High speed flow cytometer droplet formation system and method
First Claim
1. A method of creating a droplet from a jet of a flow cytometer comprising the steps of:
- a. establishing a nozzle volume defined by a nozzle body;
b. introducing a flow of sheath fluid into said nozzle volume;
c. introducing a flow of a substance within said sheath fluid in said nozzle volume;
d. establishing a substantially isolated unidirectional coupling with said nozzle volume which couples an oscillator to said nozzle volume through use of a directional isolator situated between said nozzle body and said oscillator;
e. creating a substantially isolated unidirectional oscillation within said nozzle volume using an alternating voltage with an amplitude of less than one hundred millivolts for said oscillator;
f. allowing said sheath fluid to exit from said nozzle volume; and
g. forming at least one substance entraining droplet from said sheath fluid after allowing said sheath fluid to exit from said nozzle volume.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A droplet forming flow cytometer system allows high speed processing without the need for high oscillator drive powers through the inclusion of an oscillator or piezoelectric crystal such as within the nozzle volume or otherwise unidirectionally coupled to the sheath fluid. The nozzle container continuously converges so as to amplify unidirectional oscillations which are transmitted as pressure waves through the nozzle volume to the nozzle exit so as to form droplets from the fluid jet. The oscillator is directionally isolated so as to avoid moving the entire nozzle container so as to create only pressure waves within the sheath fluid. A variation in substance concentration is achieved through a movable substance introduction port which is positioned within a convergence zone to vary the relative concentration of substance to sheath fluid while still maintaining optimal laminar flow conditions. This variation may be automatically controlled through a sensor and controller configuration. A replaceable tip design is also provided whereby the ceramic nozzle tip is positioned within an edge insert in the nozzle body so as to smoothly transition from nozzle body to nozzle tip. The nozzle tip is sealed against its outer surface to the nozzle body so it may be removable for cleaning or replacement.
132 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of creating a droplet from a jet of a flow cytometer comprising the steps of:
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a. establishing a nozzle volume defined by a nozzle body; b. introducing a flow of sheath fluid into said nozzle volume; c. introducing a flow of a substance within said sheath fluid in said nozzle volume; d. establishing a substantially isolated unidirectional coupling with said nozzle volume which couples an oscillator to said nozzle volume through use of a directional isolator situated between said nozzle body and said oscillator; e. creating a substantially isolated unidirectional oscillation within said nozzle volume using an alternating voltage with an amplitude of less than one hundred millivolts for said oscillator; f. allowing said sheath fluid to exit from said nozzle volume; and g. forming at least one substance entraining droplet from said sheath fluid after allowing said sheath fluid to exit from said nozzle volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for creating a droplet from a jet of a flow cytometer comprising:
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a. a nozzle container establishing a nozzle volume defined by a nozzle body and having a nozzle exit; b. a sheath fluid port located within said nozzle volume wherein said sheath fluid port introduces a sheath fluid; c. a substance introduction port located within said nozzle volume; d. an oscillator to which said sheath fluid is responsive; e. a substantially isolated unidirectional coupling which couples said oscillator to said nozzle volume through use of a directional isolator situated between said nozzle body and said oscillator wherein said coupling permits said oscillation to create oscillation in substantially one direction; f. an alternating voltage source having an alternating voltage amplitude of less than one hundred millivolts connected to said oscillator; and g. a free fall area below said nozzle exit and within which a substance entraining droplet forms. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of creating a droplet from a jet of a flow cytometer comprising the steps of:
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a. establishing a nozzle volume defined by a nozzle body; b. introducing a flow of sheath fluid into said nozzle volume; c. introducing a flow of a substance within said sheath fluid in said nozzle volume; d. initiating a substantially isolated unidirectional oscillation through use of a directional isolator situated between said nozzle body and an oscillator wherein said substantially unidirectional oscillation occurs within said nozzle volume; e. allowing said sheath fluid to exit from said nozzle volume; and f. forming at least one droplet from said sheath fluid after allowing said sheath fluid to exit from said nozzle volume. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for creating a droplet from a jet of a flow cytometer comprising:
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a. a nozzle container establishing a nozzle volume defined by a nozzle body and having a nozzle exit; b. a sheath fluid port located within said nozzle volume wherein said sheath fluid port introduces a sheath fluid; c. a substance introduction port located within said nozzle volume; d. a substantially isolated unidirectional coupling which couples an oscillator to said nozzle volume through use of a directional isolator situated between said nozzle body and said oscillator wherein said coupling permits said oscillator to create oscillation in substantially one direction; e. an oscillator to which said substantially isolated unidirectional coupler and said nozzle volume are responsive; and f. a free fall area below said nozzle exit and within which a substance entraining droplet forms. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification