Qiagen Gaithersburg Inc.

Other

Assistive Technology Products, Inc.

Andrew Leonard

Bert Jungheim

Bowen Cui

Bradley Scott Thomas

Carl Edens

Eric D Schneider

Brian A Self

Paul R Caron

Suganthi Ramachandran

Janet J Hoffner

Franklin Regan

Jason Troxell

Dorothy A Paukovits

Shubing Liu

Sharon Fluss

Peter Haviernik

Carl Theodore Edens

An automated sample tube decanting system having one or more decanting grippers, a decant waste receptacle, a transporter, and means for rotating the decanting gripper. Each decanting gripper has a respective holder configured to selectively mate with a respective interface on a tube strip. The one or more decanting grippers are rotatable between a first position in which the tube strip is upright and a second position in which the tube strip is inverted. The transporter is configured to move the one or more decanting grippers in a lateral direction from a starting location to a location above the decant waste receptacle.

Automated pelletized sample decanting apparatus and methods

An automated process for converting samples includes: receiving tube strips having a number of sample tubes and samples therein, transferring multiple tube strips to a tube strip holder, dispensing sample conversion buffer into each tube, shaking the tube strip holder a first time, centrifuging the tube strip holder, removing a liquid supernatant from each tube, simultaneously inspecting the contents of each tube, dispensing a specimen transport medium and a denaturation reagent into each tube, shaking the tube strip holder a second time, heating the tube strip holder for a first length of time, shaking the tube strip holder a third time, heating the tube strip holder for a second length of time, shaking the tube strip holder a fourth time, and transferring at least a portion of each sample to a respective well on an output plate.

Sample processing method using tube strips and tube strip holder

A cover for covering an array of sample tubes during an incubation process. The cover has an upper panel and protrusions extending downward from the upper panel. Each protrusion has an upper seal and a lower seal. The upper seal includes a first conical section that tapers from a first diameter that is larger than the inside diameter of a corresponding sample tube to a second diameter that is smaller than the inside diameter of the corresponding sample tube. The lower seal includes a cylindrical section extending downward from the bottom of the first conical section. The cylindrical section has a diameter selected to create a capillary seal, in the presence of a liquid, between the cylindrical section and an adjacent portion of an inner wall of the corresponding sample tube.

Condensation-reducing incubation cover

A vial retainer system for an automated processing apparatus. The vial retainer system includes a track mounted to the processing apparatus, a rack adapted to slide in a longitudinal direction on the track, and a vial retainer positioned over the rack. The rack is movable in a distal direction to install the rack on the processing apparatus, and in a proximal direction, opposite the distal direction, to remove the rack from the processing apparatus. The rack is adapted to hold one or more vials in an upright orientation. The vial retainer has one or more a sloped surfaces inclined such that a distal end of each sloped surface is closer to the track than a proximal end of each sloped surface.

Sample vial retainer

A system for delivering fluids which includes a pump (such as a peristaltic pump for example), a pump cartridge, a fluid reservoir, and a variety of fluid dispensers, including oral fluid dispensers. By providing a number of oral fluid dispensers, the one best suited for the needs of a particular application can be selected. The pump cartridge and/or the fluid dispensers may be disposable. The operation of the pump may be controlled based, at least in part, on the type of fluid dispenser being used. Further, a selectable mode can be used to further control the operation of the pump. The amount of fluids delivered over given periods of time may be monitored such that a reminder (such as an audio and/or visual alarm for example) may be provided if too much or too little fluid is delivered (and presumably consumed). The thresholds for such alarm conditions may be set and modified by a user. Further, the state of the fluid delivery system itself, as well as trends in fluid delivery, may be monitored.

Methods and apparatus for delivering fluids to a patient

Growing community of inventors

Sykesville, MD, United States of America

Andrew Leonard