PATHOGEN DETECTION BY SIMULTANEOUS SIZE/FLUORESCENCE MEASUREMENT
First Claim
1. A system for detecting biological particles within a fluid, the system comprising:
- a conduit configured to supply a flow of fluid containing particles along a particle flow axis, the conduit defining a sample region located along the particle flow axis;
a first powered reflector having a first optical axis and a first focal point along the first optical axis, the first optical axis being orthagonal to the particle flow axis, the first focal point being located in the sample region;
a light source located on a first side of said sample region, the light source configured to supply a collimated beam of light along a first axis in a first direction, such that the collimated beam of light intersects the focal point of the reflector and illuminates particles in the sample region causing said illuminated particles to forward scatter light in the first direction, the first axis being orthagonal to the particle flow axis;
a beam blocker arranged along the first axis on a second side of the sample region, the beam blocker sized to block unscattered light and to block light forward scattered by illuminated particles below a predetermined angle;
a first detector arranged to intercept light that has been forward scattered from said illuminated particles which is not blocked by said beam blocker;
a lens arranged on a second side of the sample region and configured to focus forward scattered light from said illuminated particles onto said first detector;
a second detector arranged to intercept fluorescence light emitted from particles illuminated by said light source after said fluorescence light has been reflected by said powered reflector;
an optical filter optically arranged between said second detector and said sample region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting pathogens and particles in a fluid in which particle size and intrinsic fluorescence of a simple particle is determined, comprising a sample cell; a light source on one side of the sample cell for sending a focused beam of light through the sample, whereby portions of the beam of light are scattered at various angles by particles of various sizes present in the sample area; a particle size detector positioned in the light path for detecting a portion of forward scattered light; a pair of fluorescence detectors positioned off axis from the beam of light; and a pair of elliptical mirrors positioned such that an intersection of the incoming particle stream and the light beam are at one foci of each ellipsoid, and one of said pair of fluorescence detectors lies at the other foci.
4 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for detecting biological particles within a fluid, the system comprising:
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a conduit configured to supply a flow of fluid containing particles along a particle flow axis, the conduit defining a sample region located along the particle flow axis; a first powered reflector having a first optical axis and a first focal point along the first optical axis, the first optical axis being orthagonal to the particle flow axis, the first focal point being located in the sample region; a light source located on a first side of said sample region, the light source configured to supply a collimated beam of light along a first axis in a first direction, such that the collimated beam of light intersects the focal point of the reflector and illuminates particles in the sample region causing said illuminated particles to forward scatter light in the first direction, the first axis being orthagonal to the particle flow axis; a beam blocker arranged along the first axis on a second side of the sample region, the beam blocker sized to block unscattered light and to block light forward scattered by illuminated particles below a predetermined angle; a first detector arranged to intercept light that has been forward scattered from said illuminated particles which is not blocked by said beam blocker; a lens arranged on a second side of the sample region and configured to focus forward scattered light from said illuminated particles onto said first detector; a second detector arranged to intercept fluorescence light emitted from particles illuminated by said light source after said fluorescence light has been reflected by said powered reflector; an optical filter optically arranged between said second detector and said sample region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for detecting biological particles within a fluid, the system comprising:
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a first powered reflector having a first optical axis and a first focal point along the first optical axis; a sample region located along the first optical axis and including the first focal point of the first powered reflector; a light source located on a first side of said sample region, the light source configured to supply a collimated beam of light along a first axis in a first direction, such that the collimated beam of light intersects the first focal point of the first powered reflector and illuminates particles in the sample region causing said illuminated particles to forward scatter light in the first direction, the first axis being orthagonal to the optical axis of the first powered reflector; a beam blocker arranged along the first axis on a second side of the sample region, the beam blocker sized to block unscattered light and to block light forward scattered by illuminated particles below a predetermined angle; a first detector located along said first axis and arranged to intercept light that has been forward scattered from said illuminated particles which is not blocked by said beam blocker; a lens arranged along said first axis on a second side of the sample region and configured to focus collimated forward scattered light from said illuminated particles onto said first detector; a second detector arranged to intercept fluorescence light emitted from said illuminated particles, propagating orthogonally to said first axis, after said fluorescence light has been reflected by said powered reflector; an optical filter optically arranged between said second detector and said sample region. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for detecting biological particles within a fluid, the system comprising:
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a first, on-axis ellipsoidal reflector having a first optical axis and a first focal point along the first optical axis, the first on-axis ellipsoidal reflector having a reflective surface that is rotationally symmetric about the first optical axis; a second, on-axis ellipsoidal reflector having a second optical axis and a second focal point along the second optical axis, the second on-axis ellipsoidal reflector having a reflective surface that is rotationally symmetric about the second optical axis, the first and second on-axis ellipsoidal reflectors being arranged such that their respective reflective surfaces face one-another, their respective optical axes are coincident and the first and second focal points are coincident; a sample region located along the first optical axis and including the first focal point of the first on-axis, ellipsoidal reflector; a light source located on a first side of said sample region, the light source configured to supply a collimated beam of light along a first axis in a first direction, such that the collimated beam of light intersects the first focal point of the first on-axis ellipsoidal reflector and illuminates particles in the sample region causing said illuminated particles to forward scatter light in the first direction, the first axis being orthagonal to the optical axis of the powered reflector; a beam blocker arranged along the first axis on a second side of the sample region, the beam blocker sized to block unscattered light and to block light forward scattered by illuminated particles below a predetermined angle; a scatter detector located along said first axis and arranged to intercept light that has been forward scattered from said illuminated particles which is not blocked by said beam blocker; a collimating lens arranged along said first axis on a second side of the sample region having a front focal point located at the sampling region; a focusing lens arranged along said first axis on a second side of the sample region configured to focus collimated forward scattered light from said illuminated particles onto said first detector; a first detector arranged to intercept fluorescence light emitted from said illuminated particles after said fluorescence light has been reflected by said first on-axis ellipsoidal reflector; a second detector arranged to intercept fluorescence light from said illuminated particles after said fluorescence light has been reflected by said second on-axis ellipsoidal reflector; wherein, together, the first and second on-axis ellipsoidal reflectors form a reflective enclosure defining apertures for light received by the first and second detectors, the collimated beam of light, and a Mie scatter cone.
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Specification