Patents by Inventor Michael Van Tuyl

Michael Van Tuyl 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: 7968060
    Abstract: A wave-guide having an isolated coupling interface. In one variation, a constant negative pressure is maintained around the area surrounding the wave-guide. Coupling liquid may be directed to the tip of the wave-guide to provide the coupling interface between the wave-guide and a source fluid container. The suction from the constant negative pressure may remove excess coupling liquid and isolating the coupling liquid to the area around the tip of the wave-guide. The wave-guide assembly may also include mechanisms for adjusting the volume of fluid at the tip of the wave-guide. When the position of the wave-guide is displaced, fluid compensation mechanism may increase or decrease the volume of fluids at the distal end of the wave-guide to maintain proper coupling between the wave-guide and the source fluid container. Methods for utilizing negative pressure around the distal end of the wave-guide to isolate the coupling liquid are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: EDC Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Van Tuyl
  • Publication number: 20070296760
    Abstract: A wave-guide having an isolated coupling interface. In one variation, a constant negative pressure is maintained around the area surrounding the wave-guide. Coupling liquid may be directed to the tip of the wave-guide to provide the coupling interface between the wave-guide and a source fluid container. The suction from the constant negative pressure may remove excess coupling liquid and isolating the coupling liquid to the area around the tip of the wave-guide. The wave-guide assembly may also include mechanisms for adjusting the volume of fluid at the tip of the wave-guide. When the position of the wave-guide is displaced, fluid compensation mechanism may increase or decrease the volume of fluids at the distal end of the wave-guide to maintain proper coupling between the wave-guide and the source fluid container. Methods for utilizing negative pressure around the distal end of the wave-guide to isolate the coupling liquid are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventor: Michael Van Tuyl
  • Patent number: 7275807
    Abstract: A wave-guide having an isolated coupling interface. In one variation, a constant negative pressure is maintained around the area surrounding the wave-guide. Coupling liquid may be directed to the tip of the wave-guide to provide the coupling interface between the wave-guide and a source fluid container. The suction from the constant negative pressure may remove excess coupling liquid and isolating the coupling liquid to the area around the tip of the wave-guide. The wave-guide assembly may also include mechanisms for adjusting the volume of fluid at the tip of the wave-guide. When the position of the wave-guide is displaced, fluid compensation mechanism may increase or decrease the volume of fluids at the distal end of the wave-guide to maintain proper coupling between the wave-guide and the source fluid container. Methods for utilizing negative pressure around the distal end of the wave-guide to isolate the coupling liquid are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: EDC Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Van Tuyl
  • Patent number: 7083117
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for droplet steering is disclosed herein. A throated structure having a nozzle defines a converging throat with an inlet and an outlet and a vectored fluid stream directed therethrough. The fluid stream is driven through the system via a vacuum pump. As the fluid approaches the outlet, its velocity increases and is drawn away from the nozzle through a connecting channel. As a droplet is ejected from a liquid therebelow, it will have a first trajectory until it is introduced to the high velocity fluid stream at the perimeter of the interior walls of the nozzle. The fluid accordingly steers the momentum of the droplet such that it obtains a second or corrected trajectory. Alternative variations include an electrically chargeable member, e.g., a pin, positionable to be in apposition to the outlet and capillary tubes for controlling the ejection surface of the pool of source fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: EDC Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger O. Williams, Michael Van Tuyl, Michael Forbush
  • Publication number: 20060144871
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing apparatus for dispensing droplets of a liquid, and methods for measuring various fluid parameters of the liquid are described. The liquid dispensing apparatus comprises a container having a chamber for holding a liquid. An orifice is positioned at an end of the chamber for dispensing droplets of the liquid, the orifice being configured to retain the liquid in the container if the container is positioned with the orifice facing in a downward direction. An acoustic transducer means is at least partially positioned in the chamber for periodically propagating a focused acoustic beam toward the orifice and through at least some of the liquid while the liquid is contained in the chamber, with the focused acoustic beam being capable of causing a droplet of the liquid to be ejected from the orifice when a free surface of the liquid is within the depth of field of the acoustic transducer means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: EDC Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Van Tuyl, James Chiao, Michael Herrmann, Andrew Rose
  • Publication number: 20060011744
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for droplet steering is disclosed herein. A throated structure having a nozzle defines a converging throat with an inlet and an outlet and a vectored fluid stream directed therethrough. The fluid stream is driven through the system via a vacuum pump. As the fluid approaches the outlet, its velocity increases and is drawn away from the nozzle through a connecting channel. As a droplet is ejected from a liquid therebelow, it will have a first trajectory until it is introduced to the high velocity fluid stream at the perimeter of the interior walls of the nozzle. The fluid accordingly steers the momentum of the droplet such that it obtains a second or corrected trajectory. Alternative variations include an electrically chargeable member, e.g., a pin, positionable to be in apposition to the outlet and capillary tubes for controlling the ejection surface of the pool of source fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Applicant: EDC Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Williams, Michael Van Tuyl, Michael Forbush
  • Patent number: 6976639
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for droplet steering is disclosed herein. A throated structure having a nozzle defines a converging throat with an inlet and an outlet and a vectored fluid stream directed therethrough. The fluid stream is driven through the system via a vacuum pump. As the fluid approaches the outlet, its velocity increases and is drawn away from the nozzle through a connecting channel. As a droplet is ejected from a liquid therebelow, it will have a first trajectory until it is introduced to the high velocity fluid stream at the perimeter of the interior walls of the nozzle. The fluid accordingly steers the momentum of the droplet such that it obtains a second or corrected trajectory. Alternative variations include an electrically chargeable member, e.g., a pin, positionable to be in apposition to the outlet and capillary tubes for controlling the ejection surface of the pool of source fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: EDC Biosystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger O. Williams, Michael Van Tuyl, Michael Forbush
  • Publication number: 20040102742
    Abstract: A wave-guide having an isolated coupling interface. In one variation, a constant negative pressure is maintained around the area surrounding the wave-guide. Coupling liquid may be directed to the tip of the wave-guide to provide the coupling interface between the wave-guide and a source fluid container. The suction from the constant negative pressure may remove excess coupling liquid and isolating the coupling liquid to the area around the tip of the wave-guide. The wave-guide assembly may also include mechanisms for adjusting the volume of fluid at the tip of the wave-guide. When the position of the wave-guide is displaced, fluid compensation mechanism may increase or decrease the volume of fluids at the distal end of the wave-guide to maintain proper coupling between the wave-guide and the source fluid container. Methods for utilizing negative pressure around the distal end of the wave-guide to isolate the coupling liquid are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: Michael Van Tuyl
  • Publication number: 20030116642
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for droplet steering is disclosed herein. A throated structure having a nozzle defines a converging throat with an inlet and an outlet and a vectored fluid stream directed therethrough. The fluid stream is driven through the system via a vacuum pump. As the fluid approaches the outlet, its velocity increases and is drawn away from the nozzle through a connecting channel. As a droplet is ejected from a liquid therebelow, it will have a first trajectory until it is introduced to the high velocity fluid stream at the perimeter of the interior walls of the nozzle. The fluid accordingly steers the momentum of the droplet such that it obtains a second or corrected trajectory. Alternative variations include an electrically chargeable member, e.g., a pin, positionable to be in apposition to the outlet and capillary tubes for controlling the ejection surface of the pool of source fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Roger O. Williams, Michael Van Tuyl, Michael Forbush
  • Publication number: 20030080208
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for droplet steering is disclosed herein. A throated structure having a nozzle defines a converging throat with an inlet and an outlet and a vectored fluid stream directed therethrough. The fluid stream is driven through the system via a vacuum pump. As the fluid approaches the outlet, its velocity increases and is drawn away from the nozzle through a connecting channel. As a droplet is ejected from a liquid therebelow, it will have a first trajectory until it is introduced to the high velocity fluid stream at the perimeter of the interior walls of the nozzle. The fluid accordingly steers the momentum of the droplet such that it obtains a second or corrected trajectory. Alternative variations include an electrically chargeable member, e.g., a pin, positionable to be in apposition to the outlet and capillary tubes for controlling the ejection surface of the pool of source fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Roger O. Williams, Michael Van Tuyl, Michael Forbush