Reusable fitting for attaching a conduit to a port

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10022736-B2
Application number	US-201214232711-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2012
Priority date	Aug 26, 2011
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

Described is a reusable fitting for attaching a conduit to a port. The fitting includes a housing, a spring, a retainer and a cap. The retainer is capable of locking and unlocking a conduit in the fitting. The fitting provides a high pressure fluid-tight seal and a substantially zero void volume at the junction of two fluidic conduits. The fitting is removable, reusable and replaceable, and allows a user to make and remake connections of a capillary to a fluidic port without permanently binding a ferrule to a specific capillary and thus to a specific port. The fitting can be replaced if part or all of the fitting is damaged during use.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reusable fitting for attaching a conduit to a port, comprising:
a housing comprising a chamber and a ferrule portion at a proximal end of the housing;
a spring disposed inside the chamber;
a retainer disposed inside the chamber between a first end of the spring and the housing, the retainer formed as a single integral body and having a first opening for admitting a distal portion of a conduit and for admitting a retention feature fixed to a proximal end of the conduit to limit axial movement of the conduit in a distal direction, the retainer having an inner surface at a distal end of the retainer configured to engage the first end of the spring and having a slot at a proximal end of the retainer, a portion of the slot being aligned with the passage defined by the ferrule portion of the housing for receiving the conduit, the slot having a first inner surface that defines the first opening to receive the retention feature and a second inner surface that defines a second opening that is smaller than the first opening and sized to pass the conduit and impede the retention feature, the slot further including an off-center opening which is a radial extension in relation to the first and second inner surfaces; and
a cap attached to a distal end of the housing and engaging a second end of the spring to urge the spring against the retainer to thereby urge the conduit in a proximal direction.

2. The fitting of claim 1 wherein the ferrule portion has a bore defining a passage for receiving a conduit.

3. The fitting of claim 2 wherein the chamber has a width greater than the bore of the ferrule portion.

4. The fitting of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the chamber is internally threaded.

5. The fitting of claim 4 wherein a surface of the cap is threaded for engaging the internally threaded portion of the chamber to enable the cap to be tightened to the housing.

6. The fitting of claim 1 wherein the ferrule portion is formed of polyetheretherketone.

7. The fitting of claim 1 wherein the housing is formed of polymer or steel.

8. The fitting of claim 1 wherein an exterior surface of the housing is threaded for attachment to a port.

9. The fitting of claim 1 wherein the retention feature comprises a sleeve disposed on the proximal portion of the conduit.

10. The fitting of claim 9 wherein the sleeve is formed of steel.

11. A liquid-chromatography device, comprising:
a conduit for communicating a fluid;
a port in fluid communication with the conduit; and
a fitting for attaching the conduit to the port, the fitting comprising:
a housing comprising a chamber and a ferrule portion at a proximal end of the housing;
a spring disposed inside the chamber;
a retainer disposed inside the chamber between a first end of the spring and the housing, the retainer formed as a single integral body and having a first opening for admitting a distal portion of a conduit and for admitting a retention feature fixed to a proximal end of the conduit to limit axial movement of the conduit in a distal direction, the retainer having an inner surface at a distal end of the retainer configured to engage the first end of the spring and having a slot at a proximal end of the retainer, a portion of the slot being aligned with the passage defined by the ferrule portion of the housing for receiving the conduit, the slot having a first inner surface that defines the first opening to receive the retention feature and a second inner surface that defines a second opening that is smaller than the first opening and sized to pass the conduit and impede the retention feature, the slot further including an off-center opening which is a radial extension in relation to the first and second inner surfaces; and
a cap attached to a distal end of the housing and engaging the second end of the spring to urge the spring against the retainer to thereby urge the conduit in a proximal direction.

12. The liquid-chromatography device of claim 11 wherein an exterior surface of the housing is threaded for attachment to the port.

13. The liquid-chromatography device of claim 11 wherein the ferrule portion is formed of polyetheretherketone.

14. The liquid-chromatography device of claim 11 wherein the housing is formed of polymer or steel.

15. The liquid-chromatography device of claim 11 wherein the retention feature comprises a sleeve disposed on the proximal portion of the conduit.

16. The liquid-chromatography device of claim 15 wherein the sleeve comprises steel.

17. A kit having component parts capable of being assembled to form a reusable fitting for attaching a conduit to a port, the reusable fitting comprising:
a housing comprising a chamber and a ferrule portion at a proximal end of the housing;
a spring disposed inside the chamber;
a retainer disposed inside the chamber between a first end of the spring and the housing, the retainer formed as a single integral body and having a first opening for admitting a distal portion of a conduit and for admitting a retention feature fixed to a proximal end of the conduit to limit axial movement of the conduit in a distal direction, the retainer having an inner surface at a distal end of the retainer configured to engage the first end of the spring and having a slot at a proximal end of the retainer, a portion of the slot being aligned with the passage defined by the ferrule portion of the housing for receiving the conduit, the slot having a first inner surface that defines the first opening to receive the retention feature and a second inner surface that defines a second opening that is smaller than the first opening and sized to pass the conduit and impede the retention feature, the slot further including an off-center opening which is a radial extension in relation to the first and second inner surfaces; and
a cap attached to a distal end of the housing and engaging the second end of the spring to urge the spring against the retainer to thereby urge the conduit in a proximal direction.

Assignees

• Michienzi Joseph D
• Waters Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Michienzi Joseph D

Classifications

• Y10T29/49908

  Joining by deforming · CPC title

• B01D15/22 Primary

  relating to the construction of the column · CPC title

• B01D15/10

  characterised by constructional or operational features · CPC title

• B01D15/1871

  placed in series · CPC title

• G01N30/6004

  end pieces · CPC title