Patents by Inventor Bruce S. Zandi

Bruce S. Zandi 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).

  • Publication number: 20230064130
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Patent number: 11414268
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: AZENTA, INC.
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Patent number: 11267649
    Abstract: Mounting hardware is installed to a cryogenic storage device to accommodate an automation system for automated storage and retrieval. A guideplate at an upper surface of a cover of the cryogenic storage device is positioned such that the guideplate is aligned in a predefined relation to an access port at the upper surface. One or more mounting posts are affixed at a location as indicated by the guideplate. A vacuum is then pulled within the cover, and the mounting hardware is affixed to the at least one mounting post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignees: Brooks Automation, Inc., MVE Biological Solutions US
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Jeffrey S. Brooks
  • Publication number: 20200361706
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Patent number: 10661990
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Publication number: 20200062501
    Abstract: A configurable cryogenic storage device has a freezer and a rack carrier positioned inside of the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to the rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor assembly. The rack carrier rests on the bearing in a manual rotation configuration and hangs from the drive shaft when the motor is connected. Coupling the drive shaft to the motor assembly lifts the rack carrier and decouples the bearing and enables automated rotation of the rack carrier by the motor. The rack carrier includes rack-mounting features holding a plurality of sample storage racks. The sample storage racks hang from the rack carrier and the rack-mounting features precisely position the end of each sample storage rack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Jeffrey S. Brooks
  • Patent number: 10421607
    Abstract: A configurable cryogenic storage device has a freezer and a rack carrier positioned inside of the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to the rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor assembly. The rack carrier rests on the bearing in a manual rotation configuration and hangs from the drive shaft when the motor is connected. Coupling the drive shaft to the motor assembly lifts the rack carrier and decouples the bearing and enables automated rotation of the rack carrier by the motor. The rack carrier includes rack-mounting features holding a plurality of sample storage racks. The sample storage racks hang from the rack carrier and the rack-mounting features precisely position the end of each sample storage rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignees: Brooks Automation, Inc., Chart Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Jeffrey S. Brooks
  • Publication number: 20190276233
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Patent number: 10336539
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Publication number: 20160288999
    Abstract: An automated cryogenic storage system includes a freezer and an automation system to provide automated transfer of samples to and from the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to a rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor. The automation module includes a rack puller that is automatically positioned above an access port of the freezer. The rack puller engages with a sample rack within the freezer, and elevates the rack into an insulating sleeve external to the freezer. From the insulating sleeve, samples can be added to and removed from the sample rack before it is returned to the freezer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Anthony C. Bonora
  • Publication number: 20160289000
    Abstract: A configurable cryogenic storage device has a freezer and a rack carrier positioned inside of the freezer. The freezer includes a bearing and a drive shaft though the freezer, the drive shaft being coupled to the rack carrier inside the freezer and adapted to be coupled to a motor assembly. The rack carrier rests on the bearing in a manual rotation configuration and hangs from the drive shaft when the motor is connected. Coupling the drive shaft to the motor assembly lifts the rack carrier and decouples the bearing and enables automated rotation of the rack carrier by the motor. The rack carrier includes rack-mounting features holding a plurality of sample storage racks. The sample storage racks hang from the rack carrier and the rack-mounting features precisely position the end of each sample storage rack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Robert T. Caveney, Frank Hunt, Lingchen Sun, Julian D. Warhurst, Bruce S. Zandi, Jeffrey S. Brooks