# US 2023/0053597 A1 · Optimizing method of suction condition of microparticle and microparticle fractionating device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0053597 A1 - Document ID: US20230053597A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/982,094 - Filed: 2022-11-07 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-24 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation - Applicants: Sony Group Corporation - Inventors: Gakuji Hashimoto; Tatsumi Ito; Kazuya Takahashi; Junji Kajihara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230053597A1 ## CPC - G01N 15/1484: {microstructural devices} - B01L 3/502761: {specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads or physically stretching molecules} - G01N 15/1012: {Calibrating particle analysers; References therefor} - G01N 15/1436: {the optical arrangement forming an integrated apparatus with the sample container, e.g. a flow cell} - G01N 15/1459: {the analysis being performed on a sample stream} - G01N 37/00: Details not covered by any other group of this subclass - B01L 3/502776: {specially adapted for focusing or laminating flows} - B01L 2200/0652: Sorting or classification of particles or molecules - B01L 2400/0439: ultrasonic vibrations, vibrating piezo elements - G01N 15/149: specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties - G01N 2015/1006: {for cytology} - 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 ## Abstract To provide a technology of optimizing a suction condition of a microparticle. The present technology provides an optimizing method of a suction condition of a microparticle including: a particle number counting step of detecting a time point when a microparticle passes through a predetermined position on a main flow path through which liquid containing the microparticle flows, sucking the microparticle from the main flow path to a microparticle suction flow path by the microparticle suction flow path with a predetermined suction force, and counting the number of microparticles sucked into the microparticle suction flow path; and a step of determining an elapsed time from passage through the predetermined position with which the suction by the microparticle suction flow path should be performed on the basis of a time from the time point when the microparticle passes through the predetermined position on the main flow path until the suction is performed and the number of counted microparticles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microparticle separation device comprising: circuitry configured to determine a first time period from when microparticles pass a position in a main flow path to when suction by a microparticle suction flow path should be performed, based on: a second time period from when the microparticles have passed the position in the main flow path to when a previous suction has been performed and a number of microparticles that have been counted. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the microparticles are sucked from the main flow path into the microparticles suction flow path with a suction force applied by the microparticles suction flow path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a particle counter configured to count a number of microparticles sucked into a microparticle suction flow path. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a light irradiation unit configured to irradiate the microparticles with light at two irradiation positions, wherein the circuitry is configured to calculate a speed of the microparticles based on a distance between the two irradiation positions and a time period required for the microparticles to pass between the two irradiation positions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a piezoelectric element configured to perform suction by means of the microparticle suction flow path by creating a negative pressure in the microparticle suction flow path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the microparticles are sorted under a condition that suction by the microparticle suction flow path is performed at a suction force when the first time period elapses, and as a result of sorting, a number of microparticles is counted, and a number of microparticles sucked into a microparticle suction flow path is counted, wherein counting is repeated with a third time period longer or shorter than the first time period. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the third time period is set based on one or more of: a size of a microchip in which the main flow path is provided, an area to which the suction force will extend when a suction force is applied, and at least one tolerance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6, wherein the third time period is incrementally increased or decreased at a rate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the rate is between 0.1% and 1%. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein the third time period is increased or decreased in a number of steps. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a time when a counted number of microparticles is a highest among repeated particle counts as when the suction should be performed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to, when there is a plurality of times when the number of microparticles is highest, determine any time from the plurality of times as a time at which suction should be performed, or determine a median value from the plurality of times as the time at which the suction should be performed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein a microparticle sorting procedure is performed under a condition that suction by the microparticle suction flow path is performed at a suction force, and as a result of performing the sorting procedure, a number of microparticles is counted, and a number of microparticles sucked into a microparticle suction flow path is counted, and counting is repeated with the suction force increasing or decreasing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the suction force is set based on one or more of: specifications of suction means provided in the microparticle suction flow path, a size of a microchip in which the main flow path is provided, an area covered by the suction force when the suction force is applied, and tolerances. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein the suction force is incrementally increased or decreased at a rate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the rate is between 1% and 10%. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The device of claim 15, wherein the suction force is increased or decreased in a number of steps. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a time and a suction force when a counted number of microparticles is highest and the suction force is lowest as the elapsed time and the suction force to be applied when the suction is to be performed. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry uses a combination of time and suction force when a number of microparticles are counted. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a reduced suction force to be applied. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a median of a plurality of times as the time at which suction should be performed. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein in a case where two or more combinations of time and the previous suction force exist, the circuitry is configured to determine a combination of time and suction force from among these combinations as a time at which suction should be performed and as a suction force to be applied. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a light irradiation unit configured to irradiate light onto the microparticles flowing through the main flow path. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect scattered light or fluorescence emitted from the microparticles. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The device of claim 24, further comprising a separator configured to control a direction of movement of the microparticles through the main flow path based on detection by the detection unit. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The device of claim 25, wherein the light irradiated by the light irradiation unit is two lights of different wavelengths or two lights of a same wavelength. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The device of claim 26, wherein the circuitry is configured to calculate a speed of the microparticles in the main flow path based on a distance between the two lights and a time period taken by the microparticles to pass between the two lights. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, further comprising a camera observation system for observing the device and a transillumination system for illuminating a field of view observed by the camera observation system. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein particle counting is repeatedly performed by changing a time from a point at which the microparticles pass a position in the main flow path to a point at which the suction is performed. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The device of claim 29, wherein the particle counting is repeatedly performed by changing suction force. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The device of claim 30, wherein when particle counting is repeatedly performed, suction force is decreased in steps at a rate and repeats the particle counting until a number of microparticles sucked in the microparticle suction flow path reaches zero for any elapsed time. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The device of claim 31, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a suction force that is increased by a percentage from a suction force that results in 0 for any elapsed time as suction force to apply. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The device of claim 32, wherein the circuitry is configured to calculate a success rate of suction of microparticles into the microparticle suction flow path based on a number of microparticles counted by repeatedly performing particle counting, and to determine, based on the success rate, a time period from when the microparticles passed a position at which suction by the microparticle suction flow path should occur. ### Claim 34 A method for determining microparticle suction, the method comprising: determining a first time at which microparticles pass a position in a main flow path, wherein the microparticles are sucked from the main flow path into a microparticles suction flow path with a suction force by the microparticles suction flow path; counting a number of particles that are sucked into the microparticle suction flow path; and determining a first time period from when the microparticles pass the position in the main flow path to when suction by the microparticle suction flow path should be performed, based on: a time or distance from when the microparticles have passed the position in the main flow path to when the suction is performed, and the number of microparticles counted. ### Claim 35 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform: determining a first time at which microparticles pass a position in a main flow path, wherein the microparticles are sucked from the main flow path into a microparticles suction flow path with a suction force by the microparticles suction flow path; counting a number of particles that are sucked into the microparticle suction flow path; and determining a first time period from when the microparticles pass the position in the main flow path to when suction by the microparticle suction flow path should be performed, based on: a time or distance from when the microparticles have passed the position in the main flow path to when the suction is performed, and the number of microparticles counted.