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US 10,473,631 B2Granted
Sampler for liquid chromatography
AssigneeDionex Softron GmbH
InventorThomas Wachinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sampler for liquid chromatography is described. The sampler includes an injection valve and a sample loop. The injection valve includes one waste port, two sample loop ports, and two high-pressure ports. The sample loop port includes a first loop part and a second loop part. The injection valve can be configured to have LOAD position and INJECT position. The injection valve can also be configured to have one or more additional positions such as a FULL PURGE position, a PUMP PURGE position, and a NEGATIVE PRESSURE position.
Claims29
A sampler for liquid chromatography, the sampler comprising:
- (a) an injection valve including:
- (i) at least one waste port configured to discharge fluid at a low pressure;
- (ii) a first sample loop port;
- (iii) a second sample loop port, in which the first sample loop port and the second sample loop port are both configured to supply and discharge fluid at high-pressure;
- (iv) a first high-pressure port configured to be connected to a pump;
- (v) a second high-pressure port configured to be connected to a chromatography column;
- (b) a sample loop including:
- (i) a first sample loop part, in which a first end of the first sample loop part is connected to the first sample loop port and a second end of the first sample loop part is connected to a sample delivery device;
- and
- (ii) a second sample loop part, in which a first end of the second sample loop part is connected to the second sample loop port and a second end of the second sample loop part is connected to the sample delivery device,
- the second sample loop part is configured to be in a divided state where the second sample loop part is divided into a drawing-in part and a supply part, in which the drawing-in part is connected to the sample delivery device, and
- in the divided state, an end of the drawing-in part is configured to draw in a sample fluid, in which the second sample loop part is also configured to be in a connected state where the drawing-in part and the supply part are connected, in the connected state, the supply part is configured to supply the sample fluid in a direction of the second sample loop port;
- and
- (c) the injection valve is configured to include a LOAD position and an INJECT position,
- (i) in the LOAD position, the first and second high-pressure ports are connected to one another, and the second sample loop port is connected to the waste port, and
- (ii) in the INJECT position, the first high-pressure port is connected to the first sample loop port, and the second high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port,
- (d) the injection valve is also configured to include additional positions, the additional positions selected from the group consisting of
- (i) a FULL PURGE position, in which the first sample loop port is connected to the waste port, and the first high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port,
- (ii) a PUMP PURGE position, in which the first high-pressure port is connected to the waste port,
- (iii) a NEGATIVE PRESSURE position in which the first high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port, and the first sample loop port is sealingly closed,
- (iv) and a combination thereof.
18 more elements
A method of performing a liquid chromatography, the method comprising:
- injecting a sample into a chromatography column using a sampler, the sampler comprising:
- (a) an injection valve including:
- (i) at least one waste port configured to discharge fluid at a low pressure;
- (ii) a first sample loop port;
- (iii) a second sample loop port, in which the first sample loop port and the second sample loop port are both configured to supply and discharge fluid at high-pressure;
- (iv) a first high-pressure port configured to be connected to a pump;
- (v) a second high-pressure port configured to be connected to a chromatography column;
- (b) a sample loop including:
- (i) a first sample loop part, in which a first end of the first sample loop part is connected to the first sample loop port and a second end of the first sample loop part is connected to a sample delivery device;
- and
- (ii) a second sample loop part, in which a first end of the second sample loop part is connected to the second sample loop port and a second end of the second sample loop part is connected to the sample delivery device, the second sample loop part is configured to be in a divided state where the second sample loop part is divided into a drawing-in part and a supply part, in which the drawing-in part is connected to the sample delivery device, and in the divided state, an end of the drawing-in part is configured to draw in a sample fluid, in which the second sample loop part is also configured to be in a connected state where the drawing-in part and the supply part are connected, in the connected state, the supply part is configured to supply the sample fluid in a direction of the second sample loop port;
- and
- (c) the injection valve is configured to include a LOAD position and an INJECT position,
- (i) in the LOAD position, the first and second high-pressure ports are connected to one another, and the second sample loop port is connected to the second sample loop part and to the waste port, and
- (ii) in the INJECT position, the first high-pressure port is connected to the first sample loop port, and the second high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port,
- (d) the injection valve is also configured to include additional positions, the additional positions selected from the group consisting of
- (i) a FULL PURGE position, in which the first sample loop port is connected to the waste port, and the first high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port,
- (ii) a PUMP PURGE position, in which the first high-pressure port is connected to the waste port,
- (ii) a NEGATIVE PRESSURE position in which the first high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port, and the first sample loop port is sealingly closed,
- (iv) and a combination thereof.
17 more elements
A method of cleaning a sampler, the method comprising:
- flowing a solvent into the sampler to clean the sampler, the sampler comprising:
- (a) an injection valve including:
- (i) at least one waste port configured to discharge fluid at a low pressure;
- (ii) a first sample loop port;
- (iii) a second sample loop port, in which the first sample loop port and the second sample loop port are both configured to supply and discharge fluid at high-pressure;
- (iv) a first high-pressure port configured to be connected to a pump;
- (v) a second high-pressure port configured to be connected to a chromatography column;
- (b) a sample loop including:
- (i) a first sample loop part, in which a first end of the first sample loop part is connected to the first sample loop port and a second end of the first sample loop part is connected to a sample delivery device;
- and
- (ii) a second sample loop part, in which a first end of the second sample loop part is connected to the second sample loop port and a second end of the second sample loop part is connected to the sample delivery device,
- the second sample loop part is configured to be in a divided state where the second sample loop part is divided into a drawing-in part and a supply part, in which the drawing-in part is connected to the sample delivery device, and
- in the divided state, an end of the drawing-in part is configured to draw in a sample fluid, in which the second sample loop part is also configured to be in a connected state where the drawing-in part and the supply part are connected, in the connected state, the supply part is configured to supply the sample fluid in a direction of the second sample loop port;
- and
- (c) the injection valve is configured to include a LOAD position and an INJECT position,
- (i) in the LOAD position, the first and second high-pressure ports are connected to one another, and the second sample loop port is connected to the second sample loop part and to the waste port, and
- (ii) in the INJECT position, the first high-pressure port is connected to the first sample loop port, and the second high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port,
- (d) the injection valve is also configured to include additional positions, the additional positions selected from the group consisting of
- (i) a FULL PURGE position, in which the first sample loop port is connected to the waste port, and the first high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port,
- (ii) a PUMP PURGE position, in which the first high-pressure port is connected to the waste port,
- (iii) a NEGATIVE PRESSURE position in which the first high-pressure port is connected to the second sample loop port, and the first sample loop port is sealingly closed,
- (iv) and a combination thereof.
19 more elements
A sample pre-compression valve for liquid chromatography, the sample pre-compression valve comprising:
- (a) a stator;
- and
- (b) a rotor, in which a face surface of the rotor is configured to be rotated against a face surface of the stator, in which the stator comprises at least five ports, the at least five ports including a first port, a second port, a third port, a fourth port, and a fifth port, the rotor comprises at least a first groove and a second groove, in which the first groove is configured to connect to two of the at least five ports, and in which the second groove is configured to connect to a different two of the at least five ports,
- (i) in a LOAD position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the second port such that the first groove does not have a dead volume, and the second groove connects the third port and the fourth port;
- (ii) in a PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the second port such that the first groove does have the dead volume, and the second groove does not connect the third port and the fourth port;
- and
- (iii) in an INJECT position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the fifth port such that the first groove does not have the dead volume, and the second groove connects the second port and the third port.
4 more elements
A method of injecting a sample into a chromatography column, the method comprising:
- pre-compressing a sample with a sample pre-compression valve, the sample pre-compression valve comprising:
- (a) a stator;
- and
- (b) a rotor, in which a face surface of the rotor is configured to be rotated against a face surface of the stator, in which the stator comprises at least five ports, the at least five ports including a first port, a second port, a third port, a fourth port, and a fifth port, the rotor comprises at least a first groove and a second groove, in which the first groove is configured to connect to two of the at least five ports, and in which the second groove is configured to connect to a different two of the at least five ports,
- (i) in a LOAD position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the second port such that the first groove does not have a dead volume, and the second groove connects the third port and the fourth port;
- (ii) in a PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the second port such that the first groove does have the dead volume, and the second groove does not connect the third port and the fourth port;
- and
- (iii) in an INJECT position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the fifth port such that the first groove does not have the dead volume, and the second groove connects the second port and the third port.
5 more elements
A sampler for liquid chromatography comprising:
- (A) a sample pre-compression valve including:
- (a) a stator;
- and
- (b) a rotor, in which a face surface of the rotor is configured to be rotated against a face surface of the stator, in which the stator comprises at least five ports, the at least five ports including a first port, a second port, a third port, a fourth port, and a fifth port, the rotor comprises at least a first groove and a second groove, in which the first groove is configured to connect to two of the at least five ports, and in which the second groove is configured to connect to a different two of the at least five ports,
- (i) in a LOAD position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the second port such that the first groove does not have a dead volume, and the second groove connects the third port and the fourth port;
- (ii) in a PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the second port such that the first groove does have the dead volume, and the second groove does not connect the third port and the fourth port;
- and
- (iii) in an INJECT position of the sample pre-compression valve, the first groove connects the first port and the fifth port such that the first groove does not have the dead volume, and the second groove connects the second port and the third port;
- (B) a sample loop connected to a sample delivery system and a needle seat;
- (C) a discharge line;
- (D) a solvent pump;
- and
- (E) a chromatography column, wherein the first port is connected to the solvent pump, the second port is connected to the chromatography column, the third port is connected to the sample loop, and the fourth port is connected to the discharge line.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.