Environmental containment system for a flow cytometer

• US 6,780,377 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dakocytomation California Incorporated
• Inventors: Hall, Brian R., Fox, Nathan M., Kaanta, Benjamin H., Buchanan, Kristopher S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WALLENHORST, MAUREEN
• Application Number:
  US10/349,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20030138967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 436/63, 436/174, 436/181, 422/73, 422/99, 422/101, 422/104, 435/4, 435/29, 435/30, 435/287.1, 435/287.4, 209/3.1, 209/576
• US Class Current: 422/73
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 1/50 for storing hazardous materials in the laboratory, e.g. cupboards, waste containers sample containers B01L3/50
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 13/02 for receptacle or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/10 Means to control humidity and/or other gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/52 Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1456 without spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle, e.g. processing of pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1459 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 2015/1497 Particle shape
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00277 Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25875 Gaseous sample or with change of physical state

Abstract

A environmental containment system (16) for a flow cytometer (21) which provides a adjustably controllable environment in which biological particles can be differentiated and droplets separated into collection containers (15).

Claims

1. An enclosed environment, comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure; and

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases.

wherein said mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure has a percent ratio different than percent ratio of atmospheric gases.

2. An enclosed environment, comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure; and

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases,

wherein said mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure comprises mixture of gases selected to maintain a species of anaerobic organism.

3. An enclosed environment as described in claim 2, wherein said mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure comprises about seven percent hydrogen, about five percent carbon dioxide, and about 88 percent nitrogen.

4. An enclosed environment as described in claim 3, further comprising an oxygen detector within said enclosure and responsive to said mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure.

5. An enclosed environment as described in claim 4, further comprising a signal generator responsive to said oxygen detector.

6. An enclosed environment, comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure; and

f. a mixture of gases, including a sterilant, introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases,

wherein said mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure comprises a mixture of gases selected to maintain a species of aerobic organism.

7. An enclosed environment, comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases; and

g. a sterilant introduced into said enclosure with said mixture of gases,

where said sterilant comprises formaldehyde gas.

8. An enclosed environment, comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases; and

g. a sterilant introduced into said enclosure with said mixture of gases,

wherein said sterilant comprises chlorine gas.

9. An enclosed environment comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases; and

g. a gas temperature adjustment system positioned to control the temperature of said mixture of gases within said enclosure.

10. An enclosed environment comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure; and

f. a mixture of gases, including a sterilant, introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases,

wherein a portion of said enclosure is transparent.

11. An enclosed environment comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases; and

g) an access element coupled to said enclosure,

wherein said access element comprises a removable transparent screen.

12. An enclosed environment comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases, and

g. a flexible transparent liner disposed between said mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure and said enclosure.

13. An enclosed environment as described in claim 12, further comprising a liner dispenser installed in said enclosure and which dispenses said flexible transparent liner.

14. An enclosed environment comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases, including a sterilant, introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases;

g. an oscillator which generates oscillations to which said liquid stream responds;

h. droplets that break off from said liquid stream, and

i. particles entrained in said liquid stream,

where said container to collect said liquid stream comprises a droplet collector,

wherein said conduit having an orifice element comprises a flow cytometer nozzle,

wherein a portion of said droplets that break off from said liquid stream contain one of said particles, and

wherein said particles comprise non-biological particles.

15. An enclosed environment comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases;

g. an oscillator which generates oscillations to which said liquid stream responds;

h. droplets that break off from said liquid stream, and

i. particles entrained in said liquid stream,

where said container to collect said liquid stream comprises a droplet collector,

wherein said conduit having an orifice element comprises a flow cytometer nozzle,

wherein a portion of said droplets that break off from said liquid stream contain one of said particles,

wherein said particles comprise biological particles, and

wherein said biological particles comprise anaerobic organisms.

16. An enclosed environment comprising:

a. a conduit having an orifice element;

b. a liquid flow in said conduit;

c. a liquid stream generated at said orifice element;

d. a container to collect said liquid stream;

e. an enclosure having an aperture element, wherein said container has a location in said enclosure, and wherein said liquid stream has a trajectory from said orifice element to said container in said enclosure;

f. a mixture of gases, including a sterilant, introduced into said enclosure which flow through said aperture element, wherein said flow through said aperture element maintains said liquid stream having said trajectory from said orifice element to said container within said mixture of gases;

g. an oscillator which generates oscillations to which said liquid stream responds;

h. droplets that break off from said liquid stream, and

i. particles entrained in said liquid stream,

where said container to collect said liquid stream comprises a droplet collector,

wherein said conduit having an orifice element comprises a flow cytometer nozzle,

wherein a portion of said droplets that break off from said liquid stream contain one of said particles,

wherein said particles comprise biological particles, and

wherein said biological particles comprise aerobic organisms.