Patents by Inventor David K. McKinney

David K. McKinney 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).

  • Apparatus for sedimentation based blood analysis
    Patent number: 5575977
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for accurately determining settling data for the settling of erythrocyte cells from a plasma fluid in a test specimen of blood. The apparatus includes a settling tube, a sensing assembly movably mounted proximate the settling tube. Preferably an infrared emitter and detector are provided in the sensing assembly, and a control assembly is provided which senses data at a high rate and is responsive to the sensed data to sample or store the time at which sensed reflectivity exceeds a threshold level. When the threshold is reached, data is sampled and the tracking head is moved by a very small step. This process is repeated to enable tracking of the descent of the separation boundary between the erythrocyte cells and plasma fluid. The apparatus senses changes in reflectivity of the erythrocyte portion of the specimen below and up to the separation boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Solid State Farms, Inc.
    Inventors: David K. McKinney, Milton E. Fuller, Berry V. Carone
  • Apparatus for sedimentation based blood analysis
    Patent number: 5487870
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for accurately determining settling data for the settling of erythrocyte cells from a plasma fluid in a test specimen of blood. The apparatus includes a settling tube, a sensing assembly movably mounted proximate the settling tube. Preferably an infrared emitter and detector are provided in the sensing assembly, and a control assembly is provided which senses data at a high rate and is responsive to the sensed data to sample or store the time at which sensed reflectivity exceeds a threshold level. When the threshold is reached, data is sampled and the tracking head is moved by a very small step. This process is repeated to enable tracking of the descent of the separation boundary between the erythrocyte cells and plasma fluid. The apparatus senses changes in reflectivity of the erythrocyte portion of the specimen below and up to the separation boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: Solid State Farms, Inc.
    Inventors: David K. McKinney, Milton E. Fuller, Berry V. Carone
  • Apparatus and method for sedimentation based blood analysis
    Patent number: 5328822
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for accurately determining settling data for the settling of erythrocyte cells from a plasma fluid in a test specimen of blood. The apparatus includes a settling tube, a sensing assembly movably mounted proximate the settling tube. Preferably an infrared emitter and detector are provided in the sensing assembly, and a control assembly is provided which senses data at a high rate and is responsive to the sensed data to sample or store the time at which sensed reflectivity exceeds a threshold level. When the threshold is reached, data is sampled and the tracking head is moved by a very small step. This process is repeated to enable tracking of the descent of the separation boundary between the erythrocyte cells and plasma fluid. The apparatus senses changes in reflectivity of the erythrocyte portion of the specimen below and up to the separation boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Solid State Farms, Inc.
    Inventors: David K. McKinney, Milton E. Fuller, Berry V. Carone