Fluid handling system for a fluid flow instrument
AssigneeCytonome/St, LLC
InventorsChristopher D. Lofstrom, Coby S. Hughey, Blair D. Morad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid handling system for supplying a working fluid to a fluid flow instrument is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to receive sensor signals indicative of a deformation of a flexible barrier located between a control fluid volume containing a control fluid and a working fluid volume containing the working fluid. Based on the sensor signals, the controller may send signals to control the operation of a working fluid flow generator in order to regulate or control the fluid characteristic of the working fluid being provided to the fluid flow instrument.
Claims25
A method of controlling a fluid handling system to supply a working fluid to a fluid flow instrument, the method comprising:
- receiving a compressible control fluid into a control fluid volume of a flow regulator;
- supplying a first quantity of a substantially incompressible working fluid having a first pulse peak-to-peak value from a peristaltic pump to a working fluid volume of the flow regulator, the peristaltic pump having a first rotor and a second rotor attached to a common drive shaft, wherein shoes attached to the first rotor are rotationally staggered from shoes attached to the second rotor;
- sending a sensor signal from a sensor to a controller, the sensor signal indicative of a position of a flexible barrier located between the control fluid volume containing the control fluid and the substantially incompressible working fluid volume containing the working fluid;
- sending a control signal from the controller to the peristaltic pump;
- controlling the peristaltic pump;
- discharging a second quantity of the substantially incompressible working fluid having a second pulse peak-to-peak value from the working fluid volume of the flow regulator;
- wherein the second pulse peak-to-peak value is less than the first pulse peak-to-peak value, and
- wherein the control signal is determined, at least in part, as a function of the difference between the sensed position of the flexible barrier and a nominal position of the flexible barrier.
A fluid handling system comprising:
- a peristaltic pump having a first rotor and a second rotor attached to a common drive shaft with shoes attached to the first rotor rotationally staggered from shoes attached to the second rotor;
- a flow regulator having a control fluid volume to receive a compressible control fluid, a working fluid volume to receive a substantially incompressible working fluid, and a flexible barrier positioned between the control fluid volume and the working fluid volume;
- a sensor to provide a sensor signal indicative of a position of the flexible barrier;
- and
- a controller to receive the sensor signal from the sensor, the controller providing control signals to the peristaltic pump that are determined, at least in part, as a function of the difference between the sensed position of the flexible barrier and a nominal position of the flexible barrier,
- wherein the peristaltic pump supplies a first quantity of substantially incompressible working fluid having a first pulse peak-to-peak value to the working fluid volume of the flow regulator;
- and
- wherein the controller controls the peristaltic pump to discharge a second quantity of the substantially incompressible working fluid having a second pulse peak-to-peak value that is less than the first pulse peak-to-peak value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.