USRE33826E - Microscope inspection slide - Google Patents
Microscope inspection slide Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- USRE33826E USRE33826E US07/409,951 US40995189A USRE33826E US RE33826 E USRE33826 E US RE33826E US 40995189 A US40995189 A US 40995189A US RE33826 E USRE33826 E US RE33826E
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- examination
- examination chamber
- cover plate
- base plate
- roof
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B21/00—Microscopes
- G02B21/34—Microscope slides, e.g. mounting specimens on microscope slides
Definitions
- Laboratory analysis of biological fluids such as blood, spinal fluid, cell cultures and urine can include microscopic examination of a specimen liquid to determine the presence of concentration of suspended particulate matter such as cells.
- microscopic examination of liquid specimens has been accomplished by placing a drop of the specimen liquid on a flat transparent microscope slide and then placing a thin flat transparent coverslip over the specimen. The weight of the coverslip and the inherent capillation between the liquid specimen the microscope slide and the coverslip retains the coverslip on the slide and distributes the liquid as a film in the space between the slide and the coverslip. The slide is then placed on a microscope stage and the liquid specimen between the slide and the coverslip is examined.
- the thickness of each specimen must be essentially equal or again must be known so that calculations of volumes in which the particulate species are suspended can be made. Assumptions regarding the thickness of liquid specimens are not useful because uncontrollable variables such as variations in the surface tension from sample to sample which substantially effects thickness, variations in the amount of liquid used for preparing slide specimens, entrapment of air between the slide and coverslip and variations in the pressure exerted between the coverslip and the slide all cause differences in specimen thickness.
- degrading the utility of such microscopic counts are perturbations in the distribution of particulates in specimens caused by inadvertant translational movement of coverslips with respect to slides during preparation of slide/coverslip assemblies which can result in non-uniformity of the distribution of particulates in specimens.
- the depth of examination chambers should be maintained within the depth of field of instruments used to examine specimens.
- the depth of the examination chamber for optical examination of most biological fluids should be maintained at 0.004 inches which is equal to or less than one focal plane of optical instruments used for this type of laboratory work.
- Concurrent with the requirement to maintain the specimen in the depth of field of the inspecting optical instrument is the associated requirement of assuring that the optical axis of the inspecting instrument be perpendicular to the floor surface of the examination chamber so that as the inspection slide is translated to permit examination of different volumes of the specimen the specimen remains in the depth of field of the instrument.
- the present invention which provides inspection slides, with fixed coverslips, having examination chambers with constant depths that can be maintained shorter than the depth of field for inspecting optical instruments and also has examination chambers from which entraped gases can be readily bleed, and from which excess specimen fluids can be readily drained without contamination of specimens in adjoining chambers.
- An inspection slide according to the present invention is assembled by placing a cover plate fabricated from transparent plastic and having at least one coverslip portion on top of a base plate also fabricated from transparent plastic and having at least one examination chamber floor which is a flat and optically smooth surface.
- the coverslip portion of the cover plate is positioned so that it essentially overlays the examination chamber floor. This configuration is then maintained by bonding the cover plate to the base plate.
- the bonds between the base plate and the cover plate are made at locations remote from the examination chamber so that dimensional distortions inevitably associated with bonding plastic structures are minimized by the distances between the bonding points and the examination chambers.
- Examination chambers in the inspection slide of the present invention are formed from the abutting contact of the coverslip portion of a cover plate onto the examination chamber floor surface defined on a base plate.
- the abutting contact is maintained by bonding portions of the cover plate to the base plate.
- a second function provided by the bonded portions of the cover plate and base plate besides maintaining contact between these two plates is the isolation of examination chambers so that a liquid specimen which drains from one examination chamber will not migrate to a second examination chamber and contaminate a second specimen.
- the examination chamber floor surfaces on a base plate are flat optically smooth surfaces which are raised above a main base plate surface
- the coverslip portions of a cover plate include examination chamber roofs which are also flat and optically smooth surfaces but are recessed into the cover plate and are of a similar general shape as the examination chamber floor surfaces.
- the examination chamber roofs, which are recessed have smaller surface areas than the examination chamber floor surfaces, and surrounding the examination chamber roofs are depth control ridges spaced a uniform distance from the examination chamber roof surfaces. Additionally the depth control ridges extend beyond the outer edge of the examination chamber floor surfaces when a cover plate and base plate are assembled. Therefore, the examination chamber roofs are displaced from the examination chamber floors by distances determined by the depth control ridges.
- each depth control ridge In combination with the examination chamber floor and roof surfaces, and the depth control ridges are at least one notch cut into each depth control ridge which extends from outside the areas defined by the examination chamber floor surfaces and then over each examination chamber floor surface to the examination roof surface. These notches provide channels for bleeding entraped gases from the examination chambers and for draining excess specimen fluids from the examination chambers.
- Each of the examination chambers on an inspection slide of the present invention has an opening facing an edge of the base plate. These openings are formed by a ramp surface intersecting each examination chamber floor surface and by the examination chamber roof positioned above the intersection of the examination chamber floor and the ramp surface.
- This configuration of ramp surface and examination chamber roof permits efficient charging of the examination chamber with specimen fluid. Such charging can be accomplished by a pipette or dropper positioned at the opening to introduce a drop of specimen fluid, the specimen floor will wet both the examination chamber roof and floor.
- the wetted examination chamber roof and floor guides the specimen in to fill the examination chamber by capillation. During the filling of an examination chamber entraped gases are bleed through the notches in the depth control ridge and after filling of an examination chamber excess specimen fluid is drained through the same notch.
- the examination chamber roof can be configured to overhang the ramp surface of the present invention in one embodiment and to include lips which extend from the examination chamber roof to the ramp surface where they are bonded to the ramp so as to reduce the area of the opening and thus decrease evaporation rates for specimen fluids.
- the lips can extend along most of the length of the examination chamber roof edge adjacent the opening used to charge the examination chamber except for the central portion of the opening where a semicircular portion of the examination chamber roof can be cut out to facilitate charging the examination chamber.
- the lips from the examination chamber roof will provide guiding surfaces a drop of specimen fluid placed at the semicircular cutout in the examination chamber roof will first be drawn along the two lengths of the lips and then will be drawn into the examination chamber.
- the lips are positioned over the ramp surface so that a volume of specimen fluid is positioned in front of the examination chamber. This volume of fluid must be evaporated before that in the examination chamber can be evaporated.
- FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an inspection slide according to the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an assembled inspection slide according to the present invention.
- FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of an inspection slide according to the present invention showing two examination chambers that is taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
- FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an assembled inspection slide with decreased openings to examination chambers.
- FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an inspection slide according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 showing two examination chambers that is taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
- Inspection slide 10 includes cover plate 12 and base plate 14.
- a top plan view of an assembled inspection slide 10 as shown in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2.
- the base plate 14 for an inspection slide 10 includes examination chamber floor surfaces 16 which are flat optically smooth surfaces.
- one or more examination chamber floor surfaces 16 can be oriented on a base plate 14.
- the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 are oriented on the base plate 14 so that the examination chamber floor surface 16 is parallel to the bottom surface 18 of the base plate 14. Having the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 parallel to the bottom surface 18 of the base plate 14 assures that when the base plate 14 is positioned on the stage of an optical instrument having its optical axes perpendicular to the stage the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 will also be perpendicular to the optical axis of the instrument.
- the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 are also raised above an upper deck 20 of the base plate 14.
- Cover plate 12 has recessed below a lower surface 22 examination chamber roofs 24, which like the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 are flat and optically smooth surfaces.
- the examination chamber roofs 24 have surface areas which are generally the same shape as those of the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 but the examination chamber roofs 24 have shorter linear dimensions, L and W (See FIG. 1).
- Surrounding the examination chamber roofs 24 are depth control ridges 26 which are also recessed below the lower surface 22 of the cover plate 12.
- the depth control ridges 26 are not recessed as deep as the examination chamber roofs 24, but the depth control ridges 26 do extend from the examination chamber roofs 24 out to locations beyond the surface areas of the examination chamber floor surfaces 16. Therefore, the cover plates 12 can be positioned on the base plates 14 so that the examination chamber roofs 24 are supported via the depth control ridges 26 at constant distances determined by the depth control ridges 26 from the examination chamber floor surfaces 16.
- the depth control ridges 26 extend from the examination chamber roof 24 on all sides except one, that side being where the examination chamber 28 is charged with specimen fluid.
- the depth control ridges 26 are preferably maintained so as to have the examination chamber roofs 24 recessed 0.0045 inches ⁇ 0.0005 inches from the surfaces of the depth control ridges 26 which contact the examination chamber floor surfaces 16.
- the present invention can also be used for special applications such as hemacytometry which previously required accurately ground and polished glass slide/coverslip combinations.
- a counting grid is etched on the chamber floor 16 using known techniques, and the depth control ridges 26 are preferably maintained so as to have the examination chamber roofs 24 recessed 0.010 inches ⁇ 0.001 inches from the surface of the depth control ridges 26 which contact the examination chamber floor surfaces 16.
- the energy directing ridges 30 are located between examination chamber floor surfaces 16.
- Such positioning of the cover plate 12 with respect to the base plate 14 is assured by tabs 32 located between the examination chamber floor surfaces 16, at the edges of the base plate 14 and raised above the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 a distance essentially equal to the thickness, of the cover plate 12.
- the tabs 32 between the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 assure proper positioning of the cover plate 12 in the dimension between the tabs 32 with respect to the base plate 14 while the energy directing ridges 30 which extend from the lower surface 22 of the cover plate 12 and which are essentially dimensioned to fit between and in close proximity to the supports 34 for the examination chamber floor surfaces 16 assure proper positioning of the cover plate 12 in the dimension perpendicular to that defined by tabs 32.
- the energy directing ridges 30 are ultrasonically welded to the base plate 14 using techniques known in the art. Excess melted energy directing ridge 30 material can flow out over the upper deck 20 surface and thereby ensure proper positioning of the examination roof 24 and floor 16 surfaces via the depth control ridges 26.
- each examination chamber 28 there is a ramp surface 38 extending up from an outer edge of the base plate 14 to the examination chamber floor surface 16 and intersecting the examination chamber floor surface 16 along a line just under the examination chamber roof 24.
- the opening between the examination chamber floor surface 16 and the examination chamber roof 24 defined along the line where the ramp 38 and examination chamber floor surface 16 intersect provides a gate for charging the examination chamber 28 with a specimen fluid. Capillation draws fluids which are positioned on the ramp 38 at the edge of examination chamber roof 24 into the examination chamber 28.
- the specimen fluid can evaporate through the same opening used to charge the examination chamber
- the examination chamber may not be evenly and quickly filled with specimen fluid
- a careless user can contaminate the optics of an optical instrument with excess specimen fluid retained at the edge of the opening to the examination chamber.
- Another feature of this embodiment is the extension of the examination roof 24 beyond the intersection of the examination chamber floor surface 16 and the ramp 38, and the provision of lip ridges 42 along the two lengths of the examination chamber roof 24 which approaches the surface of the ramp 38 where they are ultrasonically welded when cover plate 12 is welded to base plate 14. Volumes having triangular cross sectional areas are then defined between lip ridges 42, examination chamber roof 24 and ramp 38. Placing a drop of specimen fluid at a charging port 40 will result in the fluid being drawn by capillation along the length of the lip ridges 42 because the depth from the examination chamber roof 24 to the ramp 38 is greater than the distance between the examination chamber roof 24 to the exmination chamber floor surface 16.
- the specimen fluid After filling the volumes along the lengths of the lip ridges 42 the specimen fluid will evenly fill the examination chamber 28 from the opening back.
- a reservoir is effectively formed behind the lip ridges 42. Evaporation of the specimen fluid in the examination chamber 28 can not begin until the fluid in the reservoir is first evaporated.
- the reservoir additionally provides for contained storage of specimen fluid to prevent contamination of optics by careless use of the inspecting instrument.
- notches 44 which are cut out to the outer edges of the depth control ridges 26 so that both entraped gases and excess fluid can be drained from the examination chambers 28 to ensure complete filling of the examination chamber with specimen fluid.
- the notches 44 extend from between the examination chamber roof 24 and floor 16 out beyond the edge of the examination chamber floor surface 16 so both gases and fluids can easily be drained from the examination chamber 28.
- the volumes of the openings provided by the notches 44 are sized so as not to provide preferential capillation for draining specimen fluid from the examination chamber.
- Inspection plates 10 of the present invention may be fabricated from acrylic plastic by injection molding the cover plate 12 and base plate 14 and then ultrasonically welding them together.
- the acrylic plastic should have an index of refraction essentially equal to glass and should be of a grade which is wettable and free from acid affinity.
- the examination chamber roof 24 and floor 16 surfaces can be formed by use of mold surfaces which are polished optically flat.
- grid lines can be etched onto the surfaces of the base plates 14 by techniques which are known in the art.
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (10)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US07/409,951 USRE33826E (en) | 1985-07-23 | 1989-09-07 | Microscope inspection slide |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US06/758,056 US4637693A (en) | 1985-07-23 | 1985-07-23 | Microscope inspection slide |
US25883988A | 1988-10-12 | 1988-10-12 | |
US07/409,951 USRE33826E (en) | 1985-07-23 | 1989-09-07 | Microscope inspection slide |
Related Parent Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US06/758,056 Reissue US4637693A (en) | 1985-07-23 | 1985-07-23 | Microscope inspection slide |
US25883988A Continuation | 1985-07-23 | 1988-10-12 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
USRE33826E true USRE33826E (en) | 1992-02-18 |
Family
ID=27401174
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US07/409,951 Expired - Lifetime USRE33826E (en) | 1985-07-23 | 1989-09-07 | Microscope inspection slide |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | USRE33826E (en) |
Cited By (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5518925A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1996-05-21 | Becton Dickinson Co | Culture slide assembly |
US5569607A (en) * | 1994-03-22 | 1996-10-29 | Boehringer Mannheim Gmbh | Slide for the microscopic evaluation of liquid specimens |
US5605813A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-02-25 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide assembly |
US5618731A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-04-08 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide assembly |
USD378781S (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-04-08 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide |
USD382062S (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-08-05 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide |
US20020192701A1 (en) * | 2001-03-09 | 2002-12-19 | Adey Nils B. | Laminated microarray interface device |
US20060062695A1 (en) * | 2004-09-21 | 2006-03-23 | Van Andel Research Institute | Method and apparatus for making partitioned slides |
Citations (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1693961A (en) * | 1928-12-04 | Hzemacytometeb | ||
US2039219A (en) * | 1933-03-17 | 1936-04-28 | Hausser Carl Adolph | Haemacytometer |
US3481659A (en) * | 1965-10-20 | 1969-12-02 | Harold James Rosenberg | Microscope slide |
US3565537A (en) * | 1968-10-30 | 1971-02-23 | Jack Fielding | Specimen holder for example for testing the colour of a liquid such as blood |
US3777283A (en) * | 1972-04-21 | 1973-12-04 | C Elkins | Transparent slide for the examination of liquid specimens |
US3961346A (en) * | 1975-01-30 | 1976-06-01 | Miles Laboratories, Inc. | Liquid inspection slide |
US4171866A (en) * | 1978-04-20 | 1979-10-23 | Tolles Walter E | Disposable volumetric slide |
US4245907A (en) * | 1979-05-29 | 1981-01-20 | American Optical Corporation | Disposable blood chamber |
US4299441A (en) * | 1979-05-23 | 1981-11-10 | Icl/Scientific | Transparent laboratory slide for examination of liquid specimens |
US4441793A (en) * | 1983-01-10 | 1984-04-10 | Elkins Carlos D | Microscopic evaluation slide |
GB2127577A (en) * | 1982-09-20 | 1984-04-11 | V Tech Inc | Wet-mount microscopic examination slide |
US4447140A (en) * | 1982-09-29 | 1984-05-08 | Campbell Jeptha E | Microscope slides |
US4607921A (en) * | 1982-09-20 | 1986-08-26 | V-Tech, Inc. | Wet mount microscopic examination slide II |
-
1989
- 1989-09-07 US US07/409,951 patent/USRE33826E/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1693961A (en) * | 1928-12-04 | Hzemacytometeb | ||
US2039219A (en) * | 1933-03-17 | 1936-04-28 | Hausser Carl Adolph | Haemacytometer |
US3481659A (en) * | 1965-10-20 | 1969-12-02 | Harold James Rosenberg | Microscope slide |
US3565537A (en) * | 1968-10-30 | 1971-02-23 | Jack Fielding | Specimen holder for example for testing the colour of a liquid such as blood |
US3777283B1 (en) * | 1972-04-21 | 1985-11-19 | ||
US3777283A (en) * | 1972-04-21 | 1973-12-04 | C Elkins | Transparent slide for the examination of liquid specimens |
US3961346A (en) * | 1975-01-30 | 1976-06-01 | Miles Laboratories, Inc. | Liquid inspection slide |
US4171866A (en) * | 1978-04-20 | 1979-10-23 | Tolles Walter E | Disposable volumetric slide |
US4299441A (en) * | 1979-05-23 | 1981-11-10 | Icl/Scientific | Transparent laboratory slide for examination of liquid specimens |
US4245907A (en) * | 1979-05-29 | 1981-01-20 | American Optical Corporation | Disposable blood chamber |
GB2127577A (en) * | 1982-09-20 | 1984-04-11 | V Tech Inc | Wet-mount microscopic examination slide |
US4607921A (en) * | 1982-09-20 | 1986-08-26 | V-Tech, Inc. | Wet mount microscopic examination slide II |
US4447140A (en) * | 1982-09-29 | 1984-05-08 | Campbell Jeptha E | Microscope slides |
US4441793A (en) * | 1983-01-10 | 1984-04-10 | Elkins Carlos D | Microscopic evaluation slide |
Cited By (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5569607A (en) * | 1994-03-22 | 1996-10-29 | Boehringer Mannheim Gmbh | Slide for the microscopic evaluation of liquid specimens |
US5518925A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1996-05-21 | Becton Dickinson Co | Culture slide assembly |
US5605813A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-02-25 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide assembly |
US5618731A (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-04-08 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide assembly |
USD378781S (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-04-08 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide |
USD382062S (en) * | 1995-06-06 | 1997-08-05 | Becton, Dickinson And Company | Culture slide |
US20020192701A1 (en) * | 2001-03-09 | 2002-12-19 | Adey Nils B. | Laminated microarray interface device |
US20040037739A1 (en) * | 2001-03-09 | 2004-02-26 | Mcneely Michael | Method and system for microfluidic interfacing to arrays |
US20050019898A1 (en) * | 2001-03-09 | 2005-01-27 | Nils Adey | Fluid mixing in low aspect ratio chambers |
US7223363B2 (en) | 2001-03-09 | 2007-05-29 | Biomicro Systems, Inc. | Method and system for microfluidic interfacing to arrays |
US7235400B2 (en) | 2001-03-09 | 2007-06-26 | Biomicro Systems, Inc. | Laminated microarray interface device |
US20060062695A1 (en) * | 2004-09-21 | 2006-03-23 | Van Andel Research Institute | Method and apparatus for making partitioned slides |
US7547424B2 (en) | 2004-09-21 | 2009-06-16 | Van Andel Research Institute | Method and apparatus for making partitioned slides |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US4637693A (en) | Microscope inspection slide | |
US4441793A (en) | Microscopic evaluation slide | |
US7718124B2 (en) | Counting, viability assessment, analysis and manipulation chamber | |
US4171866A (en) | Disposable volumetric slide | |
EP1733226B1 (en) | Disposable chamber for analyzing biologic fluids | |
US4722598A (en) | Diagnostic microscope slide having multiple sample wells and cover | |
USRE33826E (en) | Microscope inspection slide | |
GB2090659A (en) | Analytical device | |
US5569607A (en) | Slide for the microscopic evaluation of liquid specimens | |
JP2002500353A (en) | Cartridge device for processing a sample placed on a surface of a support member | |
GB2127577A (en) | Wet-mount microscopic examination slide | |
US8852524B2 (en) | Cell counting slide with lateral reservoir for promoting uniform cell distribution | |
US4607921A (en) | Wet mount microscopic examination slide II | |
JP3329988B2 (en) | Plastic slide for optical microscope | |
CA2040920C (en) | Capillary inoculator and assembly for inoculating multiple test sites and method of inoculation test sites therewith | |
JP2003535350A (en) | Sample holder | |
CN112834763A (en) | Detection chip and detection system | |
US4635790A (en) | Container package for staining a biological specimen | |
JPS6319532A (en) | Plate for observation | |
CN209802964U (en) | counting plate device and counting plate bottom plate thereof | |
AU703875B2 (en) | Device for optical analysis of specimens | |
CA1247894A (en) | Wet mount microscopic examination slide | |
CN113907065B (en) | Liquid change processing chip and freezing carrier rod | |
US20220065757A1 (en) | Microfluidic Device for Image Multiplexing | |
WO2021009201A1 (en) | Microfluidic device |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |
|
REFU | Refund |
Free format text: REFUND PROCESSED. MAINTENANCE FEE TENDERED TOO EARLY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: R161); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 12 |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAT HLDR NO LONGER CLAIMS SMALL ENT STAT AS INDIV INVENTOR (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: LSM1); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY Free format text: PAT HOLDER CLAIMS SMALL ENTITY STATUS - SMALL BUSINESS (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: SM02); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |
|
REFU | Refund |
Free format text: REFUND - PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: R183); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY Free format text: REFUND - PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: R284); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |
|
REFU | Refund |
Free format text: REFUND - PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: R184); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |
|
FEPP | Fee payment procedure |
Free format text: PAT HOLDER CLAIMS SMALL ENTITY STATUS - SMALL BUSINESS (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: SM02); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY |