Shimadzu Corporation

Eagle Industry Co., Ltd.

Kengo Aoki

Hiroki Honda

Haruhisa Kato

Hidekazu Takahashi

Masahide Gunji

Keisuke Ogawa

Tomoya Sugie

Ryutaro Oda

A field flow fractionator (FFF device)classifies particles in a liquid sample by applying a field to a liquid sample supplied from a sample injection device. A detectordetects the particles in the liquid sample classified by the FFF device. A bypass flow pathsupplies the liquid sample from the sample injection deviceto the detectorwithout via the FFF device. A rotary valve (flow path switching unit)switches a flow path to guide the liquid sample from the sample injection deviceto the FFF deviceor a bypass flow path. The bypass flow pathis provided with a concentration adjusting devicefor adjusting the concentration of the liquid sample from the sample injection device. In a case where a sample with the same quantity as the sample supplied to the FFF deviceis supplied to the bypass flow pathat the time of analysis, the sample is diluted by the concentration adjusting devicesuch that a detection signal from the detectorfalls within a dynamic range.

Analysis system

A centrifugal field-flow fractionation device is provided with a controller for controlling introduction of a liquid sample by a sample introduction part and rotation of the rotor by a motor. The controller rotates the rotor at a first rotational speed when introducing the liquid sample into a flow path. The first rotational speed is faster than a second rotational speed. Therefore, when a liquid sample is introduced into the flow path, high centrifugal force can be applied to the liquid sample, which can suppress the variation of the particles in the liquid sample introduced to the flow path. The controller rotates the rotor at the second rotational speed slower than the first rotational speed with the liquid sample flow in the flow path stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the constant application of high centrifugal force to the liquid sample, thereby suppressing the increase in the length of time required for analysis.

Centrifugal field flow fractionation device

A centrifugal field-flow fractionation device includes: a rotor having a rotation axis, the rotor being provided to be rotatable about the rotation axis; a cover covering the rotor; a protective member arranged inside the cover to over the rotor about the rotation axis; a shock-absorbing member arranged between the protective member and the cover; and a fixing part provided in a breakable manner to fix the protective member to the cover. The rotor is arranged such that the rotation axis orients in a horizontal direction. In a case where a part of the rotor disintegrates and is brought into contact with the protective member during the rotation of the rotor, the fixing part breaks to cause the protective member and the shock-absorbing member to move with the rotor while receiving the impact of the rotor to buffer the kinetic energy of the rotor.

Centrifugal field-flow fractionation device

A centrifugal separation type FFF device where a rotor can be rotated at a high speed safely so that particles of a smaller size in a sample liquid can be classified. A field flow fractionation device is provided with: a channel that is attached to the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral portion of a rotor and where a classification flow path is created; flow paths for feeding a sample liquid into and out from the classification flow path; and a rotational drive mechanism for rotating the rotational axis, wherein a channel installation portion is formed on one side of the peripheral portion, and a mass balancer portion for adjusting the mass distribution of the rotor is formed on the other side with the rotor base in between.

Field flow fractionation device including mass balancer portion

Obtaining sufficient suppression effect of channel diffusion and stably transferring solution are made possible even in a piping having an extremely small inner diameter used for an analysis apparatus such as an HPLC. A piping device for an analysis apparatus includes a piping equipped with a folded shape that suppresses inner channel diffusion, and a member directly or indirectly in contact with the piping from at least one side to support the piping to suppress deformation of the folded shape.

Piping device for analysis apparatus and analysis apparatus using the piping device

A centrifugal field-flow fractionation device includes an annular rotor, an arc-shaped channel member, a rotation drive unit, and a restriction unit. A channel memberis provided along an inner peripheral surface of the rotor, has therein a channelfor a liquid sample by laminating a plurality of layers, and has an inlet for the liquid sample to the channeland an outlet for the liquid sample from the channel. By rotating the rotor, particles in the liquid sample in the channelare classified by centrifugal force. A restriction spacerrestricts the channelfrom being compressed to a height less than a certain height when the channel memberis compressed and deformed in a laminating direction.

Centrifugal field-flow fractionation device having a restricting member to prevent deformation of an intermediate layer

A centrifugal field-flow fractionation deviceincludes a rotation unit, a rotation sensor, a first vibration sensor, a second vibration sensor, and an imbalance amount calculation unit. When an imbalance occurs in the rotation unit, the imbalance amount calculation unitcalculates the imbalance amount, based on a detection signal from the rotation sensor, a detection signal from the first vibration sensor, and a detection signal from the second vibration sensor. That is, when an imbalance occurs in the rotation unit, the imbalance is calculated by the configuration in the centrifugal field-flow fractionation device

Provided is a centrifugal field-flow fractionation device in which a liquid sample is less likely to leak from a channel and attachment and detachment work of a channel member is facilitated. By integrally forming an outer peripheral surfaceand an inner peripheral surfaceof a channel member, the channel memberis configured as one hollow member having a channelformed inside. Thus, pressure resistance performance of the channel memberis improved, formation of a gap in the channelcan be prevented, and deterioration in sealing performance due to secular change is not generated. Accordingly, a liquid sample is less likely to leak from the channel. Further, since the channel membercan be handled as one member, attachment and detachment work of the channel memberis facilitated.

A centrifugal field-flow fractionation device capable of improving analysis performance and shortening analysis time is provided. A first channelcommunicating with a channel member is formed on a rotational shaftthat rotates together with a rotor. A second channelcommunicating with the first channelis formed on a fixing portionfixed in a state of facing the rotational shaftalong a rotational axis L. A mechanical sealhaving a pair of seal ringsandthat come into contact with each other and a biasing memberis provided to attach one seal ringto the rotational shaftand the other seal ringto the fixing portion. The biasing memberbiases the pair of seal ringsandin a direction in which the pair of seal rings come in contact with each other. Since the rotational shaftcan be rotated at a high speed and the liquid sample can be fed at a high pressure, the analysis performance can be improved and the analysis time can be shortened.

Mechanical seal for centrifugal field-flow fractionation device

Provided is a centrifugal field-flow fractionation device that can stably press a fixing member toward an inner peripheral surface of a rotor by a wedge-shaped member, even when a relatively large centrifugal force acts on the wedge-shaped member. An arc-shaped (C-shaped) fixing memberis provided along an inner peripheral surface of a channel memberon a side of a rotation axis of the channel member. A wedge-shaped memberis attached between opposite ends of the fixing memberand applies a force in a direction of spreading the opposite ends apart, to thereby press the fixing membertoward the inner peripheral surface of the rotor. The wedge-shaped memberhas a pair of contact surfacesthat respectively come into contact with the opposite ends of the fixing member. The pair of contact surfacesinclude tapered surfaces that gradually taper down toward the rotor, so that the distance between the contact surfacesgradually shortens as the contact surfacescome close to the rotor

A mechanical sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a sealing ring () attached to a protrusion () protruding from a housing (); a mating ring () attached to an end portion of a rotary shaft (); a welded bellows provided around the protrusion () and located between the housing () and the sealing ring (). The welded bellows () presses the sealing ring () in an axial direction to cause the sealing ring () to be in contact with the mating ring (), thereby ensuring high pressure force, and in particular, uniform pressure force along its entire circumference, so as to achieve high liquid tightness, while maintaining the sizes in axial and radial directions small. Furthermore, the welded bellows () works as a sealing member of blocking a liquid leaked out through the O-ring (), thereby achieving assured liquid tightness. Accordingly, an outside-type mechanical sealing device can be provided which has a compact size, and is capable of ensuring high liquid tightness in response to a high rotation speed and a high liquid pressure.

Mechanical sealing device

Vials (samples) as analysis targets to be set in a batch table for serial analyses are allowed to be designated simply and highly flexibly. On a batch table setting screen, a sample region designation method selecting button, an analysis direction selecting button, a plate image display areaand other components are arranged. A sample region designation method and an analysis direction are selected simply by clicking the buttons. The start position and the end position of analyses are designated by a drag-and-drop operation using a mouse on a plate image displayed in the plate image display area. The vials selected during a process of the drag-and-drop operation are displayed in a color discriminable from other vials. Accordingly, a simple, graphical operation can create a batch table in which the multiple vials mounted on the sample plate are set as analysis targets in a desired order.

Control apparatus for automatic analyzer

A liquid chromatograph has a mobile phase delivery section including, between mobile phase channels connected respectively to a plurality of mobile phase containers and a delivery pump, channel switching valves for selecting one of the mobile phase channels. This liquid chromatograph whose channel switching valves have a hierarchical structure including at least two stages includes a valve connection state setting section that is configured to set the connection state between the channel switching valves and the connection state between the channel switching valves and the mobile phase channels, and further includes a per channel total delivery amount calculation section that is configured to calculate the total delivery amount of mobile phase per mobile phase channel based on a connection state according to the valve connection state setting section, the delivery amount per unit time by the delivery pump, and the operation time of the delivery pump.

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Kyoto, Japan

Kengo Aoki