Sealing element for a fluidic connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9816647-B2
Application number	US-201214403503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2012
Priority date	May 22, 2012
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A sealing element for sealing a fluidic connection between a coupling element and a tubular element and thereby providing a sealed flow path through the tubular element and between the coupling element and the tubular element in a longitudinal direction, the sealing element comprising: a recess extending in the longitudinal direction, the recess configured to receive the tubular element; a transverse wall defining an extent of the recess in the longitudinal direction, the transverse wall having a through hole.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sealing element for sealing a fluidic connection between a coupling element and a tubular element and thereby providing a sealed flow path through the tubular element and between the coupling element and the tubular element in a longitudinal direction, the sealing element comprising:
a single piece tapered unit comprising:
a recess extending in the longitudinal direction, the recess configured to receive the tubular element; and
a transverse wall defining an extent of the recess in the longitudinal direction and upon which a front end of the tubular element seals when disposed in the recess, the transverse wall having a through hole.

2. The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein:
the recess comprises at least one retaining element for retaining the tubular element in the recess; and
the sealing element further comprising a feature selected from the group consisting of:
the sealing element includes at least three of the retaining elements, the at least three retaining elements being spaced from each other in a circumferential direction;
the at least one retaining element is configured to exert a radially inwardly directed force onto the tubular element;
the at least one retaining element is a protrusion located in the recess;
the at least one retaining element is formed in the recess by a straight wall portion extending between two curved wall portions flanking the straight wall portion in circumferential directions; and
the at least one retaining element extends radially inwardly to clamp and center the tubular element.

3. The sealing element of claim 1 , further comprising:
a conical outer surface portion, the conical outer surface portion having a diameter increasing in a direction from the transverse wall towards an opening of the recess, thereby forming a taper of the single piece tapered unit;
wherein the sealing element comprises an inner surface portion defining the recess, wherein the inner surface portion is opposite the conical outer surface portion, and
wherein the sealing element further comprises a feature selected from the group consisting of:
the inner surface portion and the conical outer surface portion diverge from each other in the direction from the transverse wall towards the recess; and
the inner surface portion and the conical outer surface portion are formed by a first longitudinal wall portion with a radial thickness that increases in the direction from the transverse wall towards the recess.

4. The sealing element of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cylindrical outer surface portion having a constant diameter in the longitudinal direction;
wherein the sealing element comprises a feature selected from the group consisting of:
the cylindrical outer surface portion is the outer surface of a second longitudinal wall portion,
the second longitudinal wall portion is located between the transverse wall and the first longitudinal wall portion; and
the second longitudinal wall portion has a radial wall thickness that is constant in the direction from the transverse wall towards the recess.

5. The sealing element of claim 1 , further comprising:
a compression surface being spaced from the transverse wall, the compression surface comprising a feature selected from the group consisting of:
the compression surface is the outer surface of a third longitudinal wall portion of the sealing element;
the third longitudinal wall portion comprises a cutout extending in the longitudinal direction, wherein the cutout is a longitudinal slit, wherein the longitudinal slit has a sharp-edged end in a direction to the sealing face, or wherein the longitudinal slit has one of a rectangular end and a rounded end;
the third longitudinal wall portion comprises three or more cutouts and wherein the three or more cutouts are evenly spread or nonuniformly distributed over the circumference;
the compression surface has a conical shape with a diameter decreasing in a direction from the transverse wall towards the recess of the sealing element; and
the transverse wall forms a first end of the sealing element and the compression surface forms second end of the sealing element, the second end being opposite the first end.

6. The sealing element of claim 1 , wherein the sealing element comprises one selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a polyether, and a polyetheretherketone.

7. The sealing element of claim 1 , further comprising a feature selected from the group consisting of:
the sealing element is a molded single piece; and
the sealing element is injection molded as a single piece.

8. A connection assembly, comprising:
a coupling element;
a tubular element fluidically connectable or fluidically connected to the coupling element; and
a sealing element comprising:
a single piece tapered unit comprising:
a recess extending in the longitudinal direction, the recess configured to receive the tubular element; and
a transverse wall defining an extent of the recess in the longitudinal direction and upon which a front end of the tubular element seals when disposed in the recess, the transverse wall having a through hole,

wherein the connection assembly provides a connected state in which the tubular element is fluidically connected to the coupling element.

9. The connection assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
the coupling element having a recess configured to receive the sealing element;
wherein the connection assembly comprises a feature selected from the group consisting of:
in the connected state the recess of the coupling element is arranged coaxially with the recess of the sealing element;
the coupling element comprises a through hole wherein in the connected state the through hole of the coupling element is fluidically coupled to the through hole of the transverse wall of the sealing element;
the diameter of the through hole of the coupling element is larger than the diameter of the through hole of the transverse wall of the sealing element; and
the diameter of the through hole in the transverse wall of the sealing element is smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular element.

10. The connection assembly of claim 8 ,
wherein the sealing element comprises a conical outer surface portion, the conical outer surface portion having a diameter increasing in a direction from the transverse wall towards an opening of the recess, thereby forming a taper of the single piece tapered unit;
wherein the sealing element comprises an inner surface portion defining the recess, wherein the inner surface portion is opposite the conical outer surface portion and wherein the sealing element further comprises a feature selected from the group consisting of:
wherein the inner surface portion and the conical outer surface portion diverge from each other in the direction from the transverse wall towards the recess,
wherein the inner surface portion and the conical outer surface portion are formed by a first longitudinal wall portion with a radial thickness that increases in the direction from the transverse wall towards the recess;
wherein the recess of the coupling element comprises a conical inner surface portion having a diameter which increases in a direction pointing outwardly from recess of the coupling element through an opening which is defined by the recess and through which the sealing element is inserted; and
wherein in the connected state the conical inner surface portion of the coupling element and the conical outer surface portion of the sealing element at least partially overlap in longitudinal direction;

wherein the connection assembly further comprises a feature selected from the group consisting of:
wherein the c

Assignees

• Reinhardt Thomas
• Wagner Joachim-Richard
• Agilent Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Reinhardt Thomas
• Wagner Joachim-Richard

Classifications

• F16J15/022

  characterised by structure or material · CPC title

• G01N2030/027

  Liquid chromatography · CPC title

• Y10T29/49872

  Confining elastic part in socket · CPC title

• G01N30/60

  Construction of the column · CPC title

• F16L19/065 Primary

  the wedging action being effected by means of a ring · CPC title