Fixed mounted sorting cuvette with user replaceable nozzle
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A flow cell for use with a flow cytometer comprising:
- a flow cell body;
a sample delivery tube extending into said flow cell body;
at least one sheath flow port on said flow cell body, said at least one port allowing introduction of a flow of sheath flow liquid through said flow cell body;
a cuvette having flat sides and a rectanaular cross-section, joined to the flow cell body;
a channel extending through the cuvette, said channel comprising an initial end and a terminal end, wherein liquid from said sample delivery tube and said at least one sheath flow port flows into said initial end of said channel; and
a removable nozzle at said terminal end of said channel through which said liquid from said sample delivery tube and said at least one sheath flow port flows out of said channel, wherein said removable nozzle is positioned on a removable nozzle key having hard planar surfaces on a top and on at least two sides, said nozzle held in a registered position on said flow cell, said registered position at a defined three-dimensional position and at a registered rotational orientation, wherein said nozzle is held in said registered position by contact between said hard planar surfaces of said nozzle key and said cuvette.
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Abstract
A flow cell and flow cytometer in which a nozzle at the end of a flow channel is disposed on a removable substrate held at a registered location on a flow cell. Other elements including illumination optics, light collection optics, and the flow cell may then be positioned at fixed locations and would not require subsequent periodic adjustment. The registered location for positioning the nozzle allows removal and replacement of the nozzle key with the nozzle subsequently positioned in the identical location.
48 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A flow cell for use with a flow cytometer comprising:
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a flow cell body; a sample delivery tube extending into said flow cell body; at least one sheath flow port on said flow cell body, said at least one port allowing introduction of a flow of sheath flow liquid through said flow cell body; a cuvette having flat sides and a rectanaular cross-section, joined to the flow cell body; a channel extending through the cuvette, said channel comprising an initial end and a terminal end, wherein liquid from said sample delivery tube and said at least one sheath flow port flows into said initial end of said channel; and a removable nozzle at said terminal end of said channel through which said liquid from said sample delivery tube and said at least one sheath flow port flows out of said channel, wherein said removable nozzle is positioned on a removable nozzle key having hard planar surfaces on a top and on at least two sides, said nozzle held in a registered position on said flow cell, said registered position at a defined three-dimensional position and at a registered rotational orientation, wherein said nozzle is held in said registered position by contact between said hard planar surfaces of said nozzle key and said cuvette. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A flow cytometer system comprising:
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(a) a flow cell, wherein said flow cell comprises a flow cell body; a sample delivery tube extending into said flow cell body; at least one sheath flow port on said flow cell body, said at least one port allowing introduction of a flow of sheath flow liquid through said flow cell body; a cuvette having flat sides and a rectangular cross-section, joined to the flow cell body; a channel extending through the cuvette, said channel comprising an initial end and a terminal end, said channel joined to said flow cell body such tat liquid from said sample delivery tube and said at least one sheath flow port flows into said initial end of said channel; and a removable nozzle at said terminal end of said channel through which said liquid from said sample delivery tube and said at least one sheath flow port flows out of said channel, wherein said removable nozzle is positioned on a removable nozzle key having hard planar surfaces on a top and on at least two sides said nozzle held in a registered position on said flow cell, said registered position at a defined three-dimensional position and at a registered rotational orientation, wherein said nozzle is held in said registered position by contact between said hard planar surfaces of said nozzle key and said cuvette; (b) illumination optics which focus and direct illumination light into said flow cell at an illumination region of said flow cell; and (c) light collection optics which collect light produced from targets in the channel of the flow cell and transmit collected light to detection optics. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification