Patents by Inventor Thomas Zermani

Thomas Zermani 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: 7357869
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mechanical lock for securing one or more filters within a filtration device and methods for producing the mechanical lock. The use of an interference fit punch causes a portion of the inner surface of the wall to be skived and rolled along the wall until it reaches the desired location where it forms a mechanical crimp to retain the one or more filters within the device. In one embodiment, the inner surface has an inwardly taper. In the other, it has straight walls or outwardly tapered walls. The use of a gasket such as an O-ring on top of the filter before the wall is skived provides a liquid tight seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Zermani, James Groves, Brian Foley
  • Publication number: 20050161400
    Abstract: A fluid filtering device includes a plurality of filtering wells and an angling mechanism which adjusts the angle of the membranes within the filtering wells relative to a line of a centrifuge where the line is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of a centrifuge and passes through the center of a major plane of the filtering device. The angling mechanism can include a wedge located between the center of rotation of a centrifuge and a swinging bucket of the centrifuge. The angling mechanism can also be located within each filtering well and can provide individually specified angles for each membrane, relative to the line of the centrifuge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Aldo Pitt, Sara Gutierrez, Thomas Zermani, Jeffrey Busnach, Joseph Raneri, James Groves
  • Publication number: 20050016916
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mechanical lock for securing one or more filters within a filtration device and methods for producing the mechanical lock. The use of an interference fit punch causes a portion of the inner surface of the wall to be skived and rolled along the wall until it reaches the desired location where it forms a mechanical crimp to retain the one or more filters within the device. In one embodiment, the inner surface has an inwardly taper. In the other, it has straight walls or outwardly tapered walls. The use of a gasket such as an O-ring on top of the filter before the wall is skived provides a liquid tight seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Zermani, James Groves, Brian Foley
  • Publication number: 20010045389
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mechanical lock for securing one or more filters within a filtration device and methods for producing the mechanical lock. The use of an interference fit punch causes a portion of the inner surface of the wall to be skived and rolled along the wall until it reaches the desired location where it forms a mechanical crimp to retain the one or more filters within the device. In one embodiment, the inner surface has an inwardly taper. In the other, it has straight walls or outwardly tapered walls. The use of a gasket such as an O-ring on top of the filter before the wall is skived provides a liquid tight seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2001
    Publication date: November 29, 2001
    Inventors: Thomas Zermani, James Groves, Brian Foley
  • Patent number: 5326533
    Abstract: A dialysis apparatus is provided including a multiwell plate, a separations membrane and a template having holes which mate with the wells. The membrane is sealed to one end of the wells by positioning the template about the outer peripheral surfaces of the wells with the membrane being frictionally held therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Carolyn Lee, Donald Rising, Thomas Zermani
  • Patent number: 5146794
    Abstract: A filter punch construction is provided for use in conjunction with a multiwell filtration device wherein each well includes a filtration membrane. The punch has a leading surface to which is secured an elongated piercing member having a sharp point and a periphery comprising holding or cutting edges and a following surface which has a guide member. The piercing member and cutting edges pierce the filtration membrane in each well and push the entire filter and retentate thereon into a receptacle vial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Donald B. Rising, Kenneth G. Desilets, Thomas Zermani
  • Patent number: 4902481
    Abstract: A multi-well filtration apparatus for the assay of microliter quantities is provided wherein a filter is positioned in each well on a plate having an open spout positioned in the plate. The spout has a collar on its outer surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis of the spout. The collar prevents a liquid droplet from climbing the outer surface of the spout from its open end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Millipore Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip Clark, Carolyn Lee, Donald B. Rising, Thomas Zermani