FLOW RATE BALANCED, DYNAMICALLY ADJUSTABLE SHEATH DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR FLOW CYTOMETRY
First Claim
1. A sheath fluid system for controlling pressure of a sheath fluid in a flow cytometer, the sheath fluid system comprising:
- a reservoir configured to contain both a volume of sheath fluid and a volume of positively pressurized air and fluidically connected to a nozzle;
an external container configured to contain sheath fluid;
a pump fluidically interposed between the external container and the reservoir and configured to pump the sheath fluid from the external container to the reservoir;
an air regulator configured to regulate the volume of the positively pressurized air in the reservoir;
a compressor configured to supply compressed air to the air regulator;
an optical sensor configured to detect droplet locations of the sheath fluid flowing out of the nozzle;
a level controller configured to;
continuously pump, using the pump, the sheath fluid from the external container into the reservoir to maintain a substantially constant sheath fluid level in the reservoir so that an in-flow rate of sheath fluid flowing into the reservoir is substantially equal to an out-flow rate of the sheath fluid flowing out of the nozzle, andadjust the in-flow rate of the sheath fluid flowing into the reservoir by adjusting a pump speed of the pump whenever the substantially constant sheath fluid level changes; and
an air pressure controller configured to;
determine the out-flow rate of fluid flowing out of the nozzle based on data from the optical sensor, andcontrol the pressure of the volume of positively pressurized air in the reservoir based upon the determination, so that the out-flow rate of fluid flowing out of the nozzle, as determined by the optical sensor, remains substantially constant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a sheath delivery system that uses a continuous flow of sheath fluid into a pressurized internal reservoir that substantially matches the outflow of sheath fluid through the nozzle of a flow cytometer. A substantially constant level of the sheath fluid is maintained. If the sheath fluid level falls below a desired level, or goes above a desired level, a dampened control system is used to reach the desired level. In addition, air pressure in the pressurized internal container is controlled so that an external sheath container can be removed and refilled with additional sheath fluid without stopping the sheath delivery system 100. Differences in pressure are detected by a droplet camera, which measures the droplet breakoff point to determine the pressure of the sheath fluid in the nozzle.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A sheath fluid system for controlling pressure of a sheath fluid in a flow cytometer, the sheath fluid system comprising:
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a reservoir configured to contain both a volume of sheath fluid and a volume of positively pressurized air and fluidically connected to a nozzle; an external container configured to contain sheath fluid; a pump fluidically interposed between the external container and the reservoir and configured to pump the sheath fluid from the external container to the reservoir; an air regulator configured to regulate the volume of the positively pressurized air in the reservoir; a compressor configured to supply compressed air to the air regulator; an optical sensor configured to detect droplet locations of the sheath fluid flowing out of the nozzle; a level controller configured to; continuously pump, using the pump, the sheath fluid from the external container into the reservoir to maintain a substantially constant sheath fluid level in the reservoir so that an in-flow rate of sheath fluid flowing into the reservoir is substantially equal to an out-flow rate of the sheath fluid flowing out of the nozzle, and adjust the in-flow rate of the sheath fluid flowing into the reservoir by adjusting a pump speed of the pump whenever the substantially constant sheath fluid level changes; and an air pressure controller configured to; determine the out-flow rate of fluid flowing out of the nozzle based on data from the optical sensor, and control the pressure of the volume of positively pressurized air in the reservoir based upon the determination, so that the out-flow rate of fluid flowing out of the nozzle, as determined by the optical sensor, remains substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification