Automatic sampler and needle for the same

• US 20020102185A1
• Filed: 01/24/2002
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Inventors: Tatsumi, Nobuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,175,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/100
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/021 Pipettes, i.e. with only one conduit for withdrawing and redistributing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00277 Special precautions to avoid contamination (e.g. enclosures, glove- boxes, sealed sample carriers, disposal of contaminated material)
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/18 using a septum or microsyringe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/24 Automatic injection systems

Abstract

The surface of a needle for collecting samples is coated with a coating material lower in chemical activity than a base metal of the needle. More specifically, the surface of the needle may be coated with a layer of gold or platinum. Alternatively, the surface of the needle may be coated with a synthetic resin coating of, for example, PEEK which is superior in chemical resistance. As a result, it is possible to obtain a practically sufficient antifouling effect even on contamination coming from chemical adsorption. Such contamination could not be removed sufficiently only by related-art measures against physical contamination. Thus, it is possible to provide an automatic sampler which can perform highly sensitive analysis.

Claims

1. An automatic sampler comprising:

a plurality of sample vessels; and

a needle for collecting liquid samples sequentially from the sample vessels, said needle containing a base metal and having a surface coated with a coating material that has a chemical activity lower than a chemical activity of the base metal of said needle.

2. The automatic sampler according to claim 1, wherein said coating material includes noble metal that is plated or deposited on said needle.

3. The automatic sampler according to claim 1, wherein said coating material includes a synthetic resin coating that is coated on said needle.

4. The automatic sampler according to claim 1, wherein said coating material includes a quartz thin film that is formed on said needle by a chemical vapor deposition method.

5. The automatic sampler according to claim 1, wherein said coating material includes non-noble metal that has a chemical activity lower than a chemical activity of iron and is plated or deposited on said needle.

6. The automatic sampler according to claim 2, wherein the noble metal includes platinum, a platinum group metal, or gold.

7. The automatic sampler according to claim 3, wherein the synthetic resin coating includes polyetheretherketone.

8. The automatic sampler according to claim 5, wherein the non-noble metal includes nickel or chromium.

9. The automatic sampler according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of said needle is coated with the coating material.

10. The automatic sampler according to claim 4, wherein the quartz thin film is formed on an inner surface of said needle.

11. The automatic sampler according to claim 1, wherein said automatic sampler is used for a liquid chromatography.

12. A needle containing a base metal and having a surface coated with a coating material that has a chemical activity lower than a chemical activity of the base metal.