Automated fluid handling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9709590-B2
Application number	US-201615205919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2016
Priority date	Jun 9, 2009
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

Automated fluid handling system comprising a housing and two or more fluid handling units arranged as interchangeable modular components with an external fluidics section and an internal non fluidics section, and wherein the housing comprises a liquid handling panel with two or more of component positions for receiving said interchangeable modular components such that the external fluidics section is separated from the non fluidics section by the liquid handling panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of modifying a fluid flow path in an automated liquid chromatography system comprising at least four interchangeable modular components comprising:
interchanging at least two of the interchangeable modular components in a housing unit comprising at least four component receiving positions arranged in a two dimensional array, so as to allow for modification of the liquid chromatography fluid flow path among the at least four interchangeable modular components;
wherein each of the at least four interchangeable modular components comprises a CPU unit for independently performing fluid control operations in response to instructions from a system controller when installed in a component receiving position of the housing unit.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interchanging of the at least two interchangeable modular components shortens the fluid flow path for the liquid chromatography.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interchanging of the at least two interchangeable modular component shortens the fluid flow path between the interchangeable modular components.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interchanging of the interchangeable modular components includes connecting each of the at least four interchangeable modular components to a system BUS.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid chromatography system further comprises an expansion housing unit that includes a plurality of additional component receiving positions, each component receiving position being capable of receiving the interchangeable modular components,
wherein the interchanging of the interchangeable modular components includes arranging at least one of the interchangeable modular components in a component receiving position in the expansion housing unit.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interchangeable modular components include a double piston pump, a sample pump, an inlet valve for selecting inlet fluid to a respective pump, injection valve for injecting a sample onto a column connected to the flow path of the liquid chromatography system, a column valve for connecting one of a plurality of columns to the flow path, a UV-monitor, a mixer, a pH valve with an integrated flow cell for in-line monitoring of pH levels, a quaternary valve for automatic buffer preparation for formation of quaternary gradients, or any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least four interchangeable modular components are connected to a system BUS by a cable.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least four component receiving positions of the housing unit are of the same size.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least four component receiving positions of the housing unit are of two or more sizes.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interchanging includes
removing an interchangeable modular component from the component receiving position and installing an interchangeable modular component of a different functionality or a dummy module,
installing an extra interchangeable modular component,
rearranging one or more of said interchangeable modular components among said at least four modular components,
or any combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said rearranging includes exchanging one interchangeable modular component for another interchangeable modular component.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interchanging of the at least two interchangeable modular components provides for upgrading and customizing the liquid chromatography system for various user customizable chromatography set-ups, wherein the placement and interchanging of the interchangeable modular components amongst the at least four component receiving positions and with respect to each of the other interchangeable modular components at the component receiving positions allows for modifying the liquid chromatography fluid flow path.

13. A method for building an automated liquid chromatography system, the method comprising
providing a
housing unit comprising a main controller, a power source and at least four component receiving positions arranged in a two dimensional array on one side of the housing, wherein the component receiving positions are of a size and shape that is capable of receiving an interchangeable modular fluid handling unit of a similar size and shape;
placing at least two interchangeable modular fluid handling units components in said component receiving positions; and
the at least two interchangeable modular fluid handling units being readily interchangeable and comprising a CPU that allows independent fluid control operations in response to instructions from the main controller when installed in the component receiving position of the housing unit.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising adding an expansion housing unit that includes a plurality of component receiving positions, each component receiving position being adapted to receive the at least one interchangeable modular fluid handling unit, and placing at least one additional interchangeable modular fluid handling unit in one of the component receiving positions in the expansion housing.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the component receiving positions are arranged in a two dimensional array on a panel member that separates an external side from an internal side of the housing.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the panel member comprises a plurality of component receiving positions of different sizes and shapes.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the CPU allows for automatic identification by the liquid chromatography system upon placement in a component receiving position of similar size and shape.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least two interchangeable modular fluid handling units are connected to the system by a system BUS.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least two component receiving positions of the housing unit are of two or more sizes.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the exchanging of the another interchangeable modular fluid handling unit is an exchange of a different type.

Assignees

• Ge Healthcare Bio Sciences Ab

Inventors

• Blomberg Johan
• Lundkvist Mats

Classifications

• Y10T137/85986

  Pumped fluid control · CPC title

• Y10T137/6851

  With casing, support, protector or static constructional installations · CPC title

• Y10T137/6525

  Air heated or cooled [fan, fins, or channels] · CPC title

• G01N2030/8804

  automated systems · CPC title

• G01N30/24

  Automatic injection systems · CPC title