Patent ID: 6400453
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An instrument for analyzing and selectively dispensing sample objects greater than about 50 &mgr;m in diameter encapsulated in a continuous liquid sample stream in air, the instrument comprising:a sample object source containing sample objects greater than about 50 &mgr;m in diameter in a fluid suspension, said source having an output opening; an alignment chamber having an input opening in fluidic communication with the output opening of the sample object source and having an output opening; a sample object sensing zone having an input opening in fluidic communication with the output opening of the alignment chamber, said object sensing zone having an output opening which produces a continuous liquid stream in air; a sample detector responsive to presence of sample objects in the sensing zone; and a fluid switch downstream of the output of the sample object sensing zone, said fluid switch controlling a fluid stream intersecting the continuous liquid stream in air for disrupting said stream such disrupting physically isolated from the sample object sensing zone and the alignment chamber to prevent introduction of fluidic instabilities therein, said switch responsive to the sample detector to turn off intermittently said intersecting fluid stream thereby allowing lengths of the continuous liquid sample stream in air containing detected objects to pass undisrupted to a sample container.