Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Hans-Peter Zimmermann

David Jenaro

Hans-Georg Weissgerber

Stefan Falk-Jordan

Bernd Nawracala

Claus Lueth

Gerhard Pl&eacute;

Gerhard Plé

Andreas Lorinser

An interface device, for providing a fluidic interface between a sample separation device and a mass spectrometer, includes an emitter capillary and a plurality of sample capillaries. The sample capillaries are movably arranged within the emitter capillary for transferring fluidic sample from the sample separation device to the mass spectrometer.

Interface device between sample separation device and mass spectrometer having multiple sample capillaries

A sample injector for injecting a fluid into a fluidic path, wherein the sample injector comprises a robot arm configured for moving an injection needle, when being connected to the robot arm, between a fluid container containing the fluid and a seat in fluid communication with the fluidic path, the needle configured for aspirating the fluid from the fluid container, when the needle has been moved to the fluid container, and for injecting aspirated fluid into the fluidic path, when the needle is accommodated in the seat, and the seat configured for accommodating the needle and providing fluid communication with the fluidic path, wherein the robot arm is configured for selectively disconnecting the needle from the robot arm when the needle is accommodated in the seat, and wherein the robot arm is configured for performing a further task while the needle is disconnected from the robot arm.

Sample injector with disconnectable injection needle

An injection needle cartridge for a sample injector for injecting a sample fluid into a mobile phase in a fluidic path of a fluid separation system between a mobile phase drive and a separation unit, the injection needle cartridge comprising an injection needle configured for aspirating the sample fluid from a fluid container when the injection needle has been moved to the fluid container, and for injecting aspirated sample fluid into the fluidic path when the injection needle is sealingly accommodated in a needle seat, and a sealing force generator configured for applying a sealing force to the injection needle for sealingly accommodating the injection needle in the needle seat, wherein the injection needle cartridge is configured for being substitutably mountable on a handling robot of the sample injector for handling the injection needle cartridge between the fluid container and the needle seat.

Injection needle cartridge with integrated sealing force generator

An electrode arrangement for a gel electrophoresis device, the electrode arrangement comprising a first electrode member adapted to provide an electrical contact with one or more gel strips, wherein the first electrode member comprises a first locking element to lock the first electrode member to the gel electrophoresis device.

Magnetic locking mechanism for gel electrophoresis device

A method of determining position information, the method having detecting&#x2014;along a first direction&#x2014;a value of a geometry parameter related to a structure formed on and/or in a substrate, and determining&#x2014;with regard to a second direction&#x2014;a value of a position parameter based on the detected value of the geometry parameter and a predetermined relationship between the geometry parameter and the position parameter.

Position detection based on two-directional correlation

What is described in this case is a laboratory microchip having microspray means whose direction of spray can be altered. The microchip has a substratewhich has a channel structure provided on one sidethereof. On the other side (in the region of an edge of the substrate in the present case), there is a microspray tip. Substrateis designed to be deformable particularly in a region, in which case the deformability may be achieved either by thinning the substrate material locally in this regionor by means of a linear perforation extending approximately perpendicularly to the plane of the paper. Alternatively, the deformability may be obtained by selecting a suitable material for the entire substrate. A microchip which has been bent in the manner indicated is shown in the bottom part of FIG.. The bending of the substrate which is shown has turned the direction of sprayof microspray tipthrough 90&#xb0;. The bending of the substrate may be permanent or reversible in this case.

Coupling to microstructures for a laboratory microchip

The invention relates to a flow divider and a process for dividing a fluid flow into a number of fluid flows, in particular in analytical and/or preparative fluid measurement technology and/or in micro-fluid systems. The flow divider exhibits at least one working sensor, which is assigned to one of the fluid flows and which comprises a control unit for regulating the pressure of one of the fluid flows and/or for regulating one of the fluid flows. The control unit is coupled to the at least one working sensor and to an actuator for changing the fluid flow. At least a number of working sensors corresponding to the number of divided fluid flows is provided, whereby respectively at least one of the working sensors is assigned to one of the fluid flows and whereby the working sensors enable recording of the respective fluid flow. According to the process of the present invention the control unit regulates the fluid flows such that the ratio between at least two of the fluid flows remains substantially constant.

Flow divider

Volume flows of liquids in capillary tubes of chromatographic separation columns for analytical liquid measuring technology are controlled. The volume flows are derived from a liquid transport, i.e., pump arrangement, which transports a total flow to a flow splitter that divides the total flow into an excess flow in an excess path and a working flow in a working path. A controller for the working flow responds to at least one working sensor. The working sensor senses the mass flow rate of the working flow and/or the pressure in the working path which is coupled with the working sensor or the pressure differential in conduits for the excess and working flows.

Device for and process of preparing volume flows of liquids in at least one passage of a chromatographic column

A laboratory microchip providing a microspray has a substrate having a channel structure on one side thereof. A microspray tip is on the other side of the substrate close to an edge of the substrate. The substrate is deformable in a particular region. Deformation results from thinning the substrate locally in the region or by providing a linear perforation that extends approximately perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. Alternatively, deformation can be obtained by selecting a suitable material for the entire substrate. Substrate deformation can be permanent or reversible.

A laboratory microchip includes a carrier with a micro spray tip projecting vertically out of a plane of the carrier. The carrier and spray tip are designed as a monolithic or single unit. The spray tip includes a passage channel which conveys the substances to be sprayed from a channel to a spray tip aperture. The channel is a part of a channel structure which is enclosed to the outside by a cover plate. The spray tip includes, on the sides of the spray aperture, an area which tapers conically inwards. Connected to this tapered area is a constant cross-section drill hole forming an annular internal step formation at the transition between the two areas. The outer diameter of the conically tapering tip is locally reduced in proximity to the aperture to provide a finer tip to the spray tip. The finer tip increases the electrical fields occurring at the tip, to further increase the forces which act on the substances and for dispersion spraying.

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Waldbronn, Germany

Hans-Peter Zimmermann