Face-sealing fluidic connection system

• US 10,655,761 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2015
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Idex Health & Science LLC (RELX PLC)
• Original Assignee: Idex Health & Science LLC (RELX PLC)
• Inventors: Graham, Craig, Beemer, Eric, Ellis, Scott, Sanders, Troy, Nienhuis, Nathaniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Momper, Anna M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kee, Fannie C
• Application Number:
  US14/922,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20160116088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 285328, 285331, 285332, 2853321
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/10 characterised by constructional or operational features
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0838 Capillaries
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/563 Joints or fittings in general F16L; Separable fluid transfer means to transfer fluids between at least two containers, e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 15/08 with supplementary elements F16L15/04, F16L41/00 and F16L43/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/0206 the collar not being integral with the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 19/0212 using specially adapted sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6026 Fluid seals

Abstract

A tubing or fitting assembly has an inner tube layer, an outer tube layer, a sleeve, a tip portion, and can have a nut. Each of the nut, sleeve, inner and outer tubing layers, and tip portion have a passageway therethrough, with at least the passageways in the sleeve, tip portion, outer tube layer, and nut adapted to allow the inner tube layer to pass therethrough or extend over the inner layer. The tip portion can be molded over an end portion of the inner tube layer and also over a portion of the sleeve. The sleeve may include a retention feature in the form of a lip which extends into the tip portion, and also a narrower portion so that the tip portion and sleeve remain coupled together. The inner and outer tubing layers can also be retained by an interference fit. The ends of the tip portion and inner layer together define a substantially flat surface which can form a seal in a flat-bottomed port of a component such as may be found in any one of a number of components in an analytical instrument system, including for example a liquid chromatography system. The nut, tube, ferrule, and transfer tube or liner tube may comprise biocompatible materials. In addition, the nut may have a slot, such as a slot adapted to allow the tube and the nut to be easily and quickly separated or to allow a portion of the tube to be easily and quickly inserted in the nut.

Claims

1. A fitting assembly for a flat-bottomed port, the fitting assembly comprising:

a tube having a second passageway therethrough and adapted to fit in the first passageway of a nut, wherein the tube has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end of the tube has a tube seal face;

a cylindrical transfer tube having a first end and a second end and having a third passageway therethrough, wherein the tube seal face is located within the third passageway proximal to the first end of the transfer tube, wherein the first end of the transfer tube comprises a pocket portion, and wherein the second end of the transfer tube is adapted to be secured by the nut; and

a cylindrical ferrule in contact with the tube seal face and in fluid communication with the first passageway, wherein the ferrule is adapted to seal the first passageway when the nut is threadedly engaged in a flat-bottomed port, wherein the ferrule has a largest outer diameter, wherein a portion of the transfer tube abuts a portion of the ferrule that extends cylindrically between the tube and the pocket portion of the transfer tube, thereby applying an axial load to the ferrule, wherein the transfer tube has a largest outer diameter that is greater than the largest outer diameter of the ferrule, and wherein the ferrule is retained with an interference fit in the pocket portion of the transfer tube.

2. The fitting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule comprises a compressible material and wherein at least one of the transfer tube and an inside surface of the ferrule are adapted to provide an interference fit with the tube.

3. The fitting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transfer tube has a shorter length than the tube and wherein the first end of the transfer tube is adapted to impinge on a portion of the ferrule, thereby forcing the ferrule against the flat-bottomed port when the nut provides an axial load.

4. The fitting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tube comprises metal, the transfer tube comprises metal, and further wherein the pocket portion of the transfer tube is located at a terminal end thereof.

5. The fitting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the tube and the ferrule each comprise a biocompatible material.

6. The fitting assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the tube and the ferrule comprises at least one of the following:

polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyaryletherketone (PAEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA, also called perfluoroalkoxyethylene), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), polymer-sheathed fused silica (such as PEEKSil), fused silica, and silica borite.

7. The fitting assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the tube, the transfer tube, and the ferrule comprise a material which further comprises a filler.

8. The fitting assembly according to claim 7 wherein the filler comprises fibers.

9. The fitting assembly according to claim 8 wherein the filler comprises at least one of carbon fibers, nanofibers, or metallic fibers.

10. The fitting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ferrule has a substantially flat face adapted to seal the first passageway when pressed against the flat-bottomed port.

11. The fitting assembly according to claim 10 wherein the ferrule is adapted to seal the first passageway to a fluidic pressure of at least 15,000 pounds per square inch.

12. The fitting assembly according to claim 10 wherein the ferrule is adapted to seal the first passageway to a fluidic pressure of at least 20,000 pounds per square inch.

13. The fitting assembly according to claim 10 wherein the ferrule is adapted to seal the first passageway to a fluidic pressure of at least 25,000 pounds per square inch.

14. The fitting assembly according to claim 1 wherein the nut is adapted to engage with the flat-bottomed port in a component of an analytical instrument system, wherein the component is any one of the following:

a pump, a column, a filter, a guard column, a valve, a detector, a pressure regulator, a reservoir, a degasser, a debubbler, a union, a tee, a cross, an adapter, a splitter, a sample loop, and a connector.

15. The fitting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the transfer tube extends beyond the first end of the tube.

16. A biocompatible fitting assembly for a flat-bottomed connection, the fitting assembly comprising:

a nut having a first passageway extending therethrough and having a first end and a second end, wherein the nut is adapted to provide an axial load;

a tube located in the first passageway and having a second passageway therethrough and having a first end extending from the first end of the nut, a portion extending through the first passageway in the nut, and a second end extending from the second end of the nut, wherein the second end of the tube further comprises a tube seal face;

a transfer tube having a largest outer diameter, a first end, and a second end, and having a third passageway therethrough, wherein at least the first end of the transfer tube is located within the first passageway, the second end of the transfer tube is proximal the second end of the tube, wherein at least a portion of the tube is located within the third passageway and is secured relative to the transfer tube, and wherein the second end of the transfer tube has a cylindrical pocket portion defining a cylindrical pocket between the second end of the tube and the second end of the transfer tube; and

a ferrule in contact with the tube seal face and in fluid communication with the second passageway, wherein the ferrule is adapted to seal the second passageway when the nut is threadedly engaged in a flat-bottomed port, wherein the ferrule has a largest diameter, wherein a first portion of the ferrule is located in the cylindrical pocket portion of the transfer tube, wherein an end of the first portion of the ferrule that extends between the tube and the cylindrical pocket portion of the transfer tube abuts the transfer tube, which applies an axial load to the ferrule, wherein the largest outer diameter of the transfer tube is greater than the largest outer diameter of the ferrule, and wherein the ferrule is retained in the cylindrical pocket portion of the transfer tube by an interference fit.

17. The fitting assembly according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the ferrule, the tube, and the transfer tube comprises a biocompatible material.

18. The fitting assembly according to claim 16 wherein at least one of the ferrule, the tube, and the transfer tube comprises at least one of:

PEEK, PAEK, PEKK, FEP, ETFE, and PTFE.

19. The fitting assembly according to claim 16 wherein the ferrule is adapted to seal the second passageway to a fluidic pressure of at least 15,000 pounds per square inch.

20. The fitting assembly according to claim 16 wherein the nut further comprises a threaded portion operable to threadedly engage with a threaded portion of the flat-bottomed port.

21. A fitting assembly for a flat-bottomed port, the fitting assembly comprising:

a tube having a first passageway therethrough and adapted to fit in a second passageway extending through a nut having a first end and a second end, wherein the tube has a first end and a second end;

a transfer tube having a largest outer diameter, a first end, a second end, and a third passageway therethrough, wherein at least a portion of the tube is located within the third passageway and the first end of the tube is located proximal to the first end of the transfer tube, wherein the first end of the transfer tube comprises a pocket portion between the tube and the transfer tube, and wherein the second end of the transfer tube is adapted to be secured by the nut; and

a ferrule having a largest outer diameter, a fourth passageway therethrough, and an interior portion, wherein the ferrule is in contact with the first end of the tube, wherein the ferrule is adapted to receive and hold the first end of the tube in the interior portion, wherein the ferrule is adapted to seal the flat-bottomed port, wherein a portion of the transfer tube abuts a portion of the ferrule that extends cylindrically between the tube and the transfer tube in the pocket portion of the transfer tube, wherein the transfer tube applies an axial load to the ferrule, wherein the largest outer diameter of the transfer tube is greater than the largest outer diameter of the ferrule, and wherein the ferrule is retained with an interference fit in the pocket portion of the transfer tube.

22. The fitting assembly according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the transfer tube and the ferrule are adapted to provide an interference fit with the tube.

23. The fitting assembly according to claim 21, wherein the transfer tube has a shorter length than the tube and wherein a portion of the transfer tube is adapted to impinge on a portion of the ferrule located in the pocket portion of the transfer tube.

24. The fitting assembly according to claim 21, wherein the ferrule comprises a metal.

25. The fitting assembly according to claim 21, wherein the ferrule has a substantially flat face adapted to seal the flat-bottomed port.

26. The fitting assembly according to claim 21, wherein the first end of the transfer tube extends beyond the first end of the tube.