Sample carrying vial and means for introducing the vial and its liquid sample into liquid analyzing system

Claim 2

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to liquid sample disposed in individual vials of a type having flow passages at each end thereof, means forming a liquid feed line including an open section thereof defined between axially aligned open end portions of the line, a tapered protruding nozzle carried on each said portion, said nozzles being spaced sufficiently to receive one of said vials therebetween for interposing said one vial in fluid communication with said feed line via said flow passages, means for positioning one of said vials into said open section of feed line, said vial flow passages terminating at their axially outer ends in an axially inwardly tapered conical surface for engaging said nozzles, the angle of taper of said nozzles being slightly greater than the angle of taper of said control surfaces to cause said nozzles to initially engage and be guided by its associated one of said conical surfaces at the outer edge margin thereof to seal therewith and align said flow passages of said vial with those of said nozzles, and means for relatively moving said nozzles axially together to engage the flow passages of the vial positioned therebetween thereby interconnecting said open end portions of the feed line via said vial.

Claim 3

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample according to claim 1 further including means for successively supplying each of a series of said vials to said open sectioN, and means movable between advanced and retracted positions for engaging and ejecting each vial from said open section to permit a subsequent vial to enter said open section.

Claim 4

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to liquid sample disposed in individual vials of a type having flow passages at each end thereof, means forming a liquid feed line including an open section thereof defined between axially aligned open end portions of the line, a tapered protruding nozzle carried on each said portion, said nozzles being spaced sufficiently to receive one of said vials therebetween for interposing said one vial in fluid communication with said feed line via said flow passages, means for positioning one of said vials into said open section of feed line, said vial flow passages terminating at their axially outer ends in an axially inwardly tapered conical surface for engaging said nozzles, and means for relatively moving said nozzles axially together to engage the flow passages of the vial positioned therebetween thereby interconnecting said open end portions of the feed line via said vial, said flow passages being recessed conical surfaces diverging at a predetermined angle and said tapered nozzles being formed to include conical surfaces diverging at an angle greate than said predetermined angle.

Claim 5

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to liquid sample disposed in individual vials of a type having flow passages at each end thereof, means forming a liquid feed line including an open section thereof defined between axially aligned open end portions of the line, a tapered protruding nozzle carried on each said portion, said nozzles being spaced sufficiently to receive one of said vials therebetween for interposing said one vial in fluid communication with said feed line via said flow passages, means for positioning one of said vials into said open section of feed line, said vial flow passages terminating at their axially outer ends in an axially inwardly tapered conical surface for engaging said nozzles, and means for relatively moving said nozzles axially together to engage the flow passages of the vial positioned therebetween thereby interconnecting said open end portions of the feed line via said vial, said flow passages being recessed conical surfaces diverging at a predetermined angle and said tapered nozzles being formed to include conical surfaces diverging at an angle greate than said predetermined angle.

Claim 6

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials formed at each end to provide a flow passage therein formed at its axially outer end to terminate with an axially inwardly tapered conical surface, means forming a feed line for carrying buffer or other sample carrier liquid into and out of said vials via said flow passages, said feed line including a discontinuity therein defining a vial receiving zone for disposing one of said vials into said feed line, said discontinuity being characterized by a pair of aligned, confronting, hollow, protruding, tapered nozzles for engaging and interconnecting said vial flow passages therewith for transferring liquid via said vial along the feed line, the angle of taper of said nozzles being slightly greater than the angle of taper of said conical surfaces to cause said nozzles to initially engage and be guided by its associated one of said conical surfaces at the outer edge margin thereof to seal therewith and align said flow passages of said vial with those of said nozzles, means for relatively moving said nozzles between retracted and advanced positions to engage said inwardly conical surfaces to couple and decouple said nozzles with said vial flow passages, and means for successively interposing each of a series of vials of sample into said zone in the feed line.

Claim 7

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials formed at each end to provide a flow passage therein formed at its axially outer end to terminate with an axially inwardly tapered conical surface, means forming a feed line for carrying buffer or other sample carrier liquid into and out of said vials via said flow passages, said feed line including a discontinuity therein defining a vial receiving zone for disposing one of said vials into said feed line, said discontinuity being characterized by a pair of aligned, confronting, hollow, protruding, tapered nozzles for engaging and interconnecting said vial flow passages therewith for transferring liquid via said vial along the feed line, the angle of taper of said nozzles being slightly greater than the angle of taper of said conical surfaces to cause said nozzles to initially engage and be guided by its associated one of said conical surfaces at the outer edge margin thereof to seal therewith and align said flow passages of said vial with those of said nozzles, means for relatively moving said nozzles between retracted and advanced positions to engage said inwardly conical surfaces to couple and decouple said nozzles with said vial flow passages, and means for successively interposing each of a series of vials of sample into said zone in the feed line.

Claim 8

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials formed at each end to provide a flow passage therein formed at its axially outer end to terminate with an axially inwardly tapered conical surface, means forming a feed line for carrying buffer or other sample carrier liquid into and out of said vials via said flow passages, said feed line including a discontinuity therein defining a vial receiving zone for disposing one of said vials to said feed line, said discontinuity being characterized by a pair of aligned, confronting, hollow, protruding, tapered nozzles for engaging and interconnecting said vial flow passages therewith for transferring liquid via said vial along the feed line, means for relatively moving said nozzles between retracted and advanced positions to engage said inwardly conical surfaces to couple and decouple said nozzles with said vial flow passages, and means for successively interposing each of a series of vials of sample into said zone in the feed line, said means for relatively moving said nozzles including a reSilient drive connection for transmitting forces therethrough and coupled to move one of said nozzles relatively axially toward the other.

Claim 9

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials formed at each end to provide a flow passage therein formed at its axially outer end to terminate with an axially inwardly tapered conical surface, means forming a feed line for carrying buffer or other sample carrier liquid into and out of said vials via said flow passages, said feed line including a discontinuity therein defining a vial receiving zone for disposing one of said vials to said feed line, said discontinuity being characterized by a pair of aligned, confronting, hollow, protruding, tapered nozzles for engaging and interconnecting said vial flow passages therewith for transferring liquid via said vial along the feed line, means for relatively moving said nozzles between retracted and advanced positions to engage said inwardly conical surfaces to couple and decouple said nozzles with said vial flow passages, and means for successively interposing each of a series of vials of sample into said zone in the feed line, said means for relatively moving said nozzles including a reSilient drive connection for transmitting forces therethrough and coupled to move one of said nozzles relatively axially toward the other.

Claim 10

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials formed at each end to provide a flow passage therein, means forming a feed line for carrying buffer or other sample carrier liquid into and out of said vials via said flow passages, said feed line including a discontinuity therein defining a vial receiving zone for disposing one of said vials into said feed line, said discontinuity being characterized by a pair of aligned, confronting, hollow nozzles for engaging and interconnecting said vial flow passages therewith for transferring liquid via said vial along the feed line, means for relatively moving said nozzles between retracted and advanced positions to couple and decouple said nozzles with said vial flow passages, and means for successively interposing each of a series of vials of sample into said zone in the feed line, the last named means comprises a magazine for containing a plurality of vials, a guideway formed in said magazine, said vials being supported in said guideway for movement into said vial receiving zone, a stop member in the path of vials entering said zone at one side thereof serving to arrest each vial entering said zone, and means for discharging each vial from said zone to permit a subsequent vial to enter same.

Claim 11

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials formed at each end to provide a flow passage therein, means forming a feed line for carrying buffer or other sample carrier liquid into and out of said vials via said flow passages, said feed line including a discontinuity therein defining a vial receiving zone for disposing one of said vials into said feed line, said discontinuity being characterized by a pair of aligned, confronting, hollow nozzles for engaging and interconnecting said vial flow passages therewith for transferring liquid via said vial along the feed line, means for relatively moving said nozzles between retracted and advanced positions to couple and decouple said nozzles with said vial flow passages, and means for successively interposing each of a series of vials of sample into said zone in the feed line, the last named means comprises a magazine for containing a plurality of vials, a guideway formed in said magazine, said vials being supported in said guideway for movement into said vial receiving zone, a stop member in the path of vials entering said zone at one side thereof serving to arrest each vial entering said zone, and means for discharging each vial from said zone to permit a subsequent vial to enter same.

Claim 12

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample according to claim 6 wherein the last named means comprises means for upwardly boosting a vial from said zone, deflector means disposed at a level above said stop member and serving to deflect the upwardly moving vial clear of said zone.

Claim 13

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to liquid sample carried in individual elongated vials to be disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting nozzles aligned to enter flow passages at each end of a vial disposed in a vial-mounting zone defined therebetween, and further having means for boosting a vial from said zone to discharge the vial therefrom, a magazine to be charged with vials to be supplied successively to said zone, an inclined ramp within said magazine for rollingly carrying a plurality of vials therealong, an opening in said magazine for discharging the vials into said zone to receive said nozzles, deflector means carried by said magazine and forming a path for deflecting each vial clear of said zone when boosted from said zone by the first named said means.

Claim 14

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to liquid sample carried in individual elongated vials to be disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting nozzles aligned to enter flow passages at each end of a vial disposed in a vial-mounting zone defined therebetween, and further having means for boosting a vial from said zone to discharge the vial therefrom, a magazine to be charged with vials to be supplied successively to said zone, an inclined ramp within said magazine for rollingly carrying a plurality of vials therealong, an opening in said magazine for discharging the vials into said zone to receive said nozzles, deflector means carried by said magazine and forming a path for deflecting each vial clear of said zone when boosted from said zone by the first named said means.

Claim 15

In a system for analyzing the constituents of a liquid sample according to claim 8 wherein said inclined ramp includes interconnected portions sloping downwardly in opposite directions.

Claim 16

For use in a system for analyzing the constituents of liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials of a type to be loosely disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting tapered protruding nozzles aligned on a common axis and movable between advanced and retracted positions on said axis, the nozzles being tapered at a predetermined angle, a sample holding unit comprising body means forming a cylindrical, hollow elongated enclosure formed of inert material for holding liquid sample, inert beads packed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, porous plugs at each end of said enclosure for passing liquid therethrough while retaining said beads, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed with conically shaped recessed side wall surfaces diverging radially and axially outwardly of said enclosure for receiving the tapered nozzles seated therein, the side wall surfaces diverging at an angle less than the predetermined angle and adapTed to cause the nozzles to initially engage an associated one of said conical side wall surfaces at the outer edge margin thereof and be guided by same to seal therewith while aligning the nozzles with the flow passages of the sample holding unit.

Claim 17

For use in a system for analyzing the constituents of liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials of a type to be loosely disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting tapered protruding nozzles aligned on a common axis and movable between advanced and retracted positions on said axis, the nozzles being tapered at a predetermined angle, a sample holding unit comprising body means forming a cylindrical, hollow elongated enclosure formed of inert material for holding liquid sample, inert beads packed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, porous plugs at each end of said enclosure for passing liquid therethrough while retaining said beads, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed with conically shaped recessed side wall surfaces diverging radially and axially outwardly of said enclosure for receiving the tapered nozzles seated therein, the side wall surfaces diverging at an angle less than the predetermined angle and adapTed to cause the nozzles to initially engage an associated one of said conical side wall surfaces at the outer edge margin thereof and be guided by same to seal therewith while aligning the nozzles with the flow passages of the sample holding unit.

Claim 18

For use in a system for analyzing the constituents of liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials of a type to be disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting tapered nozzles aligned on a common axis, a sample holding unit comprising body means forming a cylindrical, hollow elongated enclosure formed of inert material for holding liquid sample, inert beads packed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, porous plugs at each end of said enclosure for passing liquid therethrough while retaining said beads, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed with conically shaped recessed side wall surfaces diverging radially and axially outwardly of said enclosure for receiving the tapered nozzles seated therein, said sample holding unit further including an insert element disposed in one end of said enclosure to form a portion of one of said conically shaped side wall surfaces, the other of said side wall surfaces being formed solely from said body means.

Claim 19

For use in a system for analyzing the constituents of liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongated vials of a type to be disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting tapered nozzles aligned on a common axis, a sample holding unit comprising body means forming a cylindrical, hollow elongated enclosure formed of inert material for holding liquid sample, inert beads packed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, porous plugs at each end of said enclosure for passing liquid therethrough while retaining said beads, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed with conically shaped recessed side wall surfaces diverging radially and axially outwardly of said enclosure for receiving the tapered nozzles seated therein, said sample holding unit further including an insert element disposed in one end of said enclosure to form a portion of one of said conically shaped side wall surfaces, the other of said side wall surfaces being formed solely from said body means.

Claim 20

A sample holding unit according to claim 11 further including a rigid cylindrical jacket tightly encircling said body means.

Claim 21

For use in a system for analyzing the constituents of liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongate vials to be disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting nozzles aligned on a common axis, a sample holding unit comprising body means forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure formed of inert material for holding liquid sample, a porous unitized core body of inert bead-like material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein but leaving sufficient spacing between adhered beads to permit fluid flow therethrough, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to couple to one of said nozzles thereat.

Claim 22

For use in a system for analyzing the constituents of liquid sample of a type wherein buffers or other sample carrier liquids are applied to sample carried in individual elongate vials to be disposed into a liquid feed line formed to include confronting nozzles aligned on a common axis, a sample holding unit comprising body means forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure formed of inert material for holding liquid sample, a porous unitized core body of inert bead-like material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein but leaving sufficient spacing between adhered beads to permit fluid flow therethrough, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to couple to one of said nozzles thereat.

Claim 23

For use in a system of the kind described, a sample holding unit comprising body means of inert material forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure for holding liquid sample, a porous unitized core of inert bead-like material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to provide a sealed connection with a nozzle thereat free of sealing elements interposed between said nozzle and its associated flow passage for feeding fluid through said unit via said core.

Claim 24

For use in a system of the kind described, a sample holding unit comprising body means of inert material forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure for holding liquid sample, a porous unitized core of inert bead-like material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to provide a sealed connection with a nozzle thereat free of sealing elements interposed between said nozzle and its associated flow passage for feeding fluid through said unit via said core.

Claim 25

For use in a system of the kind described a sample holding unit comprising body means of inert material forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure for holding liquid sample, a porous core of inert material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to couple to a nozzle thereat for feeding fluid through said unit via said core, said core comprising a unitary compaction of inert beads bonded together in adhering relation each to the other but leaving sufficient spacing between adhered beads to permit fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 26

For use in a system of the kind described a sample holding unit comprising body means of inert material forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure for holding liquid sample, a porous core of inert material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to couple to a nozzle thereat for feeding fluid through said unit via said core, said core comprising a unitary compaction of inert beads bonded together in adhering relation each to the other but leaving sufficient spacing between adhered beads to permit fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 27

For use in a system of the kind described a sample holding unit comprising body means of inert material forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure for holding liquid sample, a porous core of inert material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to couple to a nozzle thereat for feeding fluid through said unit via said Core, said core comprising a plurality of core sections, at least the endmost core sections adjacent the flow passages comprising a unitary compaction of inert beads bonded together in adhering relation each to the other but leaving sufficient spacing between adhered beads to permit fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 28

For use in a system of the kind described a sample holding unit comprising body means of inert material forming a cylindrical, hollow elongate enclosure for holding liquid sample, a porous core of inert material disposed within said enclosure for minimizing sample-occupied space therein, flow passages at each end of said enclosure, each said flow passage being formed and adapted to couple to a nozzle thereat for feeding fluid through said unit via said Core, said core comprising a plurality of core sections, at least the endmost core sections adjacent the flow passages comprising a unitary compaction of inert beads bonded together in adhering relation each to the other but leaving sufficient spacing between adhered beads to permit fluid flow therethrough.

Claim 29

For use in a sample holding unit of the kind described a core portion including a porous unitary body of permeable plastic bead-like material having omnidirectional interconnecting pores, said body being formed and adapted to be insertable as a unit into a sample holding unit.

Claim 30

For use in a sample holding unit of the kind described a core portion including a porous unitary body of permeable plastic bead-like material having omnidirectional interconnecting pores, said body being formed and adapted to be insertable as a unit into a sample holding unit.