Dual use detectors for flow cytometry

• US 7,016,022 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Padmanabhan, Aravind, Fritz, Bernard S., Cox, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stafira, Michael P.
• Application Number:
  US10/938,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20050078299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 356 39- 42, 356335-343, 250/201.1, 250/201.2
• US Class Current: 356/39
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/272 using photoelectric detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1434 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/147 the analysis being performed on a sample stream
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1484 microstructural devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/011 with lysing, e.g. of erythrocytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/012 Red blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/016 White blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/019 Biological contaminants; Fouling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0238 Single particle scatter
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1027 Determining speed or velocity of a particle
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1413 Hydrodynamic focussing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1452 Adjustment of focus; Alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1497 Particle shape
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/085 Flow Injection Analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

An optical alignment system for aligning a light beam with a core flow in a flow stream. The flow stream may have a sheath fluid and a core flow, where the core flow has a current position within the flow stream. A light source may be used to produce a light beam, and an optical element may be used to direct the light beam at the core flow. In some illustrative embodiments, an actuator is provided for moving the optical element, light source and/or flow stream such that the light directed by the optical element is aligned with the current position of the core flow.

Claims

1. A detection system comprising:

a light source arrangement for providing a light beam proximate to a flow channel for containing a core stream;

a detection mechanism proximate to the flow channel; and

an alignment affecter for shifting the alignment between the light beam and a core stream; and

wherein the detection mechanism is configured to detect light indicative of the alignment between the light beam and the core stream, and detect light containing information about the core stream.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection mechanism may detect light from the core stream and convert the detected light into a first signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the alignment affecter may align the light beam and the core stream according to the first signal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein information about the core stream may be provided according to the first signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the core stream comprises particles; and

the information about the core stream may be about size, velocity, type, shape, structure, granularity, surface, antigens and the like of the particles.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the light source arrangement comprises a plurality of light sources.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a light source among the plurality of light sources may be selected for alignment of the light beam and the core stream.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises VCSELs.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises edge emitting lasers.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises LEDs.

11. The system of claim 4, further comprising an optical mechanism proximate to the light source arrangement.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the optical mechanism may be adjusted for alignment of the light beam and the core stream.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the light source arrangement may be adjusted for alignment of the light and the core stream.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for classifying blood cells.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for identifying biological warfare agents.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for hematology applications.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for identifying environmental particles.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the environmental particles may come from air, water, food, soil, and the like.

41. The system of claim 1, wherein the flow channel includes a sheath fluid surrounding the core stream.

19. A method of alignment and parameter detection, comprising:

emanating a light beam to a flow channel;

detecting light from a core stream in the flow channel;

adjusting an alignment between the light beam and the core stream according to detected light; and

obtaining information about the core stream from detected light.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the light for adjusting an alignment of the light beam and the core stream, and the light for obtaining information about the core stream are detected by one detection mechanism.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the alignment is adjusted according to a magnitude of the detected light.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for classifying blood cells.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for identifying biological warfare agents.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for hematology applications.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for identifying environmental particles.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the environmental particles may come from air, water, food, soil, and the like.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the flow channel is of a cytometer.

42. The method of claim 19, wherein the flow channel includes a sheath fluid surrounding the core stream.

28. A detection system comprising:

a light source mechanism for providing a light beam proximate to a flow channel;

a detection mechanism proximate to the flow channel; and

an alignment mechanism for adjusting an alignment between the light beam and a core stream of the flow channel; and

wherein the detection mechanism is configured to detect light indicative of the alignment of the light beam and the core stream, and detect light about parameters of a core stream in the flow channel.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a processor connected to the detection mechanism and the alignment mechanism.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein:

the detection mechanism may convert detected light into a first signal;

the processor may convert the first signal into a second signal indicative of an amount of change of position between the light beam and the core stream to effect an alignment of the light beam and the core stream;

the alignment mechanism may provide, according to the second signal, the amount of change of position between the light beam and the core stream to effect an alignment of the light beam and the core stream; and

the processor may convert the first signal into a third signal indicative of parameters of the core stream.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the parameters may comprise size, velocity, type, shape, structure, granularity, surface, antigen, and the like about particles of the core stream.

43. The system of claim 28, wherein the flow channel includes a sheath fluid surrounding the core stream.

32. Means for alignment and parameter detection, comprising:

means for emanating a light beam to a flow channel;

means for detecting light scattered by a core stream in the flow channel;

means for determining an amount of alignment between the light beam and the core stream according to detected light from the means for detecting light;

means for changing the amount of alignment between the light beam and the core stream according to the detected light; and

means for obtaining parameter information about the core stream from the detected light.

33. The means of claim 32, wherein the parameter information may comprise size, velocity, type, shape, structure, granularity, surface, antigen, and the like about particles of the core stream.

34. The means of claim 33, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for classifying blood cells.

35. The means of claim 33, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for identifying biological warfare agents.

36. The means of claim 33, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for hematology applications.

37. The means of claim 33, wherein the flow channel is of an instrument used for identifying environmental particles.

38. The means or claim 37, wherein the environmental particles may come from air, water, food, soil, and the like.

39. The means of claim 33, wherein the flow channel is of a cytometer.

40. A detection system comprising:

a light source mechanism for providing a light beam proximate to a flow channel;

a detection mechanism proximate to the flow channel;

a first alignment mechanism for adjusting an alignment of the light beam relative to the flow channel, according to detected light from the detection mechanism;

a second alignment mechanism for adjusting an alignment of the light beam relative to a core stream of the flow channel, according to detected light from the detection mechanism; and

a parameter mechanism for determining parameters of the core stream according to detected light from the detection mechanism.