Integrated temperature control/alignment system for high performance capillary electrophoretic apparatus
First Claim
1. An integrated temperature control/alignment system disposed in an ambient environment for use with a high performance electrophoretic apparatus including a capillary column and an externally prepositioned on-column detection device, comprising:
- means for thermoelectrically regulating heat transfer between the capillary column and the ambient environment to maintain the capillary column at a predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature, said thermoelectric regulating means includingmeans for mounting the capillary column as part of the electrophoretic apparatus, said mounting means being formed from an electrical insulating material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity to provide efficient heat transfer between the capillary column and said mounting means sufficient to maintain the capillary column at said predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature, said mounting means includingmeans for aligning the capillary column in a predetermined position to the externally prepositioned on-column detection device within said integrated temperature control/alignment system as part of the electrophoretic apparatus for on-column detection, andmeans for physically engaging the capillary column to lock the capillary column in said predetermined position within said integrated temperature control/alignment system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated temperature control/alignment system for use with a high performance capillary electrophoretic apparatus is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment the integrated temperature control/alignment system comprises a pair of capillary column mounting plates for mounting a capillary column as a constituent of the electrophoretic apparatus, a pair of secondary support plates, a pair of thermoelectric plates and external heat sink plates. Detection openings are formed in each of the plates as required so that a continuous detection path exists through the integrated temperature control/alignment system. The capillary column is seated and locked in grooves formed in the capillary column mounting plates so that the detection windows of the capillary column are coordinated with the aligned detection openings formed in the applicable plates of the integrated temperature control/alignment system. The temperature of substantially the entire capillary column, including the detection zone, is controlled or regulated by the temperatures of the thermoelectric plates which comprise one or more thermoelectric circuits utilizing the Peltier effect. Regulation of current flow in the thermoelectric plates controls the temperature effect exerted by the thermoelectric plates, thereby controlling both the direction and rate of heat transfer with the capillary column.
34 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An integrated temperature control/alignment system disposed in an ambient environment for use with a high performance electrophoretic apparatus including a capillary column and an externally prepositioned on-column detection device, comprising:
means for thermoelectrically regulating heat transfer between the capillary column and the ambient environment to maintain the capillary column at a predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature, said thermoelectric regulating means including means for mounting the capillary column as part of the electrophoretic apparatus, said mounting means being formed from an electrical insulating material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity to provide efficient heat transfer between the capillary column and said mounting means sufficient to maintain the capillary column at said predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature, said mounting means including means for aligning the capillary column in a predetermined position to the externally prepositioned on-column detection device within said integrated temperature control/alignment system as part of the electrophoretic apparatus for on-column detection, and means for physically engaging the capillary column to lock the capillary column in said predetermined position within said integrated temperature control/alignment system. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An integrated temperature control/alignment system disposed in an ambient environment for use with a high performance electrophoretic apparatus including a capillary column and an externally prepositioned on-column detection device, comprising:
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means for mounting the capillary column as part of the electrophoretic apparatus, said mounting means being formed from an electrical insulating material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity to efficient provide heat transfer between the capillary column and said mounting means sufficient to maintain the capillary column at a predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature, said mounting means further comprising means for aligning the capillary column in a predetermined position to the externally prepositioned on-column detection device within said integrated temperature control/alignment system as part of the electrophoretic apparatus, and means for physically engaging the capillary column to lock the capillary column in said predetermined position within said integrated temperature control/alignment system; and means for thermoelectrically regulating heat transfer between the capillary column and the ambient environment to maintain the capillary column at said predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An integrated temperature control/alignment system for use with a high performance electrophoretic apparatus situated in an ambient environment, the electrophoretic apparatus including a capillary column having opposed detection windows and an externally prepositioned on-column detection means for measuring an analyte electrophoretically migrating through the capillary column, comprising:
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at least one capillary column mounting member for mounting the capillary column in a predetermined position with respect to the externally prepositioned on-column detection means for measuring the analyte electrophoretically migrating through the capillary column, said at least one capillary column mounting member being formed from an electrical insulating material having a coefficient of thermal conductivity to provide efficient heat transfer between the capillary column and said at least one capillary column mounting member sufficient to maintain the capillary column at a predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature, said at least one capillary column mounting member having interior and exterior facing surfaces and aligned detection openings formed therethrough from said interior facing surface to said exterior facing surface in alignment with the opposed detection windows of the capillary column, said interior facing surface further including means for physically engaging the capillary column to lock the capillary column within said integrated temperature control/alignment system in said predetermined position with respect to the externally prepositioned on-column detection device; at least one secondary support member having interior and exterior facing surfaces, said interior facing surface disposed in contact with said exterior facing surface of said at least one capillary column mounting member, said at least one secondary support member including detection slots formed therethrough from said interior facing surface to said exterior facing surface in alignment with the opposed detection windows of the capillary column; at least one thermoelectric member having interior and exterior facing surfaces, said interior facing surface disposed in contact with said exterior facing surface of said at least one secondary support member, said at least one thermoelectric member including detection passageways formed therethrough from said interior facing surface to said exterior facing surface in alignment with said detection slots of said at least one secondary support member; and current generator means for regulating current flow magnitude and direction through said at least one thermoelectric member; wherein regulation of said current flow magnitude and direction through said at least one thermoelectric member thermoelectrically regulates heat transfer between the capillary column and the ambient environment via said at least one capillary column mounting member, said at least one secondary support member and said at least one thermoelectric member to maintain the capillary column at said predetermined electrophoretic operating temperature. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification