Fluid mixing and rinsing system for a flow cytometer
AssigneeBio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsDaniel Nelson Fox, Nathan Michael Gaskill-Fox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a system that can mix deionized water and concentrated sheath fluid to provide sheath fluid in a flow cytometer system having a desired concentration. Flow rates are low, which substantially match the flow rate of sheath fluid through the nozzle, so that turbulence and air bubbles are not formed in the sheath fluid. The available deionized water is then used for back flushing and removal of sample cells and deposited salts from the sheath fluid.
Claims18
A method of mixing deionized water and concentrated sheath fluid in a flow cytometer comprising:
- supplying deionized water from a first container;
- supplying concentrated sheath fluid from a second container;
- pumping the deionized water and the concentrated sheath fluid into a reservoir at a rate that is sufficiently slow to substantially eliminate turbulence that causes bubbles to form in the reservoir;
- and
- controlling a first valve that is connected to the first container in a first position and the second container in a second position so that the first valve is disposed in the first position until a predetermined amount of the deionized water is supplied to the reservoir and the first valve is disposed in the second position until a predetermined amount of the concentrated sheath fluid is supplied to the reservoir to produce sheath fluid having a predetermined concentration in the reservoir.
A method for mixing deionized water in a first container and sheath fluid concentrate with a first concentration in a second container, the method comprising:
- pumping, using a pump that is fluidically interposed between a valve and a pressurized reservoir, deionized water in the first container and concentrated sheath fluid in the second container into the pressurized reservoir at a flowrate that is sufficiently slow that substantially no bubbles form in the pressurized reservoir, wherein the valve has a first input that is fluidically coupled to the first container, wherein the valve has a second input that is fluidically coupled to the second container, wherein the valve is configured to allow deionized water in the first container to flow through an output to the pressurized reservoir when in a first position, and wherein the valve is configured to allow concentrated sheath fluid in the second container to flow through the output to the pressurized reservoir when in a second position;
- and
- maintaining a concentration of a mixture of the deionized water and the concentrated sheath fluid in the pressurized reservoir such that the mixture has a concentration of sheath fluid less than the first concentration by repeatedly switching the valve between the first position, thereby supplying a first amount of deionized water by the pump to the pressurized reservoir, and the second position, thereby supplying a second amount of concentrated sheath fluid by the pump to the pressurized reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.