Apparatus for and method of fractionating particle in particle-suspended liquid in conformity with the properties thereof
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for fractionating particles in particle-suspended liquid in conformity with properties thereof, comprising:
- measuring means for measuring the properties of individual particles in the particle-suspended liquid;
separating means for separating said particle-suspended liquid into separated droplets containing a plurality of the individual particles therein; and
discharging means including a nozzle for selectively discharging a liquid droplet from said nozzle to collide with said separated droplets in accordance with a discharge signal generated on the basis of the result of said measurement by said measuring means.
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Abstract
This invention measures the properties of individual particles in particle-suspended liquid by an optical technique or the like, causes the particle-suspended liquid to fall while separating the liquid into droplets containing the individual particles therein, and causes liquid droplets discharged from a nozzle to collide with the droplets from a direction differing from the direction of fall, in conformity with the properties of the particles discriminated by the measurement, so as to change the direction of fall of the falling droplets, thereby fractionating the particles.
180 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An apparatus for fractionating particles in particle-suspended liquid in conformity with properties thereof, comprising:
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measuring means for measuring the properties of individual particles in the particle-suspended liquid; separating means for separating said particle-suspended liquid into separated droplets containing a plurality of the individual particles therein; and discharging means including a nozzle for selectively discharging a liquid droplet from said nozzle to collide with said separated droplets in accordance with a discharge signal generated on the basis of the result of said measurement by said measuring means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for fractionating particles in particle-suspended liquid in conformity with the properties thereof, comprising:
- means for causing individual particles in the particle-suspended liquid to flow to a position to be examined;
measuring means for measuring the properties of the individual particles flowing at the position to be examined; separating means for separating said particle-suspended liquid into droplets containing the individual particles therein; and discharging means including a nozzle for selectively discharging a liquid droplet from said nozzle to collide with said separated droplets in accordance with a discharge signal generated on the basis of the result of said measurement by said measuring means. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
- means for causing individual particles in the particle-suspended liquid to flow to a position to be examined;
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15. A method of fractionating particles in a particle-suspended liquid in conformity with the properties thereof, comprising the steps of:
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measuring the properties of individual particles in the particle-suspended liquid; generating a discharge signal on the basis of a result from said measuring; separating said particle-suspended liquid into droplets containing the individual particles therein; and selectively discharging a liquid droplet from a nozzle to collide with said separated droplets in accordance with the discharge signal generated on the basis of the result of said measuring. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification