Patent ID: 7485153

Claim:
A fluidic analyzer, comprising: a cartridge having a flow channel defined by flow channel walls, wherein an opening extends from outside through an exterior wall of the cartridge, into a chamber having a volume defined by one or more chamber walls, the chamber filled with a fluid that is in fluid communication with the flow channel; a resilient and/or flexible membrane disposed in or over the opening and secured to at least a portion of the cartridge to form a fluid tight seal; an instrument for receiving the cartridge, the instrument having a plunger that is in registration with the resilient and/or flexible membrane when the cartridge is received by the instrument; and the instrument including a moving mechanism to controllably move at least an end of the plunger into engagement with the resilient and/or flexible membrane and to deform the resilient and/or flexible membrane into the chamber at a controlled rate to thereby induce a desired flow rate profile in the flow channel of the cartridge to support flow cytometric measurement.