Particle sorter
The particle sorter addresses the challenge of inaccurate particle sorting by using a detection and deflection system with an optical imaging and control system to capture images at specific time delays, achieving precise particle sorting in fluid flows.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- HK · HK
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CELLULAR HIGHWAYS LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing particle sorting systems struggle to accurately and efficiently sort particles in a fluid flow due to limitations in detection and deflection technologies, particularly in identifying and deflecting particles at different locations within the fluid.
A particle sorter equipped with a particle detection system, deflection system, optical imaging system, illumination source, and electronic control system, which captures images at specific time delays to determine sorting parameters and processes them for precise particle sorting.
Enables accurate and efficient sorting of particles by enhancing detection and deflection capabilities, allowing for precise identification and sorting of particles at different locations in a fluid flow.
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0001_ABST 
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
A particle sorting machine is a particle sorter for sorting particles transported in a fluid flow. The sorter includes: a particle detection system for detecting particles in the fluid; a particle deflection system for selectively deflecting particles from the fluid for sorting; an optical imaging system for capturing images of particles in the fluid to identify particles at different locations in the fluid; an illumination source for selectively illuminating the fluid while capturing particle images; and an electronic control system, wherein the sorter is configured such that, in use, when the particle detection system issues a detection event signal, the control system: controls the imaging system and the illumination source to capture one or more images of particles in the fluid at one or more time delays corresponding to the detection event; and processes the one or more images and the corresponding one or more time delays to determine one or more parameters of the sorting process. (Summary)
Claims
CLAIMS1. A particle sorter for sorting particles being conveyed in a fluid stream, the sorter comprising: a particle detection system, for detecting particles in the stream; a particle deflection system, for selectively deflecting particles from the stream to sort them; an optical imaging system arranged to capture images of particles within the stream so as to identify particles at different locations within the stream; an illuminating light source for selectively illuminating the stream when capturing images of particles; and an electronic control system, wherein the sorter is configured such that, in use, when the particle detection system signals a detection event, the control system: controls the imaging system and the illuminating light source so as to capture one or more images of the particle in the stream with a respective one or more time delays from the detection event; and processes the one or more images and the respective one or more time delays to determine one or more parameters of the sorting process.
2. The particle sorter of claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to adjust at least one control parameter for the particle sorter based on the one or more determined sorting process parameters.
3. The particle sorter of claim 2, wherein the adjusted control parameter is one or more of: the time delay for capturing the one or more images, a time delay for activating the illuminating light source in order to capture the one or more images, an actuation control parameter which controls actuation of the particle deflection system, and a timing and / or magnitude of the deflection of the particle by the particle deflection system.
4. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more sorting process parameters are determined by identifying the position of one or more particles in the captured one or more images.
5. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the control system processes the captured one or more images to count the proportion of sampled detection events forwhich the particle is deflected within a certain range of amplitude such that it flows into the correct output.
6. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the control system processes the one or more captured images to count the proportion of sampled particle detection events for which the particle is present at an actuation location where the particle is deflected by the particle deflection system.
7. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the control system processes the one or more captured images to determine the frequency of particles present in a deflection path that are not synchronized with a deflection event.
8. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the control system processes the one or more captured images to determine the standard deviation of particle positions perpendicular to the flow direction at an actuation location where the particle is deflected by the particle deflection system.
9. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the control system processes the one or more captured images to determine the standard deviation of particle positions parallel to the flow direction at the actuation location.
10. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the control system processes the one or more captured images to determine the arrival and build-up of debris within the particle sorter.
11. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the optical imaging system and illuminating light source are arranged to capture the one or images of the particle in the stream when the particle is at an actuation location where the particle is deflected by the particle deflection system.
12. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the control system is configured to control the optical imaging system and illuminating light source to apply a single flash of light to the stream during the capture of an image.
13. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the particle sorter comprises a microfluidic particle sorter.
14. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the particle sorter comprises a single-junction sorter, wherein particle sorter comprises an input channel, one or more output sort channels and an output waste channel, and wherein each of the one or more output sort channels and the output waste channel are connected to the input channel for receiving the fluid therefrom, the particle deflection system configured to selectively deflect particles into the one or more output sort channels or into the output waste channel.
15. The particle sorter of any preceding claim, wherein the sorter is further configured such that, in use, when the particle detection system signals a further detection event, the control system: controls the imaging system and the illuminating light source so as to capture one or more further images of the further particle in the stream with a respective one or more further time delays from the further detection event; and processes the one or more further images and the respective one or more further time delays to adjust the one or more parameters of the sorting process.
16. A method of sorting particles comprising the steps of: supplying a fluid stream to a particle sorter according to any preceding claim; detecting particles in the stream and deflecting the detected particles.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the particles in the stream comprise particles to be sorted and the step of deflecting the detected particles comprises sorting the particles.
18. The method of claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the particles comprise at least one of: cells, beads, or droplets containing further particles.