# US 11,307,178 B2 · Sampler for liquid chromatography

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- Number: US 11,307,178 B2
- Document ID: US11307178B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/664,683
- Filed: 2019-10-25
- Published: 2020-05-28
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-25
- Assignees: Dionex Softron GmbH
- Applicants: Dionex Softron GmbH
- Inventors: Thomas Wachinger
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307178B2

## CPC

- G01N 30/20: using a sampling valve
- G01N 30/24: Automatic injection systems
- G01N 2030/201: {multiport valves, i.e. having more than two ports}
- G01N 2030/202: {rotary valves}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A sampler for liquid chromatography, the sampler comprising:
(A) an injection valve, the injection valve includes:
(a) a stator, in which the stator comprises a first port, a second port, a third port, a fourth port, and a fifth port, wherein
(i) the first port is configured to be connected to a pump;
(ii) the second port configured to be connected to a chromatography column;
(iii) the third port is connected to a sample loop;
(iv) the fourth port is configured to discharge fluid at a low pressure to waste; and
(v) a fifth port is connected to the sample loop;
(b) a rotor, in which a face surface of the rotor is configured to be rotated against a face surface of the stator, the rotor comprises a first groove and a second groove, in which the first groove is configured to connect to two of the ports, and in which the second groove is configured to connect to a different two of the ports;
(B) a sample delivery device connected to the sample loop;
(C) the sample loop connected to the injection valve, the sample loop including:
(a) a first sample loop part, in which a first end of the first sample loop part is connected to the fifth port and a second end of the first sample loop part is connected to the sample delivery device; and
(b) a second sample loop part, in which a first end of the second sample loop part is connected to the third port and a second end of the second sample loop part is connected to the sample delivery device,
in which the injection valve is configured to include a LOAD position, a PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position, and an INJECT position,
(A1) in the LOAD position of the injection 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;
(A2) in the PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position of the injection 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
(A3) in the INJECT position of the injection 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sampler of claim 1, in which 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.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sampler of claim 1 further comprising:
(D) the pump connected to the first port; and
(E) the chromatography column connected to the second port.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sampler of claim 1, in which the injection valve is also configured to include additional positions, the additional positions selected from the group consisting of
(A4) a FULL PURGE position, in which the fifth port is connected to the fourth port via the second groove, and the first port is connected to the third port via the first groove,
(A5) a PUMP PURGE position, in which the first port is connected to the fourth port via the first groove, and
(A6) a NEGATIVE PRESSURE position in which the first port is connected to the third port via the first groove, and the fifth port is sealingly closed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The sampler as claimed in claim 4, wherein,
in the FULL PURGE position, the second port is sealingly closed, and,
in the PUMP PURGE position, the third port is sealingly closed and the fifth port is connected to the second port.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The sampler as claimed in claim 4, wherein the injection valve has at most six different switching positions, in which the six different switching positions consist of the LOAD position, the PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position, the INJECT position, the PUMP PURGE position, the FULL PURGE position, and the NEGATIVE PRESSURE position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The sampler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stator consists of the first port, the second port, the third port, the fourth port, and the fifth port.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The sampler as claimed in claim 1, in which in the PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position,
the third port and the fifth port both do not have a connection to either of the first port or the second port, and
the first port and the second port are connected to one another via the first groove.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The sampler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first port is spaced apart from the second port, from the third port, from the fourth port, and from the fifth port by in each case a substantially same distance.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The sampler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third port and the fifth port are situated on opposite sides with respect to the first port, and
the third port and the fifth port are both spaced apart from the fourth port and from the second port by in each case a substantially same distance.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The sampler as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first groove is of a hook-shaped form and the second groove is of an arcuate form.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The sampler as claimed in claim 11, wherein the rotor has at most two grooves, in which the two grooves consist of the first groove and the second groove.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The sampler as claimed in claim 11, wherein the hook-shaped form is configured maintain a connection between the second port and the first port during a change from the LOAD position to the PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The sampler as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a control unit configured to actuate the injection valve and the sample delivery device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The sampler as claimed in claim 14, wherein the sample delivery device includes a movable element, the movable element is guided in a sealed fashion in a pump volume of the sample delivery device, in which the sampler further comprises a drive, the drive configured to move the movable element, the control unit configured to actuate the drive and deliver the sample fluid contained in the pump volume.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The sampler as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sample delivery device is configured to generate pressure ranging from 500 bar to 1500 bar.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The sampler as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in the PRESSURE EQUALIZATION position, the third port and the fifth port are shut off in a pressure-tight fashion.