JPH0579135B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a particle analysis device that prevents laser light during measurement from entering a monitoring system that visually monitors the laminar flow state of a sample liquid flow. It is.

[Prior art] A particle analyzer is a cell suspension solution, that is, a sample solution, which is passed at high speed while being wrapped in a sheath fluid, and is irradiated with, for example, laser light, and a photoelectric signal from the scattered light and fluorescence is detected. It is a device that analyzes the properties and structure of
It is used in fields such as oncology and genetics. In order to perform accurate measurements with this particle analyzer, it is important to flow the sample liquid into the center of the cell or nozzle in a stable laminar flow. It is necessary to monitor whether the For this purpose, a method has been adopted in which an observation optical system or a microscope is placed in the direction of the irradiation optical axis and perpendicular to the irradiation optical axis and the direction of the flow of the sample liquid, respectively, and the flow of the sample liquid is visually monitored. There is.

However, if you carelessly look into the monitoring optical system, the laser beam for measurement may enter and there is a risk of damaging your eyes.

[Object of the Invention] In order to avoid the above-mentioned dangers, the object of the present invention is to provide a particle analysis system that takes preventive measures such that the laser beam does not enter the monitoring system when the laser beam is being emitted. The goal is to provide equipment.

[Summary of the invention] The gist of the present invention for achieving the above object is as follows:
An irradiation optical system that irradiates laser light onto the sample particles flowing through the flow section of the flow cell, a photometric optical system that measures the scattered light of the laser light scattered by the sample particles, and monitors the laminar flow state of the sample liquid flow. In a particle analysis apparatus equipped with a monitoring optical system, a means for detecting a laser beam irradiation state and a laser light blocking means are provided in the monitoring optical system, and the driving of the blocking means is interlocked with the detection means. This is a particle analysis device characterized by the following features.

[Embodiments of the Invention] The present invention will be described in detail based on illustrated embodiments.

Figure 1 shows a configuration diagram of a particle analysis device, in which 1 is a flow cell, and a sample liquid containing specimen particles is wrapped in a sheath liquid and flows at high speed through a flow section 2 of the flow cell 1 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. A laser light source 3 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the direction. On the optical axis 01 of the laser light source 3, there are half mirrors 4, 5,
An imaging lens 6 is disposed, and a condenser lens 7, a half mirror 8, and a photoelectric detector 9 are sequentially arranged on an optical axis 01 on the opposite side of the flow cell 1 from the laser light source 3. Further, along the optical axis 02 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis 01 and the center direction of the flow of sample particles, a photometric objective lens 10, a half mirror 11, an aperture 12, a convex lens 13, wavelength selection means 14, 15, Reflection mirrors 16 are sequentially arranged. Convex lenses 17, 18,
19, barrier filters 20, 21, 22, and optical fibers 23, 24, 25 are arranged. Also,
A photoelectric detector such as a photomultiplier (not shown) is connected to the other ends of these optical fibers 23, 24, 25, so that weak light can be intensified and detected.

A condenser lens 30 and a photoelectric detector 31 are provided on the side of the half mirror 4 that reflects the light beam from the laser light source 3.
is provided. In addition, a lens 3 is provided on the side of the half mirror 5 that reflects the light beam from the flow cell 1 side.
2. A monitoring light source 33 is arranged, and an objective lens 10
On the opposite side of the flow cell 1, there is a lens 3.
4. A monitoring light source 35 is provided. Furthermore, on the optical axis of the reflection side of the half mirror 8 installed obliquely in front of the photoelectric detector 9, there is a focusing plate 36 and an eyepiece lens 3.
7. A shutter 39 driven by a rotary solenoid 38 is provided. Further, on the side of the half mirror 11 which is obliquely installed with respect to the optical axis 02 and which reflects the light beam from the objective lens 10 side, a focusing plate 40, an eyepiece lens 41, and a rotary solenoid 42 are sequentially arranged.
A shutter 43 that is driven by a shutter is provided.
The output of the photoelectric detector 31 is output from the drive circuit 44,
45 and 46, the drive circuit 44 operates the rotary solenoids 38 and 42, and the drive circuits 45 and 46 operate the monitoring light sources 33 and 35, respectively.

The laser light emitted from the laser light source 3 is
The light is scattered by the sample particles passing through the flow section 2 in the flow cell 1, and is focused by the objective lenses 7 and 10.
photoelectric detector 9 and optical fibers 23 and 2, respectively.
The light enters a photoelectric detector connected to 4 and 25, and the scattered light or fluorescence is measured.

Prior to this measurement, while the laser light source 3 is not operating, the drive circuit 45 causes the monitoring light source 3 to
3 is turned on, the irradiated light is guided to the flow cell 1 via the lens 32, the half mirror 5, and the imaging lens 6, and the state of the sample liquid in the flow cell 1 is measured via the objective lens 7, the half mirror 8, and the eyepiece 37. The state of the laminar flow is monitored by the observation eye E, and the state of the laminar flow is adjusted as necessary by an adjustment mechanism (not shown). Next, the monitoring light source 35 is turned on by the drive circuit 46, and the state of laminar flow in a direction perpendicular to the previous monitoring direction is monitored by looking through the eyepiece 41, and adjustments are made as necessary.

When the measurement starts, a part of the laser light reflected by the half mirror 4 enters the photoelectric detector 31, that is, when the laser light source 3 is turned on, it is reflected by the half mirrors 8 and 11 via the drive circuit 44. The rotary solenoids 38 and 42 are driven so that the shutters 39 and 43 block the laser light, respectively, so that the laser light does not enter the viewing eye E. Note that the monitoring light sources 33 and 35 are turned off during measurement for particle analysis, and turned on during monitoring. This can be done by turning off the light via the control circuits 45 and 46 based on the output of the photoelectric detector 31, for example.

In this embodiment, the rotary solenoids 38, 42
Although the operation is performed by the output of the photoelectric detector 31, it may be driven when the laser light source 3 is powered on. Furthermore, the same effect can be obtained by blocking the laser beam from entering the viewing eye E by rotating the half mirrors 8 and 11 instead of the shutters 39 and 43. .

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the particle analyzer according to the present invention prevents laser light from entering the observation eye that monitors the laminar flow state of the sample liquid flow, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the observation eye. can be avoided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a particle analysis apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is a flow cell, 2 is a flow section, 3 is a laser light source, 4, 5, 8, 11 are half mirrors, 7,
10 is an objective lens, 9 and 31 are photoelectric detectors, 3
3, 35 are monitoring light sources, 37, 41 are eyepieces, 38, 42 are rotary solenoids, 39, 4
3 is a shutter, and 44, 45, and 46 are drive circuits.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An irradiation optical system that irradiates laser light onto sample particles flowing through the flow section of a flow cell, a photometric optical system that measures the scattered light of the laser light scattered by the sample particles, and a sample liquid. In a particle analyzer equipped with a monitoring optical system for monitoring a laminar flow state, a means for detecting a laser beam irradiation state and a laser light blocking means are provided in the monitoring optical system, and the blocking means is driven. A particle analysis device characterized in that: is linked to the detection means. 2. The particle analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring optical system uses a light source other than laser light. 3. The particle analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring means is capable of monitoring the flow cell from two directions. 4. The particle analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the blocking means is a shutter. 5. The particle analysis apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blocking means is a means for changing the direction of reflection of the reflecting mirror.