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:
Jan. 09, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 29, 1999
Percy H. Rhodes, Huntsville, AL (US);
Robert S. Snyder, Huntsville, AL (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for obtaining a preparative-scale, free-fluid electrophoretic separator with high resolution as well as an analytical capability commensurate with capillary zone electrophoresis. The electrophoretic focusing apparatus and method of the present invention combines features of electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing to accomplish large scale purifications and fractionations that have not previously been possible, and features a separation chamber bounded by planar porous insulated screens, a plurality of purge chambers, a plurality of electrode chambers, and a plurality of pump means. The separation device of the invention is capable of high speed of separation and short residency of sample through the use of high voltage gradients which are produced by relatively low voltages applied across the narrow chamber dimensions. The present invention is also highly flexible, with operation in either a constant electric field, continuous flow mode or in a linearly varying electric field, batch mode, and both modes permit scanning of the sample fraction content and display in a conventional histogram format. The present apparatus and method thus achieves high resolution of separation in an analytical or a preparative mode through a practically unlimited scale-up potential, and controls the adverse effects of Joule heating and electrohydrodynamics on the electrophoretic separation procedure.