Patent ID: 6132605
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for sealing a sample-conveying conduit to a chromatography column having a media bed comprising:a first head piece, a second head piece, and an intermediate head piece, all of which are elongated along a longitudinal axis and are sized to fit slidably into the column, said first head piece having a body, a contact face, said body defining an elongate flow channel along said axis; andfirst and second elastomeric sealing members, at least part of said first elastomeric sealing member situated between said first head piece and said intermediate head piece, at least part of said second elastomeric sealing member situated between said intermediate head piece and said second head piece, said elastomeric sealing members sized to fit slidably into the column when said elastomeric sealing members are not compressed, said elastomeric sealing members capable of being compressed, by moving said second head piece toward the media bed so that said contact face of said first head piece presses against the media bed and so that said elastomeric sealing members expand laterally and form seals with the column, said first and second head pieces, said intermediate head piece, and said elastomeric sealing members disposed so that said second head piece interacts with said first head piece only through said elastomeric sealing members and said intermediate head piece, so that compressive force from said second head piece is transmitted through said elastomeric sealing members, through said intermediate head piece, and through said first head piece to the media bed, when said elastomeric sealing members are compressed.