Patent ID: 9170187
Filing Date: 2015-10-27
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A flow cytometer, comprising a controller, a fluidic system for providing a sample fluid and a sheath fluid and collecting a waste fluid produced after a test, and an optical detection system for illuminating the sample fluid and acquiring information when the sample fluid passes through a light beam of illumination, wherein the fluidic system comprises: a flow cell, which contains the sample fluid surrounded by the sheath fluid and provides a region where the sample fluid is illuminated; a sample providing unit, which connects with the flow cell and draws a sample from a sample tube; a waste container, which connects with the flow cell and collects the waste fluid flowing from the flow cell; a negative pressure source, which provides a negative pressure for the flow cell relative to the sample providing unit so that the sample providing unit causes the sample to flow into the flow cell under the negative pressure; a sheath container, which connects with the flow cell and transports the sheath fluid to the flow cell; a quantitative unit, which is set on a pipeline between the sheath container and the flow cell, and acquires the sheath fluid from the sheath container and transports the sheath fluid to the flow cell according to a setting flow of the sheath fluid; and a sample flow monitoring unit, which monitors a flow of the sample fluid transported from the sample providing unit to the flow cell and outputs a feedback signal reflecting flow changes of the sample fluid in real-time; wherein the controller receives the feedback signal and controls the quantitative unit to adjust a flow of the sheath fluid according to the feedback signal to maintain the flow of the sample fluid substantially constant; wherein the sample flow monitoring unit is a pressure sensor, which is nearby the flow cell and capable of monitoring a pressure of the flow cell; the pressure sensor connects with the controller and outputs a pressure feedback signal to the controller; the controller controls the quantitative unit to increase the flow of the sheath fluid when the pressure sensor monitors that the pressure of the flow cell increases, and to decrease the flow of the sheath fluid when the pressure sensor monitors that the pressure of the flow cell decreases; or the flow monitoring unit is a flow sensor, which is set on a pipeline between the sample providing unit and the flow cell and is capable of monitoring the flow of the sample fluid; the flow sensor connects to the controller and outputs a flow feedback signal to the controller; the controller controls the quantitative unit to increase the flow of the sheath fluid when the flow sensor monitors that the flow of the sample fluid increases, and to decrease the flow of the sheath fluid when the flow sensor monitors that the flow of the sample fluid decreases.