Patents by Inventor Shuqi Chen
Shuqi Chen 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: 7935504Abstract: A thermal cycling method may include adding a sample to a sample vessel, placing the sample vessel into a thermal cycler having a processing unit with three processing stations, compressing the sample vessel with the first compression member, transferring energy to the sample with the second energy transfer element, transferring energy to the sample with the third energy transfer element, compressing the sample vessel with the third compression member, and transferring energy to the sample with the first energy transfer element.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2005Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20110064613Abstract: A sample testing vessel may include a flexible plastic tube and a self-sealing injection channel. The flexible plastic tube may have a seal defining a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the seal comprises a pressure gate providing a fluid-tight seal between first and second compartments and opening upon application of a threshold pressure. The injection channel may be normally substantially free of fluid and capable of fluid communication with the tubule.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2010Publication date: March 17, 2011Applicant: CHEN & CHEN, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20100323919Abstract: A sample processing vessel may include a branch segment and at least two tracks. The at least two tracks may be fluidly isolated from one another by a permanent seal. The tracks may be segmented by breakable seals. The branch segment may be temporarily isolated from the tracks by breakable seal(s) and put in fluid communication with the tracks once those seal(s) are broken, such that fluid received by the branch segment is divided into portions that pass into both tracks.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2010Publication date: December 23, 2010Applicant: IQUUM, INC.Inventors: Shuqi Chen, Bertrand Lemieux, Lingjun Chen
-
Patent number: 7833489Abstract: A sample testing system may include a vessel comprising at least two flexible compartments and a self-sealing injection channel. The injection channel may be capable of (a) being in fluid communication with at least one of the flexible compartments, and (b) being pierced by a needle in fluid communication with a reagent reservoir. The system may further include a housing, a cavity in the housing, so sized and shaped to receive the vessel, at least one contact member, and a sensor to sense a condition of a fluid sample in the vessel and to generate an output signal indicative of that condition. The contact member may be so positioned as to be engageable with one of the flexible compartments when the vessel is in the cavity and as to compress the engaged flexible compartment, thereby driving fluid flow from the engaged flexible compartment to the other of the at least two compartments of the vessel.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2008Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Patent number: 7799521Abstract: A device for processing a biological sample includes a processing unit having at least one opening to receive a sample vessel and a plurality of processing stations positioned along the opening. The processing stations each have a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and thereby move a substance within the sample vessel among the processing stations. An energy transfer element can be coupled to one or more of the processing stations for transferring thermal energy to the content at a processing station.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2002Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20100218621Abstract: A method of processing a sample may include introducing a sample into a vessel, the vessel having proximal and distal ends, the sample being introduced into the proximal end of the vessel; incubating the sample in the vessel with a substance capable of specific binding to a preselected component of the sample; propelling components of the incubated sample, other than the preselected component, toward the proximal end of the vessel by clamping the vessel distal to the incubated sample and compressing the vessel where the incubated sample is contained; propelling the preselected component toward a distal segment of the vessel by clamping the vessel proximal to the preselected component and compressing the vessel where the preselected component is contained; and mixing the preselected component with a reagent in the distal segment of the vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2010Publication date: September 2, 2010Applicant: IQuum, Inc.Inventors: Shuqi Chen, Lingjun Chen
-
Patent number: 7785535Abstract: A sample processing cartridge may include a plurality of segments arranged in an array at least two rows long and two columns wide. Each segment may be defined by at least one wall of the sample cartridge, fluidly isolated from adjacent segments at least in part by at least one breakable seal or by at least one permanent seal, so expandable as to receive a volume of fluid expelled from another segment, and so compressible as to contain substantially no fluid when so compressed. At least two adjacent segments of at least one row of the array may be aligned along a longitudinal axis of the row and have substantially the same height along a latitudinal axis of the row. At least two adjacent segments in at least one row may be separated by a permanent seal to form at least two tracks. At least one segment, or at least two adjacent segments separated by a breakable seal, may be in fluid communication with the at least two tracks. At least one segment may contain at least one reagent.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2005Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: IQuum, Inc.Inventors: Shuqi Chen, Bertrand Lemieux, Lingjun Chen
-
Patent number: 7718421Abstract: A sample processing tubule may include a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment. Each segment may be defined by the tubule, may be fluidly isolated, at least in part by a breakable seal, may be so expandable as to receive a volume of fluid expelled from another segment, and may be so compressible as to contain substantially no fluid when so compressed. Each segment may contain at least one reagent.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2004Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: IQuum, Inc.Inventors: Shuqi Chen, Bertrand Lemieux, Zihua Wang, Kevin R. Kopczynski, Lingjun Chen
-
Publication number: 20080145275Abstract: A sample testing system may include a vessel comprising at least two flexible compartments and a self-sealing injection channel. The injection channel may be capable of (a) being in fluid communication with at least one of the flexible compartments, and (b) being pierced by a needle in fluid communication with a reagent reservoir. The system may further include a housing, a cavity in the housing, so sized and shaped to receive the vessel, at least one contact member, and a sensor to sense a condition of a fluid sample in the vessel and to generate an output signal indicative of that condition. The contact member may be so positioned as to be engageable with one of the flexible compartments when the vessel is in the cavity and as to compress the engaged flexible compartment, thereby driving fluid flow from the engaged flexible compartment to the other of the at least two compartments of the vessel.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2008Publication date: June 19, 2008Applicant: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Patent number: 7337072Abstract: A sample testing system may include a housing, a cavity in the housing to receive a chamber, two contact members, and a sensor. The contact members may be positioned to be engageable with respective portions of the chamber inserted in the cavity, and to compress those respective portions, thereby driving fluid flow. A sample testing system may include a housing, a cavity in the housing to receive a chamber, at least one contact member, and a sensor. The at least one contact member may be positioned to be engageable with a first segment of the chamber when the chamber is in the cavity, and to compress the first segment, thereby defining a gap of the first segment of the chamber and a reservoir in at least a second segment of the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2004Date of Patent: February 26, 2008Assignee: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20080038813Abstract: A device for processing a biological sample includes a processing unit having at least one opening to receive a sample vessel and a plurality of processing stations positioned along the opening. The processing stations each have a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and thereby move a substance within the sample vessel among the processing stations. An energy transfer element can be coupled to one or more of the processing stations for transferring thermal energy to the content at a processing station.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2007Publication date: February 14, 2008Inventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20080003564Abstract: A sample processing tubule may include at least three segments. Each segment may be defined by the tubule, may be fluidly isolated, at least in part by a breakable seal, may be so expandable as to receive a volume of fluid expelled from another segment, and may be so compressible as to contain substantially no fluid when so compressed. At least one segment may contain at least a control reagent. At least one segment may contain at least one of a nucleic acid amplification reagent and a detection reagent.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2007Publication date: January 3, 2008Applicant: IQuum, Inc.Inventors: Shuqi Chen, Lingjun Chen
-
Publication number: 20070292858Abstract: A sample processing cartridge may include a plurality of segments arranged in an array at least two rows long and two columns wide. Each segment may be defined by at least one wall of the sample cartridge, fluidly isolated from adjacent segments at least in part by at least one breakable seal or by at least one permanent seal, so expandable as to receive a volume of fluid expelled from another segment, and so compressible as to contain substantially no fluid when so compressed. At least two adjacent segments of at least one row of the array may be aligned along a longitudinal axis of the row and have substantially the same height along a latitudinal axis of the row. At least two adjacent segments in at least one row may be separated by a permanent seal to form at least two tracks. At least one segment, or at least two adjacent segments separated by a breakable seal, may be in fluid communication with the at least two tracks. At least one segment may contain at least one reagent.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2005Publication date: December 20, 2007Applicant: IQUUM, Inc.Inventors: Shuqi Chen, Bertrand Lemieux, Lingjun Chen
-
Publication number: 20060154341Abstract: A sample vessel for holding a sample may include a sample containing portion having at least one pressure gate disposed within the sample containing portion to divide the sample containing portion into a plurality of segments. At least one segment of the sample containing portion may have a wall constructed of a flexible material permitting substantial flattening of the segment of the sample containing portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2005Publication date: July 13, 2006Applicant: Chen & Chen LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Patent number: 6964862Abstract: A device for processing a biological sample includes a processing unit having at least one opening to receive a sample vessel and a plurality of processing stations positioned along the opening. The processing stations each have a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and thereby move a substance within the sample vessel among the processing stations. An energy transfer element can be coupled to one or more of the processing stations for transferring thermal energy to the content at a processing station.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2004Date of Patent: November 15, 2005Assignee: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Patent number: 6896519Abstract: A mouthpad for cleaning teeth and oral transmucosal drug delivery has a U-shaped plate sized to cover substantially only the biting surfaces of upper and lower teeth of a human jaw. The plate is positioned between the upper teeth and lower teeth such that when the teeth are rinsed with a liquid, the liquid flows primarily through the crevices between individual teeth and physically detaches the adhering residue within. Alternatively, using fluids containing drugs for rinsing while biting on the plate can deliver drugs through the oral mucosa. A method of cleaning teeth and delivering drugs through oral mucosa using a plate positioned between the upper and lower teeth is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2002Date of Patent: May 24, 2005Assignee: Chen & Chen, LLCInventors: Lingjun Chen, Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20050019875Abstract: A device for processing a biological sample includes a processing unit having at least one opening to receive a sample vessel and a plurality of processing stations positioned along the opening. The processing stations each have a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and thereby move a substance within the sample vessel among the processing stations. An energy transfer element can be coupled to one or more of the processing stations for transferring thermal energy to the content at a processing station.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2004Publication date: January 27, 2005Applicant: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20040223878Abstract: A sample testing system may include a housing, a cavity in the housing to receive a chamber, two contact members, and a sensor. The contact members may be positioned to be engageable with respective portions of the chamber inserted in the cavity, and to compress those respective portions, thereby driving fluid flow. A sample testing system may include a housing, a cavity in the housing to receive a chamber, at least one contact member, and a sensor. The at least one contact member may be positioned to be engageable with a first segment of the chamber when the chamber is in the cavity, and to compress the first segment, thereby defining a gap of the first segment of the chamber and a reservoir in at least a second segment of the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2004Publication date: November 11, 2004Applicant: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Patent number: 6780617Abstract: A device for processing a biological sample includes a processing unit having at least one opening to receive a sample vessel and a plurality of processing stations positioned along the opening. The processing stations each have a compression member adapted to compress the sample vessel within the opening and thereby move the sample within the sample vessel among the processing stations. An energy transfer element can be coupled to one or more of the processing stations for transferring thermal energy to the sample at a processing station. The device can be used for PCR processing of nucleic acid samples. A sample vessel of the present invention can be a tubule flow-chamber having a plurality of segments separated by pressure gates. The sample vessel minimizes sample handling by providing a closed tubule in which distinct processing steps can be carried out in each of the segments of the tubule.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2001Date of Patent: August 24, 2004Assignee: Chen & Chen, LLCInventor: Shuqi Chen
-
Publication number: 20040161788Abstract: A sample processing tubule may include a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment. Each segment may be defined by the tubule, may be fluidly isolated, at least in part by a breakable seal, may be so expandable as to receive a volume of fluid expelled from another segment, and may be so compressible as to contain substantially no fluid when so compressed. Each segment may contain at least one reagent.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Inventors: Shuqi Chen, Bertrand Lemieux, Zihua Wang, Kevin R. Kopczynski, Lingjum Chen