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US 4,281,924 AGranted
Reflector for the laser beam of a particle analyzer
AssigneeCoulter Electronics, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Auer, Wallace H. Coulter
Life of this patent
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AssigneeCoulter Electronics, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Auer, Wallace H. Coulter
Estimating the term…
An apparatus and method for illuminating particles, wherein a source of illumination provides a beam of illuminating radiation which perpendicularly intersects a stream of liquid having the particles suspended therein. The illuminator apparatus comprises a concave reflector surface having a center of curvature and an optical axis which is disposed perpendicularly relative to the stream and with the beam being positioned thereon. The stream of liquid defines a cylindrical lens having a focus positioned at the center of curvature. In operation, the illuminating radiation illuminates the particles, is refracted by the stream so as to converge to a focus, passes from that focus to a concave reflector surface, and reflects from the concave reflector surface back to the focus, so as to impinge upon the stream for a second time, to further illuminate the particles.
In an apparatus for analyzing particles suspended in a liquid of the type having means for providing a substantially cylindrical stream of the liquid and means for impinging the stream with a beam of illuminating radiation to create detectable signals from the particles, the improvement comprising:
In a method of analyzing particles wherein the particles suspended in a substantially cylindrical stream of liquid are illuminated by a beam of illuminating radiation to produce detectable optical signals and the illuminating radiation which passes through the stream substantially converges to a focus created by the stream of liquid, the improvement comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.