Abstract: A lounge chair includes a frame including an upper body section, and a lower body section, a support section and support material. The upper body section is operatively coupled to the lower body section to pivot between a plurality of angular positions. The upper body section includes an aperture extending through the support material to receive the face of an individual when lying in a supine position. The lower body section is operatively coupled to the support section with an anterior tilt. The lounge chair includes armrests which pivot incrementally between a plurality of angular positions in a direction transverse, parallel or both transverse and parallel to a plane of a side member of the lower body section.

Abstract: A lounge chair includes a frame including an upper body section, and a lower body section, a support section and support material. The upper body section is operatively coupled to the lower body section to pivot between a plurality of angular positions. The upper body section includes an aperture extending through the support material to receive the face of an individual when lying in a supine position. The lower body section is operatively coupled to the support section with an anterior tilt. The lounge chair includes armrests which pivot incrementally between a plurality of angular positions in a direction transverse, parallel or both transverse and parallel to a plane of a side member of the lower body section.

Abstract: The assay plate includes a substrate having an substrate surface and at least one raised pad extending from the substrate surface. The raised pad includes a substantially planar sample receiving surface configured for holding a sample thereon for in situ experimentation. The sample receiving surface preferably has at least one sharp edge at the junction between a sidewall coupling the sample receiving surface to the substrate surface. The sample receiving surface is preferably a circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, or octagon shape that is sized to hold a predetermined volume of the sample. A method of using the above described assay plate is also provided. Once a raised pad extending from a substrate is formed, a sample is deposited on the raised pad. Experiments are subsequently performed using the sample on the raised pad.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for manipulating small amounts of solids. Specific embodiments of the invention are particularly suited for the automated transfer of small amounts of solids. In one embodiment, a uniform powder bed is lightly compressed into plugs of powder and dispensed. In another embodiment, the solid is placed in a liquid carrier to form a slurry, dispensed, and the liquid component is subsequently removed. In yet another embodiment, solids are manipulated using adhesive surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for manipulating small amounts of solids. Specific embodiments of the invention are particularly suited for the automated transfer of small amounts of solids. In one embodiment, a uniform powder bed is lightly compressed into plugs of powder and dispensed. In another embodiment, the solid is placed in a liquid carrier to form a slurry, dispensed, and the liquid component is subsequently removed. In yet another embodiment, solids are manipulated using adhesive surfaces.

Abstract: The assay plate includes a substrate having an substrate surface and at least one raised pad extending from the substrate surface. The raised pad includes a substantially planar sample receiving surface configured for holding a sample thereon for in situ experimentation. The sample receiving surface preferably has at least one sharp edge at the junction between a sidewall coupling the sample receiving surface to the substrate surface. The sample receiving surface is preferably a circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, or octagon shape that is sized to hold a predetermined volume of the sample. A method of using the above described assay plate is also provided. Once a raised pad extending from a substrate is formed, a sample is deposited on the raised pad. Experiments are subsequently performed using the sample on the raised pad.

Abstract: Methods of manipulating (e.g., obtaining, separating, and moving) and weighing solids, particularly dry powders, are disclosed. Also disclosed are devices that can be used to accurately and manipulate solids such as, but not limited to, dielectrophoresis-based devices, coring devices, and micromechanical tweezers.

Abstract: Computer-controlled automated high-throughput systems can be used to design, prepare, process, screen, and analyze a large number of samples in removable sample vials each containing a compound of interest formulated with differing component combinations and varying concentrations. The computer-controlled methods of the present invention allow for a determination of the effects of additional or inactive components, such as excipients, carriers, enhancers, adhesives, additives, and the like, on the compound of interest, such as a pharmaceutical. The invention thus encompasses the computer systems, computer methods, and computer-program products for computer-controlled automated high-throughput testing of experimental formulations in order to identify experimental formulations that can be further processed. Identified experimental formulations from multiple arrays can be removed and re-arrayed together to form a new array for further processing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to computer-controlled automated high-throughput systems and/or computer-program products to design, prepare, process, and analyze a large number of samples having experimental formulations each containing a compound of interest formulated with differing component combinations and varying concentrations and component identities. The computer-controlled methods of the present invention allow determination of the effects of additional or inactive components, such as excipients, carriers, enhancers, adhesives, additives, and the like, on the compound of interest, such as pharmaceuticals. The invention thus encompasses the computer systems, computer methods, and computer-program products for computer-controlled automated high-throughput testing of pharmaceutical compositions or formulations in order to determine the overall optimal composition or formulation for an intended use or purpose.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and method for facilitating high throughput transcellular flux testing of compounds, such as pharmaceuticals or drugs, other compounds, or compound combinations. In one embodiment, the system and methods of the present invention may be used to identify the optimal components (e.g., solvents, carriers, transport enhancers, adhesives, additives, inhibitors, or other excipients) for pharmaceutical compositions or formulations that are delivered to a patient via tissue transport, including without limitation, pharmaceutical compositions or formulations administered or delivered transcellularly, topically, and ocularly.

Abstract: The assay plate includes a substrate having an substrate surface and at least one raised pad extending from the substrate surface. The raised pad includes a substantially planar sample receiving surface configured for holding a sample thereon for in-situ experimentation. The sample receiving surface preferably has at least one sharp edge at the junction between a sidewall coupling the sample receiving surface to the substrate surface. The sample receiving surface is preferably a circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, or octagon shape that is sized to hold a predetermined volume of the sample. A method of using the above described assay plate is also provided. Once a raised pad extending from a substrate is formed, a sample is deposited on the raised pad. Experiments are subsequently performed using the sample on the raised pad.

Abstract: The invention concerns arrays of solid-forms of substances, such as compounds and rapid-screening methods therefor to identify solid-forms, particularly of pharmaceuticals, with enhanced properties. Such properties include improved bioavailability, solubility, stability, delivery, and processing and manufacturing characteristics. The invention relates to a practical and cost-effective method to rapidly screen hundreds to thousands of samples in parallel. The invention further provides methods for determining the conditions and/or ranges of conditions required to produce crystals with desired compositions, particle sizes, habits, or polymorphic forms. In a further aspect, the invention provides high-throughput methods to identify sets of conditions and/or combinations of components compatible with particular solid-forms, for example, conditions and/or components that are compatible with advantageous polymorphs of a particular pharmaceutical.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that allow the high-throughput preparation, processing, and study of arrays of samples, each of which comprises at least one compound. Particular embodiments of the invention allow a large number of experiments to be performed in parallel on samples that comprised of one or more compounds on the milligram or microgram quantities of compounds. Other embodiments of the invention encompass methods and devices for the rapid screening of the results of such experiments, as well as methods and devices for rapidly determining whether or not similarities exist among groups of samples in an array. Particular embodiments of the invention encompass methods and devices for the high-throughput preparation of different forms of compounds (e.g., different crystalline forms), for the discovery of new forms of old compounds, and for the discovery of new methods of producing such forms.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described that allow the high-throughput preparation, processing, and study of arrays of samples, each of which comprises at least one compound. Particular embodiments of the invention allow a large number of experiments to be performed in parallel on samples that comprised of one or more compounds on the milligram or microgram quantities of compounds. Other embodiments of the invention encompass methods and devices for the rapid screening of the results of such experiments, as well as methods and devices for rapidly determining whether or not similarities exist among groups of samples in an array. Particular embodiments of the invention encompass methods and devices for the high-throughput preparation of different forms of compounds (e.g., different crystalline forms), for the discovery of new forms of old compounds, and for the discovery of new methods of producing such forms.

Abstract: A loading mechanism for placing blanks to be split in a pulley splitting machine having at least one work station in which a blank is to be located. The loading mechanism has a magazine adapted to hold a plurality of blanks to be split. A linearly moveable slide is mounted on the pulley splitting machine for receiving a blank to be split. The slide has locating means disposed thereon for locating the blank on the slide in a predetermined position. A pivoting loading arm is mounted near the work station. The arm has gripping means to individually remove blanks from said magazine and place them on the locating means.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing split pulleys includes a frame and a spindle assembly supported by the frame and having an upper and lower spindle for supporting for rotation a blank to be split therebetween. The lower spindle includes a clamping mechanism having a screw means for drawing the upper spindle toward the lower spindle and the lower spindle toward the upper spindle to clamp the blank to be split therebetween. Bearing means are disposed between the frame and the spindle assembly for supporting the spindle assembly for rotation. The clamping means are operative to exert a clamping force between the upper and lower spindles which is isolated from the frame and the bearing means to clamp a blank therebetween. A pair of rotatable tools are provided each of which has an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the spindle assembly and each of which is associated with a motor means to effect rotation of the tools.