# US 2019/0170622 A1 · Analytical Instruments, Methods, and Components

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- Number: US 2019/0170622 A1
- Document ID: US20190170622A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/209,164
- Filed: 2018-12-04
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04
- Assignees: Montana Instruments Corporation
- Applicants: Montana Instruments Corporation
- Inventors: Josh Doherty; Jamesen Motley; William Baker; Joseph Evers; Ben Linkenhoker; Luke Mauritsen; Ryan Murdick; Anjan Reijnders
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170622A1

## CPC

- G01N 1/42: Low-temperature sample treatment, e.g. cryofixation
- F17C 3/085: {Cryostats}
- F25D 19/00: Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices {or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors}
- F25D 19/006: {Thermal coupling structure or interface}
- G01N 1/44: Sample treatment involving radiation, e.g. heat
- G01N 35/00: Automatic analysis not limited to methods or materials provided for in any single one of groups G01N1/00 - G01N33/00; Handling materials therefor
- F17C 2223/0161: cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
- G01N 2035/00445: {Other cooling arrangements}
- 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)
- F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25)
- F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B)

## Abstract

Variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger components are provided that can include a conduit in thermal communication with at least one thermally discrete mass, the discrete mass being configured as a cold source to be coupled to a member to facilitate the transfer of thermal energy. Variable temperature analytical instrument components are also provided that can include: a first mass to be maintained at a first temperature; a first conduit in fluid communication with the first mass; and a second mass thermally connected to the first conduit, the second mass having a different temperature than the first mass. Methods for varying the temperature within variable temperature analytical instruments are also provided. The methods can include thermally coupling at least a portion of an exhaust fluid conduit with a first mass and using the first mass as a cold source.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component comprising a conduit in thermal communication with at least one thermally discrete mass, the discrete mass being configured as a cold source to be coupled to a member to facilitate the transfer of thermal energy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 1 wherein the member is configured to conduct thermal energy between the mass and a discrete portion of the instrument.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 1 wherein the member defines a radiation shield.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 3 wherein the radiation shield is operatively aligned about a reservoir.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 1 further comprising a cryofluid reservoir and wherein the conduit is configured as an exhaust of the reservoir.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 5 wherein the reservoir is a portion of an analysis component.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 1 wherein the discrete mass is integrated into the conduit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 7 wherein the one mass defines a tortured path of the conduit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 1 wherein the conduit of the heat exchanger component is in thermal communication with a plurality of thermally discrete masses.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 9 further comprising another thermally discrete mass and another member in thermal communication with the other mass, the other member configured to conduct thermal energy from the other mass to another discrete portion of the instrument.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 10 wherein the one mass defines a first tortured path of the conduit.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 10 wherein the other mass defines a second tortured path of the conduit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 10 wherein the masses are maintained at different temperatures.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 13 wherein the respective members coupled to the respective masses together define a nesting of radiation shields.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 14 wherein the nesting of radiation shields is operatively aligned about the reservoir.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 10 wherein the one mass defines a first tortured path of the conduit and the other mass defines a second tortured path of the conduit, wherein the first and second tortured paths provide different resistances to flow.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 16 wherein the respective members coupled to the respective masses together define a nesting of radiation shields.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The variable temperature analytical instrument heat exchanger component of claim 16 wherein the nesting of radiation shields is operatively aligned about the reservoir

### Claim 19

A variable temperature analytical instrument component comprising:
a first mass to be maintained at a first temperature;
a first conduit in fluid communication with the first mass; and
a second mass thermally connected to the first conduit, the second mass having a different temperature than the first mass.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The variable temperature analytical instrument of claim 19 wherein the first mass is a cryofluid reservoir of the variable temperature analytical instrument and the first conduit is an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with the cryofluid reservoir.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The variable temperature analytical instrument of claim 20 further comprising a member about the cryofluid reservoir and thermally coupled to the second mass.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The variable temperature analytical instrument of claim 19 wherein the second mass defines a tortured conduit in fluid communication with the first conduit.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The variable temperature analytical instrument of claim 19 wherein the first mass defines a first tortured path of the conduit.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The variable temperature analytical instrument of claim 23 further comprising respective first and second members respectively thermally coupled to the first and second masses

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The variable temperature analytical instrument of claim 23 wherein the second mass defines a second tortured path of conduit.

### Claim 26 (depends on 19)

The variable temperature analytical instrument of claim 19 wherein the first mass defines a first tortured path of conduit in fluid communication with the conduit and the second mass defines a second tortured path of conduit, wherein the first and second tortured paths provide different resistances to flow.

### Claim 27

A method for varying the temperature within a variable temperature analytical instrument, the method comprising thermally coupling at least a portion of an exhaust fluid conduit with a first mass and using the first mass as a cold source.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising conducting thermal energy between the first mass and a discrete portion of the instrument.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising thermally shielding a portion of the analytical instrument using a member coupled to the first mass.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising providing exhaust from a cryofluid reservoir through the portion of the conduit.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30 wherein the cryofluid reservoir is a portion of an analysis component.

### Claim 32 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising providing fluid through the first mass.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32 wherein the first mass defines a tortured path for the fluid.

### Claim 34 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising thermally coupling another portion of the exhaust fluid conduit with a second mass and using the second mass as a cold source.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34 further comprising conducting thermal energy between the second mass and another discrete portion of the instrument.

### Claim 36 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34 further comprising thermally shielding another portion of the analytical instrument using another member coupled to the second mass.

### Claim 37 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27 further comprising providing fluid through the second mass.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The method of claim 37 wherein the second mass defines a tortured path for the fluid.