PARTICLE SORTING MODULE WITH ALIGNMENT WINDOW, SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF

• US 20200132590A1
• Filed: 07/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Dembski, Kyle, Lankila, Henry
• Granted Patent: US 11,035,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1425 using an analyser being characterised by its control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1434 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/147 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1492 within droplets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1481 Optical analysis of particles within droplets sorting particles within droplets G01N15/1492

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure include a particle sorting module having an opening that is configured for visualizing droplets of a deflected flow stream. Particle sorting modules according to certain embodiments include a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a wall therebetween having an opening positioned in the wall that is configured for aligning the flow stream with one or more sample containers at the distal end. Systems and methods for aligning a flow stream with one or more sample containers and sorting particles of a sample (e.g., a biological sample) are also provided. Kits having one or more of the particle sorting modules suitable for coupling with a particle sorting system and for practicing the subject methods are also described.

Claims

1. A particle sorting module comprising an opening that is configured for visualizing droplets of a deflected flow stream.

2. The particle sorting module according to claim 1, wherein the particle sorting module comprises:

a housing comprising a proximal end, a distal end and a wall therebetween, wherein the opening is positioned in the wall; and

a droplet deflector.

3. The particle sorting module according to claim 2, wherein the opening is positioned downstream from the droplet deflector.

4. The particle sorting module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more ports at the distal end of the housing are configured to couple to one or more sample collection containers.

5. The particle sorting module according to claim 4, wherein the opening is configured for aligning the flow stream with the one or more ports.

6. The particle sorting module according to claim 4, wherein the opening is positioned between the droplet deflector and the distal end of the housing.

9. he particle sorting module according to claim 1, wherein the opening comprises an optical adjustment component.

10. The particle sorting module according to claim 9, wherein the optical adjustment comprises a focusing lens configured to focus light irradiation on the droplets from the deflected flow stream.

11. he particle sorting module according to claim 1, wherein the optical adjustment component comprises a transparent optical window.

14. The particle sorting module according to claim 4any one of claim 4, further comprising a waste collection container and two sample collection containers coupled to the distal end of the housing.

17. he particle sorting module according to claim 1, further comprising:

a flow cell nozzle positioned at the proximal end of the housing, the flow cell nozzle comprising an orifice; and

a sample interrogation region in fluid communication with the flow cell nozzle orifice.

18. The particle sorting module according to claim 17, further comprising a cuvette positioned in the sample interrogation region.

19. The particle sorting module according to claim 18, wherein the cuvette is co-molded with the housing.

22. he particle sorting module according to claim 1, further comprising a sample inlet at the proximal end of the housing.

23. he particle sorting module according to claim 1, further comprising a sheath fluid inlet at the proximal end of the housing.

7-8. -8. (canceled)

12-13. -13. (canceled)

15-16. -16. (canceled)

20-21. -21. (canceled)

24. A system comprising:

a particle sorting module comprising an opening configured for visualizing droplets of a deflected flow stream; and

an imaging sensor configured to capture one or more images through the opening.

25. The system according to claim 24, further comprising a laser for irradiating the flow stream through the opening.

26-42. -42. (canceled)

53. A method of aligning a flow stream with one or more ports at a distal end of a particle sorting module, the method comprising:

capturing an image through an opening in the particle sorting module that is configured for visualizing droplets of the flow stream;

calculating a pixel location in the imaged opening of the boundaries for each of the ports at the distal end along a horizontal axis; and

aligning the flow stream with the ports based on the calculated pixel locations of the boundaries for each port in the imaged opening.

54. The method according to claim 53, wherein calculating the pixel location comprises:

calculating the total number of pixels across the imaged opening along the horizontal axis; and

multiplying the total number of pixels by a predetermined ratio.

55. The method according to claim 54, further comprising calculating the predetermined ratio by dividing the pixel number in the imaged opening of each port boundary by the total number of pixels across the imaged opening along the horizontal axis.

56-71. -71. (canceled)