The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 2000
Filed:
Aug. 20, 1998
Peter J Leavesley, Charlottesville, VA (US);
Peter C Van Davelaar, Maidens, VA (US);
Robert D Lockman, Waynesboro, VA (US);
Dyax Corporation, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for sealing cartridges used in liquid chromatography. Such cartridges are commonly filled with media beds that are bounded axially by porous plates. The invention involves one or two sealing heads. Each sealing head comprises two slidably connected head pieces and an elastomeric sealing member. The head pieces and the elastomeric sealing member are sized to slide easily into an open end of a cartridge when the elastomeric sealing member is uncompressed. After insertion, relative movement of the head pieces compresses the elastomeric sealing member and causes the elastomeric sealing member to expand laterally so that it forms a seal against the cartridge, when the sealing head is pressed against the media bed or porous plate. An alternate sealing head comprises a plurality of head pieces and a plurality of annular elastomeric sealing members. One of the head pieces contains a body portion on which the other head pieces and the sealing members are slidably mounted. The sealing apparatus may employ a sample module that fits within an open end of a column or cartridge. At least one of the sealing members fits within the sample module and creates a seal when compressed.