Helena Laboratories Corporation

Eric H Petersen

Tipton L Golias

Philip A Guadagno

Robert J Sarrine

Henry A Garsee

Charles D Kelley

Edward L Galloway

Earl W Boone

Michael T Everitt

James R Sanford

David G Mayes

Mark E Merchant

Suzan Robinson

James Robert Markus Sanford

Rajani Rayachoti

A skin incision device has a casing with a bottom surface and a slot formed therein, a cover positioned on the casing and slidable in a direction toward the bottom surface, a blade positioned in the casing adjacent the slot, an actuator cooperative to a position between the cover and interior of the casing, and a carriage. The actuator engages the blade by its horizontal displacement triggered by slidable movement of the cover toward the bottom surface of the casing. The carriage element guides movement of the blade between a pre-actuated position and a post-actuated position. The blade extends outwardly of the bottom surface with a fixed depth of cut during a horizontal movement of the blade through the slot.

Load-controlled device for a patterned skin incision of constant depth

A skin incision device including a housing having a bottom surface with a slot formed therein, a top positioned on said housing and slidable in a direction toward the bottom surface, a blade pivotally positioned in the housing adjacent said slot, and a spring cooperatively positioned between said top and an interior of the housing. The spring is actuatable by the slidable movement of said top toward the bottom surface of the housing. The spring moves the blade between a pre-actuated position and a post-actuated position.

Load-controlled auto-actuated skin incision device

A bleeding time testing system including a bleeding time tester having a cutting blade and a switch actuator, and a tripper affixed onto the body of the tester and cooperative with the switch actuator. The tripper includes a housing, a slide frame slidably interconnected to the housing and having a surface cooperative with the switch actuator, and an actuator button mounted on the housing and cooperative with the slide frame. The actuator button is positioned so as to cause the slide frame to move to the activated position when the actuator is moved downwardly. The actuator button is positioned directly above a centerline of the cutting blade of the tester.

Constant force actuator for bleeding time testing device

A skin incision device has a casing having a bottom surface with a slot formed therein, a cover positioned on the casing and slidable in a direction toward the bottom surface, a blade positioned in the casing adjacent the slot, an actuator cooperatively positioned between the cover and an interior of the casing, and a carriage element. The actuator engages the blade by its horizontal displacement triggered by the slidable movement of the cover toward the bottom surface of the casing. The carriage element guides the movement of the blade between a pre-actuated position and a post-actuated position. The blade moves outwardly through the slot, cuts with a horizontal movement, and returns inwardly through the slot.

Load-controlled device for a patterned skin incision

An improvement in the immunofixation electrophoresis procedure for detecting proteins in serum, urine or cerebral spinal fluids. Multiple samples from a single patient are placed on a gel and subjected to electrophoresis for resolving or separating proteins. A container has multiple receptacles which store, separately, various antisera. The separate antisera are withdrawn from the receptacles and simultaneously applied to the sample areas for subsequent incubation. The receptacles are preferably arranged in multiple series in the container, each series offset from, and partially overlapping, the receptacles of the next series.

Antisera tray

Novel apparatuses and methods for depositing or placing substances on substrates or plates are described. The invention relates to automated and semiautomated apparatuses and methods for controlled volume and precise placement of substances on substrates. Combinations of applicator tips, applicator tip assemblies, applicator reservoirs, applicator holders and movable racks precisely and accurately place samples and testing chemicals on substrates. Applicator tips particularly useful for dunk transfer and deposit processes and for carrying substances are disclosed. Apparatuses for precisely moving applicator holders, applicator reservoirs and tips are disclosed. The methods and apparatuses also have features for pre-loading substances on applicators and applicator reservoirs and precisely delivering the preloaded substances to substrates.

System for the application of samples on a substrate

An electrophoresis apparatus for automatically performing medical assays includes an electrophoresis platform which cooperates with a gantry assembly. The electrophoresis platform and the gantry assembly are movable along paths that are perpendicular to each other. An applicator assembly includes pipettes which transfer fluid samples from a specimen tray to an electrophoresis plate mounted on the electrophoresis platform. The electrophoresis platform then moves to a position into the gantry assembly, where electrophoresis is conducted to separate the samples into different fractions. The electrophoresis platform then moves beneath a reagent pouring station where a reagent is applied to make the separated fractions fluoresce under ultraviolet light. The electrophoresis platform is then moved beneath the gantry assembly again, and an air knife in the gantry assembly spreads the reagent. After incubation and drying of the electrophoresis plate, the electrophoresis platform and gantry assembly are moved relative to one another while the electrophoresis plate is read with the aid of ultraviolet lamps and a photomultiplier tube mounted in the gantry assembly. The gain of the photomultiplier tube is automatically adjusted and the data gathered is automatically edited to remove background noise. The edited results can be printed or displayed on a video monitor. Techniques for calibrating the electrophoresis apparatus are also disclosed.

Automatic electrophoresis method and apparatus

Method for calibrating a piston and cylinder type applicator

An electrophoresis plate includes a substrate and an electrophoresis medium layer on the substrate. The electrophoresis plate may be used for medical testing by placing fluid specimens in wells on the electrophoresis medium layer so that the specimens can be separated into different fractions by applying an electric field across the electrophoresis medium layer. The electrophoresis medium layer includes liquid in a microporous gel such as agarose. The electrophoresis plate is packaged with a protective plastic film across the electrophoresis medium layer, but removal of the protective film prior to use of the electrophoresis plate leaves liquid that has been expressed from the electrophoresis medium layer on the surface of the electrophoresis medium layer. A surfactant such as methyl cellulose is included in the electrophoresis medium layer so that the expressed liquid will wet the electrophoresis medium layer in a uniform film instead of forming irregular pools or patches which would have to be removed before the electrophoresis plate is used.

Electrophoresis plate

A container for protecting and enclosing an electrophoretic support medium is disclosed. The container includes a top portion and a bottom portion, which when closed sealingly engage one another to form a substantially air-tight cavity therein. The bottom portion has a recess formed therein for accommodating the support medium and at least a portion of the recess has a substantially smooth planar surface. The bottom recess is defined by a protruding continuous rim which has a plurality of nubs protruding into said recess and engagable with the base sheet of the support medium, whereby the support medium is retained within the recess.

Container for an electrophoretic support medium

A container for protecting and enclosing an electrophoretic support medium is disclosed. The container includes a first portion and a second portion slidingly engageable with one another, whereby when closed they sealingly engage one another to form a substantially air-tight cavity therein. The first portion has a first recess defined by a protruding rim for accommodating a portion of the support medium therein. The second portion has a second recess defined by a protruding rim for accommodating the remainder of the support medium therein. The protruding rims are spaced apart from the bottoms of each portion and engagable with the base sheet of the support medium, whereby the support medium is retained within the recesses between the rims and the bottoms. The bottoms each have a substantially smooth planar surface to facilitate secure retention of the support medium.

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Beaumont, TX, United States of America

Eric H Petersen