Patent EP-0925828-A1 (EP)
Inventor: ZIMMERMANN JUERGEN
IPC: B01L3/00
Filed: 1997-12-17
Abstract: The apparatus, for a number of chemical reaction sequences, has a carrier with a number of position planes and a number of position zones within the planes. A slide for reaction vessels carries at least one reaction vessel which can be held in a transfer zone, where a reagent can be transferred with a vessel at a directly adjacent plane. At least one slide, with a carrier, carries at least one row of reaction vessels containing at least one vessel. The slide is moved into the flow direction of another plane, for a reagent transfer between vessels. A reagent delivery/extraction dispenser head moves the reaction vessel carrier to and fro, by applying a pressure to it, against tension between a slide and the vessel carrier, through an elastic and distorting plastics spring unit. The mechanism has at least one sliding system between the slide and vessel carrier. A seal gives a fluid-tight closure between the vessels at directly adjacent position points as they move to and fro between the planes. The seal is at the pointed outlet end of the vessel at a position plane and has a membrane over the open end, so that the pointed end of one vessel can penetrate the membrane of the other in a fluid-tight sealed fit. The seal can also be a sealing material layer at one side of the vessel carrier, towards the vessels to cover their open ends in a fluid-tight closure. A system bleeds or feeds air to the sealed reaction vessels at directly neighboring planes. The air bleed/feed links the outlet end of the vessel to the ambient atmosphere, through a gas channel with a filter. The outlet end of the vessel is opened externally through a pressure or under pressure at the vessel interior, or by electrical, magnetic or gravity action. The reagent delivery/extraction dispenser head delivers and extracts reagent to and from the reaction vessels in at least one of the position planes, with a fluid-tight connection between the dispenser and the vessels. Each position plane has a zone where the reagent can be delivered or removed, with at least one side exposed for the action and especially the upper side. The dispenser head acts as the mechanism to move the vessels. The reaction vessel slides have a linear movement, or move on a circle in the position planes, moved by the dispenser head at the planes. At least one reaction vessel is in one plane, and especially, in the final plane in the fluid flow direction, to collect the products of the chemical reactions, or they are caught by a trough. At least part of the position planes form a reception zone and a delivery zone, so that the delivery zone of one plane is aligned in the flow direction with the reception zone of the next plane. Or a common zone forms the reception and delivery sections. The final position plane only has reception zones. The reception/delivery zones form a step structure in the position planes, where at least part of each delivery section is not covered by a section of the preceding plane. An Independent claim is included for an operation where a reagent is fed to at least one reaction vessel at the first position plane, for a chemical reaction by adsorption or adsorption of a mixture, etc. The reaction vessel is aligned with a reaction vessel at the next plane, in a transfer zone, for at least part of the reaction product to be delivered under control to the next vessel, which is positioned and aligned to take the transfer. The reaction product from the second vessel is similarly transferred to a reaction vessel aligned in position at the next plane.