Alarm device of flow cytometer
By using the pressure differential protection component and bubble capture component of the flow cytometer alarm device, the problem of blockage or leakage in the sample loading tubing of the flow cytometer is solved, realizing automatic alarm and timely handling, and ensuring the normal operation of the instrument.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510794251.X
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-04
AI Technical Summary
When flow cytometers malfunction during sample loading, such as mismatched loading tubes, breakage, empty cell sample absorption, or blockage, the malfunctions are difficult to detect and require manual intervention.
A flow cytometer alarm device was designed. It uses a pressure differential protection component and a bubble capture component, a balance bar and an alarm to monitor the pressure difference and bubbles in the pipeline, and automatically alarms to remind staff of pipeline blockage or leakage. It also uses a photoelectric switch to detect bubbles and realize automatic alarm.
It enables timely detection and automatic alarm of blockage or leakage in the sample tubing of the flow cytometer, reducing manual intervention and ensuring normal instrument operation.
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Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the field of flow cytometry technology, in particular to a flow cytometry alarm device. BACKGROUND
[0002] Flow cytometer is a device for automatic analysis and sorting of cells. It can quickly measure, store, display a series of important biophysical and biochemical parameters of dispersed cells suspended in liquid, and can sort specified cell subgroups according to preselected parameter range.
[0003] In actual use, if the sample tube is not properly matched, the sample tube is cracked, the cell sample in the sample tube is sucked or blocked during the sample loading process of the flow cytometer, it will cause abnormal sample loading and it is not easy to detect. The above problems will cause the instrument pipeline to suck air or be blocked, causing instrument failure. These problems need to be discovered in time and manually stopped for re-sampling, which relies on manpower. SUMMARY
[0004] The purpose of the present application is to provide a flow cytometry alarm device to solve the problems raised in the background art.
[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the present application provides the following technical scheme: a flow cytometry alarm device, comprising a flow cytometer, wherein the flow cytometer is provided with an instrument pipeline, and the pressure differential protection assembly comprises a support cylinder, the top of the support cylinder is fixedly installed on the flow cytometer, the inner cavity of the support cylinder is respectively provided with an inlet bellows and an intermediate bellows, one end of the inlet bellows and the intermediate bellows is respectively connected with a bubble trapping assembly, the bottom of the bubble trapping assembly is provided with a connecting shaft, the bottom of the connecting shaft is rotatably connected with a balance bar, the two sides of the connecting shaft are respectively rotatably connected with connecting rods, one side of the two connecting rods is respectively rotatably connected with the intermediate bellows and the inlet bellows, one end of the instrument pipeline is connected with one end of the intermediate bellows, a connecting frame is installed on the support cylinder outside the intermediate bellows, an alarm is installed at the bottom of the connecting frame, a positioning sleeve is installed at the bottom of the connecting frame, an alarm rod is slidably connected in the inner cavity of the positioning sleeve, a support seat is fixedly installed on one side of the balance bar, and the bottom of the alarm rod is rotatably connected in the support seat.
[0006] As a further improvement of the present application, the connecting shaft is located at one third of the balance bar, and the alarm rod and the alarm are arranged on one side of the balance bar opposite to the side away from the connecting shaft and connected with the intermediate bellows.
[0007] As a further improvement of the present application, the upper and lower sides of one side of the balance bar are provided with the alarm rod, the support seat, the positioning sleeve, the alarm and the connecting frame in symmetrical distribution.
[0008] As a further improvement of the application, the outer sides of the inlet bellows and the intermediate bellows are in contact with the inner wall of the support cylinder, respectively.
[0009] As a further improvement of the application, the bubble capturing assembly comprises a U-shaped tube, a moving cylinder, a floating ball, a liquid passage, and a photoelectric switch, two ends of the U-shaped tube are connected with the top end of the intermediate bellows and the inlet bellows, respectively, the outer side of the U-shaped tube is fixedly connected with the support cylinder, the bottom of the inner cavity of the U-shaped tube is fixedly installed with the moving cylinder, the outer side of the moving cylinder is provided with the liquid passage, the inner cavity of the moving cylinder is placed with the floating ball, and the top of the U-shaped tube is installed with the photoelectric switch above the moving cylinder.
[0010] As a further improvement of the application, the inner cavity of the U-shaped tube is uniformly distributed with a plurality of moving cylinders, floating balls, and photoelectric switches, and the densities of the moving cylinders are different.
[0011] As a further improvement of the application, the top of the balance bar is provided with a counterweight adjusting assembly, the counterweight adjusting assembly comprises a moving groove, a threaded rod, and a counterweight, the top of the balance bar is provided with the moving groove, the inner cavity of the moving groove is installed with the threaded rod, and the outer side of the threaded rod is threadedly connected with the counterweight.
[0012] As a further improvement of the application, the side of the support cylinder is provided with a square port for connecting rod movement.
[0013] Compared with the prior art, the application has the following beneficial effects: The flow cytometer alarm device is connected by the balance bar and the connecting rod between the inlet bellows and the intermediate bellows, one side of the balance bar is provided with an alarm rod, a positioning sleeve, and an alarm, the inlet bellows is used for monitoring the sample inlet pressure, the intermediate bellows is used for monitoring the middle section pressure of the flow path, the pressure difference of the two directly reflects whether the pipeline is blocked or leaked, when the pressure difference is out of limit, the imbalance of the balance bar drives the alarm rod to move and contact the alarm to alarm, so as to remind the staff that the pipeline is blocked or leaked, and the staff can timely find and manually stop and re-sample. When the liquid in the U-shaped tube has bubbles passing through, the bubbles will overcome the viscous resistance of the liquid and move upward in the U-shaped tube, drive the floating ball to move upward, make the moving cylinder contact the photoelectric switch, and trigger the alarm to remind the staff that bubbles are generated in the liquid. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] In order to make the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art clearer, the accompanying drawings needed in the embodiments or prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description only need to be some embodiments of the present application, and for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained without creative work.
[0015] Figure 1 It is a whole structure schematic diagram of a flow cytometer alarm device of the present application. Figure 2 It is a lower structure schematic diagram of a support cylinder of a flow cytometer alarm device of the present application. Figure 3 It is an inlet bellows structure schematic diagram of a flow cytometer alarm device of the present application. Figure 4 It is a pressure differential protection group structure schematic diagram of a flow cytometer alarm device of the present application. Figure 5 It is an explosion view of a counterweight adjusting assembly of a flow cytometer alarm device of the present application. Figure 6 It is a U-shaped tube cross-sectional view of a flow cytometer alarm device of the present application.
[0016] In the figure: 1, flow cytometer; 2, instrument pipeline; 3, pressure differential protection assembly; 31, support cylinder; 32, alarm; 33, inlet bellows; 34, middle bellows; 35, connecting shaft; 36, balance bar; 37, connecting bar; 38, alarm bar; 39, support seat; 310, connecting frame; 311, positioning sleeve; 4, bubble capture assembly; 41, U-shaped tube; 42, moving cylinder; 43, floating ball; 44, liquid port; 45, photoelectric switch; 5, counterweight adjusting assembly; 51, moving groove; 52, threaded rod; 53, counterweight block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all the other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work belong to the protection scope of the present application.
[0018] Please refer to Figures 1-6The application provides a flow cytometer alarm device, which comprises a flow cytometer 1, an instrument pipeline 2 arranged on the flow cytometer 1, and a pressure differential protection assembly 3. The top of a supporting cylinder 31 is fixedly installed on the flow cytometer 1, and the inner cavity of the supporting cylinder 31 is respectively provided with an inlet bellows 33 and an intermediate bellows 34. One end of the inlet bellows 33 and the intermediate bellows 34 is respectively connected with a bubble trapping assembly 4. The bottom of the bubble trapping assembly 4 is provided with a connecting shaft 35, the bottom of the connecting shaft 35 is rotatably connected with a balance lever 36, and the two sides of the connecting shaft 35 are respectively rotatably connected with connecting rods 37. One side of each of the two connecting rods 37 is rotatably connected with the intermediate bellows 34 and the inlet bellows 33. One end of the instrument pipeline 2 is connected with one end of the intermediate bellows 34. A connecting frame 310 is arranged on the supporting cylinder 31 outside the intermediate bellows 34. An alarm 32 is arranged at the bottom of the connecting frame 310. A positioning sleeve 311 is arranged at the bottom of the connecting frame 310. An alarm rod is slidably connected in the inner cavity of the positioning sleeve 311. A supporting seat 39 is fixedly arranged on one side of the balance lever 36. The bottom of the supporting seat 39 is rotatably connected with the alarm rod 38. The balance lever 36 is connected with the connecting rods 37 between the inlet bellows 33 and the intermediate bellows 34. One side of the balance lever 36 is provided with the alarm rod 38, the positioning sleeve 311 and the alarm 32. The inlet bellows 33 is used for monitoring sample inlet pressure, and the intermediate bellows 34 is used for monitoring flow path middle section pressure. The pressure difference directly reflects whether the pipeline is blocked or leaked. When the pressure difference is out of limit, the imbalance of the balance lever 36 drives the alarm rod 38 to move and contact with the alarm 32, so that alarm is given, thereby reminding the staff that the pipeline is blocked or leaked, and the staff can timely find and manually stop the pipeline to re-sample.
[0019] A turbine type flow sensor (not shown in the figure) is arranged in the instrument pipeline 2 and connected with a reed relay. A basic flow rate of 0.5-10 mL / min continuously adjustable is set through an adjustable resistor. When the flow rate is less than 50% or more than 150% of the set value, a metal spring mechanical switch is triggered, so that the flow cytometer 1 is controlled to be closed and liquid pumping is stopped.
[0020] The connecting shaft 35 is located at one third of the balance lever 36. The alarm rod 38 and the alarm 32 are arranged on one side of the balance lever 36 and connected with the intermediate bellows 34. The connecting shaft 35 is located at one third of the balance lever 36, so that the pressure difference sensitivity is amplified.
[0021] The alarm rod 38, the supporting seat 39, the positioning sleeve 311, the alarm 32 and the connecting frame 310 are symmetrically arranged on the upper side and the lower side of the balance lever 36. The alarm 32 is arranged on the upper side and the lower side of the balance lever 36. When the balance lever 36 is rotated under the condition of blockage or leakage, the alarm 32 can give an alarm.
[0022] The outer sides of the inlet bellows 33 and the intermediate bellows 34 are in contact with the inner wall of the support cylinder 31 respectively. The outer sides of the inlet bellows 33 and the intermediate bellows 34 are in contact with the inner wall of the support cylinder 31 respectively, which limits the intermediate bellows 34 and the inlet bellows 33, so that the inlet bellows 33 and the intermediate bellows 34 can only move up and down under the change of pressure.
[0023] The bubble capturing assembly 4 comprises a U-shaped tube 41, a moving cylinder 42, a floating ball 43, a liquid passage 44 and a photoelectric switch 45, both ends of the U-shaped tube 41 are connected with the top end of the intermediate bellows 34 and the inlet bellows 33 respectively, the outer side of the U-shaped tube 41 is fixedly connected with the support cylinder 31, the bottom of the inner cavity of the U-shaped tube 41 is fixedly installed with the moving cylinder 42, the outer side of the moving cylinder 42 is provided with the liquid passage 44, the inner cavity of the moving cylinder 42 is placed with the floating ball 43, and the top of the U-shaped tube 41 is installed with the photoelectric switch 45 above the moving cylinder 42; the photoelectric switch 45 is signal connected with the alarm 32, and the photoelectric switch 45 can be controlled to give an alarm. The inner cavity of the U-shaped tube 41 is provided with the floating ball 43, when the liquid in the U-shaped tube 41 passes through the bubble, the bubble will overcome the viscous resistance of the liquid and move upward in the U-shaped tube 41, which will drive the floating ball 43 to move upward, so that the moving cylinder 42 is in contact with the photoelectric switch 45, thereby triggering the alarm to remind the staff that there is a bubble in the liquid.
[0024] The inner cavity of the U-shaped tube 41 is uniformly provided with a plurality of moving cylinders 42, floating balls 43 and photoelectric switches 45, and the densities of the plurality of moving cylinders 42 are different. By arranging a plurality of moving cylinders 42 with different densities, the device can detect the size of different bubbles.
[0025] The top of the balance rod 36 is provided with a counterweight adjusting assembly 5, the counterweight adjusting assembly 5 comprises a moving groove 51, a threaded rod 52 and a counterweight block 53, the top of the balance rod 36 is provided with the moving groove 51, the inner cavity of the moving groove 51 is installed with the threaded rod 52, and the outer side of the threaded rod 52 is threadedly connected with the counterweight block 53. The balance rod 36 is provided with the counterweight block 53, and the rotation of the counterweight block 53 can drive the counterweight block 53 to move in the moving groove 51, so as to adjust the position of the counterweight block 53, thereby adjusting the sensitivity of the balance rod 36.
[0026] The side of the support cylinder 31 is provided with a square port, and the square port is used for connecting the rod 37 to move. The square port is arranged, so as not to affect the swing of the balance rod 36 under the condition of limiting by the support cylinder 31.
[0027] Working principle: when using the device, the counterweight block 53 is rotated, the counterweight block 53 is moved to a suitable position by thread connection between the counterweight block 53 and the threaded rod 52, and the balance position of the balance rod 36 is adjusted. The bottom of the inlet bellows 33 is connected with the sample tube, and the instrument pipeline 2, the inlet bellows 33, the intermediate bellows 34 and the U-shaped tube 41 are extracted by the flow cytometer 1, and the liquid in the sample tube is extracted into the flow cytometer 1 for automatic analysis and sorting of cells; When the pipeline connected with the instrument pipeline 2 is blocked or leaked, the liquid pressure in the intermediate bellows 34 and the inlet bellows 33 changes, the intermediate bellows 34 and the inlet bellows 33 move in the supporting cylinder 31, the connecting rod 37 changes the balance of the balance rod 36, the balance rod 36 swings, the alarm rod 38 on the balance rod 36 contacts the alarm 32, and the alarm is triggered to remind the staff to close the flow cytometer 1 in time; When the liquid in the U-shaped tube 41 has bubbles passing through, the bubbles overcome the viscous resistance of the liquid and move upward in the U-shaped tube 41, drive the floating ball 43 to move upward, and make the moving cylinder 42 contact the photoelectric switch 45, so as to trigger the alarm to remind the staff that bubbles are generated in the liquid.
[0028] Although the embodiments of the present application have been shown and described, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, replacements and variations can be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirits of the present application, and the scope of the present application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A flow cytometer alarm device, comprising a flow cytometer (1), characterized in that, The flow cytometer (1) is equipped with instrument tubing (2). The pressure differential protection assembly (3) includes a support cylinder (31). The top of the support cylinder (31) is fixedly installed on the flow cytometer (1). The inner cavity of the support cylinder (31) is provided with an inlet bellows (33) and an intermediate bellows (34). One end of the inlet bellows (33) and the intermediate bellows (34) are respectively connected to a bubble trap assembly (4). The bottom of the bubble trap assembly (4) is provided with a connecting shaft (35). A balance rod (36) is rotatably connected to the bottom of the connecting shaft (35). Connecting rods (37) are rotatably connected to both sides of the connecting shaft (35). One side of the connecting rod (37) is rotatably connected to the intermediate corrugated pipe (34) and the inlet corrugated pipe (33). One end of the instrument pipeline (2) is connected to one end of the intermediate corrugated pipe (34). A connecting frame (310) is installed on the support cylinder (31) outside the intermediate corrugated pipe (34). An alarm (32) is installed at the bottom of the connecting frame (310). A positioning sleeve (311) is installed at the bottom of the connecting frame (310). An alarm rod (38) is slidably connected to the inner cavity of the positioning sleeve (311). A support base (39) is fixedly installed on one side of the balance rod (36). The bottom of the alarm rod (38) is rotatably connected inside the support base (39).
2. The flow cytometer alarm device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting shaft (35) is located at one-third of the position of the balance bar (36). An alarm bar (38) and an alarm (32) are provided on one side of the balance bar (36) relative to the side away from the connecting shaft (35) and are connected to the intermediate bellows (34).
3. The flow cytometer alarm device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The balance bar (36) has symmetrically distributed alarm bars (38), support bases (39), positioning sleeves (311), alarms (32) and connecting frames (310) on its upper and lower sides.
4. The flow cytometer alarm device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer sides of the inlet bellows (33) and the middle bellows (34) are in contact with the inner wall of the support cylinder (31), respectively.
5. A flow cytometer alarm device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bubble capture assembly (4) includes a U-shaped tube (41), a movable cylinder (42), a float (43), a liquid inlet (44), and a photoelectric switch (45). The two ends of the U-shaped tube (41) are connected to the top ends of the intermediate corrugated tube (34) and the inlet corrugated tube (33), respectively. The outer side of the U-shaped tube (41) is fixedly connected to the support cylinder (31). The movable cylinder (42) is fixedly installed at the bottom of the inner cavity of the U-shaped tube (41). The liquid inlet (44) is opened on the outer side of the movable cylinder (42). The float (43) is placed in the inner cavity of the movable cylinder (42). The photoelectric switch (45) located above the movable cylinder (42) is installed at the top of the U-shaped tube (41).
6. A flow cytometer alarm device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The inner cavity of the U-shaped tube (41) is uniformly distributed with multiple movable cylinders (42), floats (43) and photoelectric switches (45), and the density of the multiple movable cylinders (42) is different.
7. A flow cytometer alarm device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the balance bar (36) is provided with a counterweight adjustment assembly (5). The counterweight adjustment assembly (5) includes a moving groove (51), a threaded rod (52) and a counterweight block (53). The top of the balance bar (36) is provided with a moving groove (51). The inner cavity of the moving groove (51) is equipped with a threaded rod (52), and the outer side of the threaded rod (52) is threadedly connected to the counterweight block (53).
8. A flow cytometer alarm device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support cylinder (31) has a square opening on its side, which is used for the movement of the connecting rod (37).