Patents Examined by Maris R Kessel
  • Patent number: 11579067
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an apparatus and associated method for concentration of polarizable molecules within a fluid medium. The apparatus comprising a structure defining a cavity, having a cross-sectional dimension of 200 nm or less; at least two translocation electrodes positioned relative to the structure to enable generation of a DC electric field passing through the cavity; and at least two trapping electrodes positioned relative to the structure to enable generation of a time-varying electric field proximal to the cavity inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: IMPERIAL COLLEGE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Joshua Benno Edel, Kevin Joseph Freedman
  • Patent number: 11579111
    Abstract: A biosensor pixel for measuring current that flows through the electrode surface in response to electrochemical interactions and a biosensor array architecture that includes such biosensor pixels. The biosensor pixel includes an electrode transducer configured to measure a current generated by electrochemical interactions occurring at a recognition layer placed directly on top of it in response to an electrical voltage placed across an electrode transducer-electrolyte interface. The biosensor pixel further includes a trans-impedance amplifier connected to the electrode transducer, where the trans-impedance amplifier is configured to convert the current into a voltage signal as the electrochemical interactions occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Arjang Hassibi, Arun Manickam, Rituraj Singh
  • Patent number: 11579112
    Abstract: A sensor element includes an element base made of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte, an internal space provided inside the element base, an electrochemical pump cell that pumps oxygen in and out between the internal space and outside, and a porous thermal shock resistant layer provided to an outermost peripheral part in a predetermined range at one end part of the element base, at which a gas inlet is provided. A thermal diffusion time in a thickness direction of the thermal shock resistant layer is 0.4 sec to 1.0 sec inclusive. A thermal diffusion time at a leading end part of the thermal shock resistant layer covering the gas inlet at a farthest leading end position at the one end part is longest, and a thermal diffusion time at a pump surface is longer than a thermal diffusion time at a heater surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Hino
  • Patent number: 11567033
    Abstract: A sensor element includes: an element base including: a ceramic body made of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte, and having an inlet at one end portion thereof; at least one internal chamber located inside the ceramic body, and communicating with the gas inlet; and an electrochemical pump cell including an outer electrode, an inner electrode facing the chamber, and a solid electrolyte therebetween, and a porous leading-end protective layer covering a leading end surface and four side surfaces in a predetermined range of the element base on the one end portion, wherein the protective layer has an extension extending into the gas inlet and fixed to an inner wall surface of the ceramic body demarcating the gas inlet, and a gap communicating with the gas inlet is located in the protective layer, with demarcated by a portion of the protective layer continuous with the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Takashi Hino, Mika Kai
  • Patent number: 11561198
    Abstract: Device and methods for use in a biosensor comprising a multisite array of test sites, the device and methods being useful for modulating the binding interactions between a (biomolecular) probe or detection agent and an analyte of interest by modulating the pH or ionic gradient near the electrodes in such biosensor. An electrochemically active agent that is suitable for use in biological buffers for changing the pH of the biological buffers. Method for changing the pH of biological buffers using the electrochemically active agents. The methods of modulating the binding interactions provided in a biosensor, analytic methods for more accurately controlling and measuring the pH or ionic gradient near the electrodes in such biosensor, and analytic methods for more accurately measuring an analyte of interest in a biological sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Christopher Johnson, Sam Kavusi, Nadezda Fomina, Habib Ahmad, Autumn Maruniak, Christoph Lang, Ashwin Raghunathan
  • Patent number: 11543383
    Abstract: A liquid droplet manipulation system has a substrate with at least one electrode array and a central control unit for controlling selection of individual electrodes of the electrode array and for providing the electrodes with individual voltage pulses for manipulating liquid droplets by electrowetting. A working film is placed on top of the electrodes for manipulating samples in liquid droplets with the electrode array. At least one selected individual electrode of the electrode array is configured to be penetrated by light of an optical detection system for the optical inspection or analysis of samples in liquid droplets that are located on the working film. Also disclosed is working film that is to be placed on the electrode array and a cartridge that includes such a working film for manipulating samples in liquid droplets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Travis Lee, Michael Benjamin Franklin, Kailiang Wang, Anne R. Kopf-Sill
  • Patent number: 11519877
    Abstract: Devices and methods for performing dielectrophoresis are described. The devices contain sample channel which is separated by physical barriers from electrode channels which receive electrodes. The devices and methods may be used for the separation and analysis of particles in solution, including the separation and isolation of cells of a specific type. As the electrodes do not make contact with the sample, electrode fouling is avoided and sample integrity is better maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rafael V. Davalos, Hadi Shafiee, Michael Benjamin Sano, John L. Caldwell
  • Patent number: 11506629
    Abstract: An apparatus and method wherein the apparatus includes a channel; at least one pair of electrodes provided within sides of the channel; an electrolyte configured to move through the channel such that when the electrolyte is positioned between the at least one pair of electrodes the electrolyte provides a current path between the at least one pair of electrodes; and wherein the at least one pair of electrodes are configured such that movement of the electrolyte through the channel enables a time varying voltage to be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Darryl Cotton, Adam Robinson, Di Wei
  • Patent number: 11478178
    Abstract: This document describes a conformable substrate that includes a hydrogel having adhesion-promoting moieties, said adhesion-promoting moieties comprising one or more catechol groups. The conformable substrate includes an array of microelectrodes bonded to the hydrogel by the adhesion-promoting moieties via the one or more catechol groups. This document also describes a method for transfer printing of an electronic structure to a hydrogel. The method includes the steps of coating a donor substrate with a film of polyacrylic acid, crosslinking the film of polyacrylic acid in a solution comprising divalent ions, patterning a microelectrode array onto the crosslinked film of polyacrylic acid, laminating an adhesive hydrogel substrate onto the donor substrate coated by the crosslinked film of polyacrylic acid comprising the patterned microelectrode array, and separating the crosslinked film of polyacrylic acid from the donor substrate in a monovalent solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: Christopher J. Bettinger, Haosheng Wu, Congcong Zhu
  • Patent number: 11474067
    Abstract: A method of using a graphite electrode to measure a concentration of glucose or methionine from a biological sample is described. A mechanical pencil lead may be used, as the graphite electrode, and the biological sample may come from a patient's serum. The glucose or methionine may produce a peak current response within a range of 0.4-0.8 V when the sample is subjected to linear scan voltammetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Abdel-Nasser M. Kawde, Nurudeen Adewale Odewunmi
  • Patent number: 11460429
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a method for producing an ISE half-cell, including the steps of: immersing a first end of a hollow body into a membrane solution comprising at least one solvent and an ion-specific ionophore; removing the hollow body from the membrane solution; drying the hollow body and evaporating the solvent from the membrane solution, whereby an ion-selective membrane is created at the immersed end of the hollow body; and completing the hollow body to make an ISE half-cell. The present disclosure also discloses an ISE half-cell that is produced according to such a method. The present disclosure further discloses a sensor and a multiparameter sensor comprising several such ISE half-cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Conducta GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventors: Holm Petzold, Jens Vettermann, Erik Hennings
  • Patent number: 11442038
    Abstract: The invention is an improved multiplex capillary electrophoresis instrument or module with at least four and preferably six user-accessible vertically stacked drawers. An x-z stage moves samples from the user accessible drawers to the capillary array for analysis. An additional mechanical stage moves the array from side-to-side. The x-z stage, coupled with the additional array stage allows the system to sample all wells of a 384 well plate with a 96-capillary array. A computer program allows users to add capillary electrophoresis jobs to a queue corresponding to the analysis of rows or plates of samples without stopping or interrupting runs in progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce R. Boeke, Martin Chris Foster, Thomas J. Kurt, Scott Stueckradt, Steven J. Lasky
  • Patent number: 11435344
    Abstract: An electrochemically active device for collecting and retaining a biological sample with a bioanalyte, the device provided with at least a two-electrode member and an albumin-binding and an electrochemically active receptor in chemical contact with the two-electrode members and the biological sample. The present invention also provides a point-of-care biosensor with the device of the present invention and a method for measuring a bioanalyte in a biological sample. The device, point-of-care biosensor and the method of the present invention facilitate accurate measurements concentrations of urine albumin, human serum albumin (HSA), glycated albumin (GA) and methemalbumin (MHA) by determining redox current values in reduced volumes of biological samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Indian Institute of Science
    Inventors: Vinay Kumar, Navakanta Bhat
  • Patent number: 11428664
    Abstract: An electrochemically active device is provided for collecting and retaining a blood sample with at least a two-electrode member connected to conductive tracks. A receptor with an integral receptor-membrane arranged on the two-electrode member, to receive non-electrochemically active heamoglobin bioanalyte and its complexes from red blood cells (RBC) of said blood sample, through a lysing agent and convert the non-electrochemically active heamoglobin bioanalyte and its complexes, into an electrochemically active bioanalyte and its electrochemically active complexes. The present invention also provides a point-of-care biosensor incorporated with the device of the present invention and method of measuring for the detection and quantitative measurement of concentrations of haemoglobin (Hb), glycated haemoglobin (GHb), methaemoglobin (MetHb) and myoglobin, in reduced volumes of blood samples, by determining redox current values in the reduced volumes of blood samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Indian Institute of Science
    Inventors: Vinay Kumar, Navakanta Bhat
  • Patent number: 11391719
    Abstract: Devices for sequencing linear biomolecules (e.g., DNA, RNA, polypeptides, proteins, and the like) using quantum tunneling effects, and methods of making and using such devices, are provided. A nanofabricated device can include a small gap formed by depositing a thin film between two electrodes, and subsequently removing the film using an etching process. The width of the resulting gap can correspond with the size of a linear biomolecule such that when a part of the biomolecule (e.g., a nucleobase or amino acid) is present in the gap, a change in tunneling current, voltage, or impedance can be measured and the part of the biomolecule identified. The gap dimensions can be precisely controlled at the atomic-scale by, for example, atomic layer deposition (ALD) of the sacrificial film. The device can be made using existing integrated circuit fabrication equipment and facilities, and multiple devices can be formed on a single chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Roche Sequencing Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Henck
  • Patent number: 11391695
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for determining a molecular probe is a method for determining a molecular probe that captures a target compound. The method comprises (S1) making candidate molecules of one kind in contact with a target compound, and electrophoresing an obtained mixture on a gel, and (S2) determining the candidate molecule as the molecular probe that captures the target compound in following case when the band of the candidate molecule is separated into a plurality of bands, or when the candidate molecule forms a broad band in the electrophoresed direction on the gel after the electrophoresing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Sugizaki
  • Patent number: 11385226
    Abstract: An assay system is provided of great sensitivity and portability where the presence of a specific target in a sample, as well as its concentration (qualification and quantification) is detected by reason of a potential or voltage in a closed circuit, built up a redox reaction. The reaction is produced by binding a capture moiety to an enzymatic redox reaction partner, allowing the capture moiety to bind to any target in the sample. In a homogenous assay, the method further comprises washing any such bound target. The bound target may be immobilized through use of a second capture moiety. Substrate for the enzyme is then added. The action on the substrate by the enzyme generates electrons, creating a potential across an anode and cathode which may be separated by a membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: RED IVORY LLC
    Inventors: Marc Robert Labgold, George G. Jokhadze
  • Patent number: 11346803
    Abstract: A test strip and analytical apparatus have pin connections permitting the definition of geographic regions or of particular customers. A test strip made for use in a particular region or for a particular customer will have pin connections matching features of the apparatus made for use in that region or by that customer. Insertion of the strip into the apparatus does not merely turn on the apparatus, but provides the regional or customer coding. Analog switches within the apparatus allow coding of a larger number of distinct regions or customers than would otherwise be possible, all without degrading the quality of the measurements made of the fluid being tested. Conductive paths in the strips permit testing the strips during manufacture so as to detect quality lapses regarding the printing or deposition of the paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: AgaMatrix, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Diamond, Martin Forest, Baoguo Wei, Ian Harding, Sridhar Iyengar
  • Patent number: 11340190
    Abstract: Reagents are disclosed for use with potentiometric magnesium ion selective electrodes, along with kits containing same as well as methods of use thereof. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the inventive concept(s) in detail by way of exemplary drawings, experimentation, results, and laboratory procedures, it is to be understood that the inventive concept(s) is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings, experimentation and/or results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhang, Kevin Horan
  • Patent number: 11340191
    Abstract: A capillary electrophoresis system includes a capillary reservoir. The capillary reservoir includes a capillary tip flow chamber configured to receive respective capillary tips and to conduct fluid past the capillary tips, and an electrode flow chamber in which an electrode is disposed and configured to conduct fluid past the electrode, the electrode flow chamber being separate from and in fluid communication with the capillary tip flow chamber. An ultraviolet (UV) light absorbance-based multiplexed capillary electrophoresis system includes a first enclosure and a second enclosure. The first enclosure covers a UV light source, and includes a slit. The second enclosure covers the first enclosure, a collimating lens, and a capillary window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Stebniski, Bruce R. Boeke, Martin Chris Foster, Scott Stueckradt, Thomas J. Kurt