JPH0478945B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a particle analysis device, and particularly to a so-called flow cytometer that performs particle analysis by flowing a sample liquid containing specimen particles while being wrapped in a sheath liquid.

[Prior Art] A flow cytometer uses a cell suspension solution, i.e., a sample solution, wrapped in a sheath liquid to flow at high speed, irradiates it with laser light, and detects photoelectric signals from the scattered light and fluorescence to determine cell properties, It is a device that analyzes structures, etc., and is used in fields such as cytology, hematology, oncology, and genetics.

The sample liquid and the sheath liquid are stored in separate containers, each pressurized by a pressurizing system composed of a compressor or a nitrogen gas cylinder, a regulator, etc., and fluid-dynamically converge on the flow cell section, which is the measurement section. Note that the applicant's earlier application, Japanese Patent Application No. 62-185841, discloses a pressure control system, in which a pressure sensor is provided between the sheath liquid container and the flow cell, and the output of the pressure sensor is always at the initial setting value. The pressure system is feedback-controlled to stabilize the flow diameter of the sample liquid.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional example described above, a large amount of sheath liquid is consumed during measurement, so the sheath liquid in the sheath liquid container decreases, and there is a risk that the sheath liquid will be emptied. . Conventionally, a float liquid level sensor or the like was provided in the sheath liquid container to monitor the liquid level, but this was undesirable due to problems such as contamination with dust and reliability.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a pressure sensor in the flow path between the container containing the sheath liquid and the convergence position, and responds to the output of the pressure sensor. a pressure control system that controls the output of the pressure sensor to a set value by changing the pressurization value in the container containing the sheath liquid; and a means for detecting the degree of decrease in the sheath liquid from the increase in the pressurization value in the container. Equipped with.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and 1 is a compressor that is a compressed air generation source. The air tube 2 connected to this compressor is branched into two branches. The branched air tubes 2 are connected to a sheath liquid container 5 and a sheath liquid container 5 which airtightly store the sheath liquid Sh and the sample liquid Sa through electric regulators 3 and 4 for pressure adjustment provided for the sheath liquid and the sample liquid, respectively. It is connected to the sample liquid container 6. The sheath tube 7 immersed in the sheath liquid Sh of the sheath liquid container 5 has a pressure sensor 9,
The sheath liquid is guided into the nozzle 11 via the sheath liquid inflow control valve 10. In addition, a sample tube 13 immersed in the sample liquid Sa in the sample liquid container 6
is connected to the nozzle 11 via the sample liquid inflow control valve 14.
being led inward. Its tip is directed toward a flow cell 12 connected to the upper end of the nozzle 11 . The sample liquid and sheath liquid flow from the bottom to the top against gravity so that bubbles that are unexpectedly generated in the flow cell 12 flow together with the fluid and are quickly removed. A waste liquid tube 15 is connected to the upper end of the flow cell 12, and a waste liquid container 16 is connected to the other end. Control circuit 1
An electric signal corresponding to a set pressure and an output from the pressure sensor 9 are inputted from the outside to 7, and by comparing these two signals, an output from the control circuit 17 is inputted to the sheath liquid electric regulator 3. A warning display device 18 receives a signal from the control circuit 17, displays the remaining amount of sheath fluid, and issues a warning. Further, 19 is a photometric laser, 20 is an imaging lens, 21 is a light receiving lens, and 22 is a photodetector. There is. The side light-receiving lenses receive side-scattered light or fluorescence from the test particles.

Assuming that there is no pressure control system in the embodiment configured in this manner, when the sheath liquid decreases and the liquid level of the sheath liquid decreases, the output of the pressure sensor 9 decreases by the amount of change in the liquid level. However, since there is a pressure control system, when the output of the pressure sensor 9 decreases, the control circuit 17 issues a command to the sheath fluid electric regulator 3 to increase the pressurization value by the difference from the set value, and the pressure at the pressure sensor 9 increases. The pressure is controlled to keep it constant.

Next, a method of detecting the remaining amount of sheath liquid will be explained. The pressurization value applied to the sheath liquid container in the initial state before the start of measurement, that is, when the sheath liquid is full, is a predetermined value, but the pressurization value increases as the sheath liquid decreases. Therefore, by looking at the increase in the pressurization signal value sent from the control circuit 17 corresponding to the pressurization value to the sheath liquid electric regulator 3 from the signal value corresponding to the predetermined value in the full water state, the sheath The liquid level can be detected. Note that here, it is not the increase from the signal value corresponding to the predetermined value in the full water state, but the increase from the initial value in the non-full water state (this initial value can be detected from the pressurization signal value in the initial state). The sheath fluid level can also be detected by looking at the sheath fluid level. When this liquid level falls below a certain level, a warning of insufficient remaining sheath liquid is issued or the device stops operating.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the particle analysis device according to the present invention, the sheath liquid can be accurately measured without using a dedicated sensor such as a float level sensor installed in the container and without the problem of contamination with dust. The amount remaining can be detected and the appropriate maintenance period can be determined.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a compressor, 2 is an air tube, 3 is an electric regulator for the sheath, 4 is an electric regulator for the sample, 5 is a sheath liquid container, 6 is a sample liquid container, 7
is a sheath tube, 9 is a pressure sensor, 10 is a sheath liquid inflow control valve, 11 is a nozzle, 12 is a flow cell, 13 is a sample tube, 14 is a sample liquid inflow control valve, 15 is a waste liquid tube, 16 is a waste liquid container, 17 is a control circuit, 18 is a warning display device, 19
2 is a laser, 20 is a condensing lens, 21 is a light receiving lens, and 22 is a photodetector.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Applying a predetermined pressure difference between the sample liquid and the sheath liquid,
A sheath liquid container that stores the sheath liquid in a particle analyzer that performs particle analysis by converging the sample liquid into a thin stream by wrapping it in a sheath liquid and measuring the particles in the sample liquid flowing one by one at the test position. and a pressure detection means for detecting pressure information in a flow path between the test position and the test position; A particle analysis apparatus comprising: a pressure control means for controlling the sheath liquid; and a residual amount detection means for detecting the remaining amount of sheath liquid in the sheath liquid container from the pressure applied to the sheath liquid container. 2. The particle analysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pressure control means includes an electric regulator. 3. The particle analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the remaining amount detecting means includes means for issuing a warning when the remaining amount of the sheath liquid becomes less than a predetermined value.