Fitting element with bio-compatible sealing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9494563-B2
Application number	US-201013811655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2010
Priority date	Jul 23, 2010
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

A fitting element is configured for coupling tubing to a fluidic device having a receiving cavity configured for receiving the fitting element, where the tubing has an inner contact surface of a biocompatible material, the inner contact surface being configured to contact a fluid to be conducted by the tubing, and the receiving cavity having a receiving contact surface of a bio-compatible material. The fitting element includes a first sealing element of a bio-compatible material configured for sealing to the bio-compatible material of the inner contact surface of the tubing, and a second sealing element configured for sealing against a pressure ambient to a pressure of the fluid in the tubing. Upon coupling of the tubing to the fluidic device, at least a portion of the receiving contact surface, the first sealing element, and the second sealing element enclose an interspace, each surface of the interspace being a bio-compatible material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fitting element configured for coupling a tubing to a fluidic device, the fluidic device comprising a receiving cavity configured for receiving the fitting element, wherein the tubing comprises an inner contact surface comprising a biocompatible material, the inner contact surface is configured to contact a fluid to be conducted by the tubing, and the receiving cavity comprises a receiving contact surface comprising a bio-compatible material, the fitting element comprising:
a first sealing element comprising a bio-compatible material and being configured for sealing to the bio-compatible material of the inner contact surface of the tubing; and
a second sealing element configured for sealing against a pressure ambient to a pressure of the fluid in the tubing,
wherein, upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device via the fitting element, at least a portion of the receiving contact surface, the first sealing element, and the second sealing element enclose an interspace, each surface of the interspace comprising a bio-compatible material.

2. The fitting element of claim 1 , wherein the first sealing element is configured for sealing the tubing in a region of an end of the tubing where the tubing is to be coupled to the fluidic device.

3. The fitting element of claim 1 , wherein, upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device, the first sealing element provides a sealing stage at a front side of the tubing where the tubing is pressing to the receiving contact surface within the receiving cavity.

4. The fitting element of claim 1 , wherein each surface of the first sealing element configured to come in contact with the fluid to be conducted by the tubing comprises the bio-compatible material.

5. The fitting element of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
the first sealing element being removeably coupled to the tubing;
the first sealing element being fixedly coupled to the tubing; and
the first sealing element being coupled to the tubing by at least one of pressing, clipping, a direct molding process, a welding process, or a gluing process.

6. The fitting element of claim 1 , wherein upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device, the second sealing element provides a sealing stage for sealing the receiving cavity along a side of the tubing within the receiving cavity.

7. The fitting element of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
the second sealing element comprises a front ferrule;
the second sealing element comprises a front ferrule, and the front ferrule is slidable on the tubing at least before coupling the tubing to the fluidic device;
the second sealing element comprises a front ferrule comprising a conically tapered front part configured to correspond to a conical portion of the receiving cavity of the fluidic device, wherein upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device the conically tapered front part presses against the conical portion of the receiving cavity for sealing against the pressure in a first fluid path of the tubing;
the second sealing element is configured for sealing the receiving cavity of the fluidic device, when the receiving cavity receives the fitting element upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device;
the second sealing element is configured for sealing the receiving cavity of the fluidic device, when the receiving cavity receives the fitting element upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device, wherein the first sealing element is sealing the receiving cavity at the front side of the tubing, and the second sealing element is sealing the receiving cavity along a side of the tubing within the receiving cavity.

8. The fitting element of claim 1 , further comprising:
a back socket surrounding the tubing in a region of an end of the tubing where the tubing is to be coupled to the fluidic device,
wherein the back socket is configured to provide mechanical support to the second sealing element exerting a force towards the tubing.

9. The fitting element of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the bio-compatible materials comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, PEEK, PEKK, PE, PTFE, polyimide, a metal, gold, titanium, and a ceramic.

10. The fitting element of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
the tubing is made of a material selected from the group consisting of a metal, stainless steel, titanium, a plastic, a polymer, glass, and quartz;
the tubing has a lumen having a diameter of less than about 0.2 mm;
the tubing has one of a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a rectangular shape; and
the tubing is a capillary.

11. The fitting element of claim 1 , comprising at least one of:
a gripping element configured for promoting, upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device, a grip force to mechanically connect the gripping element with the tubing; and
a first joint element configured for joining to the fluidic device.

12. A fluid separation system for separating compounds of a sample fluid in a mobile phase, the fluid separation system comprising:
a mobile phase drive configured to drive a mobile phase through the fluid separation system;
a separation unit configured for separating compounds of the sample fluid in the mobile phase; and
a fitting element according to claim 1 for conducting the mobile phase to a fluidic device in the fluid separation system.

13. The fluid separation system of the claim 12 , further comprising at least one of:
a sample injector configured to introduce the sample fluid into the mobile phase;
a detector configured to detect separated compounds of the sample fluid;
a collection unit configured to collect separated compounds of the sample fluid;
a data processing unit configured to process data received from the fluid separation system; and
a degassing apparatus for degassing the mobile phase.

14. The fitting element of claim 1 , wherein the first sealing element at least partly covers a front side of the tubing, wherein the front side represents an axial end of the tubing.

15. The fitting element of claim 14 , further comprising at least one of:
the first sealing element protrudes in an axial direction of the tubing over the front side of the tubing, at least before coupling the tubing to the fluidic device;
upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device, the front side is fitted to the fluidic device for connecting a first fluid path of the tubing to a second fluid path of the fluidic device, and the first sealing element provides a sealing of the first and second fluid paths of the tubing and the fluidic device;
upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device, the front side presses to a contact side of the fluidic device for coupling a first fluid path of the tubing to a second fluid path of the fluidic device;
the first sealing element is laterally extending over the front side of the tubing;
the first sealing element is laterally extending over the front side of the tubing, so that upon coupling the tubing to the fluidic device the front side represents a stopper for a forward motion of the tubing.

16. The fitting element of claim 1 , wherein the first sealing element comprises an outer surface, the outer surface faces the fluidic device upon coupling, and the outer surface comprises a structure configured for increasing a surface pressure between the first sealing element and the fluidic device.

17. The fitting element of claim 16 , wherein the structure comprises at least one of:
one or more indentations;
one or more concentric indentations;
one or more protrusions;
one or more conc

Assignees

• Falk-Jordan Stefan
• Agilent Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Falk-Jordan Stefan

Classifications

• G01N30/6026

  Fluid seals · CPC title

• G01N30/6039

  in series · CPC title

• F16L19/061

  a pressure ring being arranged between the clamping ring and the threaded member or the connecting member · CPC title

• F16L49/06

  Joints in which sealing surfaces are pressed together by means of a member, e.g. swivel nut, screwed on, or into, one of the joint parts · CPC title

• G01N30/00 Primary

  Investigating or analysing materials by separation into components using adsorption, absorption or similar phenomena or using ion-exchange, e.g. chromatography {or field flow fractionation} (G01N3/00, G01N5/00, G01N7/00, G01N9/00, G01N11/00, G01N13/00, G01N15/00, G01N17/00, G01N19/00, G01N21/00, G01N22/00, G01N23/00, G01N24/00, G01N25/00, G01N27/00, G01N29/00 take precedence) · CPC title