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US3770349A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for automatically classifying complex, microscopic particles such as human cells
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-05-12
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Granted: 1973-11-06
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Expires: 1991-05-12
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for classifying, counting and segregating microscopic particles such as cells. The particles may be contained in a gas or liquid and may be classified by measuring two characteristics thereof such as the size of the nucleus and the size or volume of the cell. This permits counting and separating of red blood corpuscules from leucocytes in the same solution. Normal and atypical cells may also be physically separated. The size of the nucleus may be measured by transmitted light and the size of the cell by scattered light.
Inventors
- 👤 Sanchez G Legorreta
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:09
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N15/00; G01N15/10; G01N15/14; G01N15/1429; G01N15/1433; G01N15/1468; G01N15/147; G01N27/00; G01N27/72; G01N27/74; G06; G06M; G06M1/00; G06M1/08; G06M1/10; G06M1/101; G01N1/00; G01N1/28; G01N1/30; G01N1/31; G01N1/38; G01N1/40; G01N15/149; G01N2015/1029
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
Apparatus for investigating microscopic particles suspended in a transparent liquid, comprising: a. a microscope having a focal plane; b. means for causing the suspension of particles to flow in a path passing once from one side to the other through said focal plane; c. means for illuminating said focal plane; and d. means for detecting changes of the light absorbed by each particle as it flows through said focal plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus for investigating microscopic particles suspended in a transparent liquid, comprising: a. a microscope having a focal plane; b. means for causing the suspension of particles to flow in a path passing once from one side to the other through said focal plane; c. means for illuminating said focal plane; and d. means for detecting changes of the light absorbed by each particle as it flows through said focal plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein further means is provided for tangentially illuminating said focal plane, and additional means for detecting the light scattered by each particle passing through said focal plane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each particle is stained by a fluorescent stain, and additional means is provided for detecting the fluorescence of each particle passing through said focal plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein means is provided for detecting the light absorbed by a plurality of areas of the image of each particle passing said focal plane, thereby to investigate the internal structure of the particle investigated.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of classifying microscopic particles which comprises the steps of: a. suspending the particles in a liquid; b. causing the suspended particles to flow across a predetermined testing plane; c. illuminating the testing plane with both direct and indirect light; d. measuring the light scattered by each particle as it passes the testing plane to detect one characteristic of the particle; and e. measuring the absorption of the light by the same particle to detect simultaneously another characteristic thereof.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of classifying microscopic particles which comprises the steps of: a. suspending the particles in a liquid; b. causing the suspended particles to flow across a predetermined testing plane; c. illuminating the testing plane with both direct and indirect light; d. measuring the light scattered by each particle as it passes the testing plane to detect one characteristic of the particle; and e. measuring the absorption of the light by the same particle to detect simultaneously another characteristic thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus for investigating complex particles suspended in a transparent liquid, said apparatus comprising: a microscope having a focal plane; means for causing the suspension of particles to flow through said focal plane; means for alternately illuminating said focal plane by direct and by tangential light to provide alternately a dark field illumination; means for detecting changes of the light absorbed by each particle as it flows through said focal plane; and means for detecting the light scattered by each particle as it flows through said focal plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus for investigating complex particles suspended in a transparent liquid, said apparatus comprising: a microscope having a focal plane; means for causing the suspension of particles to flow through said focal plane; means for alternately illuminating said focal plane by direct and by tangential light to provide alternately a dark field illumination; means for detecting changes of the light absorbed by each particle as it flows through said focal plane; and means for detecting the light scattered by each particle as it flows through said focal plane.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of automatically classifying complex microscopic particles by means of a microscope having a focal plane comprising the steps of: suspending tHe particles in a transparent liquid; causing the suspension of particles to flow in a path passing from one side to the other through the focal plane of the microscope; illuminating the focal plane with light partially absorbed by the particles, thereby to produce an image of each particle flowing through the focal plane; and detecting changes of the light partially absorbed by each particle as it flows through the focal plane.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of automatically classifying complex microscopic particles by means of a microscope having a focal plane comprising the steps of: suspending tHe particles in a transparent liquid; causing the suspension of particles to flow in a path passing from one side to the other through the focal plane of the microscope; illuminating the focal plane with light partially absorbed by the particles, thereby to produce an image of each particle flowing through the focal plane; and detecting changes of the light partially absorbed by each particle as it flows through the focal plane.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method defined in claim 7 wherein at least a portion of each particle is stained with a stain.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of automatically classifying complex microscopic particles by means of a microscope having a focal plane comprising the steps of: suspending the particles in a transparent liquid; causing the suspension of particles to flow through the focal plane of the microscope; staining at least a portion of each particle with a fluorescent stain capable of fluorescing when illuminated with light; illuminating the focal plane with light causing fluorescence of the stain and being partially absorbed by the particles, thereby to produce an image of each particle flowing through the focal plane; detecting changes of the light partially absorbed by each particle as it flows through the focal plane; and detecting the florescence caused by the stain on each particle as it flows through the focal plane.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of automatically classifying complex microscopic particles by means of a microscope having a focal plane comprising the steps of: suspending the particles in a transparent liquid; causing the suspension of particles to flow through the focal plane of the microscope; staining at least a portion of each particle with a fluorescent stain capable of fluorescing when illuminated with light; illuminating the focal plane with light causing fluorescence of the stain and being partially absorbed by the particles, thereby to produce an image of each particle flowing through the focal plane; detecting changes of the light partially absorbed by each particle as it flows through the focal plane; and detecting the florescence caused by the stain on each particle as it flows through the focal plane.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of automatically classifying cells comprising the steps of: suspending the cells in a liquid medium, thereby to isolate them from each other; moving the suspended cells one by one and as discrete units past a predetermined measuring station; detecting individually the image of a number of individual areas of each cell as the cell flows past the measuring station, thereby to determine the characteristics of the internal structure of each cell; and classifying each cell in accordance with the characteristics determined.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of automatically classifying cells comprising the steps of: suspending the cells in a liquid medium, thereby to isolate them from each other; moving the suspended cells one by one and as discrete units past a predetermined measuring station; detecting individually the image of a number of individual areas of each cell as the cell flows past the measuring station, thereby to determine the characteristics of the internal structure of each cell; and classifying each cell in accordance with the characteristics determined.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of investigating complex microscopic particles having interior characteristics comprising the steps of: suspending the particles in a liquid medium, thereby to isolate them from each other; moving the suspended particles one by one and as discrete units past a predetermined measuring station; automatically determining at least two characteristics of the interior of each particle; and classifying each particle in accordance with the characteristics determined.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of investigating complex microscopic particles having interior characteristics comprising the steps of: suspending the particles in a liquid medium, thereby to isolate them from each other; moving the suspended particles one by one and as discrete units past a predetermined measuring station; automatically determining at least two characteristics of the interior of each particle; and classifying each particle in accordance with the characteristics determined.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein an interior characteristic of each particle is measured by determining the absorption of light for the purpose of classifying each particle.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein at least a portion of each particle is stained and wherein the change of light is measured in a number of areas of each particle as it passes the measuring station, thereby to determine characteristics of each particle.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of investigating complex microscopic particles having interior characteristics comprising the steps of: suspending the particles in a liquid medium, thereby to isolate them from each other; moving the suspended particles one by one and as discrete units past a predetermined measuring station; measuring the size of each particle as it flows past the measuring station; automatically determining at least one characteristic of the interior of each particle; and classifying each particle in accordance with the characteristic determined and its size.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
82 words
A method of investigating complex microscopic particles having interior characteristics comprising the steps of: suspending the particles in a liquid medium, thereby to isolate them from each other; moving the suspended particles one by one and as discrete units past a predetermined measuring station; measuring the size of each particle as it flows past the measuring station; automatically determining at least one characteristic of the interior of each particle; and classifying each particle in accordance with the characteristic determined and its size.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-05 | 1977-05-07 | 1977-11-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-05 | 1981-05-07 | 1981-11-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-05 | 1985-05-07 | 1985-11-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |