Patents by Inventor Bradley Kent Drews

Bradley Kent Drews 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: 11841376
    Abstract: A system includes a reagent selector valve controllable to select a reagent flow path from a plurality of reagent flow paths, and a pump coupled to the reagent flow path to draw a liquid through the reagent flow path in accordance with a prescribed test protocol. The system includes a discharge flow path to expel the drawn liquid, and a flow meter to measure liquid displaced by the pump and that outputs data representative of the measured flow. The system also includes a processor to access the data and to determine a volume of the liquid displaced by the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Kevin James Cappa
  • Publication number: 20220371005
    Abstract: A system includes a fluidic device, a flow control valve, a first reagent fluid reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, a first fluid buffer reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, and a common fluid buffer source fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve. The flow control valve permits flow comprising: (i) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, (ii) flow from the common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device, (iii) flow from the fluidic device to the first fluid buffer reservoir, (iv) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (v) flow from the first fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley A. COX-MURANAMI, Kay KLAUSING, Bradley Kent DREWS, Nicholas WATSON, Jennifer Olivia FOLEY, Murphy HITCHCOCK, Paul SANGIORGIO, Sz-Chin Steven LIN
  • Publication number: 20220291250
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a fluidic circuit, a bypass fluidic circuit, a first set of fluid wells, a second set of fluid wells, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve operatively associated with the first set of fluid wells such that the first selectively fluidly connects any one of the first set of fluid wells to a first valve outlet. The second valve operatively associated with the fluidic circuit, the bypass fluidic circuit, the first valve outlet, and the second set of fluid wells such that the second valve selectively fluidly connects any one of the second set of fluid wells and the first valve outlet to the fluidic circuit or the first valve outlet to the bypass fluidic circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley A. Cox-Muranami, James Osmus, Paul Crivelli, Bradley Kent Drews
  • Patent number: 11426723
    Abstract: A system includes a fluidic device, a flow control valve, a first reagent fluid reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, a first fluid buffer reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, and a common fluid buffer source fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve. The flow control valve permits flow comprising: (i) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, (ii) flow from the common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device, (iii) flow from the fluidic device to the first fluid buffer reservoir, (iv) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (v) flow from the first fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Wesley A. Cox-Muranami, Kay Klausing, Bradley Kent Drews, Nicholas Watson, Jennifer Olivia Foley, Murphy Hitchcock, Paul Sangiorgio, Sz-Chin Steven Lin
  • Patent number: 11372016
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a fluidic circuit, a bypass fluidic circuit, a first set of fluid wells, a second set of fluid wells, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve operatively associated with the first set of fluid wells such that the first selectively fluidly connects any one of the first set of fluid wells to a first valve outlet. The second valve operatively associated with the fluidic circuit, the bypass fluidic circuit, the first valve outlet, and the second set of fluid wells such that the second valve selectively fluidly connects any one of the second set of fluid wells and the first valve outlet to the fluidic circuit or the first valve outlet to the bypass fluidic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: Wesley A. Cox-Muranami, James Osmus, Paul Crivelli, Bradley Kent Drews
  • Publication number: 20220040690
    Abstract: The assembly includes a docking console and a manifold. The docking console includes a cartridge support surface having a first end and a second end. The manifold has one or more wells defined therein. The docking console further includes a manifold retention bracket to releasably hold the manifold against a fluid cartridge supported on the cartridge support surface at an interface position such that the one or more wells are in fluid communication with the fluid cartridge and a biased seal bar to press the fluid cartridge against the manifold held by the manifold retention bracket. A hydrophilic porous frit disposed within at least one of the wells and is to permit liquid to flow through the outlet aperture but prevent gas from passing through the outlet aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicants: Illumina, Inc., Illumina Cambridge Limited
    Inventors: Bradley Kent DREWS, Gudrun STENGEL, James Christopher BLAKE, Mohammed Kafeel AHAMED, Michael Steven BECKER, Michael Dangelo, Mark J. NIBBE, Daniel L. FULLER, Oliver Jon MILLER
  • Patent number: 11192105
    Abstract: An analysis system may perform operations on an analyte that may be combined with multiple regents prior to being introduced into a flow cell. The instrument may include a volume into which the reagents to be combined with the analyte are aspirated one-by-one. The volume may be formed as a serpentine channel in a valve manifold associated with sippers for aspirating the reagents. The reagents may then be mixed by cycling a pump to move the reagents within the mixing volume or channel. For this, the reagents may be aspirated from a recipient into the volume or channel, ejected back into the recipient, and this process may be performed repeatedly to enhance mixing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Michael Dai Wang, Umberto Ulmanella, Stephen Wayne Clark, Johanna Lynn Whitacre, Steven Scott Phelps, Michelle L. Alvarez, Michael Adalbert Niziolek, Debra Sue Bryan, Joshua Augustin Darland
  • Patent number: 11179724
    Abstract: The assembly includes a docking console and a manifold. The docking console includes a cartridge support surface having a first end and a second end. The manifold has one or more wells defined therein. The docking console further includes a manifold retention bracket to releasably hold the manifold against a fluid cartridge supported on the cartridge support surface at an interface position such that the one or more wells are in fluid communication with the fluid cartridge and a biased seal bar to press the fluid cartridge against the manifold held by the manifold retention bracket. A hydrophilic porous frit disposed within at least one of the wells and is to permit liquid to flow through the outlet aperture but prevent gas from passing through the outlet aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignees: Illumina, Inc., Illumina Cambridge Limited
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Gudrun Stengel, James Christopher Blake, Mohammed Kafeel Ahamed, Michael Steven Becker, Michael Dangelo, Mark J. Nibbe, Daniel L. Fuller, Oliver Jon Miller
  • Publication number: 20210270708
    Abstract: An analysis instrument may perform analytical operations on an analyte that is combined with multiple reagents prior to being introduced into a flow cell. The instrument may include a nozzle sipper that aspirates reagents from a recipient, along with an analyte. The reagents may be directed to a volume and may be repeatedly moved into and out of the volume by cycling of a pump. The reagents may be ejected into a destination recipient with the nozzle sipper promoting vorticity in the recipient to enhance mixing. The repeated aspiration and ejection through the nozzle sipper effectively mixes the reagents and the template in an automated or semi-automated fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: Illumina, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Michael Dai Wang, Umberto Ulmanella, James Michael Osmus, Stephen Wayne Clark, Johanna Lynn Whitacre, Steven Scott Phelps, Michelle L. Alvarez, Michael Adalbert Niziolek, Debra Sue Bryan, Joshua Augustin Darland
  • Publication number: 20210208177
    Abstract: A system includes a reagent selector valve controllable to select a reagent flow path from a plurality of reagent flow paths, and a pump coupled to the reagent flow path to draw a liquid through the reagent flow path in accordance with a prescribed test protocol. The system includes a discharge flow path to expel the drawn liquid, and a flow meter to measure liquid displaced by the pump and that outputs data representative of the measured flow. The system also includes a processor to access the data and to determine a volume of the liquid displaced by the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Kevin James Cappa
  • Patent number: 11016008
    Abstract: An analysis instrument may perform analytical operations on an analyte that is combined with multiple reagents prior to being introduced into a flow cell. The instrument may include a nozzle sipper that aspirates reagents from a recipient, along with an analyte. The reagents may be directed to a volume and may be repeatedly moved into and out of the volume by cycling of a pump. The reagents may be ejected into a destination recipient with the nozzle sipper promoting vorticity in the recipient to enhance mixing. The repeated aspiration and ejection through the nozzle sipper effectively mixes the reagents and the template in an automated or semi-automated fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Michael Dai Wang, Umberto Ulmanella, James Michael Osmus, Stephen Wayne Clark, Johanna Lynn Whitacre, Steven Scott Phelps, Michelle L. Alvarez, Michael Adalbert Niziolek, Debra Sue Bryan, Joshua Augustin Darland
  • Patent number: 11002629
    Abstract: An analysis system includes a fluidic system includes a number of components that are interconnected to form a fluidic system having a plurality of flow paths. An example method of pressure testing the fluidic system includes (a) selecting a flow path from the plurality of flow paths through a flow cell in accordance with a prescribed test protocol; (b) actuating a pump to pressurize a fluid in the selected flow path; (c) generating pressure data representative of the pressure in the selected flow path; and (d) processing the pressure data to determine whether the selected flow path maintains pressure in a desired manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Kevin James Cappa
  • Patent number: 10989728
    Abstract: A system includes a reagent selector valve controllable to select a reagent flow path from a plurality of reagent flow paths, and a pump coupled to the reagent flow path to draw a liquid through the reagent flow path in accordance with a prescribed test protocol. The system includes a discharge flow path to expel the drawn liquid, and a flow meter to measure liquid displaced by the pump and that outputs data representative of the measured flow. The system also includes a processor to access the data and to determine a volume of the liquid displaced by the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Kevin James Cappa
  • Patent number: 10975429
    Abstract: A system may include a flow cell through which a plurality of reagents may be pumped during a genetic sequencing operation, an effluent line that, in operation, is to conduct a used reagent, a used reagent valve to receive the used reagent from the effluent line and controllable to select one of a plurality of disposal paths for the used reagent, and control circuitry coupled to the used reagent valve that, in operation, is to control the used reagent valve to select a desired one of the disposal paths depending upon which reagent is being pumped though the flow cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Kevin James Cappa, Matthew William Hage
  • Publication number: 20210018527
    Abstract: A method includes, under control of control circuitry implementing a mixing protocol, aspirating reagents from multiple different reagent reservoirs into a cache channel. Designated amounts of the reagents are automatically aspirated from the corresponding reagent reservoirs by corresponding sippers based on the mixing protocol implemented by the control circuitry. The method also includes discharging the reagents from the cache channel into a mixing reservoir, and mixing the reagents within the mixing reservoir to form a reagent mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Johanna L. Whitacre, Steven S. Phelps, Bradley Kent Drews, Debra Sue Bryan, II, Michael A. Niziolek, Joshua A. Darland, Umberto Ulmanella, Michael Dai Wang, Michelle L. Alvarez, Stephen Wayne Clark
  • Patent number: 10865442
    Abstract: A system may include a flow cell to support analytes of interest; a selector valve coupled to the flow cell to select a flow path through the flow cell from a plurality of flow paths; a pump coupled to the flow cell to displace fluids through the selected flow path during an analysis operation; and control circuitry coupled to the selector valve to command the selector valve to select the selected flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventor: Bradley Kent Drews
  • Patent number: 10830781
    Abstract: Detection apparatus includes a microfluorometer having an objective, an excitation radiation source, and a detector. The detection apparatus also includes a fluidic system for delivering reagents from a reagent cartridge to a flow cell. The fluidic system includes a manifold body having a plurality of fluidic channels configured for fluid communication between the reagent cartridge and the flow cell. The fluidic system also includes a plurality of reagent sippers. The fluidic system also includes a valve configured to mediate fluid between reagent reservoirs and the flow cell. The detection apparatus also includes a flow cell latch clamp module having a clamp cover for holding the flow cell. The objective is configured to direct excitation radiation from the radiation source to the flow cell and to direct emission from the flow cell to the detector. The microfluorometer is movable to acquire wide-field images of different areas of the flow cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignees: ILLUMINA, INC., ILLUMINA SINGAPORE PTE LTD
    Inventors: Beng Keong Ang, Heng Kuang Cheng, John M. Beierle, Bradley Kent Drews, David Kaplan
  • Patent number: 10830784
    Abstract: A method includes, under control of control circuitry implementing a mixing protocol, aspirating reagents from multiple different reagent reservoirs into a cache channel. Designated amounts of the reagents are automatically aspirated from the corresponding reagent reservoirs by corresponding sippers based on the mixing protocol implemented by the control circuitry. The method also includes discharging the reagents from the cache channel into a mixing reservoir, and mixing the reagents within the mixing reservoir to form a reagent mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ILLUMINA, INC.
    Inventors: Johanna L. Whitacre, Steven S. Phelps, Bradley Kent Drews, Debra Sue Bryan, II, Michael A. Niziolek, Joshua A. Darland, Umberto Ulmanella, Michael Dai Wang, Michelle L. Alvarez, Stephen Wayne Clark
  • Publication number: 20200230598
    Abstract: An analysis system may perform operations on an analyte that may be combined with multiple regents prior to being introduced into a flow cell. The instrument may include a volume into which the reagents to be combined with the analyte are aspirated one-by-one. The volume may be formed as a serpentine channel in a valve manifold associated with sippers for aspirating the reagents. The reagents may then be mixed by cycling a pump to move the reagents within the mixing volume or channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Bradley Kent Drews, Michael Dai Wang, Umberto Ulmanella, Stephen Wayne Clark, Johanna Lynn Whitacre, Steven Scott Phelps, Michelle L. Alvarez, Michael Adalbert Niziolek, Debra Sue Bryan, Joshua Augustin Darland
  • Publication number: 20200217869
    Abstract: A system utilizes a flow cell for holding an analyte of interest for examination, such as a genetic material to be imaged for sequencing. Liquids, such as reagents and washing fluids are introduced into the flow cell during operations. A degasser removes gasses from at least some of the liquids before introduction into the flow cell. The liquids may be resident in the flow cell during detection operations, such as imaging. At least one fluid may be moved bidirectionally into and from the flow cell, such as for reuse. Another fluid may be moved unidirectionally through the flow cell to remove bubbles that may be present in the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventor: Bradley Kent Drews