Light source module for flow cytometer

Abstract

The utility model discloses a light source module for a flow cytometer, which comprises an optical module base, a plurality of spectroscope components and color filter components are vertically mounted in a slot on the optical module base, and a PMT component is mounted in each dovetail groove on the side surface of the optical module base. One side surface of the optical module base is provided with a hole connected with an optical fiber. According to the light source module provided by the utility model, the basic structural parts all adopt the 3D printing technology, the structural precision is high, and the processing cost is low; an optical system in the device is compact in spatial layout, the lens assembly can be plugged, complex optical debugging is not needed, operation is convenient, and cooperation is stable and reliable. The light source is conducted in a closed space, crosstalk of an external light source is avoided, the light path is stable, and the signal-to-noise ratio is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the fields of optics and machinery, and particularly relates to a light source module for signal detection of a flow cytometer. Background Technique

[0002] A flow cytometer is a device for automatically analyzing and sorting cells. Flow cytometry is a technology for analyzing cells with various applications, including different applications such as cell counting, phenotype analysis, cell cycle assessment, and viability detection. The light generated by the laser in the flow cytometer is scattered by the cells in the sample, measured by a detector, and then converted into a signal that can be analyzed and measured.

[0003] Currently, common flow cytometers on the market have a bloated spatial layout of the optical system, a complex optical path adjustment method, and a great influence of environmental vibration on the stability of the optical module. Content of the Utility Model

[0004] In view of the above technical problems in the related art, the utility model provides a light source module for a flow cytometer, which can solve the above problems.

[0005] To achieve the above technical purpose, the technical solution of the utility model is realized as follows:

[0006] A light source module for a flow cytometer includes an optical module base. A plurality of beam splitter assemblies and filter assemblies are vertically installed in the slots on the optical module base. The beam splitter assembly consists of a beam splitter bracket, a beam splitter, and an O-ring I; the filter assembly consists of a filter bracket, a filter, and an O-ring II; a PMT assembly is installed in each dovetail groove on the side of the optical module base, and one side of the optical module base is provided with an opening for connecting an optical fiber.

[0007] Further, both the optical module base and the bracket are made by 3D printing technology.

[0008] Further, the optical module includes three beam splitter assemblies, four filter assemblies, and four PMT assemblies; the three assemblies of the beam splitter assembly respectively correspond to three wavelengths of 552 nm, 650 nm, and 740 nm; the four assemblies of the filter assembly respectively correspond to four wavelengths of 520 nm, 585 nm, 635 nm, and 785 nm.

[0009] Further, the optical module base is designed with a light source inlet for connecting the optical fiber; a beam splitter assembly slot, a filter assembly slot, and a PMT assembly slot are opened in the middle of the optical module base, and an expansion slot is reserved; the beam splitter assembly slot and the filter assembly slot adopt a foolproof design.

[0010] Furthermore, the beam splitter bracket is of an integral structure. The beam splitter bracket is hermetically fixed in the beam splitter component slot on the optical module base through an O-ring I; a circular opening is provided at the center of the lower half of the beam splitter bracket, and the beam splitter is placed outside the opening of the beam splitter bracket.

[0011] Furthermore, the color filter bracket is of an integral structure. The color filter bracket is hermetically fixed in the color filter component slot on the optical module base through an O-ring II; a circular opening is provided at the center of the lower half of the color filter bracket, and the color filter is placed outside the opening of the color filter bracket.

[0012] Furthermore, the PMT component includes a square PMT. A PMT mounting part is threadedly connected to the front end of the PMT. The PMT component abuts against the PMT component slot on the side of the optical module base through the PMT mounting part and an O-ring III.

[0013] Beneficial effects:

[0014] The present utility model provides a light source module for a flow cytometer. The basic structural components all adopt 3D printing technology, with high structural precision and low processing costs; the spatial layout of the optical system inside the device is compact, the lens components are pluggable, without complex optical debugging, convenient to operate, and with stable and reliable cooperation; the light source is conducted in a closed space, without crosstalk from external light sources, the optical path is stable, and it has a high signal-to-noise ratio. Description of the drawings

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present utility model or the prior art, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required to be used in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0016] The following will further describe the present utility model in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a light source module for a flow cytometer;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the optical path inside a light source module device for a flow cytometer;

[0019] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the optical module base in a light source module for a flow cytometer;

[0020] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the beam splitter component in a light source module for a flow cytometer;

[0021] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of a filter component in a light source module for a flow cytometer;

[0022] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of a PMT component in a light source module for a flow cytometer.

[0023] The markings in the figure are as follows: 1. Optical module base; 2. Beam splitter assembly; 3. Filter component; 4. PMT component; 5. Optical fiber; 6. Optical path; 101. Light source inlet; 102. Beam splitter assembly slot; 103. Filter component slot; 104. PMT component slot; 105. Spare expansion slot; 201. Beam splitter bracket; 202. Beam splitter; 203. O-ring I; 301. Filter bracket; 302. Filter; 303. O-ring II; 401. PMT; 402. PMT mounting part; 403. O-ring III; 404. Screw. Specific embodiments

[0024] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the technical solution of the light source module for a flow cytometer of the present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the specification and through specific embodiments.

[0025] As Figure 1 shown, the light source module for a flow cytometer includes an optical module base 1. A plurality of beam splitter assemblies 2 and filter components 3 are vertically installed in the slots on the optical module base 1. The beam splitter assembly 2 is composed of a beam splitter bracket 201, a beam splitter 202 and an O-ring I 203; the filter component 3 is composed of a filter bracket 301, a filter 302 and an O-ring II 303; a PMT component 4 is installed in the dovetail groove on the side of the optical module base 1, and one side of the optical module base 1 is provided with an opening to connect an optical fiber 5.

[0026] The above-mentioned optical module base 1 and brackets are all made by 3D printing technology. It has high structural precision and low processing cost.

[0027] The above-mentioned optical module includes three groups of beam splitter assemblies 2, four groups of filter components 3 and four groups of PMT components 4; the three components of the beam splitter assembly 2 respectively correspond to three wavelengths of 552 nm, 650 nm and 740 nm; the four components of the filter component 3 respectively correspond to four wavelengths of 520 nm, 585 nm, 635 nm and 785 nm.

[0028] As Figure 3As shown in the figure, the optical module base is designed with a light source inlet 101 connected to the optical fiber 5; in the middle of the optical module base, there are a beam splitter assembly slot 102, a color filter assembly slot 103, and a PMT assembly slot 104, and an expansion slot 105 is reserved; the beam splitter assembly slot 102 and the color filter assembly slot 103 adopt a foolproof design. The beam splitter assembly and the color filter assembly have a high matching precision with the base slot, and can meet the design requirements without optical path calibration and debugging.

[0029] As Figure 4 shown in the figure, the beam splitter bracket 201 is an integral structure. The beam splitter bracket 201 is hermetically fixed in the beam splitter assembly slot 102 on the optical module base 1 through an O-ring 203; a circular opening is provided in the center of the lower half of the beam splitter bracket 201, and the beam splitter 202 is placed outside the opening of the beam splitter bracket 201. The beam splitter assembly 2 is installed in the slot of the optical module base 1, and the installation can be completed by squeezing the O-ring 203. The operation is convenient, the assembly is reliable, and the light-shielding effect is good.

[0030] As Figure 5 shown in the figure, the color filter bracket 301 is an integral structure. The color filter bracket 301 is hermetically fixed in the color filter assembly slot 103 on the optical module base 1 through an O-ring 303; a circular opening is provided in the center of the lower half of the color filter bracket 301, and the color filter 302 is placed outside the opening of the color filter bracket 301. The color filter assembly 3 is installed in the slot of the optical module base 1, and the installation can be completed by squeezing the O-ring 303. The operation is convenient, the assembly is reliable, and the light-shielding effect is good.

[0031] As Figure 6 shown in the figure, the PMT assembly 4 includes a square PMT 401. A PMT mounting piece 402 is threadedly connected to the front end of the PMT 401. The PMT assembly 4 abuts against the PMT assembly slot 104 on the side of the optical module base 1 through the PMT mounting piece 402 and an O-ring 403. The PMT assembly 4 is installed in the dovetail groove of the optical module base 1. By squeezing the O-ring 403, the stability of the component installation and the light-shielding requirement can be ensured without installing screws.

[0032] In order to facilitate the understanding of the above technical solutions of the present invention, the above technical solutions of the present invention will be described in detail below through specific usage modes.

[0033] The optical module described in this application includes a three-component beam splitter assembly, a four-component color filter assembly, and a four-component PMT assembly. The beam splitter assembly, color filter assembly, and PMT assembly can be respectively inserted into the corresponding slots of the optical module base 1. This pluggable structural design can easily achieve various combinations of optical configurations. When installing the components, the use of an extrusion O-ring eliminates the need for screw fixation, which can ensure the stability of the cooperation between each component and the 3D-printed base and also achieve the effect of optical path sealing. At the same time, two positions for the color filter support assembly and the beam splitter assembly are reserved on the optical module base 1, which is convenient for optical adjustment during specific use and realizes the function of fluorescence signal detection expansion.

[0034] During specific use, as Figure 2 shown in the optical path diagram, the light source enters the optical module through an optical fiber. After passing through the beam splitter assembly and the color filter assembly, light of different wavelengths respectively enters the PMT assemblies in 4 channels, and the detection of signals in 4 fluorescence channels can be realized synchronously. During the detection, the entire optical path is transmitted inside the optical module base. The fully enclosed optical path design is dust-proof and maintenance-free. The light source is conducted in a closed space without crosstalk from external light sources, and a higher signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained.

[0035] In summary, the present utility model adopts 3D printing technology with low cost; adopts a fixed and enclosed optical path design with a compact structure and no need for complex optical debugging processes, and can obtain a stable and reliable optical system. In addition, the lens adopts a pluggable structural design, which can easily achieve various combinations of optical configurations.

[0036] Obviously, the above-described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in the present utility model shall be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A light source module for a flow cytometer, characterized in that, It includes an optical module base (1). A number of beam splitter assemblies (2) and color filter assemblies (3) are vertically installed in the slots on the optical module base (1). The beam splitter assembly (2) consists of a beam splitter bracket (201), a beam splitter (202), and an O-ring I (203); the color filter assembly (3) consists of a color filter bracket (301), a color filter (302), and an O-ring II (303); a PMT assembly (4) is installed in the dovetail groove on the side of the optical module base (1), and an optical fiber (5) is connected through an opening on one side of the optical module base (1).

2. The light source module for a flow cytometer according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the optical module base (1) and the bracket are made by 3D printing technology.

3. The light source module for a flow cytometer according to claim 1, wherein This optical module contains three beam splitter assemblies (2), four color filter assemblies (3), and four PMT assemblies (4); for the three assemblies of the beam splitter assembly (2), they respectively correspond to three wavelengths of 552nm, 650nm, and 740nm; for the four assemblies of the color filter assembly (3), they respectively correspond to four wavelengths of 520nm, 585nm, 635nm, and 785nm.

4. The light source module for a flow cytometer according to claim 1, wherein The optical module base is designed with a light source inlet (101) connected to the optical fiber (5); a beam splitter assembly slot (102), a color filter assembly slot (103), and a PMT assembly slot (104) are opened in the middle of the optical module base, and an expansion slot (105) is reserved; the beam splitter assembly slot (102) and the color filter assembly slot (103) adopt a fool-proof design.

5. The light source module for a flow cytometer according to claim 1, wherein, The beam splitter bracket (201) is an integral structure. The beam splitter bracket (201) is sealed and fixed in the beam splitter assembly slot (102) on the optical module base (1) through the O-ring I (203); a circular opening is provided in the center of the lower half of the beam splitter bracket (201), and the beam splitter (202) is placed outside the opening of the beam splitter bracket (201).

6. The light source module for a flow cytometer according to claim 1, wherein The color filter bracket (301) is an integral structure. The color filter bracket (301) is sealed and fixed in the color filter assembly slot (103) on the optical module base (1) through the O-ring II (303); a circular opening is provided in the center of the lower half of the color filter bracket (301), and the color filter (302) is placed outside the opening of the color filter bracket (301).

7. A light source module for a flow cytometer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PMT assembly (4) includes a square PMT (401). A PMT mounting part (402) is threadedly connected to the front end of the PMT (401). The PMT assembly (4) abuts against the PMT assembly slot (104) on the side of the optical module base (1) through the PMT mounting part (402) and the O-ring III (403).

Images