US 10,473,519 B2 · Radiated light filtering for a flow cytometer

Abstract

A filter mask for use in a flow cytometer includes light blocking features and light passing apertures. The flow cytometer operates to evaluate one or more characteristics of a sample by illuminating the sample and a carrier fluid and collecting light rays that are radiated from the sample and the carrier fluid. The light rays are passed through the filter mask. The light blocking features of the filter mask are arranged to selectively block radiated light at certain radiation angles, while permit light rays having other radiation angles to pass therethrough. A sensor analyzer receives the light rays that pass through to evaluate at least one characteristic of the sample. The light rays can also be separated into two beams, which can be independently filtered using different filter masks. The results can then be compared to provide even more information regarding characteristics of the sample.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A filter mask for use in a flow cytometer, the filter mask comprising:

a body having an origin point;
an outer blocker extending between an outer edge and an inner edge, the inner edge being positioned around the origin point;
a central blocker having outer edges that define an area overlapping the origin point, the outer edges of the central blocker being linear and parallel with one another;
and
apertures between the outer edges of the central blocker and the inner edge of the outer blocker, the apertures defined between an uninterrupted arc between the inner edge of the outer blocker and the linear outer edges of the central blocker, the apertures permitting light rays to pass through the body.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/152,643Filed 5 Oct 2018 · continuation

Priority

15 Mar 2013

Published

US 2019/0101438 A14 Apr 2019

Granted

12 Nov 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G01J 1/0488
Optical or mechanical part supplementary adjustable parts: with spectral filtering
G01N 15/1434
Optical investigation techniques, e.g. flow cytometry: optical arrangements
G01N 15/1459
Without spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle, e.g. processing of pulse signals: the analysis being performed on a…
G01N 21/53
Within a body or fluid: within a flowing fluid, e.g. smoke

Family

Application61/798,548Us provisional application · filed 15 Mar 2013

PCT/US2014/029058Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Mar 2014

Application15/878,527Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Jan 2018

US 9,885,603 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Feb 2018

US 2019/0101438 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Apr 2019

US 10,132,678 B2Parent of this continuation

Application14/776,878Parent of this continuation

US 2016/0025557 A1Published application

US 2018/0149517 A1Published application

US 10,473,519 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Radiated light filtering for a flow cytometer

Life of this patent

Radiated light filtering for a flow cytometer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18