Patents by Inventor Rick Holtz

Rick Holtz 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).

  • AUTOMATED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING AND PREPARING MICROORGANISM SAMPLE FOR BOTH IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTS
    Publication number: 20210116471
    Abstract: A method and automated apparatus for locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish and subjecting the obtained sample to a plurality of downstream tests including a test to identify the microorganism and a test to identify the susceptibility of the microorganism to antibiotics. The method includes the automated steps of locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish; obtaining a sample of the selected colony of microorganisms; preparing a suspension of a sample of microorganisms automatically by submerging the pick tool with the sample in a suspension, after which the pick tool is vibrated in at least the vertical direction to release the sample from the pick tool in the suspension. The turbidity of the suspension is monitored to ensure that the concentration of microorganism in suspension is sufficient so that the suspension is used a source for sample for both identification and antibiotic susceptibility of the microorganisms in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: BD KIESTRA B.V.
    Inventors: Timothy R. Hansen, Rick Holtz, Martijn Kleefstra, Raphael Rodolphe Marcelpoil, Rick Pierpont, Brent Ronald Pohl, Alyssa Shedlosky, Scott Shindledecker, Edward Skevington, Kerry Lynn Smith, Timothy Wiles
  • Automated method and system for obtaining and preparing microorganism sample for both identification and antibiotic susceptibility tests
    Patent number: 10921336
    Abstract: A method and automated apparatus for locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish and subjecting the obtained sample to a plurality of downstream tests including a test to identify the microorganism and a test to identify the susceptibility of the microorganism to antibiotics. The method includes the automated steps of locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish; obtaining a sample of the selected colony of microorganisms; preparing a suspension of a sample of microorganisms automatically by submerging the pick tool with the sample in a suspension, after which the pick tool is vibrated in at least the vertical direction to release the sample from the pick tool in the suspension. The turbidity of the suspension is monitored to ensure that the concentration of microorganism in suspension is sufficient so that the suspension is used a source for sample for both identification and antibiotic susceptibility of the microorganisms in the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: BD KIESTRA B.V.
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Hansen, Rick Holtz, Martijn Kleefstra, Raphael R. Marcelpoil, Rick Pierpont, Brent Ronald Pohl, Alyssa Shedlosky, Scott Shindledecker, Edward Skevington, Kerry Lynn Smith, Timothy M. Wiles
  • AUTOMATED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING AND PREPARING MICROORGANISM SAMPLE FOR BOTH IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY TESTS
    Publication number: 20180284146
    Abstract: A method and automated apparatus for locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish and subjecting the obtained sample to a plurality of downstream tests including a test to identify the microorganism and a test to identify the susceptibility of the microorganism to antibiotics. The method includes the automated steps of locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish; obtaining a sample of the selected colony of microorganisms; preparing a suspension of a sample of microorganisms automatically by submerging the pick tool with the sample in a suspension, after which the pick tool is vibrated in at least the vertical direction to release the sample from the pick tool in the suspension. The turbidity of the suspension is monitored to ensure that the concentration of microorganism in suspension is sufficient so that the suspension is used a source for sample for both identification and antibiotic susceptibility of the microorganisms in the sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Applicant: B.D. KIESTRA B.V.
    Inventors: Timothy Roy Hansen, Rick Holtz, Martijn Kleefstra, Raphael R. Marcelpoil, Rick Pierpont, Brent Ronald Pohl, Alyssa Shediosky, Scott Shindledecker, Edward Skevington, Kerry Lynn Smith, Timothy M. Wiles