US-12625056-B2 - Particle counter

US12625056B2US 12625056 B2US12625056 B2US 12625056B2US-12625056-B2

Abstract

A particle counter is configured to count particles contained in a sample fluid flowing through a flow passage by using light with which the flow passage is irradiated. The particle counter includes: a multi-flow cell having a plurality of the flow passages; a path adjuster configured to adjust a position of an optical path of the light with respect to the multi-flow cell, based on which flow passage is selected from the flow passages; and a light adjuster configured to adjust a condition of the light with which the selected flow passage is irradiated.

Inventors

Daisuke Shinozaki
Daisuke Sakaue
Moe SUSAKI
Tomonobu Matsuda

Assignees

RION CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20221223
Priority Date: 20211227

Claims (17)

1 . A particle counter configured to count particles contained in a sample fluid flowing through a flow passage by using light with which the flow passage is irradiated, the particle counter comprising: a flow cell having the flow passage; a flow cell unit encircling the flow cell to confine the flow cell therein; and a light adjuster configured to adjust a condition of the light, wherein the light adjuster is disposed on an outer surface of the flow cell unit, and wherein the light adjuster comprises a plurality of brackets formed on the outer surface of the flow cell unit and protruding outward, the brackets being arranged at regular intervals, and an optical equipment inserted between adjacent brackets.
2 . The particle counter according to claim 1 , wherein the optical equipment is configured to, when arranged on an optical path of the light, adjust an intensity of the light emitted from a light source, and the optical equipment includes an optical filter and/or a beam splitter.
3 . The particle counter according to claim 2 , wherein the light adjuster is further configured to move the optical equipment to: an in position, where the optical equipment is on the optical path; and an out position, where the optical equipment is not on the optical path.
4 . A particle counter configured to count particles contained in a sample fluid flowing through a flow passage by using light with which the flow passage is irradiated, the particle counter comprising: a multi-flow cell having a plurality of the flow passages; a flow cell unit encircling the multi-flow cell to confine the multi-flow cell therein; a path adjuster configured to adjust a position of an optical path of the light with respect to the multi-flow cell, based on which flow passage is selected from the flow passages; and a light adjuster configured to adjust a condition of the light with which the selected flow passage is irradiated, wherein the light adjuster is disposed on an outer surface of the flow cell unit, and wherein the light adjuster comprises a plurality of brackets formed on the outer surface of the flow cell unit and protruding outward, the brackets being arranged at regular intervals, and an optical equipment inserted between adjacent brackets.
5 . The particle counter according to claim 4 , wherein the optical equipment is configured to, when arranged on the optical path, adjust an intensity of the light emitted from a light source, and the optical equipment includes an optical filter and/or a beam splitter.
6 . The particle counter according to claim 5 , wherein the optical equipment is configured to, if arranged on the optical path, adjust the intensity of the light according to which flow passage is selected from the flow passages.
7 . The particle counter according to claim 6 , wherein the optical path corresponding to at least one of the flow passages is not provided with the optical equipment.
8 . The particle counter according to claim 7 , wherein the optical path corresponding to the at least one of the flow passages is provided with a light-transmitting member configured to align the light with a change in an optical axis due to passage of the light through the optical equipment.
9 . The particle counter according to claim 5 , wherein the light adjuster is further configured to move the optical equipment to: an in position, where the optical equipment is on the optical path; and an out position, where the optical equipment is not on the optical path.
10 . The particle counter according to claim 9 , wherein the light adjuster further includes a displacer configured to displace the optical equipment between the in and the out positions.
11 . The particle counter according to claim 5 , wherein the optical equipment includes a plurality of pieces of optical equipment having different characteristics, and the light adjuster is further configured to cause a piece of the optical equipment to be on the optical path according to which flow passage is selected from the flow passages.
12 . The particle counter according to claim 4 , further comprising: a controller configured to control the adjustment of the condition by the light adjuster according to the sample fluid flowing through the flow passage selected from the flow passages.
13 . The particle counter according to claim 2 , wherein the optical equipment further includes: a beam splitter configured to split the light into two groups one is light entering the flow passage, and another is surplus light; and a beam trap configured to absorb the surplus light.
14 . The particle counter according to claim 5 , wherein the optical equipment further includes: a beam splitter configured to split the light into two groups one is light entering the flow passage selected from the flow passages, and another is surplus light; and a beam trap configured to absorb the surplus light.
15 . The particle counter according to claim 2 , wherein the optical equipment is made of a substance whose optical characteristic is variable.
16 . The particle counter according to claim 5 , wherein the optical equipment is made of a substance whose optical characteristic is variable.
17 . A particle counter configured to count particles contained in a sample fluid flowing through a flow passage by using light with which the flow passage is irradiated, the particle counter comprising: a multi-flow cell having a plurality of the flow passages; a path adjuster configured to adjust a position of an optical path of the light with respect to the multi-flow cell, based on which flow passage is selected from the flow passages; a light adjuster configured to adjust a condition of the light with which the selected flow passage is irradiated; and a light adjustment unit configured to have the light adjuster which is arranged on the optical path of the light, wherein the light adjustment unit is arranged in a position from a source of the light to the path adjuster and out of a range of motion of the path adjuster, and wherein the light adjuster comprises a rotary disk having a plurality of holes formed at regular intervals in a circumferential direction, and an optical equipment fitted into the respective holes, the rotary disk being rotatable to switch arrangement of the optical equipment on the optical path.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC § 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-211860, filed on Dec. 27, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a particle counter configured to count the number of particles contained in a sample fluid. BACKGROUND JP2020-118549A, for example, discloses a particle counter having a multi-flow cell. This particle counter is characterized in that an optical system forming an optical path through which light emitted from a common light source travels to each flow cell (in a flow passage) is movable with respect to the fixed multi-flow cell. As a result, an excessive load is not applied to a pipe connected to each flow cell, and a sample fluid can be reliably prevented from leaking due to looseness or cracking of the pipe. In addition, there is a demand for further convenience for this particle counter. For example, although a common light source is used for the optical system, it is desirable that each sample fluid (in a case of a multi-flow cell, each flow cell for which a position of an optical path is to be adjusted) be usable under an appropriate condition of the light since the appropriate condition differs depending on types of sample fluids (chemical solution) and particles flowing through the flow cell. This is based on a concern that, if light having a common condition is used for all the sample fluids and particles, power of the light may be too strong or too weak for a specific sample fluid or particles (flowing through a selected flow cell in the multi-flow cell) to be counted, which may cause a problem in a counting result of the particles. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a particle counter with improved convenience. SUMMARY In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present disclosure employs the following solutions. Note that elements in parentheses below is merely examples, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. First Aspect The present disclosure provides a particle counter. The particle counter is configured to count particles contained in a sample fluid flowing through a flow passage by using light with which the inside of the flow passage is irradiated. The particle counter includes a flow cell having the flow passage, and the sample fluid (chemical solution) is caused to flow through the flow passage from a connection pipe or the like. The particles are counted by size based on the intensity of light from a particle passing through a detection region in the flow passage by aligning the position of an optical path (optical axis) of the light to the flow passage. The particle counter further includes a light adjuster configured to, for example, adjust a condition (such as power, wavelength, density distribution, and polarization) of the light. The particle counter can count the particles with the condition of the light appropriately adjusted according to characteristics of the sample fluid and the particles flowing through the flow passage, enabling highly reliable particle counting. Second Aspect The present disclosure also provides another particle counter. The particle counter is configured to count particles contained in a sample fluid flowing through a flow passage by using light with which the inside of the flow passage is irradiated. The particle counter includes a multi-flow cell. For example, the multi-flow cell has a plurality of flow passages, and a sample fluid (chemical solution) is caused to flow through a flow passage from a connection pipe or the like. The particles are counted by size based on the intensity of light from a particle passing through a detection region in the flow passage by adjusting the position of the optical path (optical axis) of the light to a flow passage selected as a counting target. The particle counter includes a path adjuster configured to adjust the position of the optical path of the light with respect to the multi-flow cell according to which flow passage is selected from the flow passages. The particle counter further includes a light adjuster configured to, for example, adjust a condition (such as power, wavelength, density distribution, and polarization) of the light with the position of the optical path adjusted by the path adjuster. The particle counter can count the particles with the condition of the light appropriately adjusted according to characteristics of the sample fluid and the particles flowing through the flow passage selected as the counting target, enabling highly reliable particle counting. The light adjuster includes optical equipment. The optical equipment includes, for example, an optical filter, a beam splitter, and/or the like. By arranging the optical equipment on the optical path, the intensity of the light emitted from a light source can be adjusted as desired. Accordingly, even if the particle counter uses