Flow cell and system for simultaneous measurement of absorbance and emission in a sample
Inventors
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10197494-B2
Publication Date
2019-02-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
The flow cell of the present application simultaneously monitors and measures light absorbance and fluorescence of particles in a flowing liquid. The flow cell comprises a housing having a light input face, an absorbance output face and first and second emission output faces; a fluid flow section within the housing that comprises a bottom funnel through which fluid enters the flow cell, a core chamber into which fluid flows from the bottom funnel, and a top funnel into which fluid flows from the core chamber, wherein the bottom and top funnels each comprise a first end which extends at an angle to a second end that is wider in diameter than the first end, and said second end of each is adjacent to and aligned with the core chamber; and a center section within the housing center having a recess formed therein which houses the core chamber of the fluid flow section, wherein said center section comprises a first pair of opposing channels formed in the light input face and the absorbance output face, respectively, and a second pair of opposing channels formed in the first emission output face and the second emission output face and which are perpendicular to the first pair of opposing channels, and wherein the first pair of opposing channels and second pair of opposing channels are in communication with the core chamber. An apparatus comprising the flow cell is also provided.
Core Innovation
A flow cell is configured to contain internal components having a light input face, an absorbance output face and first and second emission output faces, together with a fluid flow section within the housing. The fluid flow section comprises a bottom funnel through which fluid enters the flow cell, a core chamber into which fluid flows from the bottom funnel, and a top funnel into which fluid flows from the core chamber. The bottom and top funnels each comprise a first end that extends at an angle to a second end that is wider in diameter than the first end, and the second end of each is adjacent to and aligned with the core chamber.
The core chamber has a square cross-sectional shape with rounded corners. A center section within the housing center includes a recess formed therein which houses the core chamber of the fluid flow section. The center section comprises a first pair of opposing channels formed in the light input face and the absorbance output face, respectively, and a second pair of opposing channels formed in the first emission output face and the second emission output face and which are perpendicular to the first pair of opposing channels.
The first pair of opposing channels and the second pair of opposing channels are in communication with the core chamber, enabling the housing to support simultaneous absorbance and emission-related sensing using perpendicular channel pairs. The corresponding apparatus description adds modular optical/electronic components arranged with these opposing faces, including light sources at the input face, an absorbance photodiode opposite the input for straight-path absorbance sensing, and fluorescence photodiodes on perpendicular emission faces.
The description further emphasizes a low-turbulence tapered and angled funnel geometry aligned to the square core chamber with rounded corners, together with flush light-pipe windows to reduce turbulence. It also describes modular multi-wavelength operation and associated normalization/dynamic-range features for digitized absorbance and fluorescence readout.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claim includes three core inventive elements: (i) a housing/face layout with distinct light input, absorbance output, and first/second emission output faces; (ii) a tapered bottom funnel and top funnel aligned to a square core chamber with rounded corners; and (iii) a center-section recess containing the core chamber with perpendicular pairs of opposing channels communicating with the core chamber. Inventive features further specified in related dependent claims include absorbance detection with light sources and absorbance photodiodes, fluorescence detection with photodiodes, and wavelength-separated absorbance using differential filtering.
Housing with light and emission output faces
A housing configured to contain the internal components of the flow cell having a light input face, an absorbance output face and first and second emission output faces.
Bottom and top funnel geometry aligned to the core chamber
A fluid flow section within the housing comprising a bottom funnel through which fluid enters, a core chamber into which fluid flows from the bottom funnel, and a top funnel into which fluid flows from the core chamber, wherein the bottom and top funnels each comprise a first end extending at an angle to a second end wider in diameter than the first end, and said second end of each is adjacent to and aligned with the core chamber.
Square core chamber with rounded corners
The core chamber has a square cross-sectional shape with rounded corners.
Center recess with perpendicular opposing channel pairs
A center section within the housing center having a recess formed therein which houses the core chamber, wherein said center section comprises a first pair of opposing channels formed in the light input face and the absorbance output face, respectively, and a second pair of opposing channels formed in the first emission output face and the second emission output face and which are perpendicular to the first pair of opposing channels, and wherein the first pair of opposing channels and second pair of opposing channels are in communication with the core chamber.
Absorbance detection using a light source and photodiode pair
The flow cell apparatus includes, in the first pair of opposing channels, a light source and at least one photodiode configured to detect light absorbance.
Fluorescence detection using photodiodes on perpendicular emission channels
The flow cell apparatus includes, in the second pair of opposing channels, photodiodes configured to detect fluorescence.
Wavelength-separated simultaneous absorbance using differentially filtered photodiodes
It uses differentially filtered absorbance photodiodes to independently and simultaneously measure light absorbance at different wavelengths.
Bottom funnel angle constraint
The bottom funnel whose angle from the first end to the second end is less than 10°.
Light pipe illumination coverage constraint
Light pipes illuminate about 80% of the liquid path in the core chamber.
Across the independent and related claims, the disclosed flow-cell concept combines a square core chamber with rounded corners, aligned tapered funnels, and perpendicular opposing channel pairs in a central recess that communicate with the core chamber, together with optical/electro-optical detection features for absorbance and fluorescence and additional dependent constraints for geometry, illumination coverage, and differential wavelength absorbance measurement.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
Interested in licensing this patent?