Fluidic system for a flow cytometer
First Claim
1. A fluidic system for pumping sheath fluid from a sheath container and sample fluid from a sample container into an interrogation zone of a flow cytometer, comprising:
- a sheath pump that pumps sheath fluid from the sheath container into the interrogation zone of the flow cytometer;
a waste pump that pumps waste fluid from the interrogation zone into a waste container, wherein the sheath pump and the waste pump cooperate to draw sample fluid from the sample container into the interrogation zone;
a first fluidic capacitor, located between the sheath pump and the interrogation zone, that temporarily expands and accumulates sheath fluid to attenuate pulsations within the sheath fluid;
a second fluidic capacitor located between the interrogation zone and the waste container and that temporarily expands and accumulates the waste fluid to attenuate pulsations within the waste fluid;
a drawtube, coupled to the sample container, that conveys the sample fluid from the sample container to the interrogation zone;
a pressure sensor that measures a pressure differential of the sample fluid between the top of the drawtube and the bottom of the drawtube; and
a controller, coupled to the pressure sensor, that adjusts the flow rate of the sample fluid from the sample container into the interrogation zone by controlling at least one of the flow rates of the sheath fluid and the waste fluid.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The fluidic system of the preferred embodiment includes a sheath pump to pump sheath fluid from a sheath container into an interrogation zone and a waste pump to pump waste fluid from the interrogation zone into a waste container. The sheath pump and/or the waste pump draw sample fluid from a sample container into the interrogation zone. The fluidic system also includes a controller to adjust the flow rate of the sample fluid from the sample container into the interrogation zone. The fluidic system is preferably incorporated into a flow cytometer with a flow cell that includes the interrogation zone.
226 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A fluidic system for pumping sheath fluid from a sheath container and sample fluid from a sample container into an interrogation zone of a flow cytometer, comprising:
-
a sheath pump that pumps sheath fluid from the sheath container into the interrogation zone of the flow cytometer; a waste pump that pumps waste fluid from the interrogation zone into a waste container, wherein the sheath pump and the waste pump cooperate to draw sample fluid from the sample container into the interrogation zone; a first fluidic capacitor, located between the sheath pump and the interrogation zone, that temporarily expands and accumulates sheath fluid to attenuate pulsations within the sheath fluid; a second fluidic capacitor located between the interrogation zone and the waste container and that temporarily expands and accumulates the waste fluid to attenuate pulsations within the waste fluid; a drawtube, coupled to the sample container, that conveys the sample fluid from the sample container to the interrogation zone; a pressure sensor that measures a pressure differential of the sample fluid between the top of the drawtube and the bottom of the drawtube; and a controller, coupled to the pressure sensor, that adjusts the flow rate of the sample fluid from the sample container into the interrogation zone by controlling at least one of the flow rates of the sheath fluid and the waste fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for pumping sheath fluid from a sheath container and sample fluid from a sample container into an interrogation zone of a flow cytometer, comprising the steps of:
-
simultaneously pumping sheath fluid from the sheath container into the interrogation zone of the flow cytometer and pumping waste fluid from the interrogation zone into the waste container, wherein the flow rate of the sheath fluid is different from the flow rate of the waste fluid thereby drawing sample fluid through a drawtube coupled to the sample container; measuring, with a pressure sensor, a pressure differential of the sample fluid between the top of the drawtube and the bottom of the drawtube; and attenuating pulsations within the sheath fluid between the sheath pump and the interrogation zone; attenuating pulsations within the waste fluid between the interrogation zone and the waste pump; adjusting the flow rate of the sample fluid from the sample container into the interrogation zone based on the measured pressure differential, wherein adjusting the flow rate of the sample fluid includes adjusting at least one of the flow rate of the sheath fluid from the sheath container into the interrogation zone and the flow rate of the waste fluid from the interrogation zone into the waste container. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
Specification