Memx, Inc.

Sandia Corporation

Essen Instruments, Inc.

Intellicyt Corporation

Stephen M Barnes

Samuel Lee Miller

Murray Steven Rodgers

Jeffry Joseph Sniegowski

Paul Jackson McWhorter

Brian D Jensen

M Steven Rodgers

Michael S Burg

Aaron Bryce Kennington

Richard Bennett

Zachary Kane

Jason Barrett

The disclosure provides example rinse station apparatus, cartridges, and methods for flow cytometry. The rinse station apparatus includes: (a) a cartridge docking station having a base with a recessed receptacle for a cartridge, a vertical support coupled to the base's first end and a top support coupled to the vertical support and cantilevered over the base, the top support has an opening that aligns with the cartridge's opening, (b) a locking arm coupled to the base's second end, the locking arm's free end has a ridge to cooperate with a detent coupled to the cartridge's rear wall to retain the cartridge in place, (c) a spring coupled to the vertical support's front face to apply force to the cartridge's front wall to bias the cartridge toward the locking arm, and (d) a load cell coupled to the base of the cartridge docking station, the load cell measure's the cartridge's weight.

Apparatus for supplying reagents to a flow cytometry system

A flow cytometer module configured to be integrated with a liquid handling system is provided herein. The flow cytometer module includes (a) a flow cell, (b) a first fluidic pathway, (c) an inlet configured to receive a sample introduction device of the liquid handling system including one or more samples, (d) a second fluidic pathway in fluid communication with the first fluidic pathway, (e) a laser interrogation device configured to examine the one or more samples at a laser interrogation point in the second fluidic pathway, and (f) a controller in communication with the liquid handling system and configured to cause the flow cytometer module to perform functions comprising: (i) recording data from the laser interrogation device corresponding to a plurality of events as the one or more samples pass the laser interrogation point, and (ii) transmitting the data corresponding to the plurality of events to the liquid handling system.

Integrated flow cytometer module and liquid handling system and methods for use

An apparatus and method for detecting microplate well surface contact and setting standoff is provided. The apparatus may include a sample probe, coupled to a spring-loaded carriage, and a sensor configured to detect when the sample probe is in contact with a surface. The sample probe is moved toward a surface of a well in a well-plate until the sample end of the sample probe contacts the surface, whereby the carriage allows the probe to be displaced. Displacement of the probe is detected by the sensor and further downward movement of the carriage is stopped. A processor records the location of the sample probe and sets standoff based on the recorded location.

Contact sensing probe and methods of use for microplate liquid sampling

A microelectromechanical system is disclosed that constrains the direction of a force acting on a first load, where the force originates from the interaction of the first load and a second load. In particular, the direction of a force acting on the first load is caused to be substantially parallel with a motion of the first load. This force direction constraint is achieved by a force isolator microstructure that contains no rubbing or contacting surfaces. Various embodiments of structures/methods to achieve this force direction constraint using a force isolator microstructure are disclosed.

Microelectromechanical system with non-collinear force compensation

A microelectromechanical system is disclosed that uses a stiff tether between an actuator assembly and a lever that is interconnected with an appropriate substrate such that a first end of the lever may move relative to the substrate, depending upon the direction of motion of the actuator assembly. Any appropriate load may be interconnected with the lever, including a mirror for any optical application.

Method for operating a microelectromechanical system using a stiff coupling

The present invention provides a MEM system () having a platform () that is both elevatable from the substrate () on which it is fabricated and tiltable with one, two or more degrees of freedom with respect to the substrate (). In one embodiment, the MEM system () includes the platform (), a pair of A-frame structures (), and two pairs of actuators () formed on the substrate (). Ends (A) of rigid members () extending from apexes (A) of the A-frame structures () are attached to the platform () by compliant members (A,B). The platform () is also attached to the substrate () by a compliant member (C). The A-frame structures () are separately pivotable about bases (B) thereof. Each pair of actuators () is coupled through a yoke () and displacement multiplier () to one of the A-frame structures () and is separately operable to effect pivoting of the A-frame structures () with respect to the substrate () by equal or unequal angular amounts. Upon pivoting, the A-frame structures () act as lever arms to both lift the platform () and tilt the platform () with respect to the substrate () with at least one degree of freedom. Since the platform () lifts up from the surface of the substrate (), it may be tilted at large angles with respect to the substrate ().

Microelectromechnical system for tilting a platform

A microelectromechanical system is disclosed that provides amplified movement without requiring the use of a displacement multiplier. Generally, a lever or the like is interconnected with a substrate on which the system is fabricated at a first location, while a free end of the lever is able to move relative to the substrate, typically at least generally about the first location. One or more actuators are movably interconnected with the substrate, and in turn are interconnected with the lever at a location that is somewhere between the free end and the first location. The lever may be configured to move at least generally away from the substrate upon movement of the actuator in one direction, at least generally toward the substrate upon movement of the actuator in another direction, or in any direction and in any manner. The movement of the 'free' end of the lever may be used to perform any function, including lifting/pivoting a mirror away from/relative to the substrate.

Microelectromechanical system and method for producing displacement multiplication

A multi-level shielded multi-conductor interconnect bus for use in interconnecting MEM devices with control signal sources and a method of fabricating a multi-level shielded multi-conductor interconnect bus are disclosed. In one embodiment, a multi-level shielded interconnect bus (A) formed on a substrate () includes first and second level electrically conductive lines () arranged in sets of one, two or more conductive lines between first and second level electrically conductive shield walls (). The first and second level electrically conductive lines () are surrounded by various layers of dielectric material (). A first level electrically conductive shield () overlies the first level electrically conductive lines () and shield walls (). A second level electrically conductive shield () overlies the second level electrically conductive lines () and shield walls ().

Multi-level shielded multi-conductor interconnect bus for MEMS

The present invention provides a MEM system ( ) having a platform ( ) that is both elevatable from the substrate ( ) on which it is fabricated and tiltable with one, two or more degrees of freedom with respect to the substrate ( ). In one embodiment, the MEM system ( ) includes the platform ( ), a pair of A-frame structures ( ), and two pairs of actuators ( ) formed on the substrate ( ). Ends ( A) of rigid members ( ) extending from apexes ( A) of the A-frame structures ( ) are attached to the platform ( ) by compliant members ( A, B). The platform ( ) is also attached to the substrate ( ) by a compliant member ( C). The A-frame structures ( ) are separately pivotable about bases ( B) thereof. Each pair of actuators ( ) is coupled through a yoke ( ) and displacement multiplier ( ) to one of the A-frame structures ( ) and is separately operable to effect pivoting of the A-frame structures ( ) with respect to the substrate ( ) by equal or unequal angular amounts. Upon pivoting, the A-frame structures ( ) act as lever arms to both lift the platform ( ) and tilt the platform ( ) with respect to the substrate ( ) with at least one degree of freedom. Since the platform ( ) lifts up from the surface of the substrate ( ), it may be tilted at large angles with respect to the substrate ( ).

Microelectromechanical system for tilting a platform

Microelectromechanical system with stiff coupling

Micromechanical platform pivotal on a compliant member

A microelectromechanical (MEM) apparatus is disclosed which has a platform that can be elevated above a substrate and tilted at an arbitrary angle using a plurality of flexible members which support the platform and control its movement. Each flexible member is further controlled by one or more MEM actuators which act to bend the flexible member. The MEM actuators can be electrostatic comb actuators or vertical zip actuators, or a combination thereof. The MEM apparatus can include a mirror coating to form a programmable mirror for redirecting or switching one or more light beams for use in a projection display. The MEM apparatus with-the mirror coating also has applications for switching light beams between optical fibers for use in a local area fiber optic network, or for use in fiber optic telecommunications or data communications systems.

Microelectromechanical apparatus for elevating and tilting a platform

A multi-level shielded multi-conductor interconnect bus for use in interconnecting MEM devices with control signal sources and a method of fabricating a multi-level shielded multi-conductor interconnect bus are disclosed. In one embodiment, a multi-level shielded interconnect bus ( A) formed on a substrate ( ) includes first and second level electrically conductive lines ( ) arranged in sets of one, two or more conductive lines between first and second level electrically conductive shield walls ( ). The first and second level electrically conductive lines ( ) are surrounded by various layers of dielectric material ( ). A first level electrically conductive shield ( ) overlies the first level electrically conductive lines ( ) and shield walls ( ). A second level electrically conductive shield ( ) overlies the second level electrically conductive lines ( ) and shield walls ( ).

A shielded multi-conductor interconnect bus for use in interconnecting MEM devices with control signal sources or the like and a method of fabricating a shielded multi-conductor interconnect bus are disclosed. In one embodiment, a shielded interconnect bus formed on a substrate ( ) includes a plurality of electrically conductive lines ( ) arranged in sets of one, two or more conductive lines between electrically conductive shield walls ( ). The electrically conductive lines ( ) are surrounded by layers of dielectric material ( ). An electrically conductive shield ( ) overlies the electrically conductive lines ( ) and electrically conductive shield walls ( ).

Growing community of inventors

Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Stephen M Barnes