Immersion Flow Cytometry Ball Lens Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flow cytometry systems are complex and power-intensive, making them unsuitable for autonomous and miniaturized applications, particularly in oceanographic research, where they require clean water and struggle with reliability and cost-effectiveness for continuous measurements of small phytoplankton cells in seawater.
Innovation Solution
A miniaturized flow cytometer with a primary focusing optic, such as a ball lens, immersed in the fluid stream to eliminate the need for a sheath fluid and reduce clogging, combined with a tube lens and position-sensitive detectors to enhance measurement sensitivity and reduce power consumption, allowing for continuous cytometric analysis in a larger fluid stream.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional flow cytometry systems are used, then measurement capability is achieved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the sheath fluid delivery system from conventional flow cytometry, replacing it with a virtual core configuration where particles flow directly through the measurement zone without requiring a separate sheath fluid stream. This removes complex fluid delivery mechanisms while maintaining particle measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single streamlined optical path that handles both particle detection and flow management without requiring separate sheath fluid delivery systems, making the system suitable for autonomous deployment in harsh environments
2Measurement precision
If conventional flow cytometry systems are used, then measurement capability is achieved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the power-intensive sheath fluid delivery pumps and flow control systems by implementing a virtual core configuration where particles flow directly through the measurement zone using natural flow or minimal pumping, dramatically reducing power consumption while maintaining measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows particles to flow through the measurement zone using the existing fluid flow without requiring additional power-intensive pumping or sheath fluid delivery mechanisms, enabling autonomous operation with minimal power input
3Reliability
If clean water supply is required, then instrument operation is maintained, but adaptability to harsh environments decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the requirement for clean water supply by implementing a virtual core configuration that measures particles directly in the ambient fluid (seawater), eliminating the need for separate clean water delivery systems and enabling operation in harsh marine environments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the ambient seawater itself as the measurement medium rather than requiring a separate clean water supply, allowing the system to operate directly in its target environment without adaptation
4Volume of moving object
If miniaturization is implemented, then autonomous deployment is enabled, but measurement sensitivity may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a ball lens with a diameter of 0.5-2.0 mm to focus light from particles in the fluid stream. The spherical geometry provides efficient light collection and focusing in a compact form factor, maintaining measurement sensitivity while enabling miniaturization for autonomous deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a compact optical arrangement where a small ball lens collects light from a three-dimensional fluid stream and focuses it onto a two-dimensional detector surface, efficiently packing measurement functionality into a miniaturized volume suitable for autonomous platforms
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves reliable, low-power, and cost-effective continuous measurements of microbial populations in seawater, improving sensitivity and reducing noise, enabling more widespread use in autonomous platforms and harsh environments.
Implementation Method 1
A light source, for example a laser, that is configured to direct light into or through a sensing region in a fluid stream containing suspended particles of interest
Implementation Method 2
positioned to receive and focus light scattered by particles suspended in the stream as they pass through the sensing region
Implementation Method 3
A primary focusing optic, for example a ball lens, is at least partially submerged in the fluid stream, and positioned to receive and focus light scattered by particles
Implementation Method 4
A tube lens is positioned to receive light from the primary optic, and focuses the light onto a photo detector, defining an optical axis aligned with the photo detector
Implementation Method 5
The photodetector is configured to generate a signal responsive to the light and to transmit the signal to a signal processing system
Data Source
AI summary
An immersion cytometry system (200, 250) having a primary focusing optic immersed in a fluid stream (209) containing suspended particles (212). The system includes a light source (202) configured to illuminate a sensing region in the fluid stream that includes a focus of the primary optic. Light scattered and/or fluoresced from suspended particles passing through the sensing region is focused by an external tube lens on an external detector. The primary optic in one embodiment is a ball lens. In some embodiments, one or more filter/beam splitters on the optical axis reflect a portion of the signal light towards corresponding detectors, each filter being configured to reflect a preselected waveband of light.