Flexible assembly for transporting sample fluids into a mass spectrometer
First Claim
1. A device for transporting a sample fluid into a mass spectrometer, the device comprising:
- a well plate comprising a plurality of wells, wherein each well is defined by an interior surface extending downwardly from an opening at an upper surface of the well plate;
a fluid-transporting assembly comprising a plurality of fluid-transporting conduits, each extending from an inlet port to an outlet port, wherein the assembly exhibits sufficient flexibility to allow movable positioning of the outlet ports with respect to the inlet ports;
a mass spectrometer interface in fluid communication with the outlet ports of the fluid-transporting assembly, wherein each inlet port of the fluid transporting assembly is positioned in fluid communication with a different well of the well plate, and each well represents the origin of a flow path that travels, in succession, through a well plate opening, an inlet port, a fluid-transporting conduit, an outlet port, and the mass spectrometer interface.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a device for transporting sample fluids into a mass spectrometer. The device comprises a well plate comprising a plurality of wells, a fluid transporting assembly, and a mass spectrometer interface. The fluid-transporting assembly is comprised of a plurality of fluid-transporting conduits, each extending from an inlet port to an outlet port, wherein the assembly exhibits sufficient flexibility to allow movable positioning of the outlet ports with respect to the inlet ports. Each inlet port of the fluid-transporting assembly is positioned in fluid communication with a different well of the well plate to form a plurality of flow paths. Each flow path originates at a well and travels, in succession, through the conduit inlet port, the conduit, the conduit outlet port, and the mass spectrometer interface. Fluids emerging from the mass spectrometer interface may be introduced into a mass spectrometer. The invention also provides a method for transporting sample fluids into a mass spectrometer.
88 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A device for transporting a sample fluid into a mass spectrometer, the device comprising:
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a well plate comprising a plurality of wells, wherein each well is defined by an interior surface extending downwardly from an opening at an upper surface of the well plate;
a fluid-transporting assembly comprising a plurality of fluid-transporting conduits, each extending from an inlet port to an outlet port, wherein the assembly exhibits sufficient flexibility to allow movable positioning of the outlet ports with respect to the inlet ports;
a mass spectrometer interface in fluid communication with the outlet ports of the fluid-transporting assembly, wherein each inlet port of the fluid transporting assembly is positioned in fluid communication with a different well of the well plate, and each well represents the origin of a flow path that travels, in succession, through a well plate opening, an inlet port, a fluid-transporting conduit, an outlet port, and the mass spectrometer interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A mass spectrometric analytical device comprising:
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a well plate comprising a plurality of wells, wherein each well is defined by an interior surface extending downwardly from an opening at an upper surface of the well plate;
a fluid-transporting assembly comprising a substrate having a plurality of microchannels formed in a surface thereof, and a cover plate arranged in fluid-tight relationship over the substrate surface, the cover plate and the microchannels together defining a plurality of fluid-transporting conduits, each extending from an inlet port to an outlet port;
a mass spectrometer interface in fluid communication with the outlet ports of the fluid-transporting assembly, wherein each inlet port of the fluid transporting assembly is positioned in fluid communication with a different well of the well plate, and each well represents the origin of a flow path that travels, in succession, through a well plate opening, an inlet port, a fluid-transporting conduit, an outlet port, and the mass spectrometer interface; and
a mass spectrometer inlet opening in fluid-receiving relationship to the mass spectrometer interface;
wherein the fluid-transporting assembly is arranged such that direction of the flow path from the wells to the fluid-transporting assembly differs from the direction of the flow path from the mass spectrometer interface to the mass spectrometer inlet opening.
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33. A method for transporting a sample fluid to a mass spectrometer, comprising:
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(a) providing a mass spectrometer interface and a fluid-transporting assembly comprising a plurality of fluid-transporting conduits, each extending from an inlet port to an outlet port and exhibiting sufficient flexibility to allow movable positioning of the outlet port with respect to the inlet port, wherein at least one outlet port is in fluid communication with the mass spectrometer interface;
(b) placing each inlet port of the fluid transporting assembly in fluid communication with a different well of a well plate, wherein the well plate comprises a plurality of wells each containing a sample fluid and further wherein each well is defined by an interior surface extending downwardly from an opening at an upper surface of the well plate;
(c) positioning the mass spectrometer interface so that sample fluid from the well plate is introduced into an inlet port of a mass spectrometer;
(d) applying a motive force to transport sample fluid from a selected well of the well plate through the opening of the selected well, such that the conduit is in fluid communication with the selected well, the mass spectrometer interface, and the inlet port of the mass spectrometer, wherein the direction in which the sample fluid is transported through the opening of the selected well is different from the direction in which the sample fluid is transported through the inlet port of the mass spectrometer. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification