DE102008042252B4 - Fluid valve with push-pull mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid valve for a sample separation device, the fluid valve comprising: a valve body which has a plurality of capillary adapters for connecting a respective capillary; an actuation mechanism which is configured for actuation of the valve body by a user; wherein the actuation mechanism is configured for the valve body to be actuated by a User can be transferred from a retracted state to an extended state by means of a push operation.

Description

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a valve for a sample separation device.

In an HPLC, a liquid (mobile phase) is typically used at a very precisely controlled flow rate (for example in the range of microliters to milliliters per minute) and at a high pressure (typically 20 bar to 1000 bar and beyond, currently up to 2000 bar ), in which the compressibility of the liquid can be felt, is moved through a stationary phase (for example a chromatographic column) in order to separate individual components of a sample liquid introduced into the mobile phase. Such an HPLC system is known, for example, from EP 0 309 596 B1 .

A system for liquid chromatography is in particular the LC system of the Agilent 1200 series from the applicant Agilent Technologies, Inc.

In such systems, a fluid flow can be controlled by means of a fluid valve, which can be in fluid connection with one or more separation columns and, for example, can control or switch the liquid supply to the separation column or columns.

In these and other sample separation devices, screwing the connections of a fluid valve can be difficult.

U.S. 3,533,295 A discloses a valve having a valve body to which is attached a component through which a plurality of passages extend. Pressure operated actuators are carried by the valve body to block communication between the ends of the passages. A removable valve cap having passages is attached to the component so that passages in the cap and the component are in communication. External lines can be connected to the passages in the cap in order to communicate with passages in the component through such passages.

EPIPHANY

It is an object of the invention to provide an easily manageable fluid valve for a sample separation device. The object is achieved by means of the independent claims. Further embodiments are shown in the dependent claims.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a fluid valve (for example a liquid valve) for a sample separation device for separating a fluidic sample is created, the fluid valve having a valve body which has a plurality of capillary adapters for connecting a respective capillary, and an actuating mechanism which is set up for actuating the valve body by a user, the actuation mechanism being set up so that the valve body can be transferred by a user from a retracted state (in particular into a housing of the sample separation device) to an extended state (in particular out of the housing of the sample separation device) by means of a push actuation is.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a sample separation device is provided which has a fluid valve with the features described above.

According to the invention, a fluid valve can be provided which can be used in a sample separation device or in a module of a multi-module sample separation device, for example an HPLC device. This fluid valve can contain fluidic interfaces for fluidic coupling with a separation column, liquid containers and / or other components or modules of the sample separation device. Such capillary adapters can be used for a liquid-tight connection of liquid lines. By means of an actuating mechanism that can be manually operated by a user, a valve body of the liquid valve can be selectively at least partially withdrawn relative to a housing accommodating the fluid valve or completely or partially sunk therein. According to the invention, the actuating mechanism can be provided particularly simply using a push-pull mechanism in which the user simply pushes the valve body retracted into the housing further in the direction of the housing, whereupon the valve body is automatically moved out of the housing, for example by sliding it out . For example, a purely mechanical (or alternatively a motor-controlled) latching mechanism can be unlocked by means of the pushing movement of the user, with which the valve body automatically moves out of the housing due to a pre-applied mechanical preload (for example using a mechanical spring) and thus protrudes beyond it. This allows a user-friendly and uncomplicated handling of the fluid valve.

Moving hydraulic units or valve bodies use the flexibility of the connection capillaries to move from a working position to an assembly or service function. Kinematics that no extension of the capillaries required by the additional movement function. This can be achieved through a clever choice of fixed points. According to one embodiment, the working position of the valve head is sunk deeper into the device than the second fixed position, the separation column. As a result, the level of the column mounting is not hindered by the valve and its connection connections. For the assembly or service case, the valve is moved about the same distance in front of the level of the column mounting and therefore no additional capillary length is required.

Further exemplary embodiments of the fluid valve are described below. These also apply to the sample separation device.

The valve body of the fluid valve can or can be brought into fluid connection with one or more separation columns. Such separation columns can be HPLC separation columns, for example cylindrical containers filled with beads, through which a liquid is pressed at high pressure and thereby separated into different fractions. One or more liquids can be injected into or removed from the respective separation columns by means of the fluid valve. It is also possible to select exactly one or a group of the separation columns with a fluid valve.

The valve body can have an exchangeable valve head. This valve head can contain the valve adapter, for example, so that by exchanging the valve head, the system of the invention, which is compatible with a modular architecture, can be operated with different valve heads and thus with different capillary variants (in terms of number, flow rate, etc.).

This valve head can be removed from a remainder of the valve body by a user by means of a combined turning and pulling operation. In other words, the user can turn the valve head and then subsequently remove the valve head from the valve body. With a few movements of the hand, the valve head can thus be replaced by an alternative valve head which can be fastened, for example, by inserting the valve head into the valve body and rotating it in the opposite direction.

The actuation mechanism can be set up so that the valve body can be transferred from the extended state to the retracted state by a user by means of a push actuation (which can have the same pushing direction as the push actuation for extending the valve body). If, for example, the user has previously moved the valve body out of the housing (by actuating the push-pull mechanism), the valve body can again be lowered into the interior of the housing with a single movement of the hand by the user performing the same pushing movement again. As a result, the previously unlatched latching mechanism engages again, so that the fluid valve can be securely received in the housing. Such a fluid valve can be operated much more easily by a user than is the case with conventional systems.

The actuation mechanism can be set up so that the valve body can be transferred from the extended state to the retracted state by a user by means of a lifting movement and a subsequent pushing actuation.

Alternatively, the valve slide can also be spring-loaded when it is extended, thereby providing a fixed position for installation. In this embodiment, no release mechanism is required for the front position. A sufficiently soft spring characteristic of the energy storage device for the outward movement of the valve slide is advantageous for this. In the ideal case, the actuating force increases only imperceptibly when the valve is returned. This can be achieved for example by means of a gas pressure spring.

The fluid valve can have a latching mechanism which is set up to allow the valve body to latch when it is transferred from the extended state to the retracted state. Such a latching mechanism can be implemented, for example, by means of a spring which has a planar flexible section and an end section with a bulge which corresponds to an indentation in the valve body. If the bulge of the spring engages in the indentation of the valve body, the locking mechanism is in a locked state. If the bulge of the spring is led out of the indentation of the valve body, the valve body can be pushed back or snapped back, for example using a spiral spring or a similar mechanism. The latching mechanism can thus also be designed to disengage the valve body when it is transferred from the retracted to the extended state. Thus, one and the same latching mechanism can be provided for latching and for disengaging, which enables a simple construction.

The fluid valve can have a rail mechanism which can be set up so that when the valve body is transferred from the retracted state to the extended state and vice versa, the valve body can be guided mechanically by means of the rail mechanism. Such a mechanical guide on rails allows the valve body to be moved in and out of or into a housing with little friction, so that not only precise mechanical guidance but also low-force actuation of the system is made possible.

Alternatively, a self-contained element can be used to lock and unlock the rear slide position.

The fluid valve can be set up, for example, as a solvent selection valve, so that certain solvent supply paths can be activated and others deactivated by setting the valve position. The valve can switch individual channels on or off (that is to say switch between two states which “digitally” open or close a fluid supply), or it can gradually adjust a fluid supply quantity.

In the following, embodiments of the sample separation device are described. These also apply to the fluid valve.

The sample separation device can have a housing with a housing opening which is designed to receive the fluid valve, so that the actuation mechanism can be actuated by a user in such a way that the valve body can be transferred from a state retracted into the housing to a state extended out of the housing by means of a pushing movement is. A relative movement between the housing and the fluid valve is thus possible, which movement mechanism can be actuated by means of a push-pull mechanism.

The sample separation device can be a liquid chromatography device, an HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) or a gas chromatography device. However, many other uses are possible.

The sample separation device can have a detector for detecting separated fractions of the sample. For example, the detector can be an optical flow cell, a fluorescence flow cell, an absorption flow cell or a resistance flow cell.

The sample separation device can have a pump for moving a mobile phase. Such a pump can be set up, for example, to pump the mobile phase through the system at a high pressure, for example a few 100 bar up to 1000 bar and more. As an alternative or in addition, the sample separation device can have a sample injector for injecting the sample into a mobile phase of the separation column. Such a sample injector can have a needle in a seat of a corresponding liquid path, which needle can extend out of this seat in order to take up the sample and which, after being reintroduced into the seat, injects the sample into the system. As an alternative or in addition, the sample separation device can have a sample fractionator for fractionating the separated components. Such a fractionator can, for example, lead the various components into different liquid containers. The analyzed sample can also be fed to a waste container.

For example, a separation column can be provided in a sample separation device as a replacement part that is attached via one or more capillaries. A plurality of such columns can also be connected in series and / or in parallel, so that a fluid valve can be provided for selecting certain paths, that is to say for selectively connecting or disconnecting certain columns or series of columns.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, such a fluid valve can be actuated by a user first pushing the valve further into a housing in a retracted state, with a locking pin on the rear being able to be unlocked. This results in an automatic forward movement of the valve body, for example under the influence of a spring relaxation, so that it moves out of the housing. The user can then slide the valve body back into the housing, for example by slightly lifting it (to lift it over a ramp as a mechanical locking lock) and sliding it back into the housing. The previously unlocked locking pin then engages again in the valve body and ensures that the valve body remains permanently in the housing.

When the valve body is moved forwards (on the housing side), a spring can snap into an indentation in a slide. If the user presses the valve in the longitudinal direction (with increased effort), the spring can escape from the indentation and the valve can move back.

Yet another alternative provides for two helical spring latching element arrangements, with a front helical spring / latching element arrangement having to be overcome for locking again.

Another alternative is a spring-loaded extended position with a soft spring characteristic.

With such a valve, for example, one column at a time can be switched into an active path. Two valves according to the invention can be provided separately in front of and behind a separation column or combined to form a common valve. For example, one valve can be connected upstream of a parallel column path and another valve can be connected after a parallel column path. Different racks of a modular sample separation system can have different valves. Cooling fins can also be arranged between the columns in order to enable cooling.

Figure list

• 1 zeigt ein HPLC-System gemäß einem exemplarischen Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.
• 2 zeigt ein Fluidventil eines Probenseparationsgeräts gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.
• 3A zeigt ein Fluidventil in einem in ein Gehäuse eingefahrenen Zustand gemäß einem exemplarischen Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.
• 3B zeigt das Fluidventil aus 3A in einem ausgefahrenen Zustand nach Betätigen des Push-Pull-Mechanismus durch einen Benutzer.
• 4 zeigt ein Fluidventil gemäß einem exemplarischen Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung in unterschiedlichen Betriebszuständen.

Other objects and many of the accompanying advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent and better understood with reference to the following more detailed description of embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Features that are essentially or functionally identical or similar are provided with the same reference symbols.

• 1 shows an HPLC system according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
• 2 shows a fluid valve of a sample separation device according to an embodiment of the invention.
• 3A shows a fluid valve in a state retracted into a housing according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
• 3B shows the fluid valve 3A in an extended state after actuation of the push-pull mechanism by a user.
• 4th shows a fluid valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention in different operating states.

The representation in the drawing is schematic.

1 shows the structure of an HPLC system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention, as it can be used, for example, for liquid chromatography. One pump 20th drives a mobile phase through one of two separation devices connected in parallel 30th (such as chromatographic columns), each of which includes a stationary phase. Switch of the two separating columns 30th is switched active in each case, can by means of a fluid valve 70 can be set. A sample application unit 40 is between the pump 20th and the fluid valve 70 arranged to introduce a sample liquid into the mobile phase. The stationary phase of the separation devices 30th is intended to separate components of the sample liquid. One detector 50 detects separated components of the sample, and a fractionation device 60 can be provided to dispense separated components of the sample liquid, for example into containers or a drain provided for this purpose.

2 shows a 1 similar system in detail, whereby in 2 an additional regeneration pump 80 and some capillaries 95 for liquid transport are shown. As in 2 also shown can be with the fluid valve 70 one of different fluid paths can be activated, with different capillary openings 90 in the fluid valve 70 are shown. As in 2 shown are the fluid capillary interfaces 90 with the separation columns 30th can be brought into fluid connection.

3A and 3B now show how a fluid valve 70 as it is in 2 is shown, according to the invention can be operated by a human user.

The fluid valve 70 for HPLC 1 or 2 for selecting different columns of a fluidic sample contains a valve body 300 with a front valve head 320 , of a plurality of capillary adapters 90 has, for connecting a respective capillary 95 (not shown in 3A and 3B) .

3A shows the fluid valve 70 in one housing 310 a module of an HPLC. An actuation mechanism that is partially in the housing 310 is arranged is for actuating the valve body 300 provided by a human user. The actuation mechanism is set up that the valve body 300 by a user by means of a pushing motion from the in 3A in the retracted state shown in 3B shown extended state can be brought. How 3B shows, there is the valve body 300 out of the case 310 extended or protrudes over it. The operating status of 3A is based on 3B by simply pushing in the valve body again 300 in the housing 310 enables what according to the invention the actuation of the fluid valve 70 significantly simplified. 3B also shows that on the valve body 30th a removable valve head 320 is put on.

By operating the valve body 300 Similar to a “push button”, a locking mechanism of the fluid valve takes care of it 70 making sure the valve body 300 engages when moving from the extended state to the retracted state and thus inside the housing 310 is housed and remains there. The fluid body 300 contains a rail mechanism internally so that the system can be operated with little friction.

This is for improved accessibility to the capillary connections 90 the valve body 300 mounted on a pull-out rail. This allows the system to be easily brought out and maintained.

3A and 3B also show an RFID tag 330 to the valve head 320 which RFID tag 330 the respective valve head 320 identifies or codes its properties. The RFID tag 300 stores information such as type, pressure range, valve switch, serial number, etc. and other information of the respective fluid valve 70 which can be automatically recognized by a machine.

4th shows the valve head again 320 out 3A , 3B in a different configuration. Such a system can be implemented, for example, in an HPLC of the 1200 series from Agilent Technologies.

A first view 400 shows how by a simple push of a user 410 the fluid valve 70 out of the case 310 can be extended.

A second representation 420 shows how the fluid valve 70 by the pushing movement as shown 400 out of the case 310 drives out.

A tight connection of capillaries 455 on the fluid valve 70 is made possible according to the invention, since in the extended state 420 the valve body 300 is much easier to handle than in the retracted state 400 .

A third representation 450 shows a human user 410 when connecting a capillary 455 .

An additional representation 460 shows how the user 410 by a combined rotary (see reference number 480 ) and pulling (see reference number 490 ) Move the valve head 320 from the valve body 310 to replace the valve head 320 can pull off.

It should be noted that the term “having” does not preclude other elements and that the “a” does not preclude a plurality. Elements that are described in connection with different exemplary embodiments can also be combined. It should also be noted that any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims (13)

A fluid valve for a sample separation device, the fluid valve comprising: a valve body having a plurality of capillary adapters for connecting a respective capillary; an operating mechanism configured to operate the valve body by a user; wherein the actuation mechanism is set up so that the valve body can be transferred from a retracted state to an extended state by a user by means of a push actuation. Fluid valve after Claim 1 , wherein the valve body is brought into fluid communication or can be brought into fluid communication with one or more separation columns. Fluid valve after Claim 1 or 2 wherein the valve body has a replaceable valve head. Fluid valve after Claim 3 wherein the valve head is detachable from a remainder of the valve body by a user by means of a twist and pull operation. Fluid valve according to one of the Claims 1 to 4th , wherein the actuation mechanism is set up so that the valve body can be transferred from the extended state to the retracted state by a user by means of a push actuation. Fluid valve according to one of the Claims 1 to 4th , wherein the actuation mechanism is set up so that the valve body can be transferred from the extended state to the retracted state by a user by means of a lifting movement and a pushing actuation. Fluid valve after Claim 5 or 6th , having a latching mechanism which is set up to allow the valve body to latch when it is transferred from the extended state to the retracted state. Fluid valve after Claim 7 , wherein the latching mechanism is set up to disengage the valve body when it is transferred from the retracted state to the extended state. Fluid valve according to one of the Claims 1 to 8th , having a rail mechanism which is set up so that when the valve body is transferred between the retracted state and the extended state, the valve body can be guided along a rail by means of the rail mechanism. Fluid valve according to one of the Claims 1 to 9 , set up as a solvent selection valve for selecting a solvent for a sample separation. A sample separation device for separating a fluidic sample, the sample separation device comprising: a detector for detecting separated fractions of the sample; a pump for moving a mobile phase; a sample injector for injecting the sample into a mobile phase; a separation column for separating different fractions of the sample; a sample fractionator for fractionating separated components; and a fluid valve according to any one of Claims 1 to 10 . Sample separation device after Claim 11 , selected from the group consisting of a liquid chromatography device, an HPLC, and a gas chromatography device. Sample separation device after Claim 11 or 12th , further comprising a housing with a housing opening which is designed to receive the fluid valve, so that the actuating mechanism can be actuated by a user in such a way that the valve body can be transferred from a state retracted into the housing to a state extended out of the housing by means of a push actuation .

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