Apparatus equipped with sample temperature control function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11372013-B2
Application number	US-201916408279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2019
Priority date	Jun 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

To suppress generation of dew condensation in temperature control space when heating temperature control is performed. In an apparatus, an air temperature control part for cooling or heating air in temperature control space has a first temperature control element for performing at least cooling of air, and a second temperature control element for performing at least heating of air downstream of the first temperature control element. In this manner, when heating temperature control is performed, cooling and dehumidification of air taken in from an air intake portion can be performed by the first temperature control element, and then heating of the dehumidified air can be performed by the second temperature control element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autosampler for a liquid chromatograph, comprising:
a temperature control space for containing a sample and controlling a temperature of the sample;
an air temperature control part having an air intake portion for sucking air in the temperature control space,
a fan for blowing air taken in from the air intake portion toward the sample contained in the temperature control space,
a first temperature control element provided for performing at least cooling of air taken in from the air intake portion on a path of the air, and
a second temperature control element that is driven independently of the first temperature control element and provided to perform at least heating of air taken in from the air intake portion downstream of the first temperature control element on a path of the air;
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature in the temperature control space; and
a temperature control part configured to
control operation of the first temperature control element to lower the temperature in the temperature control space in response to a temperature control mode being set to a cooling mode,
control operation of the second temperature control element to increase the temperature in the temperature control space in response to the temperature control mode being set to a heating mode,
in response to the temperature control mode being switched from the cooling mode to the heating mode, execute a dehumidifying heating operation for cooling and dehumidifying air taken in from the air intake portion with the first temperature control element and heating air dehumidified by the first temperature control element with the second temperature control element, and
execute, in a process of raising a temperature in the temperature control space lower than room temperature, the dehumidifying heating operation until a temperature in the temperature control space detected by the temperature sensor reaches a threshold temperature that is a temperature equal to or higher than a dew point temperature, and stop cooling by the first temperature control element after the temperature in the temperature control space reaches the threshold temperature.

2. The autosampler according to claim 1 , wherein
the second temperature control element can also cool air, and
the temperature control part is configured to cool air taken in from the air intake portion with the first and second temperature control elements when performing cooling temperature control to lower a temperature in the temperature control space to a predetermined temperature lower than room temperature.

3. The autosampler according to claim 1 , wherein
the first temperature control element can also heat air, and
the temperature control part is configured to perform heating with the first and second temperature control elements when performing heating temperature control to raise a temperature in the temperature control space to a temperature higher than room temperature.

Assignees

• Shimadzu Corp

Inventors

• Miyazaki Koki
• Tanaka Shinji

Classifications

• B01L2300/1894

  Cooling means; Cryo cooling · CPC title

• G01N2030/8804

  automated systems · CPC title

• G01N2030/027

  Liquid chromatography · CPC title

• G01N1/44

  Sample treatment involving radiation, e.g. heat · CPC title

• G01N30/88

  Integrated analysis systems specially adapted therefor, not covered by a single one of the groups G01N30/04 - G01N30/86 · CPC title