Epocal Inc.

Delphax Systems

Abbott Point of Care Inc.

Sequenom, Inc.

Other

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Gmbh

501 Delphax Systems

Andrzej Maczuszenko

Imants R Lauks

David Opalsky

Sotos M Theodoulou

Dolf Landheer

Chao Lin

Rhonda J Cheadle

Cindra A Widrig Opalsky

Paul Heaney

Brian F Whittaker

Brian Otter

Sheila A Walker

Charles Griswold

Phillip Bruce, Iii

Ernest Davison

Christopher Novak

Dmitry Elman

Wojciech Zalewski

David Francis McGregor Bain

Ralf Wörl

John R Rumsey

Sabir H Bajwa

Duncan J Gibbons

Kenneth L Hurley

Mark Andrew Fritz

The present invention relates to diagnostic devices incorporating electrode modules and fluidics for performing chemical analyses. The invented devices consist of at least one component sensor formed on an electrode module, the sensor being contained within a fluidic housing. The electrode module is a laminate of a perforated epoxy foil and a photo-formed metal foil with sensor membranes deposited into the perforations. The fluidic housing is a diagnostic card consisting of a plastic card-like body, the at least one component sensor, a sealed chamber defined in the card body for containing a fluid, a fluid conduit for fluidically connecting the chamber with the sensor region, a valve for fluidically connecting the chamber to the fluid conduit, and a delivery structure separate and distinct from the valve for forcing fluid from the chamber and into the fluid conduit.

Diagnostic devices incorporating fluidics and methods of manufacture

The present invention relates to diagnostic devices incorporating electrode modules and fluidics for performing chemical analyzes. The invented devices consist of at least one component sensor formed on an electrode module, the sensor being contained within a fluidic housing. The electrode module is a laminate of a perforated epoxy foil and a photo-formed metal foil with sensor membranes deposited into the perforations. The fluidic housing is a diagnostic card consisting of a plastic card-like body, the at least one component sensor, a sealed chamber defined in the card body for containing a fluid, a fluid conduit for fluidically connecting the chamber with the sensor region, a valve for fluidically connecting the chamber to the fluid conduit, and a delivery structure separate and distinct from the valve for forcing fluid from the chamber and into the fluid conduit.

The present invention relates to diagnostic devices incorporating electrode modules and fluidics for performing chemical analyses. The invented devices consist of a sensor array formed on an electrode module, the sensor array being contained within a fluidic housing. The electrode module is a laminate of a perforated epoxy foil and a photo-formed metal foil with sensor membranes deposited into the perforations. The fluidic housing is an element consisting of a plastic card-like body with fluidic conduits and a sealed fluid reservoir contained in a foil-lined cavity.

Apparatus and methods for carrying out biochemical processes directly on a substrate are provided. A substrate assembly includes a cartridge that removably supports a substrate in a fixed position, and a reaction containment member that is removably located on top of the substrate. The reaction containment member includes one or more cavities that form chambers directly above one or more target locations on the surface of the substrate. The chambers can be used to conduct biochemical processes directly over the substrate, as well as to perform thermal cycling of material contained inside the chamber using a heating element disposed directly on the substrate. The substrate assembly is preferably used in combination with a processing machine that dispenses materials into the chambers and that conducts biochemical reactions of materials contained within the chambers, without requiring the substrate assembly to be moved from one location to another location during the processes.

Methods and devices for performing chemical reactions on a solid support

This invention is a disposable cartridge for use at the patient side to perform traditional coagulation assays on fresh whole blood or blood derivative samples. The cartridge, in use with an electronic analyzer allows a fluid sample to be metered and quantitatively mixed with reagents which activate the coagulation cascade. An artificial substrate for thrombin, the enzyme whose action results in clot formation is also provided. Clot formation is subsequently detected using a microfabricated sensor also housed within the cartridge which detects electrochemically the product of the thrombin reaction upon the synthetic substrate.

Method for assaying coagulation in fluid samples

Blood analysis system

The present invention relates to planar electrochemical sensors with membrane coatings used to perform chemical analyses. The object of this invention is to provide unit-use disposable sensors of very simple and economical construction, preferably with only a single membrane coating on an electrode. The invented devices are potentiometric salt-bridge reference electrodes constructed with a heterogeneous membrane coating of a conductor. The heterogeneous membrane is a formulation that concurrently supports non-volatile species transport through an electrolyte compartment and gas transport through a hydrophobic compartment.

Heterogeneous membrane electrodes

There is described a cartridge mounting for locating a cartridge in a printer adjacent a print drum for receiving a charge image from the cartridge. The cartridge includes a spine and has a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the print drum and an inner face adjacent the image receiving portion of the drum surface. The mounting has provision for locating the cartridge radially in relation to the axis of rotation of the drum and for biasing the cartridge towards the drum surface. Further provision is made for locating the cartridge tangentially in opposition to the direction of travel of the drum surface. Spacers extend from the inner face of the cartridge to abut the drum surface at a sliding contact, thus spacing the cartridge a predetermined distance from the surface.

Charge transfer imaging cartridge mounting and printer

A toner system for delivering powder toner from a storage hopper to an element carrying an electrostatic pattern of charge to be toned before transfer to a receptor such as paper includes a scavenger which, when coupled to the toner system can be actuated to develop a slight negative pressure in the toner system sufficient to entrap flow enhancers such as zinc stearate and to remove the non-magnetic zinc stearate from the toner system. The scavenger includes baffles for collecting particles and means for developing the negative pressure in the toner system. The toner system also includes a pair of magnetic clips for positioning on the metering blade of the toner system to define the width of the toner path being transfered from the toner system to the electrostatic image on the dielectric surface and a cleaning device which periodically moves along the metering blade to clean the front of the metering blade of any accumulated toner.

Toner transfer apparatus

This invention provides an electrostatic printing apparatus comprising a rotatable electrostatically chargeable drum and ion deposition means for forming an electrostatic image on the electrostatically chargeable drum, the improvement comprising means for discharging a flow of air along the path of flow extending between the periphery of the electrostatically chargeable drum and the ion discharge means.

Electrostatic printing apparatus and method

The invention provides an agitator for releasing powder toner through a bottom opening of a hopper. The agitator has a screen for placing over the opening and an element which, when positioned in the hopper, is in contact with the upper surface of the screen. Toner normally bridges the openings in the screen so that there is normally no flow through the screen and the element is operable to brush over the upper surface of the screen to break down the bridging locally, thereby effectively sifting powder toner through the screen. On stopping the element, the toner again bridges the openings and flow of toner stops. The invention also provides a feeder which magnetically transports toner received from the hopper, and an applicator which takes the toner magnetically from the feeder and transports the toner to the point of use.

Toner supply control system

Apparatus is provided for printing on a receptor such as paper. An electrostatic image is formed on a dielectric-coated drum in a controlled environment to minimize the creation of chemical contaminants. The image is then toned by wiping toner over the image from a toner delivery system which includes a mouth shaped to cause a vortex in the toner to improve toner flow. After toning the image is transferred to the receptor under pressure from a roller which is skewed with reference to the drum. The pressure in the nip is sufficient to also cause the toner to be fused to the receptor. An image eraser is also provided in the controlled environment.

Growing community of inventors

Etobicoke, Canada

Andrzej Maczuszenko