Waters Technologies Corporation

Marc E Lemelin

Joshua A Burnett

James Usowicz

David A Simpson

Tony A Lin

Lucas O Tiziani

Rose Solow

Sylvain Gilles Cormier

Theodore A Dourdeville

Aaron Lebeau

Mark W Moeller

Paul B Keenan

Richard Wayne Andrews

Peyton C Beals

Stanislaw Koziol

Theodore D Ciolkosz

Robert A Jencks

Kenneth R Plant

John Lamoureux

John M Auclair

Uwe Dieter Neue

Colin Fredette

Edward J Ognibene

Joseph Kareh

Theodore C Ciolkosz

Peter Osswald

James E Usowicz

Described herein are systems and methods used for washing needle assemblies with multiple needles.

Dual delivery needle wash system

A seal pack of a sample manager of a liquid chromatography system having a plurality of wash flow pathways fluidically connected to a central pathway that accommodates a sample needle, wherein a first wash flow pathway is vertically offset from a second wash flow pathway, such that a wash solution flows axially along an exterior surface of the sample needle in a vertical direction to wash the sample needle when flowing from the first wash flow pathway to the vertically offset second wash flow pathway, is provided. Furthermore, an autosampler and associated methods are also provided.

Autosampler seal pack for reducing a carryover percentage

A liquid chromatography sample manager includes a thermal chamber, a sample platter mounted in the thermal chamber, and a needle drive including a base having a shaft configured to rotate about a vertical axis, the base attachable to an interior of a sample manager of a liquid chromatography system. The needle drive further includes a needle assembly attached to the base, the needle assembly including a sample needle, and a drive system attached to the base, the drive system including a sample needle motor configured to impart vertical movement of the sample needle. The liquid chromatography sample manager further includes a sample delivery system configured to transfer a first sample from a first sample vial carrier located in the sample platter into a chromatographic flow stream.

Needle drive, system and method

A liquid chromatography sample manager includes a sampling mechanism; a sample platter mounted in the sampling mechanism, the sample platter configured to rotate about a first vertical axis; a needle arm mounted within the sampling mechanism, the needle arm configured to rotate about a second vertical axis; and a sample delivery system in fluidic communication with solvent delivery system, the sample delivery system including a sample needle attached to the needle arm, the sample delivery system configured to transfer a first sample from a first sample vial carrier located in the sample platter into a chromatographic flow stream.

Sample manager, system and method

Described are a fraction collector and a method of fraction collection for a liquid chromatography system. The method includes diverting a liquid chromatography system flow from a waste channel to a collection tube at a start of a fraction collection window and collecting the system flow dispensed from the collection tube during the fraction collection window. At the end of the window, the system flow is diverted to the waste channel and a flow of a wash solvent is provided to the collection tube to dispense liquid remaining in the collection tube at the end of the window from the collection tube. The method can increase the amount of the collected fraction and can reduce or eliminate cross-contamination of a subsequently collected fraction. The method is useful for analytical scale applications where the collected fractions may have volumes defined by a limited number of drops dispensed from the collection tube.

Method of fraction collection for a liquid chromatography system

A liquid chromatography sample organizer includes a first chamber, a plurality of stacked sample organizer shelves mounted within the first chamber each individually configured to store a sample-vial carrier including a sample, and a shelf magnet affixed to a surface of each of the plurality of stacked sample organizer shelves. A portion of the first chamber is configured to be located adjacent to, and open to, a sample manager configured to inject liquid chromatography samples into a chromatographic flow stream. Disclosed further is a liquid chromatography system having the sample organizer, a sample drawer, and a method of transferring samples between a sample manager and the sample organizer.

Sample organizer, tray, system and method

Described is an apparatus for controlling a position of a sample in a liquid chromatography system. The apparatus includes a rotary drive mechanism, a stepper motor and a rotational coupling system such as a drive belt and pulley system. The rotational coupling system transfers the rotational motion of a motor shaft to a shaft of the rotary drive mechanism. Advantageously, the stepper motor is remote to the sample compartment for improved safety in the event that volatile gas accumulates within the sample compartment. The rotary drive mechanism can be configured in a small form factor and can provide highly stable rotation of an attached sample tray to accommodate the requirements of compact liquid chromatography systems. In addition, leakage from inside the sample compartment to the ambient environment is substantially reduced or eliminated, resulting in better thermal control of the sample compartment.

Apparatus for controlling sample position in a liquid chromatography system

Apparatus and method measure the flow rate of fluid for use in calibrating fraction collection in a chromatography system. An injector inserts a detectable substance into a flow of fluid. A first detector, disposed in a path of the flow of liquid with the substance, produces a signal in response to detecting the substance in the flow of fluid. A second detector, disposed downstream from the first detector in the path of the flow of fluid with the substance, produces a signal in response to detecting the substance in the flow of fluid. A computing system receives each signal produced by the first and second detectors upon detecting the substance in the flow of fluid, and computes a volumetric flow rate of the flow of fluid based on a time interval between the signals and a volume of the path between the first and second detectors.

Liquid flow rate measurement device

Described is a dispensing needle for a fraction collector. The dispensing needle includes a conduit having a fluid channel to conduct a chromatographic flow, an interior wall that defines the fluid channel, an exterior surface and an endface through which the chromatographic flow is dispensed. The dispensing needle also includes a coating of a hydrocarbon material or a fluorocarbon material that is bonded to the endface. The coating is also bonded to at least a portion of the exterior surface that is adjacent to the endface and at least a portion of the interior wall that is adjacent to the endface. The coating operates to reduce a droplet volume of a liquid dispensed from the endface that may remain at the tip of the dispensing needle. Consequently, the concentration variation in a collected fraction due to a missing droplet or extra droplet is reduced.

Dispensing needle for a fraction collector

Described are techniques for use with a sealing member forming a static seal or a dynamic seal at a surface thereof. The sealing member has at least the surface thereof formed from one of VESPEL&#xae; SCP 5000 material or VESPEL&#xae; SCP 50094 material.

Static and dynamic seals

Described are techniques for use with an injection port. The injection port includes a needle support structure configured to accommodate a needle containing a sample aspirated therein. The injection port includes a needle seal having a first surface thereof in contact with a second surface of a tip of the needle. A seal is formed when the first surface contacts the second surface and a sufficient force is applied to the needle.

Injection port needle support and washing

Described is a compound sample needle for a liquid chromatography system. In one embodiment, the compound sample needle includes a rigid needle having a coupling end with a face and a counterbore. The compound sample needle also includes a flexible tubing having an outer surface and a coupling end disposed in the counterbore of the rigid needle. The coupling end of the flexible tubing has a face adjacent to a base of the counterbore. The coupling ends of the rigid needle and flexible tubing are secured to each other by a weld formed along a circumference of the outer surface and the face of the rigid needle. A rigid sleeve protects the welded joint. The compound sample needle is suitable for injection into the high pressure mobile phase of ultra performance liquid chromatography systems.

Compound sample needle for liquid chromatograph

Described are techniques for force sensing. A computing device is configured to have a desired force setting. A first vertical position of a needle is determined using the computer device. A control signal is sent from the computing device to a positioning device. In response to the control signal, the needle is positioned at the first vertical position. When in the first vertical position, surfaces of a tip of the needle are in contact with surfaces of an opening of a sealing member and positioning the needle causes application of a force at surfaces of the opening in contact with surfaces of the tip of the needle. In response to application of the force, a spring is compressed a distance that is proportional to the force. The force is measured using a force sensor.

Growing community of inventors

Douglas, MA, United States of America

Marc E Lemelin