Patents by Inventor Mark Joseph Fanning

Mark Joseph Fanning 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).

  • Test sample positioning system
    Patent number: 5853667
    Abstract: A positioning system for a sample testing machine incudes a base pan and a set of independent drive systems for sliding a sample tray across the base pan. Each of the drive systems incudes a paddle that engages a side of the sample tray. The paddle is slideably mounted to a shaft with a collar that slides over the shaft. A motor and drive belt is provided to move the collar along the shaft, causing the paddle to engage the side of the sample tray and slide the sample tray across the base pan. Track sections are provided in the base pan to prevent the sample tray from rotating as the paddle slides the sample tray across the base pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: bioMerieux Vitek, Inc.
    Inventors: William Ernest Seaton, Mark Joseph Fanning, Craig Drager, Ron Robinson, Roger James Morris, Jean-Pierre Bernard Gayral, JoAnne T. Gerst
  • Optical reader and sample card transport stations for biological sample testing machine
    Patent number: 5853666
    Abstract: A sample card transport station moves a test sample card from an incubation station for the card to a transmittance and fluorescence optical station in a sample testing machine. The sample card transport station has a drive belt and an associated stepper motor. The belt supports the card from one side of the card. A ledge having a card slot is disposed above the belt. The card is snugly received within the card slot, and supported from below by the drive belt and rollers for the belt. When the motor turns the belt, the belt grips the card and slides the card along the slot to the optical stations, without any slippage between the belt and the card. This construction provides for precise control over the movement of the card.The fluorescence station has a linear flash lamp that illuminates a column of the wells of the cards simultaneously. A reference detector and dichromatic beam splitter design is used to insure that the fluorescence measurements are independent of lamp output changes over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1998
    Assignee: bioMerieux Vitek, Inc.
    Inventors: William Ernest Seaton, Mark Joseph Fanning, David B. Shine, Craig Drager
  • Test sample positioning system
    Patent number: 5798084
    Abstract: A positioning system for a sample testing machine includes a base pan and a set of independent drive systems for sliding a sample tray across the base pan. Each of the drive systems includes a paddle that engages a side of the sample tray. The paddle is slideably mounted to a shaft with a collar that slides over the shaft. A motor and drive belt is provided to move the collar along the shaft, causing the paddle to engage the side of the sample tray and slide the sample tray across the base pan. Track sections are provided in the base pan to prevent the sample tray from rotating as the paddle slides the sample tray across the base pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: bioMerieux Vitek, Inc.
    Inventors: William Ernest Seaton, Mark Joseph Fanning, Craig Drager, Ron Robinson, Roger James Morris, Jean-Pierre Bernard Gayral
  • Optical reader and sample card transport stations for biological sample testing machine
    Patent number: 5798085
    Abstract: A sample card transport station moves a test sample card from an incubation station for the card to a transmittance and fluorescence optical station in a sample testing machine. The sample card transport station has a drive belt and an associated stepper motor. The belt supports the card from one side of the card. A ledge having a card slot is disposed above the belt. The card is snugly received within the card slot, and supported from below by the drive belt and rollers for the belt. When the motor turns the belt, the belt grips the card and slides the card along the slot to the optical stations, without any slippage between the belt and the card. This construction provides for precise control over the movement of the card.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: bioMerieux Vitek, Inc.
    Inventors: William Ernest Seaton, Mark Joseph Fanning
  • Drive system for test sample positioning system
    Patent number: 5762874
    Abstract: A positioning system for a sample testing machine includes a base pan and a set of independent drive systems for sliding a sample tray across the base pan. Each of the drive systems includes a paddle that engages a side of the sample tray. The paddle is slideably mounted to a shaft with a collar that slides over the shaft. A motor and drive belt is provided to move the collar along the shaft, causing the paddle to engage the side of the sample tray and slide the sample tray across the base pan. Track sections are provided in the base pan to prevent the sample tray from rotating as the paddle slides the sample tray across the base pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: bioMerieux Vitek, Inc.
    Inventors: William Ernest Seaton, Mark Joseph Fanning, Craig Drager, Ron Robinson, Roger James Morris, Jean-Pierre Bernard Gayral, JoAnne T. Gerst
  • Automatic sample testing machine
    Patent number: 5762873
    Abstract: An automatic sample testing machine for testing samples stored in test cards. The machine has a test sample positioning system for moving a tray containing a plurality of test sample cards and fluid receptacles among various stations in the machine. The machine has a diluting station for adding a predetermined quantity of diluent to the receptacles as needed. A pipetting station transfers fluid from one receptacle to another. A vacuum station is provided having a vacuum chamber moveable relative to the tray between upper and lower positions. The chamber cooperates with the tray to make a sealing engagement with the top surface of the tray when it is lowered to the lower position. A vacuum generator supplies vacuum to the chamber. When the vacuum is released from the chamber, the fluid samples are loaded into the cards from the receptacles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: bioMerieux Vitek, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Joseph Fanning, Jean-Pierre Bernard Gayral, Clifford W. Karl, Bernard Jean Marie Limon, Donald Meyer, Roger James Morris, Ron Robinson, William Ernest Seaton, David B. Shine, Paul Springer, Daniel Ray Williams, James Clement Bishop, Craig Drager, Thomas Burchard, David Chastain, Stephen Guerrera, Andrew Moore, David Porat, Arthur Rousmaniere, Andrew Zeigler
  • Test sample positioning system
    Patent number: 5736102
    Abstract: A positioning system for a sample testing machine includes a base pan and a set of independent drive systems for sliding a sample tray across the base pan. Each of the drive systems includes a paddle that engages a side of the sample tray. The paddle is slideably mounted to a shaft with a collar that slides over the shaft. A motor and drive belt is provided to move the collar along the shaft, causing the paddle to engage the side of the sample tray and slide the sample tray across the base pan. Track sections are provided in the base pan to prevent the sample tray from rotating as the paddle slides the sample tray across the base pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: bioMerieux Vitek, Inc.
    Inventors: William Ernest Seaton, Mark Joseph Fanning, Craig Drager, Ron Robinson, Roger James Morris, Jean-Pierre Bernard Gayral, JoAnne T. Gerst