Patent ID: 8445286
Filing Date: 2013-05-21
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A flow cytometer system having an interrogation zone, the flow cytometer system comprising: a flow cell body that is a unitary construction and that contains and aligns components of the flow cytometer system; a focusing lens, coupled to and located within the flow cell body adjacent to the interrogation zone, configured to focus light that impinges the interrogation zone; a flow channel, coupled to the flow cell body, that conducts and focuses sample fluid through the interrogation zone; a sample injection probe, removably coupled to the flow cell body, that provides a sample fluid to the flow channel; a sample injection probe body, removably coupled to the flow cell body, that contains the sample injection probe and aligns the sample injection probe with the flow channel; a sample injection probe cleaning port, at least partially defined within the sample injection probe body and fluidically coupled to the sample injection probe, that is configured to relieve pressure from the sample injection probe and configured to clean the sample injection probe by introducing sheath fluid therein; and a bubble purge port fluidically coupled to the flow cell body and defined in the flow cell body upstream from the interrogation zone for a flow direction from the sample injection probe to the interrogation zone, wherein the bubble purge port is configured to selectively purge bubbles prior to their entry into the flow channel.