The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 24, 1990
Filed:
Feb. 29, 1988
Frederick T Herrmann, Huntsville, AL (US);
Blair J Herren, Arab, AL (US);
Other;
Abstract
This invention relates generally to crystal growth devices, and more particularly to a device in which protein crystals are grown in a hanging drop (12). The drop (12) is suspended from a surface (32) positioned in the interior (21) of an enclosure (18) which is sealably coupled via a valve (56) to a vessel (16) containing solvent used in the drop (12). A second opening in the enclosure (18) is coupled via a valve (54) to a vessel (14) containing a selected desiccant material (44). The valve (56) may be fully or partially opened to add a selected quantity of solvent in a vapor phase to the drop (12), and the valve (54) may be fully or partially opened to cause a selected quantity of solvent to evaporate from the drop (12). The process is monitored by a camera (70), and in conjunction with a graduated pattern superimposed over the drop (12), relative volumes of the drop (12) are determinated. Alternately, the process may be automated by using a computer (94) coupled to servo motors (96, 98, 100), which in turn are coupled to and operate a cap (26) and valves (54, 56), respectively. The computer (94) is responsive to a detection device (92) which detects changes of light passing through the drop (12) from the light source (76).