Patents by Inventor David Buse

David Buse 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: 12370552
    Abstract: A method for fluid handling that includes reading information about a receptacle holder with an RFID reader and transmitting the information from an RFID transponder disposed on a first body of the receptacle holder that supports a fluid-containing receptacle. This information is used to align a robotic fluid transfer device with the first fluid-containing receptacle. Detecting a change in capacitance between an electrically conductive probe of the robotic fluid transfer device and an electrical ground or voltage source capacitively coupled to fluid contained in the first fluid-containing receptacle is an indication that the probe has contacted the fluid contained in the first fluid-containing receptacle. Once it is determined that the probe has contacted the fluid, the fluid transfer device aspirates a portion of the fluid contained in the first fluid-containing receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Trung Pham, Jerry W. Jeffers, II, David Buse, Steven G. Grubbs
  • Patent number: 12286669
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions includes a thermally-conductive receptacle holder that includes multiple receptacle wells. Each well can receive a receptacle and has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the well to an outer surface of the holder. The apparatus includes multiple optical fibers, and each optical fiber has a first end in optical communication with an associated well and a second end in optical communication with an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. The first end of each optical fiber is moveable with respect to the through-hole. A cover is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, and the first end of each optical fiber moves with respect to the through-hole of the associated well as the cover moves to the open or closed position or when the cover moves into or out of contact with any receptacles within the wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, David Howard Combs, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Prasad, Keith Moravick, Tyler Moore, Byron J. Knight
  • Patent number: 12239989
    Abstract: A container including a top wall and a fluid vessel depending from the top wall. The fluid vessel extends from a top wall aperture formed in the top wall to a bottom end of the fluid vessel. The container further includes gripping structures configured to enable an automated gripping mechanism to securely grip the container in a repeatable position and orientation with respect to the container-gripping components of the gripping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, Byron J. Knight
  • Publication number: 20240159972
    Abstract: An apparatus for incubating the contents of a plurality of receptacles and for detecting a signal emitted by the contents of each of the receptacle includes a plurality of receptacle holders configured to incubate the contents of each a plurality of receptacles held by each of the receptacle holders. A controller is coupled to each of the receptacle holders and is configured to independently control an incubation temperature of each of the receptacle holders to independently control a temperature at which the receptacles held by each of the receptacle holders is incubated. At least one signal detector is configured to detect a signal emitted by the contents of each of the receptacles held in each of the receptacle holders, and a signal detector indexer is configured to successively optically couple each signal detector with each of the receptacles held in each of the receptacle holders to detect optical emissions from each successively coupled receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Applicant: Gen-Probe Incorporated
    Inventors: David BUSE, David Howard COMBS, Norbert D. HAGEN, David OPALSKY, Bruce RICHARDSON, Anita PRASAD, Keith MORAVICK, Tyler MOORE
  • Publication number: 20240150823
    Abstract: An apparatus for incubating a plurality of receptacles includes one or more thermally-conductive receptacle holders, each comprising a plurality of receptacle wells. A thermally-conductive support is associated with each of the receptacle holders, and a thermal element is positioned between the associated support and the receptacle holder. A heat sink is in thermal communication with the support and comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fins. An optical fiber associated with each receptacle well has a first end positioned adjacent to or within a through-hole formed in the receptacle well and extends through through-holes formed in the support and the heat sink aligned with the through-hole of the receptacle well. Each of the optical fibers is positioned between two adjacent fins of the plurality of fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Gen-Probe Incorporated
    Inventors: David BUSE, David Howard COMBS, Norbert D. HAGEN, David OPALSKY, Bruce RICHARDSON, Anita PRASAD, Keith MORAVICK, Tyler MOORE, Byron J. Knight
  • Publication number: 20240150822
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a thermally conductive receptacle holder including a plurality of receptacle wells configured to receive receptacles, a plurality of optical fibers having first and second ends, wherein each first end is in optical communication with one of the receptacle wells and each second end is in optical communication with an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector, one or more thermal elements positioned proximal to the receptacle holder for altering the temperature of the receptacle holder, a heat sink in thermal communication with the receptacle holder, and one or more thermal devices disposed within the heat sink for pre-heating the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: Gen-Probe Incorporated
    Inventors: David BUSE, David Howard Combs, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Frasad, Keith Moravick, Tyler Moore
  • Patent number: 11966086
    Abstract: A first time/temperature data set includes temperatures and time stamps recorded at time intervals during a first thermal cycling process and a time stamp for each time interval, and a second time/temperature data set includes temperatures and time stamps recorded at time intervals during a second thermal cycling process. Signal emissions at different signal detecting positions are sequentially measured at different time intervals to generate first and second time/signal emission data sets for receptacles subject to the first and second thermal cycling processes, respectively. Signal emissions of receptacles subject to the first thermal cycling process are synchronized with specific temperatures of the first thermal cycling process by comparing time stamps of the first time/signal emission data set for each receptacle with the time stamps of the first time/temperature data set that correspond with the specific temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, David Howard Combs, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Prasad, Keith Moravick, Tyler Moore
  • Patent number: 11945239
    Abstract: A method for controlling a printing process by which a print head prints an image onto predetermined printable area of a label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Rolf Silbert, Robert J. Rosati, David Buse, Olev Tammer, Matthias Merten
  • Publication number: 20240035079
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions includes a thermally-conductive receptacle holder that includes multiple receptacle wells. Each well can receive a receptacle and has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the well to an outer surface of the holder. The apparatus includes multiple optical fibers, and each optical fiber has a first end in optical communication with an associated well and a second end in optical communication with an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. The first end of each optical fiber is moveable with respect to the through-hole. A cover is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, and the first end of each optical fiber moves with respect to the through-hole of the associated well as the cover moves to the open or closed position or when the cover moves into or out of contact with any receptacles within the wells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Gen-Probe Incorporated
    Inventors: David BUSE, David Howard COMBS, Norbert D. HAGEN, David OPALSKY, Bruce RICHARDSON, Anita PRASAD, Keith MORAVICK, Tyler MOORE, Byron J. KNIGHT
  • Publication number: 20240009672
    Abstract: A container including a top wall and a fluid vessel depending from the top wall. The fluid vessel extends from a top wall aperture formed in the top wall to a bottom end of the fluid vessel. The container further includes gripping structures configured to enable an automated gripping mechanism to securely grip the container in a repeatable position and orientation with respect to the container-gripping components of the gripping mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: David BUSE, Byron J. KNIGHT
  • Publication number: 20230416811
    Abstract: An apparatus including a thermally-conductive receptacle holder having a row of receptacle wells. Each receptacle well has an inner surface defined to receive a receptacle, and each receptacle well has a through-hole extending between the inner and outer surfaces thereof. The apparatus further includes one or more thermal elements for altering a temperature(s) of the receptacle holder, where the one or more thermal element are in contact with a side surface of the receptacle holder. There are two or more thermistors disposed in contact with the receptacle holder and a channel disposed within the side surface and containing wires and/or electrical connections for the two or more thermistors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: David BUSE, David H. COMBS, Norbert D. HAGEN, David OPALSKY, Bruce RICHARDSON, Anita PRASAD, Keith MORAVICK, Tyler MOORE
  • Patent number: 11840727
    Abstract: Multiple receptacles containing a reaction mixture are transported to corresponding receptacle wells of a thermally-conductive receptacle holder in thermal communication with a support that is in thermal communication with a heat sink. The heat sink is pre-heated to a temperature above ambient temperature, and the temperature of the receptacle holder is cycled. Optical communication is established between each of the receptacle wells and an excitation signal source and an emission signal detector during cycling, and whether an emission signal is emitted from any of the receptacles is determined as an indication of the presence of a target nucleic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, David Howard Combs, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Prasad, Keith Moravick, Tyler Moore, Byron J. Knight
  • Publication number: 20230381784
    Abstract: A method for fluid handling that includes reading information about a receptacle holder with an RFID reader and transmitting the information from an RFID transponder disposed on a first body of the receptacle holder that supports a fluid-containing receptacle. This information is used to align a robotic fluid transfer device with the first fluid-containing receptacle. Detecting a change in capacitance between an electrically conductive probe of the robotic fluid transfer device and an electrical ground or voltage source capacitively coupled to fluid contained in the first fluid-containing receptacle is an indication that the probe has contacted the fluid contained in the first fluid-containing receptacle. Once it is determined that the probe has contacted the fluid, the fluid transfer device aspirates a portion of the fluid contained in the first fluid-containing receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Trung PHAM, Jerry W. JEFFERS, David BUSE, Steven G. GRUBBS
  • Patent number: 11794189
    Abstract: A container includes a base with a top wall, a vessel depending from a top wall aperture in the top wall, a fluid retainer projecting above the top wall and surrounding the top wall aperture, and a skirt surrounding the vessel and including opposed grooves for gripping the container. A lid is disposed on a top end of the base and includes a cover wall with a lid aperture generally aligned with the top wall aperture of the base. A septum is disposed between the top wall of the base and the cover wall with a portion of the septum disposed between the lid aperture and the top wall aperture. Fluid retainer/return structure is configured to prevent fluid deposited on the septum from dripping off the container and to allow at least a portion of the fluid deposited on the septum to run off the septum and into the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, Byron J. Knight
  • Patent number: 11788128
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions includes a thermally-conductive receptacle holder with front and back surfaces. The front surface includes a row of receptacle wells, and an outer surface of each well has a frustoconical shape, an inner surface of each well receives a receptacle, and each well has a through-hole extending between the inner and outer surfaces thereof. One or more thermal elements in contact with the back surface of the holder alter a temperature(s) of the holder. The apparatus includes multiple optical fibers, and each optical fiber provides optical communication between one of the wells and an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. A first end of each optical fiber is disposed outside, within, or extends through the through-hole of a corresponding well, and a second end of each optical fiber is in optical communication with the excitation signal source and/or the emission signal detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, David Howard Combs, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Prasad, Keith Moravick, Tyler Moore
  • Patent number: 11788115
    Abstract: A receptacle cap includes a probe recess configured to receive a probe inserted therein to thereby frictionally secure the receptacle cap to the probe, and a closed lower end of the receptacle is insertable into an open end of a reaction receptacle to close the reaction receptacle. The receptacle cap and the reaction receptacle include interlocking features for securing the receptacle cap to the reaction receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Prasad, Tyler Moore, Byron J. Knight
  • Patent number: 11759785
    Abstract: A receptacle holder for supporting at least one fluid-containing receptacle includes a body and an RFID transponder. The body includes an electrically conductive portion defining a first recess configured to receive at least a first fluid-containing receptacle, and an electrically non-conductive portion attached to the electrically conductive portion. The RFID transponder is disposed on the electrically non-conductive portion of the body, and stores information about the receptacle holder. The receptacle holder can also include the first fluid-containing receptacle received within the first recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Trung Q. Pham, Jerry W. Jeffers, II, David Buse, Steven G. Grubbs
  • Patent number: 11692220
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions includes a thermally-conductive receptacle holder with multiple receptacle wells. Each well has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the well to an outer surface of the holder. A cover is rotatable between an open position and a closed position relative to the holder and is configured to exert a force onto any receptacles in the wells when the cover is in the closed position. The apparatus includes multiple optical fibers, and each of the optical fibers provides optical communication between one of the wells and an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. A thermal element is positioned between a thermally-conductive support and the receptacle holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, David Howard Combs, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Prasad, Keith Moravick, Tyler Moore, Byron J. Knight
  • Publication number: 20220291454
    Abstract: A first time/temperature data set includes temperatures and time stamps recorded at time intervals during a first thermal cycling process and a time stamp for each time interval, and a second time/temperature data set includes temperatures and time stamps recorded at time intervals during a second thermal cycling process. Signal emissions at different signal detecting positions are sequentially measured at different time intervals to generate first and second time/signal emission data sets for receptacles subject to the first and second thermal cycling processes, respectively. Signal emissions of receptacles subject to the first thermal cycling process are synchronized with specific temperatures of the first thermal cycling process by comparing time stamps of the first time/signal emission data set for each receptacle with the time stamps of the first time/temperature data set that correspond with the specific temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Gen-Probe Incorporated
    Inventors: David Buse, David Combs, Norbert D. Hagen, David Opalsky, Bruce Richardson, Anita Prasad, Keith Moravick, Tyler Moore
  • Patent number: D985767
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: GEN-PROBE INCORPORATED
    Inventors: David Buse, Byron J. Knight