Constant output fluidic system
AssigneeBecton, Dickinson and Company
InventorsDavid R. Vrane, Pierce Norton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for conditioning of fluid to minimize pulses from a pump source. A pump drives fluid from a vented fluid reservoir through a system including a combination of an attenuation tank and one or more orifice. Fluid is pumped into a plenum chamber that supplies fluid in a pulse free flow stream. A pressurized head over the fluid in the plenum chamber allows fluid delivery at a selected pressure. A volume sensor monitors the fluid level within the plenum tank and activates the pump if fluid level falls below a specified level.
Claims21
A system for providing a constant fluid flow from a reservoir fluid source, the system comprising;
- a pulsile pump that pumps fluid from said reservoir;
- a pulse attenuator in fluid communication with said pump, said attenuator dampening pulses of fluid;
- a plenum chamber receiving liquid from said attenuator;
- a volume sensor which senses fluid volume within said plenum chamber, said sensor activating said pump when said fluid volume within said plenum chamber falls below a specified level and deactivating said pump when said fluid volume within said plenum chamber is above a specified level;
- a pressurization source in fluid communication with said plenum chamber, said pressurization source providing a pressure head in said plenum chamber;
- and
- an outflow from said plenum chamber.
A system for delivery of constant flow liquid from a supply container, the system comprising:
- a fluid pump pumping fluid from the supply container;
- an attenuation chamber coupled by tubing to the pump;
- an orifice coupled by tubing to the pump such that fluid communicates with the attenuation chamber before passing through the orifice;
- a plenum chamber in fluid communication with said orifice such that pulse attenuated flow enters into said chamber;
- a volume sensor that senses fluid level within said plenum chamber and activates the pump to keep fluid level within the plenum chamber within a defined range;
- a pressurization source in fluid communication with said plenum chamber, said source providing a pressure head in said plenum chamber;
- and
- a plenum chamber outlet.
In a system for providing pulse free sheath flow fluid to a flow cytometer, said system including a pump, which withdraws fluid from a vented container and transfers fluid to a holding chamber along a fluid pathway, said holding chamber having a regulated pressure and having an outflow to a flow cytometer, an improvement wherein interposed between said pump and said holding chamber is a fluid pulse attenuator comprising an attenuation chamber and an orifice, wherein said fluid pathway gasses through said attenuation chamber and said orifice in series.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.