Michael C Leach

US Patent:

7553413, Jun 30, 2009

Filed:

Jan 30, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/342982

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US
Richard Wood Storrs - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Hanuman LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics, LLC - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 15/02
B01D 24/00
B01D 29/00

US Classification:

210219, 210295, 2105021, 422 44, 422102, 436177, 436178

Abstract:

A plasma concentrator of this invention having a concentrator chamber, concentrator gel beads, a filter, and an agitator. The agitator has agitator blades extending outwardly from the lower end. The agitator end is positioned in the concentrator chamber and supported for rotation about its central axis and for reciprocal movement along its central axis. The concentrator has a top with an upper opening through which the upper end of the actuator stem extends, and a lower opening in which the filter is positioned. The concentrator chamber can have a cylindrical inner wall, and the agitator blades can have an outer edge in close proximity to the inner wall with the space between the outer edge and the inner wall being less than the diameter of the gel beads. The filter is selected to block effective flow of plasma therethrough under ambient gravity conditions and permit plasma and plasma concentrate flow therethrough under centrifugal forces of the separation gravity. The method concentrates plasma by removing water without significantly denaturing the fibrinogen in the plasma.

US Patent:

7708152, May 4, 2010

Filed:

Jan 30, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/342761

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US

Assignee:

Hanuman LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics, LLC - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 21/26
B04B 7/08

US Classification:

2105123, 210319, 210294, 21032168, 21032187, 2103801, 210787, 2103601, 2105121, 494 35, 494 37

Abstract:

The PRP separator-concentrator of this invention is suitable for office use or emergency use for trauma victims. The PRP separator comprises a motorized centrifugal separation assembly, and a concentrator assembly. The centrifugal separator assembly comprises a centrifugal drum separator that includes an erythrocyte capture module and a motor having a drive axis connected to the centrifugal drum separator. The concentrator assembly comprises a water-removal module for preparing PRP concentrate. The centrifugal drum separator has an erythrocyte trap. The water removal module can be a syringe device with water absorbing beads or it can be a pump-hollow fiber cartridge assembly. The hollow fibers are membranes with pores that allow the flow of water through the fiber membrane while excluding flow of clotting factors useful for sealing and adhering tissue and growth factors helpful for healing while avoiding activation of platelets and disruption of any trace erythrocytes present in the PRP.

US Patent:

7824559, Nov 2, 2010

Filed:

Jan 30, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/342749

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US

Assignee:

Hanumann, LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics, LLC - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 21/26
B01D 33/00
B01D 35/00
B01D 37/00
B04B 1/04
B04B 3/00

US Classification:

210782, 2103601, 210781, 210784, 210787, 210789, 210767, 494 2, 494 4, 494 36, 494 37, 494 43, 494 54, 494 67, 494 74, 494 79

Abstract:

A PRP separator-concentrator comprising a housing, a separation assembly, and a concentration assembly. The concentration assembly has a concentration sump. An axially concentric rigid stationary outlet tube is secured to the housing and extends through the separation assembly to the sump. The separation assembly is attached to and positioned above the concentration assembly to form a combined separator-concentrator assemblage that is rotatable about the outlet tube. The separation assembly includes a separation chamber lined with a depth filter having pores and passageways that are sized to receive and entrap erythrocytes during centrifuging. The concentration chamber has a floor for supporting desiccated beads and a wall with at least one opening closed with a screen. The concentrator can have a distribution of upright screen supports, the upright screen supports having an inner surface and an outer surface, the cylindrical screen being supported on the outer surface of the upright screen supports. A stationary bead rake can be secured to the stationary tube and extend outward therefrom, the rake having distal ends that are spaced at a distance from the upright screen supports.

US Patent:

7866485, Jan 11, 2011

Filed:

Jul 31, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/831605

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US

Assignee:

Hanuman, LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics, LLC - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 33/067
B01D 35/00
B01D 24/32
B04B 3/00

US Classification:

2103601, 210256, 210261, 2103801, 210381, 210455, 210473, 494 36, 494 43, 494 67, 494 74, 494 79

Abstract:

A Platelet Rich Plasma separator assembly is disclosed. The assembly can include a cylindrical outer wall closed at the top by an upper plate and closed at the bottom. A bottom plate having an upper surface sloped down to a central opening. The top edge of the inner wall terminates at a distance from the upper plate to define an annular erythrocyte passageway therebetween. The inner wall has an outer surface and an inner surface that slopes radially inward from its top edge to its bottom at an angle of from 0. 2 to 5 degrees with a central axis of the inner wall. A cylindrical depth filter is positioned between the inner surface of the outer wall and the outer surface of the inner wall in communication with the inner wall through the erythrocyte passageway.

US Patent:

7901584, Mar 8, 2011

Filed:

Jun 2, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/476838

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US
Richard W. Storrs - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Hanuman, LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 15/02
B01D 33/27
B01D 37/00

US Classification:

210782, 210806, 210219, 210297, 2105021, 422 44, 422 72, 436177, 436178

Abstract:

A plasma concentrator having a concentrator chamber, concentrator gel beads, a filter, and an agitator. The agitator end is positioned in the concentrator chamber and supported for rotation about its central axis and for reciprocal movement along its central axis. A filter is selected to block effective flow of plasma therethrough under ambient gravity conditions and permit plasma and plasma concentrate flow therethrough under centrifugal forces of the separation gravity. A method concentrates plasma by removing water without significantly denaturing the fibrinogen in the plasma. Then centrifugal force can be applied to the concentrated plasma in an amount sufficient to separate a substantial portion of the plasma concentrate from the beads.

US Patent:

7987995, Aug 2, 2011

Filed:

May 3, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/772497

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US

Assignee:

Hanuman, LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics, LLC - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 15/02
B01D 21/26
B01D 33/00
B04B 3/00
B04B 7/08

US Classification:

2103801, 210782, 210319, 21032168, 2103601, 184 36, 184 43

Abstract:

The PRP separator-concentrator of this invention is suitable for office use or emergency use for trauma victims. The PRP separator comprises a motorized centrifugal separation assembly, and a concentrator assembly. The centrifugal separator assembly comprises a centrifugal drum separator that includes an erythrocyte capture module and a motor having a drive axis connected to the centrifugal drum separator. The concentrator assembly comprises a water-removal module for preparing PRP concentrate. The centrifugal drum separator has an erythrocyte trap. The water removal module can be a syringe device with water absorbing beads or it can be a pump-hollow fiber cartridge assembly. The hollow fibers are membranes with pores that allow the flow of water through the fiber membrane while excluding flow of clotting factors useful for sealing and adhering tissue and growth factors helpful for healing while avoiding activation of platelets and disruption of any trace erythrocytes present in the PRP.

US Patent:

8096422, Jan 17, 2012

Filed:

Nov 1, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/917055

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US

Assignee:

Hanuman LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics, LLC - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 33/067
B01D 35/00
B01D 24/32
B04B 3/00

US Classification:

2103601, 210767, 210781, 210782, 210784, 210787, 210789, 494 2, 494 4, 494 36, 494 37, 494 43, 494 54, 494 67, 494 74, 494 79

Abstract:

Disclosed is a separator-concentrator, such as for separating and concentrating platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) from whole blood that is suitable for office use or emergency use for trauma victims. The PRP separator comprises a motorized centrifugal separation assembly and a concentrator assembly. The centrifugal separation assembly comprises a centrifugal drum separator and a motor having a drive axis connected to the centrifugal drum separator. The concentrator assembly comprises a water-removal module for preparing PRP concentrate.

US Patent:

8105495, Jan 31, 2012

Filed:

Jan 10, 2011

Appl. No.:

12/987605

Inventors:

Randel Dorian - San Diego CA, US
Michael D. Leach - Warsaw IN, US

Assignee:

Hanuman, LLC - San Francisco CA
Biomet Biologics, LLC - Warsaw IN

International Classification:

B01D 21/26
B01D 15/00
B01D 33/00
B01D 35/00
B01D 37/00
B04B 3/00
B04B 1/04

US Classification:

210782, 210767, 210784, 210787, 210789, 494 2, 494 4, 494 36, 494 37, 494 43, 494 54, 494 67, 494 74, 494 79

Abstract:

A process for separating platelet rich plasma from a blood sample using a platelet rich plasma separator system is disclosed. The system includes an inner wall having a top edge and a central axis that is surrounded by a depth filter having a capacity to receive all of the erythrocytes in the blood sample, where an inner surface of the inner wall has an angle of about 0. 2 from the central axis of the inner wall. The process includes spinning the inner cylinder at its central axis at a speed that separates the erythrocytes from plasma and platelets and causes the erythrocytes to collect against an inner surface of the depth filter. The cylinder is continually spun for a sufficient time to allow substantially all of the erythrocytes to flow up the inner surface and over the top edge into the depth filter, leaving platelet enriched plasma (PRP) in the inner cylinder, such that upon discontinuing the spinning, permits the platelet enriched plasma to flow to the bottom of the inner cylinder.