EP0465832A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for preparing cells for examination
Assignee: Cytyc Corp
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Filing: 1991-06-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-06-06
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus (10) and method provide automated collection and transfer of particles from a liquid suspension to a glass slide for visual examination. A solution which contains particles, for example cells, is drawn through a filter element [68 (FIG. 2)] so that particles too large to pass through the filter element collect against a first surface of the filter element. A transfer fluid, such as alcohol, is applied from a second surface of the filter element to the first surface, to transfer cells from the filter element to a glass slide positioned adjacent the filter element. An alternative transfer mechanism applies a selected pneumatic signal to the filter element for transferring collected cells to the viewing slide. The apparatus includes a device [66 (FIG. 2)] for dispersing the liquid suspension of particles prior to the collection process and particles collect against the filter element with a spatial distribution advantageous for visual examination. The transfer operation maintains this spatial distribution. The cell-dispersing device and the filter element are on a common structure (22), for unitary movement, and which is readily disposable and replaceable for each sample of particles.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley N. Lapidus
- 👤 Lewis T. Polk, Jr.
- 👤 Frederic L. Farber
- 👤 Morgan J. Barlas
- 👤 Anne A. Hurley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:46
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/28; G01N1/2813; G01N2001/2846; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/25375; Y10T436/2575
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A method for preparing sample cells, that are in liquid suspension, for visual examination, said method comprising the steps of A. introducing a cell-dispersing device into the liquid suspension of cells, B. operating said cell-dispersing device for dispersing the sample cells, C. immersing in the liquid suspension of cells a filter device having a porosity for blocking sample cells of interest and for passing smaller particles, D. directing a flow of the cell-suspending liquid through said filter device for collecting sample cells of interest on the filter device, and E. withdrawing said filter device with sample cells collected thereon from the cell-suspending liquid, with a spatial distribution ready for said visual examination.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 1 in which said steps of introducing said cell-dispersing device and immersing said filter device include providing said cell-dispersing device and said filter device on a common structure, for concurrent introduction to the liquid suspension of cells.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 1 in which said step of operating said cell-dispersing device includes agitatingly moving said cell-dispersing device for subjecting the liquid-suspending cells to shear forces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 1 in which said introducing and operating steps include introducing a rotor device into the liquid suspension of cells and rotating said rotor device relative to the liquid suspension of cells for subjecting the cells to shear forces for dispersing the sample cells.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of A. disposing the filter device with the collected cells thereon adjacent a viewing slide device, B. transferring the collected sample cells from the filter device to the viewing slide device, and C. maintaining the spatial distribution, that the collected sample cells have on the filter device, during said transfer step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of A. introducing a chamber device into the liquid suspension of cells, B. providing a tubular wall element on said chamber device for subjecting the liquid suspension of cells to shear forces, upon movement relative to the liquid suspension of cells, for effecting said dispersion of sample cells, and C. providing said filter device as a screen filter element on said chamber device for effecting said filter device-immersion and sample cell-collection steps.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus for processing particles suspended in liquid, said apparatus comprising A. fluid-confining vessel means having (i) vessel walls for immersion into the particle-suspending liquid and for producing shear forces in that liquid in response to agitating movement relative to the liquid, and (ii) screen filter means forming part of said vessel means, and having a filter porosity to block particles of interest and to pass liquid and smaller particles, and B. mounting means secured to said vessel means for removably and replaceably mounting said vessel means with selected orientation and with selected disposition of said vessel walls and of said filter means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said mounting means includes rim means secured to said vessel walls and arranged for said removable and replaceable mounting of said vessel means, said rim means being further arranged for receiving movement for providing said agitating movement of said vessel means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which A. said vessel means is elongated along an axis of agitating movement, B. said filter means is disposed at a first location along said axis, and C. said mounting means includes a rim element joined to said vessel means and located along said axis distal from said filter means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said vessel means produces the shear forces in response to rotational movement about an axis and in which said vessel walls include tubular walls conforming to a surface of revolution about said axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which said vessel means further has A. sealing aperture means for removably and replaceably receiving a closure element with fluid-tight sealing, and B. is fluid tight except at said sealing aperture means and at said filter means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 A. in which said vessel means is elongated along an axis and said filter means is disposed at a first location along said axis, and B. further comprising conduit means extending from outside said vessel means for a selected distance within the vessel means and oriented along said axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
125 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 A. in which said vessel means includes (i) a liquid containment body formed at least in part with said screen filter means through which liquid can flow into and out of said containment body, said liquid containment body being arranged for movement relative to a selected axis and relative to the cell-suspending liquid, and for thereby subjecting the cell-suspending liquid to shear forces for dispersing the particles, and B. in which said mounting means includes rim means connected to said containment body for mountingly-supporting said containment body, said rim means being concentric with said axis, and being arranged for removably and replaceably mounting said body and for receiving driven movement for said movement of said body relative to said axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising means forming a sealing aperture on said liquid containment body for removably and replaceably interfitting with aperture closure means with a selected fluid-tight closure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising conduit means extending within said liquid containment body and having a conduit end located to be vertically above a first volume of liquid therein both when said body is oriented with said filter element lowermost and when said body is inverted from that orientation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
115 words
Apparatus for preparing for visual examination sample cells that are in liquid suspension, said apparatus comprising A. a cell dispersing device and means for operating said cell dispersing device to disperse the sample cells, B. a filter device arranged for immersion in the cell suspending liquid and having a porosity for blocking sample cells of interest and for passing smaller particles, D. means for directing a flow of the cell suspending liquid through said filter device immersed therein for collecting sample cells of interest on the filter device, and E. means for withdrawing said filter device from the cell suspending liquid with sample cells collected thereon with a spatial distribution ready for said visual examination.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said cell dispersing device and said filter device form a common structure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said cell dispersing device includes an agitating device arranged for immersion in the cell suspending liquid and agitatingly movable relative to that liquid for producing shear forces therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 A. in which said filter device employs a substantially planar screen filter element, and B. further comprising (i) means for orientating said screen filter element to extend at least partially horizontally when immersed in the cell-suspending liquid, and (ii) means for directing the flow of cell-suspending liquid upward through said screen filter element, for collecting sample cells of interest onto a downwardly facing surface of the screen filter element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 further comprising means for transferring cells, which are collected on said filter device, from said filter device to a viewing slide device with the same spatial distribution as on said filter device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 A. wherein said filter device includes a substantially planar screen filter element on which the sample cells are collected from the cell suspending liquid, B. further comprising means for disposing said screen filter element with the surface thereof on which the sample cells are collected in adjacent face-to-face relation with a viewing slide device, C. further comprising means for flowing a cell-transferring liquid through said screen filter element for transferring collected cells from the screen filter to the viewing slide device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as forth in claim 16 wherein said cell dispersing device includes a chamber device arranged for immersion in the cell-suspending liquid and having a wall element for subjecting the liquid suspension of cells to shear forces upon agitating movement relative to the liquid suspension of cells, for effecting said dispersion of cells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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