US6590652B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flow through light scattering device
Assignee: POINTSOURCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
•
Filing: 2002-01-29
•
Granted: 2003-07-08
•
Expires: 2022-01-29
Abstract
Abstract A system for identifying microorganisms and other microscopic particles in a fluid, includes a laser that directs a laser beam ( 14 ) through a detect zone ( 20 ) and a plurality of photodetectors ( 30 ) that detect light scattered in different directions from a particle at the detect zone, and includes a carrier ( 110 ) that confines fluid to movement along a narrow path. The carrier includes a glass sphere ( 112 ) with a passage ( 116 ) for carrying the fluid. The spherical surface allows light scattered at a large angle from the direction of the laser beam, to pass through the glass sphere to its outside for detection there.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory Quist
- 👤 Craig Tisserat
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 07:38
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N15/00; G01N15/10; G01N15/14; G01N15/1456; G01N15/1434; G01N2015/1477; G01N2015/1486; G01N2015/1497
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves along a beam path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors that detect light scattered in different predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising: a carrier formed of a solid transparent material, said carrier having walls forming a passage into which the fluid can pass and forming an outside surface, said detect zone lying in said passage and said detectors lying outside said carrier with said walls isolating said detectors from fluid in said passage; said passage extends in a downward direction along an axis, said beam path extends in a forward direction, and said axis and beam path define a horizontal plane that is normal to said axis and that includes said beam path; said outside surface of said carrier has a top surface portion that lies above said horizontal plane and that extends around said axis with said top surface portion extending at an upward incline toward said axis, and said carrier has a bottom surface portion that lies below said horizontal plane and that extends around said axis, with said bottom surface portion extending at a downward incline toward said axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves along a beam path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors that detect light scattered in different predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising: a carrier formed of a solid transparent material, said carrier having walls forming a passage into which the fluid can pass and forming an outside surface, said detect zone lying in said passage and said detectors lying outside said carrier with said walls isolating said detectors from fluid in said passage; said passage extends in a downward direction along an axis, said beam path extends in a forward direction, and said axis and beam path define a horizontal plane that is normal to said axis and that includes said beam path; said outside surface of said carrier has a top surface portion that lies above said horizontal plane and that extends around said axis with said top surface portion extending at an upward incline toward said axis, and said carrier has a bottom surface portion that lies below said horizontal plane and that extends around said axis, with said bottom surface portion extending at a downward incline toward said axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus described in claim 1 , wherein: said outside surface of said carrier includes a middle band that is cylindrical and that is substantially centered on said horizontal plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
204 words
Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves along a path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors spaced about said detect zone and oriented to detect light scattered in predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising: a carrier formed of a glass-like solid transparent material and having walls that form a through passage and an outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface lying between said detect zone and said detectors being substantially spherical, so light scattered by a particle passing through said detect zone passes through said glass-like material and emerges largely normal to the outer surface before passing to one of said detectors; input and output conduits for directing fluid into and out of said through passage; said carrier having top and bottom surface areas surrounding upper and lower ends of said passage, respectively; said input and output conduits having sealing surfaces that are of shapes corresponding to the shapes of said top and bottom surface areas and that are pressed facewise against said top and bottom surface areas to seal them against and to clamp said carrier in place.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
204 words
Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves along a path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors spaced about said detect zone and oriented to detect light scattered in predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising: a carrier formed of a glass-like solid transparent material and having walls that form a through passage and an outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface lying between said detect zone and said detectors being substantially spherical, so light scattered by a particle passing through said detect zone passes through said glass-like material and emerges largely normal to the outer surface before passing to one of said detectors; input and output conduits for directing fluid into and out of said through passage; said carrier having top and bottom surface areas surrounding upper and lower ends of said passage, respectively; said input and output conduits having sealing surfaces that are of shapes corresponding to the shapes of said top and bottom surface areas and that are pressed facewise against said top and bottom surface areas to seal them against and to clamp said carrier in place.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus described in claim 3 wherein: said top and bottom surface areas of said carrier are of convex spherical shapes and said sealing surfaces of said conduits are of concave spherical shapes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
187 words
Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves in a light beam direction along a path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors for detecting light scattered in predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising: a carrier formed of a glass-like solid transparent material and having walls that form a through passage and an outer surface, said glass-like material filling the volume between said passage and said outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface that extends at least 41° from said light beam direction, as measured about a center point lying substantially in said detect zone, being spherically curved about said center point, and light scattered by a particle passing through said detect zone passes through said glass-like material and emerges largely normal to said spherically curved outer surface portion before passing to one of said detectors; said detectors being located outside said carrier, and light scattered from said detect zone to a detector travels through said spherical outer surface portion to reach the detector.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
187 words
Apparatus for at least detecting particles in a fluid, which includes a light source that generates a light beam that moves in a light beam direction along a path through a detect zone, and a plurality of detectors for detecting light scattered in predetermined directions by a particle lying at said detect zone, comprising: a carrier formed of a glass-like solid transparent material and having walls that form a through passage and an outer surface, said glass-like material filling the volume between said passage and said outer surface, at least a portion of said outer surface that extends at least 41° from said light beam direction, as measured about a center point lying substantially in said detect zone, being spherically curved about said center point, and light scattered by a particle passing through said detect zone passes through said glass-like material and emerges largely normal to said spherically curved outer surface portion before passing to one of said detectors; said detectors being located outside said carrier, and light scattered from said detect zone to a detector travels through said spherical outer surface portion to reach the detector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein: said fluid has a predetermined index of refraction and said glass-like material has an index of refraction greater than that of said fluid; said beam path extends in a forward direction; a plurality of said detectors each lies from said detect zone forward of said passage and detects light scattered at an angle of at least 50° from said beam path.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3770351A
Cited
US3901602A
Cited
US4070113A
Cited
US4173415A
Cited
US4265538A
Cited
US4548500A
Cited
US4565448A
Cited
US4907884A
Cited
US4702598A
Cited
US4728190A
Cited
US5125737A
Cited
US4906094A
Cited
US4952055A
Cited
US5305071A
Cited
US4942305A
Cited
US5247340A
Cited
US5999256A
Cited
US5414508A
Cited
US6120734A
Cited
US5534999A
Cited
US5436465A
Cited
US5737078A
Cited
US6118531A
Cited
US6023324A
Cited
US6100541A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-07-07 | 2007-01-06 | 2007-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-07-07 | 2011-01-06 | 2011-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-07-07 | 2015-01-06 | 2015-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |