Sheathless Flow Cytometry Optical Aperture Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow cytometers require a stable and clean sheath fluid to maintain particle alignment, which complicates system setup and maintenance, and limits their use to controlled environments due to the need for precise fluid management.
Innovation Solution
A sheathless cytometry system that uses a light source to illuminate particles in a fluid stream, with a shaped optical aperture and light deflectors to focus and redirect scattered light, allowing for the identification and exclusion of out-of-focus particles, thereby eliminating the need for a sheath fluid.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a sheath fluid is used to align particles in single-file arrangement, then particle positioning accuracy is improved, but system complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the sheath fluid component from the system entirely, extracting only the necessary function of particle alignment and focusing through optical means (objective lens and aperture) rather than fluidic means, thereby simplifying the overall system while maintaining particle positioning capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/fluidic particle alignment system (sheath fluid flow) with an optical system (objective lens focusing light onto aperture), substituting a complex fluid management system with a simpler optical focusing system that achieves the same particle positioning goal
2Measurement precision
If a stable sheath fluid stream is maintained for particle alignment, then detection accuracy is improved, but setup and maintenance labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows particles to pass through the sensing region without requiring active sheath fluid management, reducing the need for continuous human intervention in fluidics setup and maintenance while maintaining adequate particle detection capability through optical focusing
3Reliability
If sheath fluid management and sample injection systems are designed for precise particle alignment, then data integrity is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the sheath fluid management subsystem entirely, eliminating the complex interconnections between sheath fluid delivery, sample injection, and particle alignment systems, while maintaining data integrity through optical focusing and aperture-based particle selection
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
This approach simplifies system design and operation, enabling accurate data collection in various environments without the need for sheath fluid, and allows for compact, low-power, and easy-to-use cytometry systems capable of analyzing environmental samples.
Implementation Method 1
A sheathless cytometry system and method are disclosed wherein a sheathless fluid stream with a plurality of suspended particles is illuminated at a sensing region with a light source, for example one or more lasers
Implementation Method 2
A lens focuses the light from the objective onto a field stop having a shaped optical aperture
Implementation Method 3
A first light deflector is positioned over the relatively large first end portion of the shaped aperture and operable to deflect light towards the first peripheral light detector
Data Source
AI summary
A sheathless flow cytometry system is disclosed wherein a fluid containing particles of interest is illuminated in the sensing region with a light source. Light resulting from the interaction of the particles with the illumination is received by a lens, and focused toward a field stop having an aperture comprising relatively large end portions and a relatively small center portion. Light deflectors are disposed over the relatively large end portions of the aperture. The system is arranged such that light from particles in focus in the sensing region is focused on the relatively small center portion of the aperture. Peripheral detectors receive light from the light deflectors, and a center light detector receives light passing through the center portion. The detector signals may be used to identify which of the detector signals correspond to particles in focus as they passed through the sensing region.