DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FLOW-COMPENSATING PUMP-INJECTOR SYNCHRONIZATION
First Claim
1. A device for controlling introduction of an analyte sample at a first pressure into a fluid stream at a higher second pressure, wherein the fluid stream is that of a system for analyzing the analyte sample and introduction occurs during a forced transfer operation involving a plurality of pumping actuators having one dominant flow pumping actuator and at least one non-dominant flow pumping actuator, to minimize an expectant pressure drop that occurs when the analyte sample is introduced into said fluid stream, the device comprising:
- a first signaling means for providing a first signal to the plurality of pumping actuators;
memory for storing a pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and a pre-determined pump time delay;
a time-measuring means for measuring a first amount of time after the first signal and a second amount of time after the first signal;
a comparator for comparing the first and second amounts of time, respectively, to the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and the pre-determined pump time delay stored in memory;
a second signaling means for providing a second signal to the dominant pumping actuator of the plurality of pumping actuators when the second amount of time equals the pre-determined pump time delay; and
a third signaling means for providing a third signal to an injector valve through which the analyte sample is introduced into the fluid stream of the system when the first amount of time equals the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay;
wherein the first signal causes the dominant flow pumping actuator and the non-dominant flow pumping actuator to perform a first forced transfer operation concurrently and the second signal causes only the dominant flow pumping actuator to perform a second forced transfer operation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, devices, and methods to mitigate the pressure disturbance associated with the injection of low-pressure analyte samples into a high-pressure HPLC fluid stream (52), to enhance chromatographic performance related to retention time and reproducibility. The preferred embodiment coordinates the injection run with active pressure control of a binary solvent delivery system (30) to virtually eliminate the customary pressure drop when the low-pressure loop is brought on line. An additional benefit that enhances reproducibility is accomplished by forcing a consistent timing relationship between the injection run, the mechanical position of the delivery pump pistons, and the start and subsequent gradient delivery.
21 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A device for controlling introduction of an analyte sample at a first pressure into a fluid stream at a higher second pressure, wherein the fluid stream is that of a system for analyzing the analyte sample and introduction occurs during a forced transfer operation involving a plurality of pumping actuators having one dominant flow pumping actuator and at least one non-dominant flow pumping actuator, to minimize an expectant pressure drop that occurs when the analyte sample is introduced into said fluid stream, the device comprising:
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a first signaling means for providing a first signal to the plurality of pumping actuators; memory for storing a pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and a pre-determined pump time delay; a time-measuring means for measuring a first amount of time after the first signal and a second amount of time after the first signal; a comparator for comparing the first and second amounts of time, respectively, to the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and the pre-determined pump time delay stored in memory; a second signaling means for providing a second signal to the dominant pumping actuator of the plurality of pumping actuators when the second amount of time equals the pre-determined pump time delay; and a third signaling means for providing a third signal to an injector valve through which the analyte sample is introduced into the fluid stream of the system when the first amount of time equals the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay; wherein the first signal causes the dominant flow pumping actuator and the non-dominant flow pumping actuator to perform a first forced transfer operation concurrently and the second signal causes only the dominant flow pumping actuator to perform a second forced transfer operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A piece of software for controlling introduction of an analyte sample at a first pressure into a fluid stream at a higher second pressure, wherein the fluid stream is that of a system for analyzing the analyte sample, during a forced transfer operation involving a plurality of pumping actuators having one dominant flow pumping actuator and at least one non-dominant flow pumping actuator, to minimize an expectant pressure drop that occurs when the analyte sample is introduced into the fluid stream, the piece of software having an algorithm that comprises:
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providing a first signal to a plurality of pumps; storing a pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and a pre-determined pump time delay in memory; measuring a first amount time after the first signal and a second amount of time after the first signal; comparing the first and second amounts of time, respectively, to the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and the pre-determined pump time delay stored in memory; providing a second signal to the dominant flow pumping actuator of the plurality of pumping actuators when the second amount of time equals the pre-determined pump time delay; and providing a third signal to an injector valve through which the analyte sample is introduced into the fluid stream of the system when the first amount of time equals the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for controlling introduction of an analyte sample at a first pressure during active pressure control of a dominant flow pumping actuator, to minimize an expectant pressure drop that occurs when the analyte sample is introduced into a fluid stream at a second higher pressure of a system for analyzing said analyte sample, the control system comprising:
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a control device for receiving pressure measurements and for providing signals for active pressure control; a plurality of pumping actuators to provide high-pressure mixing of gradients of a plurality of solvents into a fluid stream of the system , wherein each of the plurality of pumping actuators is in fluid communication with a flow-combining device, and wherein a dominant flow pumping actuator that is further in fluid communication with a first solvent source; and one or more non-dominant flow pumping actuators that are further in fluid communication with a one or more solvent sources; and an autosampler that is structured and arranged at an injector, to provide signals to the control device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of providing active pressure control to a system for controlling introduction of an analyte sample at a first pressure into a solvent fluid stream at a second higher pressure from one of a plurality of pumping actuators to minimize an expectant pressure drop that occurs when the analyte sample at a lower pressure is introduced into a system for analyzing said analyte sample, the method comprising:
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preparing the analyte sample for introduction into the fluid stream; initiating a first forced transfer operation, wherein the first forced transfer operation includes at least one of synchronizing a delivery stroke of a plurality of accumulator actuator pistons among the plurality of pumping actuators and synchronizing a mechanical phase of the plurality of accumulator actuator pistons; initiating a second forced transfer operation, wherein the second forced transfer operation is applied only to the dominant flow pumping actuator while the non-dominant primary pumping actuator is in its rest state; and activating an injector valve to introduce said analyte sample into the fluid stream of the system. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A device for controlling introduction of an analyte sample at a first pressure into a fluid stream at a higher second pressure, wherein the fluid stream is that of a system for analyzing the analyte sample, during a forced transfer operation involving a plurality of pumping actuators having one dominant flow pumping actuator and at least one non-dominant flow pumping actuator, to minimize an expectant pressure drop that occurs when the analyte sample is introduced into the fluid stream of the system, the device comprising:
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memory for storing a pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and a pre-determined pump time delay; a time-measuring means for measuring a first amount of time after a first signal and a second amount of time after the first signal; a comparator for comparing the first and second amounts of time, respectively, to the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay and the pre-determined pump time delay stored in memory; and a controller that; provides the first signal to the plurality of pumps; provides a second signal to the dominant pump of the plurality of pumps when the second amount of time equals the pre-determined pump time delay; and provides a third signal to an injector valve through which the analyte sample is introduced into the fluid stream of the system when the first amount of time equals the pre-determined injector pre-inject time delay. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification