Apparatus for determining hemoglobin and white blood cell count in blood
First Claim
1. In an electronic particle analysis apparatus wherein there is provided a hydraulic and pneumatic system for moving fluids by hydraulic means and by pneumatic means from selected locations to predetermined destinations in accordance with a selected operating cycle and wherein a vacuum level is to be established for employment only to perform selected functions during said operational cycle, the improvement comprising vacuum generating means for establishing said vacuum and control means coupled thereto for operating said vacuum generating means to draw vacuum only when vacuum is required to move fluid through scanning aperture means for particle study during said operational cycle.
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Abstract
A single instrument for photometrically determining hemoglobin content and electronically determining white blood cell count of a single sample suspension of blood. The instrument is provided with a calibration mode of operation independent of the run or normal operational mode of the instrument.
A vacuum system is described where vacuum is generated during the operating cycle only at periods when vacuum is required with an adjustable volume vacuum chamber interposed in the vacuum system to assure proper vacuum levels.
Carryover of one liquid to a next introduced second liquid in the test vessel is reduced by successive draining of said second liquid and reintroduction into said vessel of a replacement amount of said second liquid. The second liquid can be a sample of rinse liquid.
An hydraulic system is described as operating in conjunction with the pneumatic or vacuum system. The hydraulic system employs additional plural solenoid operated devices, each to perform a specific operational function during the operational cycle of the instrument.
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Citations
38 Claims
- 1. In an electronic particle analysis apparatus wherein there is provided a hydraulic and pneumatic system for moving fluids by hydraulic means and by pneumatic means from selected locations to predetermined destinations in accordance with a selected operating cycle and wherein a vacuum level is to be established for employment only to perform selected functions during said operational cycle, the improvement comprising vacuum generating means for establishing said vacuum and control means coupled thereto for operating said vacuum generating means to draw vacuum only when vacuum is required to move fluid through scanning aperture means for particle study during said operational cycle.
- 22. In the combination of an electronic particle counting apparatus and an optical hemoglobinometer for providing respectively white blood cell count and hemoglobin content of a sample suspension as readable displays, the counting apparatus being of the type wherein particles of the sample suspension are caused to move through a scanning aperture whose effective impedance is changed with the passage of each particle therethrough, the change of impedance generating an electrical signal which can be counted, the improvement comprising said apparatus including a test vessel for receiving said sample suspension, a second vessel adjacent said test vessel, photometric means for monitoring said suspension when same is within said test vessel, scanning aperture means carried by at least one of said vessels and defining the sole communication therebetween, means, including electrode means, for establishing a current path within said scanning aperture means and between said vessels, means for monitoring and recording passage of particles through said scanning aperture means and circuit means coupled to readout means for receiving, accumulating and converting signals representing passage of said particles into a readable display, a pneumatic system operable to move sample suspension from said test vessel to said second vessel and a hydraulic system operable to move liquids from a source to and from said test vessel, said pneumatic system including a solenoid operated vacuum generating means coupled to said vessels and means to operate said vacuum generating means to generate a vacuum in accordance with a predetermined operating cycle only when vacuum is required to move the sample suspension through the scanning aperture.
Specification