Patent ID: 7285423

Claim:
A seal mechanism for confining a chemical reaction in a reaction vessel having an inner volume that is accessible through a penetrable, self-sealing diaphragm covering an opening of the reaction vessel and through which reagents are at least one of injected and extracted, wherein the inside of the vessel is accessible through a portion of the self-sealing diaphragm; said seal mechanism comprising a movable plunger cooperating with said self-sealing diaphragm, said plunger being reversibly operable between a retracted position wherein the inner volume of the reaction vessel is accessible through the diaphragm, and an operational position in abutting contact with the diaphragm, wherein the plunger is effective to counteract an outward deflection of the diaphragm caused by an increase of internal pressure in the vessel, and in the operational position, the movable plunger is in abutting contact with the portion of the diaphragm through which the inner volume of the reaction vessel is accessible.