Fluid driving system for flow cytometry
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsCleopatra Cabuz, J. David Zook, Thomas Raymond Ohnstein, Ulrich Bonne, Eugen Loan Cabuz, Ernest Allen Satren
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid driving system for portable flow cytometers or other portable devices that accepts a less precise and less stable pressure source, and then adjusts the pressure in a closed-loop manner to maintain a constant, desired flow velocity. The fluid driving system may be used in portable or wearable cytometers for use in remote locations, such as at home or in the field.
Claims35
A fluid driving system, comprising:
- a non-precision pressure source for providing a pressure to a fluid in a fluid flow path, the pressure causing the fluid to have a velocity along the fluid flow path;
- valve means in fluid communication with the fluid flow path for regulating the pressure that is applied by the pressure source to the fluid in the fluid flow path;
- a flow sensor for measuring the velocity of the fluid at one or more locations along the fluid flow path;
- and
- control means coupled to the valve means and the flow sensor for controlling the valve means so that the velocity of the fluid in the fluid flow path is at a desired level.
A fluid driving system, comprising:
- two or more fluid flow paths;
- two or more non-precision pressure sources, each pressure source providing a pressure to a fluid in a corresponding one of the fluid flow paths, the pressure causing the fluid in each fluid flow path to have a velocity;
- two or more valves, each valve in fluid communication with a corresponding one of the fluid flow paths for regulating the pressure that is applied to the fluid in the corresponding fluid flow path;
- two or more flow sensors, each measuring the velocity of the fluid in a corresponding fluid flow path;
- and
- control means coupled to the two or more valves and the two or more flow sensors for controlling the two or more valves so that the velocity of the fluid in each of the fluid flow paths is at a desired level.
A method for providing a controlled flow stream from a non-precision pressure source, comprising:
- providing a non-precision pressure to a pressure chamber, which then provides a velocity to a flow stream;
- sensing the velocity of the flow stream;
- and
- alleviating the pressure in the pressure chamber if the velocity of the flow stream rises above a predetermined level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.