Manifold Connection Assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016305586-A1
Application number	US-201615194289-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2016
Priority date	Oct 23, 2014
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A manifold assembly has a manifold and can be located between a block and a plate, and serve as a stator for a valve or other component. The manifold, block or plate can have a plurality of ports either integral thereto or removably connected thereto, with the ports adapted to receive and sealingly engage with a tube having an inner tube layer, an outer tube layer, a sleeve, a tip portion, and a nut. Each of the nut, sleeve, inner and outer tubing layers, and tip portion have a passageway therethrough, with at least the passageways in the sleeve, tip portion, outer tube layer, and nut adapted to allow the inner tube layer to pass therethrough or extend over the inner layer. The ends of the tip portion and inner layer together can define a substantially flat surface which can form a seal in a flat-bottomed port of the manifold, block, or plate, which can be used in a component in an analytical instrument system, including for example a liquid chromatography system. The nut, tube, ferrule, and transfer tube or liner tube may comprise biocompatible materials. In addition, the nut may have a slot, such as a slot adapted to allow the tube and the nut to be easily and quickly separated or to allow a portion of the tube to be easily and quickly inserted in the nut.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A manifold assembly comprising:
at least one nut having a passageway therethrough and having a first end and a second end; a block adapted to removably hold a manifold and having a plurality of ports therein, wherein each of the ports are adapted to removably and sealingly engage with said nut and an end of a tube; a manifold having a plurality of inlet ports therein, wherein at least a portion of said manifold is attached to said block, and wherein each of the ports of said block is in fluid communication with one of the inlet ports of said manifold; a tube having a passageway therethrough and adapted to fit in a passageway extending through said nut, wherein said tube has a first end and a second end; a transfer tube having a passageway therethrough, wherein at least a portion of said tube is located within the passageway of said transfer tube and is secured relative to said transfer tube; and a tip having a passageway therethrough and providing an interior portion, wherein said tip is adjacent to and in contact with one of the first end and the second end of said tube, wherein said tip is adapted to receive and hold a portion of one of the first end and the second end of said tube in the interior portion, wherein at least a portion of one end of the tip is adapted to form a seal in a port in fluid communication with said manifold, and wherein a portion of the tip is located between a portion of said tube and a portion of said transfer tube.

2 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein said manifold comprises a stator for a valve.

3 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein said manifold comprises a stator for a valve in a liquid chromatography system.

4 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein said manifold comprises two or more stators for multiple valve application in a liquid chromatography system.

5 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said tube comprises an inner tube and an outer tube.

6 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said tip comprises a compressible material and wherein at least one of said transfer tube and an inside surface of said tip are adapted to provide an interference fit with said tube.

7 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said transfer tube has a shorter length than said tube and wherein one end of said transfer tube is adapted to impinge on a portion of one end of said tip, thereby forcing said tip against a port bottom when an axial load is applied.

8 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said tube comprises a single metal, said transfer tube comprises a metal, and further wherein said transfer tube comprises a pocket portion at a terminal end thereof, and wherein said tip is adapted to be held in the pocket portion, thereby providing an interference seal with a portion of said tube.

9 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein said tube and said tip each comprise a biocompatible material.

10 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said tube and said tip comprises at least one of the following: polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), polyetherketone (PEK), polyetherketone etherketone ketone (PEKEKK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polytetrafluoro ethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA, also called perfluoroalkoxyethylene), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polymer-sheathed fused silica (such as PEEKSil), fused silica, or silica borite.

11 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a plate and wherein said manifold is located between a block and a plate.

12 . The manifold assembly according to claim 11 wherein said manifold is located between a block and a plate, and the tip of said tubing forms a seal with a bottom end of a port in the block.

13 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein the seal is sufficient to withstand fluidic pressures of at least 5,000 psi.

14 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein the seal is sufficient to withstand fluidic pressures of at least 10,000 psi.

15 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein the seal is sufficient to withstand fluidic pressures of at least 15,000 psi.

16 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein said block has at least four ports on a first face thereof.

17 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein said block has a first face and a second face, and has at least three edges, and further has at least two ports located on at least two of its edges.

18 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one fluid pathway of said manifold further comprises a flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a sample loop, or a pump.

19 . A manifold assembly comprising
a manifold having a first face with plurality of inlet ports therein and having a plurality of openings in the face corresponding to each of the inlet ports, wherein each of the plurality of openings is adapted to receive and securely hold at least one projection; at least one flat-bottomed port having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of said port has a plurality of projections each adapted to removably fit into one of the openings in the face of said manifold, and wherein said port is adapted to receive and securely and removably hold therein a nut and an end of a tube; a nut having a passageway therethrough and having one end adapted to fit into and securely and removably engage with said port; a tube having a passageway therethrough and adapted to fit in the passageway of said nut, wherein said tube has a first end and a second end; a transfer tube having a passageway therethrough, wherein at least a portion of said tube is located within the passageway of said transfer tube and is secured relative to said transfer tube; and a tip having a passageway therethrough and providing an interior portion, wherein said tip is adjacent to and in contact with one of the first end and the second end of said tube, wherein said tip is adapted to receive and hold a portion of one of the first end and the second end of said tube in the interior portion, wherein at least a portion of one end of the tip is adapted to form a seal in a port in fluid communication with said manifold, and wherein a portion of the tip is located between a portion of said tube and a portion of said transfer tube.

20 . The manifold assembly according to claim 19 wherein said manifold is adapted to provide a stator for a valve in an analytical instrument system.

21 . The manifold assembly according to claim 20 wherein said manifold further comprises a plurality of inlet or outlet ports on the first face of said manifold and a plurality of fluid pathways between each of the inlet ports and each of the inlet or outlet ports of said manifold.

22 . The manifold assembly according to claim 1 , wherein said tip comprises a compressible material and wherein at least one of said transfer tube and an inside surface of said tip are adapted to provide an interference fit with said tube.

23 . The manifold assembly according to claim 19 wherein the flat-bottomed port comprises an alignment mask to align a tip of the projection.

Assignees

• Idex Health & Science Llc

Inventors

• Graham Craig
• Beemer Eric
• Ellis Scott
• Sanders Troy
• Sims Carl
• Liu Quan

Classifications

• B01L3/563

  Joints or fittings; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors · CPC title

• B01L2300/0838

  Capillaries · CPC title

• B01L2300/0861

  Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices · CPC title

• F16L19/0212

  using specially adapted sealing means · CPC title

• B01L2300/0627

  Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated · CPC title