Patents by Inventor João Garcia da Fonseca

João Garcia da Fonseca 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: 10232105
    Abstract: A liquid handling device having an upstream liquid handling structure connected to a downstream liquid handling structure by a conduit. The upstream and downstream liquid handling structures are sealed or sealable such that the conduit provides the only fluidic communication paths between the upstream and downstream liquid handling structure. The device is arranged such that a driving force causes liquid in the upstream liquid handling structure to at least partially fill the conduit to separate gas in the upstream liquid handling structure from gas in the downstream liquid handling structure. With the device set up such that the two gas volumes are separated by a liquid volume, gas pressures and liquid flow in the device can be controlled by control of the driving force. The device may be arranged for rotation about an axis of rotation to provide the driving force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: Tânia Tenreiro, Nuno Reis, João Garcia Da Fonseca
  • Patent number: 9983105
    Abstract: Improved mechanisms for storing and introducing liquid volumes in a liquid handling device and, in particular, improved mechanisms for rupturing a liquid storage package to introduce liquid into the device, improvements to the stability of a liquid receiving chamber inside the device and improvements to liquid handling in the receiving chamber are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: Carlota Albuquerque, Tânia Tenreiro, Nuno Reis, João Garcia Da Fonseca, Ricardo Marques Caleiro Cabeça
  • Patent number: 9908116
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide devices, systems and methods for sequencing liquid flow in response to a driving force by entrapping and releasing gas between volumes of liquid in a controlled manner. In one particular form, a centrifugal “lab on a disk” device is provided to drive liquid flow and sequencing by virtue of the centrifugal force and in one particular form a radially inward bend conduit is used in connection with controllably trapping and releasing gas between liquid volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: João Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Reis, Tânia Tenreiro, Sandro Miguel Pinto Bordeira
  • Publication number: 20170299479
    Abstract: Improved mechanisms for storing and introducing liquid volumes in a liquid handling device and, in particular, improved mechanisms for rupturing a liquid storage package to introduce liquid into the device, improvements to the stability of a liquid receiving chamber inside the device and improvements to liquid handling in the receiving chamber are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Carlota Albuquerque, Tânia Tenreiro, Nuno Reis, João Garcia Da Fonseca, Ricardo Marques Caleiro Cabeça
  • Publication number: 20170282179
    Abstract: Improved mechanisms for storing and introducing liquid volumes in a liquid handling device and, in particular, improved mechanisms for rupturing a liquid storage package to introduce liquid into the device, improvements to the stability of a liquid receiving chamber inside the device and improvements to liquid handling in the receiving chamber are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Carlota Albuquerque, Tânia Tenreiro, Nuno Reis, João Garcia Da Fonseca, Ricardo Marques Caleiro Cabeça
  • Publication number: 20170151559
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide devices, systems and methods for sequencing liquid flow in response to a driving force by entrapping and releasing gas between volumes of liquid in a controlled manner. In one particular form, a centrifugal “lab on a disk” device is provided to drive liquid flow and sequencing by virtue of the centrifugal force and in one particular form a radially inward bend conduit is used in connection with controllably trapping and releasing gas between liquid volumes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: João Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Reis, Tânia Tenreiro, Sandro Miguel Pinto Bordeira
  • Patent number: 9651460
    Abstract: Improved mechanisms for storing and introducing liquid volumes in a liquid handling device and, in particular, improved mechanisms for rupturing a liquid storage package to introduce liquid into the device, improvements to the stability of a liquid receiving chamber inside the device and improvements to liquid handling in the receiving chamber are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: Carlota Albuquerque, Tânia Tenreiro, Nuno Reis, João Garcia Da Fonseca, Ricardo Manuel Marques Caleiro Cabeça
  • Patent number: 9625916
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide devices, systems and methods for sequencing liquid flow in response to a driving force by entrapping and releasing gas between volumes of liquid in a controlled manner. In one particular form, a centrifugal “lab on a disk” device is provided to drive liquid flow and sequencing by virtue of the centrifugal force and in one particular form a radially inward bend conduit is used in connection with controllably trapping and releasing gas between liquid volumes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: João Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Reis, Tânia Tenreiro, Sandro Miguel Pinto Bordeira
  • Patent number: 9013704
    Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of an analyte in a moving substrate or sample handling device is disclosed, providing means (26,30) for integrated triggering of data acquisition with a detector means (28) and data acquisition with a detector means (28). In particular, a surface Plasmon resonance “lab on disk” reader system is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: João Garcia Da Fonseca, João Dias Pedro Nicolau Manso, Pedro Miguel Monteiro Gomes, Sandro Miguel Pinto Bordeira, José Pedro Santos Manso Côrte-Real
  • Patent number: 8865005
    Abstract: Devices for controlling fluid flow, in particular microfluidic devices, are described, which exploit gas/liquid interfaces to control liquid flow in accordance with application requirements. Devices for on/off flow switching, centrifugal separation, mixing, metering and aliquoting are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: Joäo Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Alexandre Reis Esteves, Robert Burger
  • Publication number: 20140109972
    Abstract: Described embodiments provide devices, systems and methods for sequencing liquid flow in response to a driving force by entrapping and releasing gas between volumes of liquid in a controlled manner. In one particular form, a centrifugal “lab on a disk” device is provided to drive liquid flow and sequencing by virtue of the centrifugal force and in one particular form a radially inward bend conduit is used in connection with controllably trapping and releasing gas between liquid volumes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: BIOSURFIT, S.A.
    Inventors: João Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Reis, Tânia Tenreiro, Sandro Miguel Pinto Bordeira
  • Publication number: 20140087479
    Abstract: Improved mechanisms for storing and introducing liquid volumes in a liquid handling device and, in particular, improved mechanisms for rupturing a liquid storage package to introduce liquid into the device, improvements to the stability of a liquid receiving chamber inside the device and improvements to liquid handling in the receiving chamber are achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: BIOSURFIT, S.A.
    Inventors: Carlota Albuquerque, Tânia Tenreiro, Nuno Reis, João Garcia Da Fonseca, Ricardo Manuel Marques Caleiro Cabeca
  • Publication number: 20140087934
    Abstract: A liquid handling device having an upstream liquid handling structure connected to a downstream liquid handling structure by a conduit. The upstream and downstream liquid handling structures are sealed or sealable such that the conduit provides the only fluidic communication paths between the upstream and downstream liquid handling structure. The device is arranged such that a driving force causes liquid in the upstream liquid handling structure to at least partially fill the conduit to separate gas in the upstream liquid handling structure from gas in the downstream liquid handling structure. With the device set up such that the two gas volumes are separated by a liquid volume, gas pressures and liquid flow in the device can be controlled by control of the driving force. The device may be arranged for rotation about an axis of rotation to provide the driving force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: BIOSURFIT, S.A.
    Inventors: Tânia Tenreiro, Nuno Reis, João Garcia Da Fonseca
  • Patent number: 8440147
    Abstract: Devices for generating discrete flow of liquids in response to a driving force, for example centrifugal microfluidic devices for generating discrete flow in response to a constant driving force. The device includes a supply structure for supplying liquid at an inflow rate to a discretization structure in response to a driving force. The discretization structure is shaped to define an outlet and a level to which the discretization structure fills with liquid flowing from the supply structure before dispensing the liquid at an outflow rate through the outlet in response to the driving force. The device is arranged such that the outflow rate from the discretization structure is greater than the inflow rate into the discretization structure, thereby periodically emptying the discretization structure to create a discretized flow from the outlet. The devices find applications in liquid mixing, for example for diluting samples, such as blood plasma samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventors: João Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Alexandre Esteves Reis, Robert Burger
  • Publication number: 20130074962
    Abstract: Devices for handling liquid, for example microfluidic devices, are described, which are rotatable about an axis of rotation to drive liquid flow within the device. The 5 devices provide one or more of an aliquoting structure (6) having a plurality of daisy chained aliquoting chambers (100, 200, 300) for providing a plurality of aliquots, arrangements for sequencing the dispensing of the aliquots by controlling the rotation of the device and arrangements for ensuring that a fault condition can be detected when insufficient liquid is present in the device to fill 10 all aliquots. Further disclosed are arrangements for ensuring a detection chamber (12) of the device remains filled with liquid, arrangements for reducing the risk of air ingress to the detection chamber (12) on repeated emptying and filling of a supply structure (10) and arrangements for reducing the risk of bubble formation when filling the detection chamber (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: BIOSURFIT, S.A.
    Inventors: João Garcia da Fonseca, Nuno Alexandre Esteves Reis
  • Publication number: 20130027688
    Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of an analyte in a moving substrate or sample handling device is disclosed, providing means (26,30) for integrated triggering of data acquisition with a detector means (28) and data acquisition with a detector means (28). In particular, a surface Plasmon resonance “lab on disk” reader system is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: BIOSURFIT, S.A.
    Inventors: João Garcia Da Fonseca, João Dias Pedro Nicolau Manso, Pedro Miguel Monteiro Gomes, Sandro Miguel Pinto Bordeira, José Pedro Santos Manso Côrte-Real
  • Patent number: 8149412
    Abstract: A detection device based on the surface plasmon resonance effect, including a radiation emitter and a radiation detector, a fluidic substrate, a liquid crystal layer and respective control mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Biosurfit, S.A.
    Inventor: João Garcia da Fonseca
  • Publication number: 20120021447
    Abstract: Devices for generating discrete flow of liquids in response to a driving force, for example centrifugal microfluidic devices for generating discrete flow in response to a constant driving force. The device includes a supply structure for supplying liquid at an inflow rate to a discretization structure in response to a driving force. The discretization structure is shaped to define an outlet and a level to which the discretization structure fills with liquid flowing from the supply structure before dispensing the liquid at an outflow rate through the outlet in response to the driving force. The device is arranged such that the outflow rate from the discretization structure is greater than the inflow rate into the discretization structure, thereby periodically emptying the discretization structure to create a discretized flow from the outlet. The devices find applications in liquid mixing, for example for diluting samples, such as blood plasma samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: BIOSURFIT, S.A.
    Inventors: Joao Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Alexandre Esteves Reis, Robert Burger
  • Publication number: 20110290718
    Abstract: Devices for controlling fluid flow, in particular microfluidic devices, are described, which exploit gas/liquid interfaces to control liquid flow in accordance with application requirements. Devices for on/off flow switching, centrifugal separation, mixing, metering and aliquoting are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: BIOSURFIT, S.A.
    Inventors: Joäo Garcia Da Fonseca, Nuno Alexandre Reis Esteves, Robert Burger
  • Publication number: 20100039648
    Abstract: A detection device based on the surface plasmon resonance effect, including a radiation emitter and a radiation detector, a fluidic substrate, a liquid crystal layer and respective control mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Biosurfit
    Inventor: João Garcia da Fonseca