US 2014/0174211 A1 · FLUID SAMPLE HOLDERS WITH PISTON VALVE

Abstract

Disclosed is a fluid sample holder 20 for delivering or receiving a fluid sample to or from fluid processing equipment such as a chromatography column 5 (FIG. 1). The sample holder 20 comprises: a sample fluid reservoir 15; a sample fluid port 23; a buffer fluid port 21; and a sliding seal 25 within the reservoir 15 having an external area 258 (FIG. 3) which generally sealing engages with a wall of the reservoir 15 thereby defining first 22 and second 24 fluid separated regions in the reservoir 15. The sliding seal 25 is displaceable within the reservoir 15 by means of a working fluid pressure differential between the first 22 and second 24 regions to thereby change the respective volumes of the first and second regions, and the external area at least is formed from a plastics moulded material which elastically flexes when subjected to a pressure differential greater than the working fluid pressure differential and when so flexed allows fluid flow between the first and second regions.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A fluid sample holder suitable for allowing a fluid sample to be delivered to, or received from, fluid processing equipment, the sample holder comprising:

a sample fluid reservoir;
a sample fluid port for providing fluid communication between said sample fluid reservoir and fluid processing equipment;
a buffer fluid port also for providing fluid communication between the reservoir and said fluid processing equipment;
and a sliding seal within the reservoir having an external area which substantially sealingly engages with a wall of the reservoir thereby defining a first and a second fluid separated regions in the reservoir, said first region being in fluid communication with the sample fluid port, and said second region being in fluid communication with the buffer fluid port, the sliding seal being displaceable within the reservoir by means of a working fluid pressure differential between the first and second regions to thereby change the respective volumes of the first and second regions, and at least the external area being formed from material which elastically flexes when subjected to a pressure differential greater than the working fluid pressure differential and when so flexed allows fluid flow between the first and second regions.

1 more element

A method for delivering fluids to a chromatography column apparatus, including the steps of:

providing a sample fluid holder containing a sample fluid;
operating said apparatus to cause a buffer fluid to flow under a working pressure into said sample holder;
causing a sliding seal within the sample holder to be displaced by said buffer fluid thereby causing only said sample fluid in the sample holder to exit the sample holder through a sample fluid port;
allowing said displacement of said sliding seal to reach an end point thereat said working pressure is caused to increase;
and
causing the buffer fluid to flow past the sliding seal under the influence of said increased working pressure, by means of elastic flexing of an external area of the sliding seal.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fluid sample holders with piston valve

Life of this patent

Fluid sample holders with piston valve

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16