Capillary electrophoresis sample injection technique
AssigneeIsco, Inc.
InventorRobert William Allington
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
To inject sample into a capillary tube of an electrophoresis apparatus, a vacuum tank is connected to one end of the tube while the other end is in sample to impart a pressure difference across the tube. The pressure in the pressure chamber is sensed, integrated and used to determine and control the amount of sample drawn and to correct peak data.
Claims44
A sample injector for injecting sample into a separating means in a separating apparatus, comprising:
- means for applying a controlled pressure to said separating means;
- said means for applying a controlled pressure including a pressure chamber;
- said pressure chamber communicating with a first end of the separating means to impart a pressure difference with respect to a second end of said separating means;
- said second end of the separating means being adapted to communicate with a sample source;
- means for causing pressure in said pressure chamber to inject sample from said sample source wherein sample flows at a slow rate into said second end of the separating means;
- and
- pressure measuring means adapted to measure the pressure in said pressure chamber and generate a pressure signal indicative thereof;
- and
- means for determining a measure of the amount of sample introduced into said separating means from said pressure signal.
A sample injector for injecting sample into a separating means in a separating apparatus, comprising:
- said sample injector including a vacuum source;
- a sample source and a vacuum chamber;
- said vacuum chamber communicating with an end of an elongated separating means;
- said separating means having a second end which communicates with the sample source;
- means for causing vacuum in said vacuum chamber to draw sample from said sample source, wherein sample is pulled at a slow rate into said second end of the separating means;
- and
- pressure measuring means adapted to measure negative pressure in said vaccum chamber and generate a signal indicative thereof;
- said signal causing a connective means to increase the accuracy of quantative results obtained from said sample.
A method of injecting sample into a separating means in a separating apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- applying a controlled pressure to said separating means from a pressure chamber that communicates with a first end of the separating means to impart a pressure difference with respect to a second end of said separating means adapted to communicate with a sample source;
- causing pressure in said pressure chamber to inject sample from said sample source wherein sample flows at a slow rate into said second end of the separating means;
- measuring the pressure in said pressure chamber;
- generating a pressure signal indicative of the pressure in said presure chamber;
- and
- determining a measure of the amount of sample introduced into said separating means from said pressure signal.
A method of injecting sample into a separating means in a separating apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- causing a vacuum in said vacuum chamber to draw sample from said sample source, wherein sample is pulled at a slow rate into said second end of the separating means;
- measuring negative pressure in said vacuum chamber;
- generating a signal indicative of the negative pressure to cause a connective means to increase the accuracy of quantative results obtained from said sample;
- the step of drawing sample including the step of drawing sample into said separating means proportionally to the said negative pressure in the said vacuum chamber and integrating the negative pressure with respect to time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.