Sample handling and dispatching individual sample packages for fluid processing
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsStephan Buckenmaier, Konstantin Shoykhet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sampling unit for handling a sample fluid includes a sample container having a length and being configured for receiving and storing the sample fluid, and a sample segment dispatching unit configured for providing a plurality of individual sample packages of the fluidic sample, each contained in a respective volume segment along the length of the sample container, and for individually dispatching each of the plurality of individual sample packages for further processing in a fluid processing unit. The sample unit may be utilized, for example, for injecting the sample packages into a mobile phase stream for transporting to a sample separating unit such as a chromatography column.
Claims18
A sampling unit for handling a sample fluid, the sample unit comprising:
- a sample container comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a length between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the sample container is configured to receive and store the sample fluid, and wherein a composition of the sample fluid is not homogeneous over the length of the sample container;
- and
- a sample segment dispatching unit comprising a plurality of sample loops along the length of the sample container, the sample segment dispatching unit configured to provide a plurality of individual sample packages of the sample fluid, the individual sample packages respectively contained in the sample loops, and to individually dispatch each individual sample package from the respective sample loop in which the individual sample package is contained, separately from the other individual sample packages of the plurality of individual sample packages contained in the other respective sample loops, for further processing in a fluid processing unit.
A method of handling a sample fluid, the method comprising:
- receiving and storing the sample fluid in a sample container comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a length between the inlet and the outlet, wherein a composition of the sample fluid is not homogeneous over the length of the sample container;
- providing a plurality of individual sample packages of the sample fluid, the individual sample packages respectively contained in a plurality of sample loops along the length of the sample container;
- and
- individually dispatching each individual sample package from the respective sample loop in which the individual sample package is contained, separately from the other individual sample packages of the plurality of individual sample packages contained in the other respective sample loops, for further processing in a fluid processing unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.