Capillary tube connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10969369-B2
Application number	US-201615337793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A plug for connecting capillaries includes at least one capillary tube, at least one sealing, and at least one pressure piece. The capillary tube includes a first inner diameter and an open end section. The sealing includes a second inner diameter, a first end section and a shape adapted to seal the open end section of the capillary tube when connected. The pressure piece is adapted to exert at least axial pressure and/or force to at least a part of the sealing. The pressure piece is also adapted to host the first end section of the sealing in abutment with the open end section of the capillary tube so that the capillary tube and the sealing are aligned.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plug for connecting capillaries comprising:
(a) at least one capillary tube comprising at least one first inner diameter and an open end section;
(b) at least one sealing comprising at least one second inner diameter;
(c) the sealing including a first end section and a generally convex shape adapted to seal the open end section of the capillary tube when connected;
(d) at least one pressure piece adapted to exert at least axial pressure and/or force to at least a part of the sealing towards a second end section of the sealing oriented opposite to the first end section of the sealing, the pressure piece including an aperture;
(e) wherein the pressure piece is adapted to host at least the first end section of the sealing in the aperture, wherein the first end section of the sealing is in abutment with the open end section of the capillary tube so that the first inner diameter of the capillary tube and the second inner diameter of the sealing are aligned; and
(f) wherein the pressure piece is crimped onto the capillary tube.

2. The plug of claim 1 , in which the open end section includes a flat face, and the first end section further comprises a generally flat face adapted to seal the open end section of the capillary tube when connected.

3. The plug of claim 1 , in which the second inner diameter is at least in part larger than the first inner diameter of the capillary tube when the sealing is in an uncompressed state.

4. The plug of claim 1 , in which the sealing includes a maximum diameter being larger than a maximum axial length.

5. The plug of claim 1 , wherein the pressure piece is crimped onto the sealing in order to hold the sealing.

6. A plug for connecting capillaries comprising:
(a) at least one capillary tube comprising at least one first inner diameter and an open end section;
(b) at least one sealing comprising at least one second inner diameter, the sealing including a first end section, a generally annular shape, and at least one radial groove;
(c) at least one pressure piece adapted to exert at least axial pressure and/or force to at least a part of the sealing towards a second end section of the sealing oriented opposite to the first end section of the sealing, the pressure piece including an aperture;
(d) wherein the pressure piece is adapted to host at least the first end section of the sealing in the aperture, wherein the first end section of the sealing is in abutment with the open end section of the capillary tube so that the first inner diameter of the capillary tube and the second inner diameter of the sealing are aligned, the pressure piece including at least one radial ridge engaging the radial groove of the sealing;
(e) wherein the pressure piece is crimped onto the capillary tube.

7. The plug of claim 6 , in which the second end section of the sealing extends axially past an end section of the pressure piece by at least 0.2 mm and at most 0.6 mm.

8. The plug of claim 6 , in which the first inner diameter of the capillary tube is at least 10 μm and is at most 500 μm.

9. The plug of claim 6 , in which the second inner diameter of the sealing, in an uncompressed state, is at least 3% in part larger than the first inner diameter of the capillary tube and at most 100% larger than the first inner diameter of the capillary tube.

10. The plug of claim 6 , in which the second inner diameter of the sealing opens to an end face of the second end section with an outwardly flared portion.

11. The plug of claim 10 , in which a largest diameter of the outwardly flared portion of the sealing, in an uncompressed state, is at least 3% in part larger than the first inner diameter of the capillary tube and at most 100% larger than the first inner diameter of the capillary tube.

12. The plug of claim 6 , in which a maximum diameter of the sealing is at least 1.1 times larger than a maximum axial length of the sealing.

13. The plug of claim 6 , in which the second end section of the sealing comprises a larger average diameter than an average diameter of the first end section of the sealing being hosted in the pressure piece.

14. The plug of claim 13 , in which the larger average diameter of the second end section of the sealing is at least 3% larger than the average diameter of the first end section of the sealing.

15. The plug of claim 6 , in which the first end section of the sealing is crimped into an end section of the pressure piece by reducing a diameter of the end section of the pressure piece.

16. The plug of claim 6 , in which the first end section of the sealing is fixed into an end section of the pressure piece by a positive and/or a friction fit of the first end section of the sealing in the end section of the pressure piece.

17. The plug of claim 6 , in which the first end section of the sealing is fixed into an end section of the pressure piece by an adhesive between the first end section of the sealing and the end section of the pressure piece.

18. The plug of claim 6 , in which the first end section of the sealing is injection molded into an end section of the pressure piece.

19. The plug of claim 6 , in which an average diameter of the first end section of the sealing is at most 30% larger than an outer diameter of the capillary tube.

20. The plug of claim 6 , in which the sealing comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) material and a PAEK (Polyaryletherketone) material.

21. The plug of claim 6 , in which the sealing is configured to abut and seal an inner face of a bushing by the second end section, and the bushing is adapted to connect the capillary tube and a bushing capillary.

22. A plug for connecting capillaries comprising:
(a) at least one capillary tube comprising at least one first inner diameter and an open end section;
(b) at least one sealing comprising at least one second inner diameter, the sealing including a first end section, a generally annular shape, and at least one radial ridge;
(c) at least one pressure piece adapted to exert at least axial pressure and/or force to at least a part of the sealing towards a second end section of the sealing oriented opposite to the first end section of the sealing, the pressure piece including an aperture;
(d) wherein the pressure piece is adapted to host at least the first end section of the sealing in the aperture, wherein the first end section of the sealing is in abutment with the open end section of the capillary tube so that the first inner diameter of the capillary tube and the second inner diameter of the sealing are aligned, the pressure piece including at least one radial groove engaging the radial ridge of the sealing; and
(e) wherein the pressure piece is crimped onto the capillary tube.

23. The plug of claim 22 , wherein the pressure piece is crimped onto the sealing in order to hold the sealing.

24. A method for connecting capillaries, the method comprising:
inserting a plug into a cavity of a bushing, the plug comprising:
(a) at least one capillary tube comprising at least one first inner diameter and an open end section;
(b) at least one sealing comprising at least one second inner diameter;
(c) the sealing including a first end section and a generally convex shape adapted to seal the open end section of the capillary tube when connected;
(d) at least one pressure piece adapted to exert at least axial pressure and/or force to at least a part of the sealing to

Assignees

• Dionex Softron Gmbh

Inventors

• Wachinger Thomas
• Buerger Daniel

Classifications

• F16L19/0212

  using specially adapted sealing means · CPC title

• F16L19/0206

  the collar not being integral with the pipe · CPC title

• G01N30/6026 Primary

  Fluid seals · CPC title

• G01N30/6039

  in series · CPC title