Two station sample and washing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9927342-B2
Application number	US-201313923148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2013
Priority date	Jun 22, 2012
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is a two station system for a flow cytometer that includes a sample station and a wash station. During washing, the user has access to the sample station to insert a new sample. This increases the efficiency of the workflow process. Rotary clamps are used to automatically clamp the sample station and wash station to the system. A low volume pressurized cavity is used to bring the pressure of the sample to a desired pressure, which further increases productivity of the system. A transparent body is provided in the sample station so a user can view the sample during the sampling process. A backwash process is used to clean the sample injection tube and the sample uptake tube. In addition, the wash station is designed to rinse the outer surface of the sample uptake tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow cytometer system comprising:
a clamp;
a sample uptake tube passing through the clamp;
a nozzle;
sample tubing;
an injection needle;
a backflow system;
a rinsing system; and
a tray configured to be movable along at least a horizontal axis between a sampling position and a washing position, the tray having a wash station and a sample station that are spaced apart from one another along the horizontal axis and that move in unison with the tray during movement of the tray, wherein the tray is configured such that the sample station is positioned beneath the clamp and the wash station is not positioned beneath the clamp when the tray is in the sampling position and the wash station is positioned beneath the clamp and the sample station is not positioned beneath the clamp when the tray is in the washing position, wherein:
a first end of the injection needle is in fluidic communication with the sample uptake tube via the sample tubing,
the injection needle has a second end that is located within the nozzle,
the wash station is configured to wash parts of a flow cytometer of the flow cytometer system that contact sample particles during a wash cycle,
the wash station is positioned beneath the clamp during the wash cycle and an end of the sample uptake tube is positioned within the wash station during the wash cycle,
the sample station is configured to receive a sample container and to provide access to samples in the sample container by the flow cytometer during a sample cycle,
the sample station is positioned beneath the clamp during the sample cycle and the end of the sample uptake tube is positioned within the sample station during the sample cycle,
the sample station is accessible to a user during the wash cycle so that the user can place the sample container in the sample station during the wash cycle,
the clamp is configured to secure the wash station during the wash cycle and the sample station during the sample cycle,
the backflow system is configured to cause first rinsing fluid to flow into the nozzle at a first pressure, through the injection needle and sample tubing and to the wash station via the sample uptake tube at a second pressure lower than the first pressure, thereby rinsing interior surfaces of the nozzle, injection needle, sample tubing, and sample uptake tube to remove the sample particles from the interior surfaces, and
the rinsing system is configured to cause second rinsing fluid to be flushed around an outer surface of the sample uptake tube when the sample uptake tube is in the wash station to remove the sample particles from the outer surface.

2. The flow cytometer system of claim 1 , wherein the tray is further configured to also be movable along a vertical axis, the system further comprising:
a track that is configured to guide movement of the tray such that vertical movement of the tray between an elevated position and a lowered position occurs without permitting accompanying horizontal movement of the tray for at least a first vertical distance when the sample station is beneath the clamp and also when the wash station is beneath the clamp, wherein the clamp is:
engageable with the wash station when the tray is in the elevated position and the washing position, and
engageable with the sample station when the tray is in the elevated position and the sampling position.

3. The flow cytometer system of claim 1 , wherein:
the wash station includes a wash station ramp that is connected to the wash station and that has a downward-facing sloped surface following a first helical path having a first center axis that is vertical,
the sample station includes a sample station ramp that is connected to the sample station and that has a downward-facing sloped surface following a second helical path having a second center axis that is parallel to the first center axis, and
the clamp is a rotary clamp that is configured to rotate and to engage with the wash station ramp to secure the wash station to the rotary clamp and form a seal when the wash station is positioned directly beneath the rotary clamp and to rotate and to engage with the sample station ramp to secure the sample station to the rotary clamp and form a seal when the sample station is directly beneath the rotary clamp.

4. The flow cytometer system of claim 1 , further comprising a rinse tube that is configured to direct the second rinsing fluid onto the outer surface of the sample uptake tube when the sample uptake tube is in the wash station.

5. The flow cytometer system of claim 4 , wherein the wash station includes a wash cavity that is cylindrical, has a diameter slightly larger than the sample uptake tube, and transitions to a funnel, wherein the funnel is configured to cause the second rinsing fluid, when the second rinsing fluid is directed from the rinse tube onto the outer surface of the sample uptake tube, to swirl around the outer surface of the sample uptake tube to remove the sample particles from the outer surface of the sample uptake tube.

6. The flow cytometer system of claim 5 , wherein the first and second rinsing fluids comprise deionized water.

7. The flow cytometer system of claim 1 , wherein the sample station and the clamp, when the clamp is engaged with the sample station, are configured to enclose the sample container in a low-volume cavity that can be rapidly pressurized to an operating pressure for the sample cycle and not create a pressure differential on the sample container that causes the sample container to burst.

8. The flow cytometer system of claim 7 , further comprising an agitation system that is configured to move the sample container in an orbital motion relative to the tray to agitate sample fluid in the sample container when the sample container is inserted into the sample station and the agitation system is activated.

9. A method comprising:
providing the flow cytometer system of claim 1 ;
providing the sample container and inserting it into the sample station;
moving the tray into the sampling position;
using the sample uptake tube to obtain a sample from the sample station when the tray is in the sampling position;
moving the tray into the washing position;
providing the first rinsing fluid and the second rinsing fluid; and
washing one or more parts of the flow cytometer system, including at least a portion of the sample uptake tube, during the wash cycle by causing, when the tray is in the washing position, the first rinsing fluid to flow backwards through the one or more parts of the flow cytometer, including the sample uptake tube, and by directing the second rinsing fluid around the sample uptake tube in the wash station.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein washing the one or more parts of the flow cytometer system during the wash cycle further comprises causing the first rinsing fluid to flow through the injection needle to the sample tubing and then to the sample uptake tube.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
enclosing the sample container in a low-volume cavity in the sample station; and
rapidly pressurizing the low-volume cavity to an operating pressure while not creating a pressure differential on the sample container that causes the sample container to burst.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
moving a bottom portion of the sample container in an orbital motion to agitate sample fluid in the sample container.

Assignees

• Bio Rad Laboratories

Inventors

• Gaskill-Fox Nathan Michael
• Fox Daniel N
• Harris Rodney C

Classifications

• G01N15/1404

  Handling flow, e.g. hydrodynamic focusing · CPC title

• G01N11/02 Primary

  by measuring flow of the material · CPC title

• G01N35/1004 Primary

  Cleaning sample transfer devices · CPC title