanism (32) for operatively pulsating a fluid through ore deposited in the chamber resulting in the migration of generally lighter ore particles toward an upper region (25) of the chamber and for generally heavier particles to migrate toward a bottom region (14) of the chamber (12). The ore is deposited by means of a chute (38) in the bottom region (14) of the chamber (12) and the lighter ore particles may then be extracted from the chamber through a first chamber outlet (24) while the heavier particles may be extracted through a second chamber outlet (28).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: PULSATING JIGS INTERNATIONAL (PTY) LTD
    Inventor: Johannes Jacobus Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 11484057
    Abstract: This system is for implementing a method for feeding of a granulated substance, and is provided with: a feeding path through which cut tobacco is fed toward a tobacco band in a cigarette manufacturing machine; a separation device for separating, by winnowing, the cut tobacco into good products and sub-standard products that are heavier than the good products, in the process of feeding the cut tobacco; an adjustment device that is capable of directly and/or indirectly adjusting the velocity of a current of air used for separation through winnowing; a transfer path which receives and transfers the sub-standard products discharged from the separation device; a weighing device which takes a sample of the sub-standard products being transferred on the transfer path and measures the weight of the sampled sub-standard products and outputs the weighing result; and a controller which, on the basis of the weighing result, controls the operation of the adjustment device so as to bring the sampling weight equal to a targ
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Toru Iwano, Katsuyuki Tsuboi, Kazuyoshi Ono, Tatsuya Iwao
  • Patent number: 11484915
    Abstract: Provided is a package sorting method, a sorting area layout, a sorting system, and a path optimization method. The package sorting method includes: dividing a sorting area into at least a first logical partition close to a first item collecting area and a second logical partition close to a second item collecting area, where the first logical partition includes a first item dropping area, and the second logical partition includes a second item dropping area. By this method, a total path of package delivery is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: BEIJING GEEKPLUS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hao Han
  • Patent number: 11478826
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for sorting particles of a material flow into at least two fractions, the particles in the material flow being observed by means of at least one detector, particles being subjected to acoustic pressure on the basis of the properties determined by the detector so that they are supplied to different fractions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: Robin Gruna
  • Patent number: 11480508
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods capable of identifying, tracking, and sorting particles or droplets flowing in a channel, for example, a microfluidic channel having a fluid medium. The channel and the fluid medium can have a similar refractive index such that they appear translucent or transparent when illuminated by electromagnetic radiation. The particles or droplets can have a refractive index substantially different from that of the channel and the medium, such that the particles or droplets interfere with the electromagnetic radiation. A sensor can be disposed adjacent to the channel to record the electromagnetic radiation. The sensor can be attached to a system for identifying, tracking, and sorting the droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: VERILY LIFE SCIENCES LLC
    Inventors: Saurabh Vyawahare, Supriyo Sinha, Andrew Homyk, Michael Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 11457615
    Abstract: A system for handling eggs includes a pusher comprising an axis and an egg support at a free end of the axis. The system for handling eggs further includes a brake associated with the pusher, to selectively apply a brake force thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: VISCON B.V.
    Inventor: Anthony Visser