Other

California Institute of Technology

Ciphergen Biosystems, Inc.

Xros, Inc.

The Scripps Research Institute

The Rockefeller University

Steven M Clark

Armand P Neukermans

Rajiv R Ramaswami

Timothy G Slater

Marc R Schuman

Jack D Foster

Sam Calmes

James P Downing

Charles F Spence

Tyler L Baughman

John S Forker

Gregory A Reznick

Brian T Chait

Michael G Youngquist

Robert R Ward

Scott McKinley DeWinter

Stephen B Kent

Rong Wang

John B Rusconi

David Luke Oates

Joseph T Meier

Steven Corr

Eric H Lai

Michael P Lucas

A weight activated storage device is disclosed for retaining elongated objects such as a surfboard or other elongated objects of various sizes and shapes.

Weight activated storage device

The present invention comprises a loading device for automating transfer of a plurality of probes between a cassette within which the plurality of probes are initially constrained and an analytical instrument, e.g., mass spectrometer. The loading device may be configured to accept a single or a plurality of cassettes each removably constraining a plurality of probes to be analyzed. The loading device may permit each of the plurality of cassettes to be independently interchanged with a separate cassette removably constraining a separate plurality of probes during mass spectrometric analysis, or for additional cassettes to be loaded into the device during analysis. In a useful embodiment, the loading device comprises a cassette transport assembly and a probe insertion assembly. The cassette transport assembly linearly translates one or more cassettes to align the cassette(s) with respect to the mass spectrometer so that a probe may be translated therebetween by the probe insertion assembly. The probe insertion assembly also provides means to rotatably engage said probe.

Device and methods for automating transfer of multiple samples to an analytical instrument

A fiber optic switch ( ) includes a fiber optic switching module ( ) that receives and fixes ends ( ) of optical fibers ( ). The module ( ) includes numerous reflective light beam deflectors ( ) which may be selected as pairs for coupling a beam of light ( ) between a pair of optical fibers ( ). The module ( ) also produces orientation signals from each deflector ( ) which indicate its orientation. A portcard ( ) included in the switch ( ) supplies drive signals to the module ( ) for orienting at least one deflector ( ). The portcard ( ) also receives the orientation signals produced by that deflector ( ) together with coordinates that specify an orientation for the deflector ( ). The portcard ( ) compares the received coordinates with the orientation signals received from the deflector ( ) and adjusts the drive signals supplied to the module ( ) to reduce any difference between the received coordinates and the orientation signals. The switch ( ) also employs optical alignment to precisely orient pairs deflectors ( ) coupling a beam of light ( ) between optical fibers ( ).

Flexible, modular, compact fiber optic switch

A fiber optic switch ( ) includes a fiber optic switching module ( ) that receives and fixes ends ( ) of optical fibers ( ). The module ( ) includes numerous reflective light beam deflectors ( ) arranged in a V-shape which may be selected as pairs for coupling a beam of light ( ) between a pair of optical fibers ( ). The module ( ) also produces orientation signals from each deflector ( ) which indicate its orientation. A portcard ( ) supplies drive signals to the module ( ) for orienting at least one deflector ( ). The portcard ( ) also receives the orientation signals produced by that deflector ( ) together with coordinates that specify an orientation for the deflector ( ). The portcard ( ) compares the received coordinates with the orientation signals and adjusts the drive signals supplied to the module ( ) to reduce any difference between the received coordinates and the orientation signals. The switch ( ) also employs optical alignment to precisely orient pairs deflectors ( ) coupling a beam of light ( ) between optical fibers ( ).

Flexible, modular, compact fiber switch improvements

In one embodiment, a scalable cross-connect switching system and its corresponding method perform a bridging operation by splitting the incoming light signal into at least a first bridged light signal and a second bridged light signal. The first bridged light signal has a power level equal to or substantially greater than a power level of the second bridged light signal. The disproportionate power levels provide low-loss bridging. Light signals based on these bridged light signals are routed through multiple switch fabrics which provide redundancy in case of failure by switching within the switch fabric. To detect failures, a test access port is configured for monitoring multiple optical paths.

Optical cross-connect switching system with bridging, test access and redundancy

A machine for sequencing DNA using optical techniques. A sample is loaded in the sample loading area, and place through DNA sequencing gel. The voltage across the reservoir may be increased by improving the cooling and thermal characteristics of the gel device. Preferably materials are used which have at least half and preferably a fifth the thermal transfer characteristics of glass. The materials can also be thin e.g. 50-100 microns. A heat sink can be used to dissipate more of the heat, and a fan can be directed at the heat sink. Moreover, the material can be flexible.

DNA sequencing machine with improved cooling characteristics

A fiber optic switch includes a fiber optic switching module that receives and fixes ends of optical fibers. The module includes numerous reflective light beam deflectors which may be selected as pairs for coupling a beam of light between a pair of optical fibers. The module also produces orientation signals from each deflector which indicate its orientation. A portcard included in the switch supplies drive signals to the module for orienting at least one deflector. The portcard also receives the orientation signals produced by that deflector together with coordinates that specify an orientation for the deflector. The portcard compares the received coordinates with the orientation signals received from the deflector and adjusts the drive signals supplied to the module to reduce any difference between the received coordinates and the orientation signals. The switch also employs optical alignment to precisely orient pairs of deflectors coupling a beam of light between optical fibers.

A speaker enclosure with at least one woofer and one mid-range speaker with associated parallel sound channels and ports for direction of the back waves generated by the speakers. The woofer and mid-range speaker are in a spaced relationship with the sound channel ports for the woofer speaker in close proximity to the mid-range speaker and the mid-range sound channel port in close proximity to the woofer speaker. The sound channels for the mid-range and woofer speakers are adjacent and parallel to each other. The back waves generated by the speakers travel along the sound channels which form a sound traveling path. The ports are located at a distance from the speakers generating the sound waves, but adjacent to other speakers, resulting in a life-like and rich sound.

Speaker enclosure having parallel porting channels for mid-range and

Methods of producing biopolymer ladders and their use to obtain structural information about the biopolymer. The ladders are produced by setting up catalytic cleavage and terminating reactions at the end of biopolymer molecules. The terminating reactions terminate cleavage of a percentage of the biopolymer molecules at each round of cleavage.

Methods for producing and analyzing biopolymer ladders

A syringe pump, uses a stepping motor to rotate a lead screw with precision and in turn advance a zero-backlash ball nut or vice-versa to drive the syringe plunger. This invention is designed to eliminate virtually all forces that are not coaxially aligned with the plunger's axis by utilizing a drive shaft kinematically supported on a reference member. The barrel of the syringe is kinematically supported on the reference member with its axis aligned with the axis of the drive shaft. The drive shaft is advanced by the ball nut and drive shaft assembly to drive the plunger which is kinematically supported at one end by the end of the drive shaft and at the other end by the internal wall of the barrel.

Coaxial lead screw drive syringe pump

An apparatus for separating particles within a medium which is capable of generating electric fields having adjustable magnitudes and orientations is disclosed herein. The electrophoretic apparatus of the present invention includes electrode arrangement for providing a plurality of sets of opposing individually responsive electrodes for generating electric fields within the medium, each field having at least one magnitude and direction. The invention further includes a control circuit for selectively controlling electrodes within the electrode sets to vary the magnitudes and directions of the electric fields at locations within the medium. The electric fields induce differing rates of motion of the particles thereby separating the particles.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Steven M Clark