Sample injector with sample fluid filtering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420215-B2
Application number	US-202117801767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2021
Priority date	Feb 28, 2020
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A sample injector is provided for a chromatography system that includes a mobile phase drive and a separation unit. The mobile phase drive is configured for driving a mobile phase through the separation unit, and the separation unit is configured for chromatographically separating compounds of a sample fluid in the mobile phase. The sample injector is configured for injecting the sample fluid into the mobile phase and comprises a needle and a handling unit configured for positioning the needle. Operating the sample injector includes providing a receptacle that includes a filtration unit configured for filtering a sample fluid comprised within the receptacle, moving the filtration unit within the receptacle in order to filter at least a portion of the sample fluid contained in the receptacle, operating the handling unit to position the needle into the receptacle, and aspirating a volume of the filtered sample fluid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of operating a sample injector for a chromatography system, the method comprising:
providing the chromatography system, comprising:
a mobile phase drive and a separation unit, wherein the mobile phase drive is configured to drive a mobile phase through the separation unit, and the separation unit is configured to chromatographically separate compounds of a sample fluid in the mobile phase; and
the sample injector, wherein the sample injector is configured to inject the sample fluid into the mobile phase and comprises a needle, a handling unit configured to position the needle, and a further unit;

providing a filter element configured to filter the sample fluid;
pinning the needle into the filter element to attach the filter element to the needle;
moving the filter element attached to the needle into a receptacle;
operating the further unit to move the filter element within the receptacle to filter at least a portion of the sample fluid contained in the receptacle, thereby forming a filtered sample fluid;
operating the handling unit to position the needle into the receptacle; and
aspirating a volume of the filtered sample fluid from the receptacle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the further unit to move the filter element within the receptacle comprises one of:
moving the further unit independently of a movement of the needle; or
moving the further unit simultaneously with a movement of the needle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the filter element within the receptacle comprises at least one of:
moving the filter element from an upper position proximate to an opening of the receptacle towards a lower position proximate to a bottom side of the receptacle, wherein the opening is configured for receiving the needle into the receptacle;
operating the handling unit to move the filter element within the receptacle;
operating the handling unit to move the further unit to thereby move the filter element within the receptacle; and,
operating the needle to move the filter element within the receptacle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the handling unit to position the needle into the receptacle comprises:
positioning a tip of the needle close to an upper surface of the filter element, wherein the upper surface of the filter element is oriented adjacent to an opening of the receptacle.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before moving the filter element within the receptacle:
aspirating the sample fluid into the needle; and
ejecting at least a portion of the aspirated sample fluid into the receptacle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
injecting at least a portion of the aspirated volume of the filtered sample fluid into the mobile phase.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising one of:
wherein the further unit comprises a pusher movable by the handling unit; or
wherein the further unit comprises a collar disposed at a lateral side of the needle and is movable with the needle by the handling unit.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein operating the further unit to move the filter element within the receptacle comprises bringing the further unit into contact with the filter element.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, control the steps, in the method of claim 1 , of pinning the needle, moving the filter element, operating the further unit, operating the handling unit, and aspirating the volume of the filtered sample fluid.

10. A sample injector for injecting a sample fluid into a mobile phase in a chromatography system, the sample injector comprising:
a needle;
a handling unit configured to position the needle;
a further unit; and
a processing unit configured to control an operation comprising:
controlling the handling unit to position the needle into a filter element configured to filter the sample fluid;
controlling the handling unit to move the filter element attached to the needle into a receptacle;
controlling the further unit to move a filter element within the receptacle containing the sample fluid, to filter at least a portion of the sample fluid contained in the receptacle and thereby form a filtered sample fluid;
controlling the handling unit to position the needle into the receptacle; and
controlling aspirating a volume of the filtered sample fluid.

11. The sample injector of claim 10 , wherein
the further unit comprises a pusher movable by the handling unit.

12. The sample injector of claim 10 , wherein
the further unit is integrated into the handling unit.

13. The sample injector of claim 10 , wherein
the handling unit comprises a guide and a slider configured to slide along the guide, and the needle is inserted into the slider.

14. The sample injector of claim 10 , wherein:
the further unit is configured to move independently of a movement of the needle; or
the further unit is configured to move simultaneously with a movement of the needle.

15. The sample injector of claim 10 , wherein
the further unit comprises a collar disposed at a lateral side of the needle, and the handling unit is configured to move the collar to move the filter element within the receptacle.

16. A chromatography system, comprising:
a mobile phase drive;
a separation unit,
wherein the mobile phase drive is configured to drive a mobile phase through the separation unit, and the separation unit is configured to separate compounds of a sample fluid in the mobile phase; and

the sample injector according to claim 10 .

17. A method of operating a sample injector for a chromatography system, the method comprising:
providing the chromatography system, comprising:
a mobile phase drive and a separation unit, wherein the mobile phase drive is configured to drive a mobile phase through the separation unit, and the separation unit is configured to chromatographically separate compounds of a sample fluid in the mobile phase; and
the sample injector, wherein the sample injector is configured to inject the sample fluid into the mobile phase and comprises a needle, a handling unit configured to position the needle, and a further unit;

providing a filter element configured to filter the sample fluid;
aspirating the sample fluid into the needle;
ejecting at least a portion of the aspirated sample fluid into a receptacle;
operating the further unit to move the filter element within the receptacle to filter at least a portion of the sample fluid contained in the receptacle, thereby forming a filtered sample fluid;
operating the handling unit to position the needle into the receptacle; and
aspirating a volume of the filtered sample fluid from the receptacle.

18. The method of claim 17 , comprising:
pinning the needle into the filter element to attach the filter element to the needle; and
moving the filter element attached to the needle into the receptacle.

19. A method of operating a sample injector for a chromatography system, the method comprising:
providing the chromatography system, comprising:
a mobile phase drive and a separation unit, wherein the mobile phase drive is configured to drive a mobile phase through the separation unit, and the separation unit is configured to chromatographically separate compounds of a sample fluid in the mobile phase; and
the sample injector, wherein the sample injector is configured to inject the sample fluid into the mobile phase and comprises a needle, a handling unit configured to posit

Assignees

• Agilent Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Nocon Blasius
• Ortmann Thomas

Classifications

• G01N2030/027

  Liquid chromatography · CPC title

• G01N30/16

  Injection (G01N30/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N30/14 Primary

  by elimination of some components · CPC title

• G01N2030/146

  using membranes · CPC title

• B01D15/125 Primary

  Pre-filtration · CPC title