Patents by Inventor Agathe Hodac

Agathe Hodac has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7055723
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for dispensing or aspirating/dispensing liquid samples, including a pump (2) and a micro-ejection device (3), the micro-ejection device (3) having a pulse generator (4) with a chamber (5). The pulse generator (4) is used to produce pressure waves in the liquid in order to cause the samples of a liquid to be dispensed. The micro-ejection device (3) also comprises an end piece (6) and a liquid line (7) which connects the pulse generator (4) to the end piece (6) the pulse generator comprises a micro-actuator (10) which is configured to function in the same direction as that in which the pressure wave leaves the chamber (5). The inventive devices are characterised in that the chamber (5), in the area of the end facing away from the end piece (6), or the corresponding connecting element (14) has a narrowed section (16) which restricts any expansion of the pressure waves in the direction of the pump (2). The invention also relates to systems with multiple devices of this type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Tecan Trading AG
    Inventors: Nikolaus Ingenhoven, Agathe Hodac, Noa Schmid
  • Publication number: 20040020942
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for dispensing or aspirating/dispensing liquid samples, comprising a pump (2) and a micro-ejection device (3), said micro-ejection device (3) having a pulse generator (4) with a chamber (5). Said pulse generator (4) is used to produce pressure waves in the liquid in order to cause the samples of a liquid to be dispensed. The micro-ejection device (3) also comprises an end piece (6) and a liquid line (7) which connects the pulse generator (4) to the end piece (6). The pulse generator comprises a micro-actuator (10) which is configured to function in the same direction as that in which the pressure wave leaves the chamber (5). The inventive devices are characterised in that the chamber (5), in the area of the end facing away from the end piece (6), or the corresponding connecting element (14) has a narrowed section (16) which restricts any expansion of the pressure waves in the direction of the pump (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Nikolaus Ingenhoven, Agathe Hodac, Noa Schmid
  • Patent number: 6431015
    Abstract: A delivery apparatus has, in a housing (13), a cannula (8) whose rear end is connected to a diluter (17) via a connecting tube (16). A piezoelectric actuator (10) increases in length under the action of a control signal and acts on a membrane (6) pierced by the cannula tip (9) and belonging to an interchangeable polypropylene pipette tip mounted on the delivery apparatus and adhering to the housing (13) by means of a collar (7) resting against said housing, and causing said membrane to sag, with the result that a drop of a sample liquid which was previously sucked in by means of the diluter (17) and whose accurately adjustable volume is between 1 nl and 1 &mgr;l is ejected from an outlet orifice (4). After a pipetting process the pipette tip is ejected by means of a slide (15). If the level of the sample liquid in the pipette tip always remains below the cannula tip (9), virtually no carry-over occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Tecan Trading AG
    Inventors: Agathe Hodac, Stefano Fornito, Werner Hälg, Nikolaus Ingenhoven, Mario Benedetti