Patents Examined by Paul S. Hyun
  • Patent number: 11933698
    Abstract: A system includes an analysis system at a first location and one or more remote sampling systems at a second location remote from the first location. A sampling system can be configured to receive a remote liquid sample. The system also includes a sample transfer line configured to transport gas from the second location to the first location. The sample transfer line is configured to selectively couple with a remote sampling for supplying a continuous liquid sample segment to the sample transfer line. The system can further include a sample receiving line at the first location. The sample receiving line is configured to selectively couple with the sample transfer line and the analysis system to receive the continuous liquid sample segment and supply the sample to an analysis device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Elemental Scientific, Inc.
    Inventors: David Diaz, Jonathan Hein, Kyle W. Uhlmeyer, Daniel R. Wiederin, Tyler Yost, Kevin Wiederin
  • Patent number: 11927032
    Abstract: An automated analysis device is provided with a casing accommodating an analysis device. A cover is axially supported with freedom to pivot, between a closed position and an upwardly-open open position, about a support shaft provided at one side of the casing. A closing device is capable of inhibiting opening of the cover in the closed position, and is provided with a projecting portion that protrudes from a front surface of the cover toward the rear, a lock lever which is axially supported with freedom to pivot about a pivoting support shaft, and which pivots from the work surface in a direction approaching the projecting portion to engage with the projection portion, thereby inhibiting opening of the cover. A safety cover can thus be locked securely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taichiro Yamashita, Takenori Okusa, Susumu Sakairi
  • Patent number: 11883169
    Abstract: A system for opening a secure specimen sample bottle includes a base having a first area and a first raised hollow portion for receiving and holding the specimen sample bottle. The first raised hollow portion has a groove formed along an outer surface thereof. The system includes a cutter for cutting a first portion of the specimen sample bottle. The cutter has a handle at a first end and a second end portion that receives the first portion of the specimen sample bottle and a blade for cutting the first portion. The second end portion has a flange with a raised rail formed along an inner surface of the flange, with the raised rail being received within the groove to couple the cutter to first raised portion during performance of a cutting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: INNOVERO LLC
    Inventors: Matthew Fedoruk, Jon Coyles, Sandi Briggs, Tylor Garland, Stephen Bradford, Cezanne Farris-Gilbert, Michael Latham, Robert Reich, Andrew Castro, Elliott Davis, David N. Huang, Will Song, Shane Baxley, Ryan Cohn
  • Patent number: 11885781
    Abstract: A titration apparatus includes a titration measuring cell with a titration vessel, a valve device, and a first pump for sucking liquid through a first fluid line into a temporary storage container and transporting it via a second fluid line into the titration vessel. The temporary storage container is arranged in a fluid path between the first pump and the valve device. A third fluid line connects the first pump to the temporary storage container and is filled with a working liquid that does not affect the titration. A second pump conveys a volumetric solution into the titration vessel. An electronic controller controls the first and the second pumps and the valve device to convey a liquid from the first liquid supply into the temporary storage container to transport the liquid into the titration vessel and transport the volumetric solution into the titration vessel to carry out titration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Conducta GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventors: Ulrich Kathe, Daniel Schweitzer, Michael Ingelmann
  • Patent number: 11878304
    Abstract: A receiving frame for a support plate for pipette tips that is formed from two opposing longitudinal walls and two opposing transverse walls, each has an upper side and a lower side and laterally enclose an interior space is disclosed. The upper sides of the longitudinal walls and transverse walls together form a circumferential support surface on which a support plate for pipette tips can be reversibly placed. The receiving frame has a footprint on the lower side of the longitudinal walls and the transverse walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: TECAN TRADING AG
    Inventors: Marina Knoppke, Sven Pflumm, Claudio Bohli
  • Patent number: 11872635
    Abstract: Methods for forming samples of noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals having very low size and shape polydispersities from samples of mixed noble metal nanocrystals are provided. The samples include those comprising high purity, substantially monodisperse, plasmonic gold bipyramid nanocrystals. Also provided are methods of growing secondary twinned metal nanocrystals using the noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals as seed particles. Like the seed bipyramid nanocrystals from which they are grown, the secondary nanocrystals are twinned nanocrystals and may also be characterized by very low size and shape polydispersities. Secondary twinned nanocrystals grown by these methods include enlarged metal bipyramid nanocrystals and nanocrystals with anisotropic “dumbbell” shapes having a variety of tip geometries. Methods for using noble metal bipyramid nanocrystals as plasmonic heaters to heat reaction solutions via plasmonic-photothermal radiation-to-heat conversion are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    Inventors: Yossi Weizmann, Kyle Gibson, Jung-Hoon Lee, Zoya Cheglakov
  • Patent number: 11864741
    Abstract: A medical apparatus (FDA Classifications: “Sputum Specimen [In-Home] Self-Collection Device” and “In Vitro Medical Diagnostic Device”) and method for self-collection, transport, decontamination and storage preservation of expectorated sputum specimens, to optimize specimen quality and reliability of clinical laboratory stain interpretation, culture and molecular diagnostic tests, thereby improving laboratory support for pathogen-specific treatment (antibiotic stewardship).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventor: Norman Eric Johnson
  • Patent number: 11850595
    Abstract: A flow cell for confining molecules in a fluid. The flow cell includes an upper substrate, an upper support member, a center substrate, a membrane, a lower support member and a lower substrate. The lower support member comprises an imaging chamber it is positioned below the membrane and above the lower substrate. In one embodiment the membrane comprises a nanopore and nanoscale groove extending through the membrane. In another embodiment the lower substrate comprises an upper face in communication with the imaging chamber, and the upper face comprises a plurality of nanoscale grooves extending partially through the lower substrate. In both embodiments the upper substrate, upper support member, center substrate and membrane are displaceable through the imaging chamber, thereby causing molecules in the imaging chamber to be confined or trapped through the nanoscale groove(s) of the membrane or of the lower substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: The Royal Institution for the Advancement of ...
    Inventors: Sabrina Rose Leslie, François Michaud, Daniel James Berard, Gilead Henkin, Albert Kamanzi
  • Patent number: 11853087
    Abstract: The present invention provides microfluidic technology enabling rapid and economical manipulation of reactions on the femtoliter to microliter scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: The University of Chicago
    Inventors: Rustem F. Ismagilov, Bo Zheng, Cory John Gerdts
  • Patent number: 11850255
    Abstract: A pipette tip system is disclosed and includes a pipetter and a pipette tip. The pipetter has a suction lumen with an opening and an ejection bar that slides relative to the suction lumen. The pipette tip has a distal end with a distal end opening and a proximal end with a rim that defines a proximal opening adapted to receive the pipetter. The pipette tip also has a central lumen extending from the proximal end opening to the distal end opening and a pipette tip wall extending from the rim forming the central lumen. The pipette wall comprises a low-force stretch region with a plurality of thinning channels to allow for the stretching of the pipette tip wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: XCALIBER SCIENCEDS, INC.
    Inventor: Arta Motadel
  • Patent number: 11839858
    Abstract: A system and related methods for monitoring and dosing peroxycarboxylic acids, particularly peracetic acid, in food processing applications based upon desired concentration of the processing solution. The concentration of the peroxycarboxylic acid measured and additional peroxycarboxylic acid being added to the processing solution if the measured concentration is below a threshold level of the desired concentration, and additional water being added to the processing solution if the measured concentration is above a threshold level of the desired concentration. The system and related methods capable of being used in utilized with either live stream or static, storage tank based systems, to keep the concentration of peroxycarboxylic acid at or near desired concentration levels while experiencing less variation than experienced with conventional flow-based or hand-mixed systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Zee Company I, LLC
    Inventors: George Beason, Jonathon R. Bullard, James A. Faller, Robert C. Bullard
  • Patent number: 11825882
    Abstract: An electronic smoking article includes an outer housing extending in a longitudinal direction, a liquid aerosol formulation, a heater operable to at least partially volatilize at least a portion of the liquid aerosol formulation and form an aerosol, a power supply operable to apply voltage across the heater, at least one light emitting diode, a charging button assembly including a conductive post operable to form a first external, electrical contact at an upstream end of the electronic smoking article, and a second external, electrical contact including a portion of an outer surface of the outer housing at the upstream end of the electronic smoking article. The first and second external, electrical contacts charge the power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC
    Inventors: David R. Schiff, Chris Phelan, Eric Hawes, Berina Yerkic-Husejnovic, Christopher S. Tucker
  • Patent number: 11819849
    Abstract: Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids and reactions are provided. Such structures and methods may involve positioning fluid samples, e.g., in the form of droplets, in a carrier fluid (e.g., an oil, which may be immiscible with the fluid sample) in predetermined regions in a microfluidic network. In some embodiments, positioning of the droplets can take place in the order in which they are introduced into the microfluidic network (e.g., sequentially) without significant physical contact between the droplets. Because of the little or no contact between the droplets, there may be little or no coalescence between the droplets. Accordingly, in some such embodiments, surfactants are not required in either the fluid sample or the carrier fluid to prevent coalescence of the droplets. Structures and methods described herein also enable droplets to be removed sequentially from the predetermined regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Seth Fraden, Galder Cristobal-Azkarate
  • Patent number: 11819851
    Abstract: A microfluidic device with a microfluidic circuit including an array of fluidly coupled microchambers. Each microchamber includes a reaction chamber and an associated vent chamber. The microfluidic circuit may be arranged so that a fluid sample introduced to microfluidic device flows into the reaction chamber and air or other gas present in the reaction chamber is vented from the microchamber through the vent chamber. The microchamber may be configured to allow only the flow of air into the vent chamber from the reaction chamber until the air has been displaced from the reaction chamber by the fluid sample and/or a predefined volume of the fluid sample has been received in the reaction chamber. The microchamber may be further configured to release the fluid sample to thereafter flow from the reaction chamber into the vent chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: QIAGEN SCIENCES, LLC
    Inventors: Kabir James Yamana, Sean Yamana-Hayes
  • Patent number: 11794190
    Abstract: There is an apparatus (1) and a method for providing visual signals relating to a plurality of laboratory sample carriers (2). Laboratory sample carriers (2) are placed on corresponding carrier bays (6) of a tray (4) wherein each sample carrier (2) displays an identification code (5). A digital image of at least part of the tray (4) is taken with a digital camera (11). The digital image is processed with a processing device (13) to read the laboratory sample carrier identification codes (5) in the image. A visual signal emitting device (10) is activated to emit at least one visual signal for each occupied carrier bay (6) included in the image wherein the visual signal emitted for each carrier bay (6) is determined by the sample carrier identification code (5) read by the processing device (13) from a corresponding carrier bay part of the processed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Pyramid Innovation Ltd
    Inventor: Thomas Fergus Hughes
  • Patent number: 11794187
    Abstract: A microfluidic device contains a first layer having a plurality of channels, a second layer having a plurality of droplet makers, and a third layer having a plurality of through-holes connecting the plurality of channels to the plurality of droplet makers. The channels have a height of at least 4 times greater than the height of the droplet makers. The microfluidic device has at least 500 droplet makers in an area less than 10 cm2. The channels are formed by direct laser-micromachining and the droplet makers are formed by soft lithography molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: David Issadore, Melaku Muluneh Woldemariam
  • Patent number: 11796533
    Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a planar device for performing multiple biochemical assays at the same time, or nearly the same time. Each assay may include a biosample including a biochemical, enzyme, DNA, and/or any other biochemical or biological sample. Each assay may include one or more tags including dyes and/or other chemicals/reagents whose optical characteristics change based on chemical characteristics of the biological sample being tested. Each assay may be optically pumped to cause one or more of luminescence, phosphorescence, or fluorescence of the assay that may be detected by one or more optical detectors. For example, an assay may include two tags and a biosample. Each tag may be pumped by different wavelengths of light and may produce different wavelengths of light that is filtered and detected by one or more detectors. The pump wavelengths may be different from one another and different from the produced wavelengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL SECURITY, LLC
    Inventors: N. Reginald Beer, Steven W. Bond
  • Patent number: 11779049
    Abstract: A cartridge for use with a vaporization device comprising a first heating element, a first compartment for containment of a first vaporizable material, and a second compartment for containment of a second vaporizable material, wherein the device generates an aerosol for inhalation by a subject by heating the first vaporizable material or the second vaporizable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Juul Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Bowen, James Monsees
  • Patent number: 11772097
    Abstract: A blood sample collection and/or storage device includes a two-piece housing that encompasses a port at which a fingertip blood sample is collected. After the sample is taken, the two-piece housing is moved to a closed position to protect the sample for storage and optionally process the sample within the housing. The housing may also be opened to access the stored sample for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: RENEGADEXBIO, PBC
    Inventor: Brandon T. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11761935
    Abstract: A combustible gas sensor for detecting an analyte gas includes a first element including a first electric heating element, a first support structure on the first electric heating element and a first catalyst supported on the first support structure and electronic circuitry in electrical connection with the first element. The electronic circuitry is configured to provide energy to the first element to heat the first element to at least a first temperature at which the first catalyst catalyzes combustion of the analyte gas and to determine if the analyte gas is present based on a response of the first element to being heated to at least the first temperature. The electronic circuitry is further configured to apply an interrogation pulse to the first element in which energy to the first element is increased or decreased to induce an associated response from the first element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: MSA TECHNOLOGY, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Flori Zanella, Sr., Michael Alvin Brown, Meghan E. Swanson, Daniel D. Santoro, Jr., Jeff Audia, Ryan Alan Sherry