Jeffrey E Calhoun

US Patent:

55116906, Apr 30, 1996

Filed:

May 20, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/064853

Inventors:

Jeffrey E. Calhoun - Peekskill NY
Daniel A. Peragine - Mount Vernon NY
Emil A. Scordato - Eastchester NY
Gary C. Helstern - West Redding CT

Assignee:

Medical Laboratory Automation, Inc. - Pleasantville NY

International Classification:

B65H 100

US Classification:

221197

Abstract:

A feeder system for sequentially supplying a plurality of cuvettes or other objects to a conveyor track. The system includes a cassette, an escapement, and an actuator. The cassette retains the objects/cuvettes in at least one substantially vertical stack over the conveyor. The escapement is movable between a first position in which the escapement supports the bottom object in the stack, a second middle position in which the escapement supports both the bottom object and the object above it and a third position in which the escapement continues to support the object in said stack above the bottom object and releases the bottom object to be deposited on the conveyor. The actuator moves the escapement between the first, second and third positions. Novel apparatus for use in the system, including a stick for loading cuvettes into a cassette and a cuvette particularly adapted for stacking, are also provided.

US Patent:

52129926, May 25, 1993

Filed:

Jun 14, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/715434

Inventors:

Jeffrey Calhoun - Peekskill NY
Stanimir T. Zupanski - Bedford NY

Assignee:

Medical Laboratory Automation, Inc. - Pleasantville NY

International Classification:

B01L 302

US Classification:

7386401

Abstract:

A capacative probe is provided which has reduced effective stray capacitance and is thus able to accurately detect probe contact with a conducting fluid with small fluid volumes. Effective stray capacitance is reduced by dividing stray capacitance sources into two or more sources, by reducing the capacitance value of each of the divided stray capacitance sources to a value which is substantially less than the capacitance difference which occurs as a result of probe contact with the fluid and by connecting at least selected ones of the divided stray capacitance sources in series to further reduce effective stray capacitance. The capacitance value of the stray capacitances are reduced by providing a gap in a conducting tube covering the probe aspirating tube, which gap isolates conductive elements of the probe from the probe tip potential, thus reducing or eliminating the potential across various stray capacitance sources (and thus reducing or eliminating such sources) and also results in reduced plate sizes for such stray capacitance sources. A capacitance across the gap, which may be of a controlled small value, is also in series with selected stray capacitance sources, further reducing the effective stray capacitance of the probe.

US Patent:

53889720, Feb 14, 1995

Filed:

Mar 9, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/208638

Inventors:

Jeffrey E. Calhoun - Pleasantville NY
Timothy F. Wickham - Nanuet NY

Assignee:

Medical Laboratory Automation, Inc. - Pleasantville NY

International Classification:

F04B 9308

US Classification:

41747711

Abstract:

A precision peristaltic pump is provided which assures that a precisely controlled length of tubing is operated upon by the pump. Recesses are provided on either side of a tube receiving gap for the pump, which recesses have different sizes and/or shapes and fittings are provided on the tubing on either side of a precisely determined length of tubing, which fittings are sized and/or shaped so as to only fit in one of the recesses in only a single orientation. This assures that the orientation of the tubing in the pump gap is always the same. The fittings may be a block which is formed on the tubing itself and of the same material as the tubing or may include a stop of a harder material, such as a hard plastic, mounted to or sandwiching each block. The pump is designed so that if one of the fittings is not fully seated in the corresponding recess, the projecting fitting interacts with a cover or other element of the pump to prevent the pump from being moved to its operative position.

US Patent:

56284284, May 13, 1997

Filed:

Jun 6, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/467458

Inventors:

Jeffrey E. Calhoun - Peekskill NY
Daniel A. Peragine - Mount Vernon NY
Emil Scordato - Eastchester NY
Gary C. Helstern - West Redding CT

International Classification:

B65H 100

US Classification:

221197

Abstract:

A feeder system for sequentially supplying a plurality of cuvettes or other objects to a conveyor track. The system includes a cassette, an escapement, and an actuator. The cassette retains the objects/cuvettes in at least one substantially vertical stack over the conveyor. The escapement is movable between a first position in which the escapement supports the bottom object in the stack, a second middle position in which the escapement supports both the bottom object and the object above it and a third position in which the escapement continues to support the object in said stack above the bottom object and releases the bottom object to be deposited on the conveyor. The actuator moves the escapement between the first, second and third positions. Novel apparatus for use in the system, including a stick for loading cuvettes into a cassette and a cuvette particularly adapted for stacking, are also provided.

US Patent:

51568136, Oct 20, 1992

Filed:

Jul 13, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/552434

Inventors:

Jeffrey Calhoun - Peekskill NY

Assignee:

Medical Laboratory Automation, Inc. - Pleasantville NY

International Classification:

B01L 300

US Classification:

422102

Abstract:

A fluid cup is provided for use with a cup support having a cup-receiving receptacle and a drain. The cup is adapted for use with a pipette probe which may introduce contaminants into the fluid, for example a dilutant fluid, in the cup. The cup has a lower cup portion and a cap, with a notch or other overflow element being provided near the top of the lower cup portion. Diluent fluid is introduced near the bottom of the lower cup portion after each probe entry, creating a fluid flow pattern which flushes any contaminant from the cup through the notch without requiring the use of a large fluid volume.

US Patent:

20190358624, Nov 28, 2019

Filed:

May 22, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/419800

Inventors:

- Brewster NY, US
Jeffrey Calhoun - Pleasantville NY, US

International Classification:

B01L 3/02

Abstract:

A pipette controller for aspirating and dispensing multiple aliquots of a fluid from a reservoir of fluid. The pipette controller can include a pipette holder adapted to operatively connect a pipette to the pipette holder; a pump having a vacuum port and a pressure port, the pump pneumatically connected to the pipette holder; an aspirate valve that controls airflow between the vacuum port and the pipette holder; a dispense valve that controls airflow between the pressure port and the pipette holder; a piston chamber; an aliquot dispense pump including a piston having a shaft that extends into the piston chamber, the shaft defining a stroke length; and an aliquot check valve that connects the pipette holder and the aliquot dispense pump; wherein the aliquot valve opens to allow airflow into the pipette holder upon engagement of the aliquot dispense valve. The pipette controller can also include a piston pump pneumatically connected to the pipette holder configured to deliver a bolus of air to the pipette holder.

US Patent:

20140267695, Sep 18, 2014

Filed:

Mar 15, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/837349

Inventors:

- Brewster NY, US
Jeffrey Calhoun - Pleasantville NY, US

Assignee:

VistaLab Technologies, Inc. - Brewster NY

International Classification:

G01F 17/00
G01N 21/11

US Classification:

348135, 356246

Abstract:

A method and system for optical measurement of a volume of dispensed fluid may be provided such as in connection with the calibration of pipettes. The method and system may include utilizing a fluid receptacle, an image recording device, and an image processing application to provide optical measurement of the volume of the dispensed fluid. The fluid receptacle may include a first plate and a second plate. The first and second plates may include respective opposing surfaces spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance to define a space between the opposing surfaces. At least one of the first plate and the second plate may be substantially transparent to ensure that the dispensed fluid received in the space of the fluid receptacle is visible to the image recording device.