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US 12,625,052 B2Granted
Nozzle sealing and unclog station for a flow cytometer
AssigneeLife Technologies Corporation
InventorsDaniel N Fox, Nathan M Fox, Rodney C Harris
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a system for use in a flow cytometer for unclogging obstructions in a nozzle from salt crystal formations and clumps of cells or debris. A nozzle system is moved to a docking station so that a nozzle tip is seated in the docking station. Deionized water is pushed through the nozzle in a reverse direction to a waste port so that the nozzle is flushed. The nozzle system can remain in the docked position during nonuse so that salt crystals do not form in or on the nozzle.
Claims7
A method of unclogging a flow cytometer, comprising:
- converting the flow cytometer from an operating state to a docking state such that in the docking state, a nozzle system of the flow cytometer is aligned with a docking station,
- the converting being effected by relative motion between the nozzle system and the docking position,
- the docking state being such that a nozzle tip of the nozzle system engages with a tip sealing cup of the docking station so as to form a seal between the tip sealing cup and the nozzle tip,
- the nozzle tip being in fluid communication with at least one fluid pathway of the nozzle system;
- with a rinse fluid pump, communicating a rinse fluid from said docking station to the nozzle tip so as to flush the nozzle tip and at least a portion of the at least one fluid pathway.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.