Flow metered analyzer

• US 8,361,410 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Padmanabhan, Aravind, Cabuz, Cleopatra
• Primary Examiner(s): Menon, Krishnan S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gerido, Dwan A
• Application Number:
  US11/428,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20070003434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,405 Days
• Field of Search: 422/400, 422/502, 422/503
• US Class Current: 422/400
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/14 Process control and prevention of errors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/146 Employing pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/14 Means for pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1838 using fluid heat transfer medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/082 Active control of flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/527 for microfluidic devices, e.g. used for lab-on-a-chip
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/7086 using optical detecting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/74 Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/00 Apparatus for measuring by volume and delivering fluids or fluent solid materials, not provided for in the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1484 microstructural devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/012 Red blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/016 White blood cells
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/018 Platelets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1486 Counting the particles

Abstract

A hematology analyzer or cytometer cartridge system having flow metering. It may have on- or off-cartridge flow metering and control. The system may have local and direct flow measurement to provide accurate counts per unit volume. There may be numerous arrangements for fluidic circuit checks of the cartridge. Examples may include checks pertaining to zero flow, interface, pressure, flow rate, fluid type and quality, backflow, dry qualification, temperature exposure limits, and so on, of the circuits and cartridge associated items.

Claims

1. A microfluidic analyzer system comprising:

an analyzer unit;

a fluidic circuit having an input port in fluid communication with the analyzer unit;

a first flow sensor positioned within the analyzer unit;

a second flow sensor positioned within the fluidic circuit and in fluid communication with the first flow sensor;

a pump/pressure source having an output connected directly to the first flow sensor; and

a processor connected to the flow sensors and the fluidic circuit; and

wherein each of the flow sensors include an upstream temperature sensor, a thermally isolated heater, and a downstream temperature sensor, wherein the upstream and downstream temperature sensors are positioned on either side of the heater;

wherein a fluid flow rate is proportional to the temperature difference between the upstream and downstream temperature sensors; and

wherein a first flow rate at the first flow sensor and a second flow rate at the second flow sensor are compared to detect a leak between an interface of the analyzer unit and the fluidic circuit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the fluidic circuit may be of a hematology analyzer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the flow rates at the flow sensors are sent to the processor;

a result at the fluidic circuit is sent to the processor; and

the processor performs result correction in accordance with the flow rates.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the flow rates are volume per time;

the result at the fluidic circuit is a count per time; and

a result from the processor is a count per volume.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the second flow rate is a number of microliters per second;

the result sent to the processor is a number of cells per second; and

a result from the processor is the number of cells per second divided by the number of microliters per second to be a number of cells per microliter.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the processor provides a signal to the pump/pressure source; and

the processor performs closed-loop control of the flow rates, according to the flow sensors, provided by the pump/pressure source.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the flow rates are volume per time;

the result at the fluidic circuit is a count per time; and

a result from the processor is a count per volume.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the flow rates are a number of microliters per second;

the result sent to the processor is a number of cells per second; and

a result from the processor is the number of cells per second divided by the number of microliters per second to be a number of cells per microliter.

9. A microfluidic analyzer system comprising:

a fluidic circuit having an input port;

a flow sensor configured to also function as an instrumentation diagnostics sensor, the flow sensor connected to the input port;

a pump/pressure source having an output connected to the flow sensor;

a processor connected to the flow sensor and the fluidic circuit; and

a temperature sensor in fluid communication with the flow sensor;

a thermal conductivity sensor positioned in-line with the temperature sensor; and

a viscosity sensor positioned in-line with the thermal conductivity sensor; and

wherein the flow sensor includes an upstream temperature sensor, a thermally isolated heater, and a downstream temperature sensor, wherein the upstream and downstream temperature sensors are positioned on either side of the heater; and

wherein the processor adjusts a fluid flow rate in the fluidic circuit according to a temperature difference between the upstream and downstream temperature sensors.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the microfluidic analyzer is a hematology analyzer and the fluidic circuit is configured for hematology analysis.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein:

a flow rate at the flow sensor is sent to the processor;

a result at the fluidic circuit is sent to the processor; and

the processor performs result correction in accordance with the flow rate.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the flow rate is volume per time;

the result at the fluidic circuit is a count per time; and

a result from the processor is a count per volume.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the flow rate is a number of microliters per second;

the result sent to the processor is a number of cells per second; and

a result from the processor is the number of cells per second divided by the number of microliters per second to be a number of cells per microliter.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the processor provides a signal to the pump/pressure source; and

the processor performs closed-loop control of a flow rate, according to the flow sensor, provided by the pump/pressure source.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the flow rate is volume per time;

the result at the fluidic circuit is a count per time; and

a result from the processor is a count per volume.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the flow rate is a number of microliters per second;

the result sent to the processor is a number of cells per second; and

a result from the processor is the number of cells per second divided by the number of microliters per second to be a number of cells per microliter.