# US 10,309,891 B2 · Particle sorting apparatus, particle sorting method, and program

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- Number: US 10,309,891 B2
- Document ID: US10309891B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/028,419
- Filed: 2014-09-10
- Published: 2016-09-15
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-16
- Assignees: Sony Corporation
- Applicants: Sony Corporation
- Inventors: Yosuke Muraki; Fumitaka Otsuka; Yasunobu Kato
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309891B2

## CPC

- G01N 15/1404: Handling flow, e.g. hydrodynamic focusing
- B01L 3/0268: {using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries}
- B01L 3/502776: {specially adapted for focusing or laminating flows}
- B07C 5/342: according to optical properties, e.g. colour {(according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416)}
- G01N 15/1425: {using an analyser being characterised by its control arrangement}
- G01N 15/1436: {the optical arrangement forming an integrated apparatus with the sample container, e.g. a flow cell}
- B01L 3/502723: {characterised by venting arrangements}
- B01L 2200/0652: Sorting or classification of particles or molecules
- B01L 2400/0439: ultrasonic vibrations, vibrating piezo elements
- B03C 7/06: with cylindrical material carriers
- G01N 15/01: specially adapted for biological cells, e.g. blood cells (investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions in blood G01N15/05)
- G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream}
- G01N 15/1484: {microstructural devices}
- G01N 15/149: specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
- G01N 2015/1006: {for cytology}
- G01N 2015/1028: {Sorting particles}
- G01N 2015/142: {Acoustic or ultrasonic focussing}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12)
- B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B)

## Abstract

[Object] To provide a particle sorting apparatus, a particle sorting method, and a program that are capable of efficiently sorting particles even when sizes of particles to be sorted are not uniform. [Solving Means] A particle sorting apparatus includes a charge section that imparts charges to at least a part of droplets discharged from an orifice from which a fluid stream is generated, and a charge control section that adjusts a charge amount to be imparted to the droplets by the charge section. Further, the charge control section is structured to adjust the charge amount according to sizes of particles included in the droplets.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A particle sorting apparatus, comprising:
a charge section that imparts charges to at least a part of droplets discharged from an orifice from which a fluid stream is generated; and
a charge control section that adjusts a charge amount to be imparted by the charge section according to sizes of particles included in the droplets based on a result of scattered light emitted from the particles by irradiating light onto particles;
an image pickup device that picks up an image of a state of the droplets; and
a droplet judgment section that judges the state of the droplets from the image picked up by the image pickup device,
wherein the charge control section adjusts the charge amount when the droplet judgment section judges that an adjustment is necessary;
wherein the droplet judgment section judges that the adjustment is necessary when a small droplet not including the particles exists around the droplets including the particles;
wherein the sizes of the particles in the droplets are not uniform.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The particle sorting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
a forward-scattered light detection section that irradiates light onto particles flowing through a flow channel and detects forward-scattered light emitted from the particles by the light irradiation,
wherein the charge control section determines, based on a result of the detection by the forward-scattered light detection section, the charge amount to be imparted to the droplets including the particles.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The particle sorting apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the charge control section controls the charge section to:
impart a first charge amount to the droplets including the particles when an intensity of forward-scattered light detected by the forward-scattered light detection section is smaller than a preset threshold value; and
impart a second charge amount different from the first charge amount to the droplets including the particles when the intensity of forward-scattered light detected by the forward-scattered light detection section is equal to or larger than the preset threshold value.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The particle sorting apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the second charge amount is larger than the first charge amount.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The particle sorting apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the charge control section changes the charge amount to be imparted to the droplets including the particles in proportion to an intensity of forward-scattered light detected by the forward-scattered light detection section.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The particle sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the charge section includes a charge electrode that is provided while being in contact with a sheath fluid and/or a sample fluid flowing through a flow channel; and
the charge control section changes a voltage to be applied to the charge electrode to adjust the charge amount to be imparted to the droplets.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The particle sorting apparatus according to claim 6,
wherein the orifice is formed in a replaceable microchip, and the charge electrode is provided in a sheath fluid flow channel provided in the microchip.

### Claim 8

A particle sorting method, comprising the steps of:
imparting charges to at least a part of droplets discharged from an orifice from which a fluid stream is generated; and
adjusting a charge amount to be imparted to the droplets according to sizes of particles included in the droplets based on a result of scattered light emitted from the particles by irradiating light onto particles;
an image pickup device that picks up an image of a state of the droplets; and
a droplet judgment section that judges the state of the droplets from the image picked up by the image pickup device,
wherein the charge control section adjusts the charge amount when the droplet judgment section judges that an adjustment is necessary;
wherein the droplet judgment section judges that the adjustment is necessary when a small droplet not including the particles exists around the droplets including the particles;
wherein the sizes of the particles in the droplets are not uniform.

### Claim 9

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a charge control section of a particle sorting apparatus to execute
a function of adjusting, according to sizes of particles included in droplets discharged from an orifice from which a fluid stream is generated, a charge amount to be imparted to the droplets based on a result of scattered light emitted from the particles by irradiating light onto particles;
an image pickup device that picks up an image of a state of the droplets; and
a droplet judgment section that judges the state of the droplets from the image picked up by the image pickup device,
wherein the charge control section adjusts the charge amount when the droplet judgment section judges that an adjustment is necessary;
wherein the droplet judgment section judges that the adjustment is necessary when a small droplet not including the particles exists around the droplets including the particles;
wherein the sizes of the particles in the droplets are not uniform.