Patents by Inventor Mona L. Phaff

Mona L. Phaff 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).

  • Microarray spotting instruments incorporating sensors and methods of using sensors for improving performance of microarray spotting instruments
    Patent number: 6642054
    Abstract: The disclosed spotting instrument includes one or more sensors that are mechanically fixed to the instrument's printhead. The sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a substrate is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's substrate station prior to attempting to print spots onto that substrate. Similarly, the sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a reservoir is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's well station prior to attempting to collect a sample of target material from that reservoir. The sensors also enable the instrument to read bar code labels affixed to substrates or reservoirs mounted in the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Packard Instrument Company
    Inventors: Mack J. Schermer, Mona L. Phaff
  • Microarray spotting instruments incorporating sensors and methods of using sensors for improving performance of microarray spotting instruments
    Publication number: 20020151077
    Abstract: The disclosed spotting instrument includes one or more sensors that are mechanically fixed to the instrument's printhead. The sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a substrate is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's substrate station prior to attempting to print spots onto that substrate. Similarly, the sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a reservoir is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's well station prior to attempting to collect a sample of target material from that reservoir. The sensors also enable the instrument to read bar code labels affixed to substrates or reservoirs mounted in the instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Mack J. Schermer, Mona L. Phaff
  • Microarray spotting instruments incorporating sensors and methods of using sensors for improving performance of microarray spotting instruments
    Patent number: 6447723
    Abstract: The disclosed spotting instrument includes one or more sensors that are mechanically fixed to the instrument's printhead. The sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a substrate is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's substrate station prior to attempting to print spots onto that substrate. Similarly, the sensors enable the instrument to detect whether a reservoir is mounted in a particular holder of the instrument's well station prior to attempting to collect a sample of target material from that reservoir. The sensors also enable the instrument to read bar code labels affixed to substrates or reservoirs mounted in the instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Packard Instrument Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Mack J. Schermer, Mona L. Phaff