Connector, fluid system, and connection method

Abstract

To easily connect a flow path with high reliability.SOLUTION: A connector for connecting a tube to a flow path on connector receiving side, includes a sleeve, a sealing member, and a fixing part. The sleeve includes a stepped hole formed therethrough, the stepped hole having a large-diameter hole in at a center thereof into which the tube is inserted and a small-diameter hole communicating with an inner hole of the tube. A groove is formed around an opening of the small-diameter hole of the first end part on the side of the small-diameter hole along the stepped hole, and a tapered outer peripheral part is provided that is tapered toward a second end part on an opposite side of the first end part. The sealing member is installed in the groove. The fixing part includes: an inner peripheral part through which the tube is passed and that makes at least partial contact with the tapered outer peripheral part of the sleeve; and an outer peripheral part having a male screw that engages with a female screw provided on the inner peripheral part of the connector receiving part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector for connecting a liquid-transport tube to a flow path, a fluid system including the connector, and a connection method using the connector. [Background technology]

[0002] A method for connecting flow channels has been proposed in which multiple microfluidic devices each having a flow channel therein are connected at their end faces so that the openings of the flow channels coincide with each other while maintaining an airtight state. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a method for connecting frame-shaped bodies that house multiple substrates each having a microchannel in a stacked state, using multiple positioning pinholes and mating pins provided in the frame-shaped bodies to connect the frames without misalignment.

[0003] Another proposed method involves fluidically connecting multiple microfluidic devices to each other by connecting the openings of the channels provided on the side of a substrate with the channels via liquid delivery tubes. In this method, the tubes are connected to the openings of the channels of the microfluidic device using a connector. For example, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a connector into which multiple tubes are inserted, with the tips of the tubes passing through a sealing material such as rubber. When connecting this connector to a microfluidic device, the tips of the tubes are butted against the inlet or outlet ports on the side of the microfluidic device so that the channels are connected, and the connector is screwed in place. At this time, the sealing material is deformed and expanded by the pressure applied from the connector, thereby sealing the connection between the channels of the microfluidic device and the channels of the tubes to prevent leakage. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-161125 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] The Dolomite Centre Ltd. (UK), “MULTIFLUX-2 LINEAR CONNECTORS USER INSTRUCTIONS”, [online], [Retrieved May 1, 2024], Internet <URL:https: / / www.dolomite-microfluidics.com / wp-content / uploads / 3200148-l-3200290-l-3200291-l-3200292-Multiflux-2-Linear-Connectors-User-Guide.pdf> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the method of Patent Document 1 requires that each microfluidic device be properly connected without misalignment at the open end faces of the other devices, and that an airtight state be maintained. Meeting these requirements is not always easy. Failure to meet these requirements can result in sample leakage at the connections and / or flow path resistance, preventing the desired chemical operation from being achieved.

[0007] Furthermore, in the method of Non-Patent Document 1, errors in the installation position of the sealant and / or errors in the installation position of the tubes may cause leaks and / or tubes to come loose. Furthermore, in the method of Non-Patent Document 1, multiple tubes are connected to the microfluidic device using a single connector, which poses a problem in that the pressing force at the connection between the tube and the microfluidic device cannot be individually adjusted. To address this problem, it is conceivable to connect each flow channel of the microfluidic device to a tube using a connector. However, connecting each flow channel to a tube using a connector requires a large number of connectors. For example, when constructing a fluid system used in a production plant by arranging a large number of fluidic devices in series and / or parallel, a huge number of connectors will be used. Therefore, it is necessary to have fluidic devices that are highly reliable and easy to connect.

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present disclosure, which has been made with these points in mind, is to provide a connector that can reliably and easily connect flow paths, a fluid system that uses this connector, and a connection method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] (1) A connector according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a connector for connecting a tube to a flow path on the connector receiving portion side, and includes a sleeve having a stepped hole in the center thereof, the stepped hole having a large diameter hole through which the tube is inserted and a small diameter hole communicating with the inner hole of the tube, a groove formed around the opening of the small diameter hole at a first end on the small diameter hole side along the stepped hole, and having a tapered outer periphery that narrows toward a second end opposite the first end, a sealing member attached to the groove, and a fixing portion having an inner periphery through which the tube is inserted and at least partially abutting the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve, and an outer periphery with a male thread that screws into a female thread provided on the inner periphery of the connector receiving portion.

[0010] (2) In the connector of (1) above, when connecting to the connector receiving portion, the male screw is threadedly engaged with the female screw and rotated, whereby the fixing portion presses the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve toward the connector receiving portion, deforming the sleeve to fix the tube, and pressing the sealing member against the surface around the opening of the flow path to deform it, thereby sealing the connection between the small diameter hole and the flow path.

[0011] (3) The connector of (1) or (2) above may have a recess in a part of the outer periphery of the sleeve.

[0012] (4) In any one of the connectors (1) to (3) above, the large diameter hole of the sleeve may have a protrusion on a part of the inner periphery thereof.

[0013] (5) In the connector of (4) above, the protrusion may have an annular shape that surrounds the inner periphery of the large diameter hole.

[0014] (6) The connector of (5) above may have a plurality of the protrusions.

[0015] (7) In any one of the connectors (1) to (6) above, the sealing member may be an O-ring.

[0016] (8) In the connector according to any one of (1) to (7) above, the sleeve and the fixing portion may be made of PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) resin.

[0017] (9) A fluid system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes one or more fluid devices having a fluid flow path therein, one or more tubes, and a connector according to any one of (1) to (8) that connects the one or more tubes to at least one of the inlet or outlet of the flow path of the one or more fluid devices.

[0018] (10) A connection method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a connection method for connecting a tube to a flow path on a connector receiving portion side, the connection method comprising: preparing a connector having a stepped hole having a large diameter hole in the center through which the tube is inserted and a small diameter hole communicating with an inner hole of the tube, a groove formed around an opening of the small diameter hole at a first end on the small diameter hole side along the stepped hole, and a sleeve having a tapered outer periphery that narrows toward a second end opposite the first end, a sealing member attached to the groove, and a fixing part through which the tube is passed and including an inner periphery at least partially abutting the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve and an outer periphery having a male thread; the fixing portion is rotated to bring the inner peripheral portion of the fixing portion into at least partial contact with the outer peripheral portion of the sleeve, while advancing the fixing portion until the sealing member abuts against a surface around the opening of the flow path; and the fixing portion is further rotated to press the sealing member against the surface, deforming the sleeve to fix the tube and deforming the sealing member to seal the connection between the small diameter hole and the flow path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The connector, fluid system, and connection method of the present disclosure enable reliable and easy connection of flow paths. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a connection portion of a flow path including a connector according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector of FIG. 1 is connected to a connector receiving portion. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing details of a main part of the connector of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the portion indicated by A in FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure for connecting a connector to a connector receiving portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a fluidic device connected to a tube using the connector of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a fluid system used for leak testing of the connector of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] 10 is a graph showing pressure changes over time during a leak test. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a method for performing a pull test on a connector. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the results of a pull test on a connector. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a method for evaluating the twist resistance of a connector. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the results of evaluation of the twist resistance of connectors. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0022] (Connector configuration) 1 to 3 show the configuration of a connector 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In FIGS. 2 and 3, some reference numerals shown in FIG. 1 are omitted. The connector 10 includes a sleeve 11, a fixing portion 12, and an O-ring 13. The O-ring 13 is a rubber sealing member that can be deformed by pressing. As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 10 is connected to a connector receiving portion 15 with a tube 14 inserted therein. This connects an inner hole 14a of the tube 14 to a flow path end portion 16b of a flow path 16a on the connector receiving portion 15 side. The flow path 16a is, for example, a flow path 16a provided in a substrate 16 of a fluidic device. The flow path end portion 16b is an opening located at either end of the flow path 16a. The connector 10 and the connecting portion of the tube 14 to the connector 10 may have a shape that is approximately cylindrically symmetric about a center line O.

[0023] In the following description, the side of the connector 10 to which the flow path 16a is connected is referred to as the first side. The side to which the tube 14 is connected is referred to as the second side. In Figures 1 to 3, the first side is the right side, and the second side is the left side.

[0024] The sleeve 11 has a stepped hole 11c penetrating through it. The stepped hole 11c has a large diameter hole 11a in the center through which the tube 14 is inserted and a small diameter hole 11b that communicates with the inner hole 14a of the tube 14 when the tube 14 is inserted into the large diameter hole 11a. The inner diameter of the large diameter hole 11a is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tube 14. When the tube 14 is inserted into the large diameter hole 11a from the second side, the tube 14 abuts against the stepped portion at the boundary between the large diameter hole 11a and the small diameter hole 11b and is positioned accordingly. The end of the sleeve 11 on the side of the small diameter hole 11b, i.e., the first side, is referred to as the first end 11x. The end of the sleeve 11 opposite the first end 11x, i.e., the second side, is referred to as the second end 11y.

[0025] The first end 11x of the sleeve 11 has a circular groove 11d formed in a plane perpendicular to the center line O around the opening 11e of the small diameter hole 11b for fitting the O-ring 13. The groove 11d stabilizes the O-ring 13 when fitted, preventing it from shifting. The depth of the groove 11d is smaller than the diameter of the O-ring 13, so that the O-ring 13 extends beyond the plane of the first end 11x toward the first side when fitted in the groove 11d. The size of the O-ring 13 can be appropriately set depending on the channel width of the fluidic device to which it is applied. When applied to a microfluidic device with a channel width of several micrometers to several hundred micrometers, the O-ring 13 can have an inner diameter of 1 mm and a wire diameter of 1 mm, for example.

[0026] The sleeve 11 has a tapered outer circumferential portion 11f whose outer diameter narrows toward the second end 11y. The tapered shape can have an opening angle from the center line O on one side set to 15° to 45°, more specifically 20° to 30°, for example. The opening angle is not limited to this range. The sleeve 11 may have a cylindrical outer circumferential portion 11f on the first end 11x side, the distance from the center line O being approximately constant.

[0027] The sleeve 11 may have a recess 11g in a part of the outer circumferential portion 11f. The recess 11g may be provided so as to go around the center line O. The recess 11g may be positioned so as to overlap the boundary portion between the large diameter hole 11a and the small diameter hole 11b, i.e., the step portion of the stepped hole 11c, in the direction along the center line O. Alternatively, the recess 11g may be provided on the second side of the boundary portion between the large diameter hole 11a and the small diameter hole 11b in the direction along the center line O.

[0028] Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of part A in Figure 3. The sleeve 11 may have one or more minute protrusions 11h on part of the inner circumference of the large diameter hole 11a. Each protrusion 11h may have an annular shape that surrounds the inner circumference of the large diameter hole 11a. When there are protrusions 11h on the inner circumference of the large diameter hole 11a of the sleeve 11, the inner diameter of the large diameter hole 11a and the height of the protrusions 11h are designed so that the tube 14a can pass inside the protrusions 11h.

[0029] The cross section of the protrusion 11h taken along a plane including the center line O may have a mountain-like shape including an apex angle between two sides of equal length. The apex angle of the protrusion 11h may be, for example, greater than or equal to 90° and less than 180°. In FIG. 4, the apex angle of the protrusion 11h is set to 120°. By increasing the apex angle of the protrusion 11h, the durability of the sleeve 11 increases. The apex angle of the protrusion 11h may be an acute angle less than 90°. By reducing the apex angle of the protrusion 11h, the force with which the protrusion 11h fits with the tube 14 increases, making it more difficult for the tube 14 to come loose. A plurality of protrusions 11h may be arranged side by side on the inner periphery of the large-diameter hole 11a.

[0030] The fixing portion 12 is a cylindrical member having a through hole 12a in the center for passing the tube 14 through. The inner peripheral portion 12b on the second side of the fixing portion 12 is cylindrically hollow. The inner diameter of the inner peripheral portion 12b on the second side of the fixing portion 12 is the same as or slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tube 14. The inner peripheral portion 12b on the first side of the fixing portion 12 has an opening 12c formed with a recess centered on the through hole 12a. The opening 12c has a shape that at least partially abuts the tapered outer peripheral portion 11f of the sleeve 11 when connected to the sleeve 11. The opening 12c may have an inverse tapered shape in which the inner diameter increases toward the first side. The surface of the inverse tapered opening 12c may have a shape that matches or is similar to the surface of the tapered outer peripheral portion 11f of the sleeve 11. The outer surface of the tapered outer peripheral portion 11f of the sleeve 11 and the inner surface of the opening 12c of the fixed portion 12 have smooth shapes and are configured to be able to slide and rotate when they abut against each other. The opening 12c does not need to have a surface shaped to exactly contact the entire surface of the tapered outer peripheral portion 11f of the sleeve 11. The opening 12c may have a shape that takes into account the shape of the outer peripheral portion 11f after deformation. The opening 12c is preferably shaped to contact the outer peripheral portion 11f from all directions around the large-diameter hole 11a. The shape of the opening 12c may be any shape that applies a compressive force having a radially inward component evenly to the outer peripheral portion 11f of the sleeve 11 when it abuts against the sleeve 11.

[0031] The fixing portion 12 has an outer periphery 12d on the side of the sleeve 11, i.e., the first side, where a male thread is formed. The fixing portion 12 has a head 12e on the second side. The head 12e is used when rotating the fixing portion 12 around the center line O to tighten the screw. The head 12e may have a shape that corresponds to tightening using a tool, for example. The outer periphery of the head 12e may have a hexagonal shape when viewed in the direction along the center line O, for example.

[0032] Both the sleeve 11 and the fixing part 12 may be made of a high-strength material such as PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) resin. PEEK resin has excellent chemical resistance, heat resistance, and pressure resistance. The material of the sleeve 11 and the fixing part 12 is not limited to PEEK resin, and various other materials may be used. For example, fluororesins such as PFA (Perfluoroalkoxy Alkane) and PTFE (Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene) may be used.

[0033] The tube 14 is a tubular member having an inner hole 14a, which is a flow path for delivering a fluid, inside a cylindrical tube wall 14b. The size of the tube 14 can be selected appropriately depending on the size of the fluidic device to which it is applied. The inner diameter of the tube 14 may be larger than the inner diameters of the small diameter hole 11b of the sleeve and the flow path 16a of the substrate 16. For example, the outer diameter of the tube 14 connected to the microfluidic device may be 1 / 16 inch (1 inch = 25.4 mm) and the inner diameter may be 0.5 mm. The material of the tube 14 can be selected taking into consideration various conditions, such as the type of liquid used, the temperature of the liquid, and the pressure applied to the inner hole 14a. PEEK resin can be used as the material of the tube 14. The tip 14c of the tube 14 may have a flat surface perpendicular to the center line O of the tube 14.

[0034] The connector receiving portion 15 includes, for example, a threaded hole 15a provided in a holder that fixes the substrate 16 of the fluidic device. An inner peripheral portion 15b of the threaded hole 15a is provided with a female thread that can be threaded with a male thread provided on the outer peripheral portion 12d of the fixing portion 12. A flow channel end portion 16b of the substrate 16 is located at the center of the bottom of the threaded hole 15a of the connector receiving portion 15. The flow channel end portion 16b may be circular. The diameter of the flow channel end portion 16b may be approximately the same as the diameter of the small diameter hole 11b of the sleeve 11, or may be smaller than the diameter of the small diameter hole 11b.

[0035] (Method of connecting flow paths using connectors) Next, a method for connecting tube 14 and flow path 16a on the connector receiving portion 15 side using connector 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0036] First, an operator prepares the connector 10 (step S1). The connector 10 includes the above-described sleeve 11, the fixing portion 12, and the O-ring 13. The O-ring 13 is attached to the groove portion 11d of the sleeve 11.

[0037] Next, the worker inserts the tube 14 through the through-hole 12a of the fixing part 12 and into the large diameter hole 11a of the sleeve 11 (step S2). The tip end 14c of the tube 14 abuts against the step at the boundary between the large diameter hole 11a and the small diameter hole 11b of the sleeve 11.

[0038] In the state of step S2, the worker inserts the connector 10 from the sleeve 11 side into the connector receiving portion 15. The worker rotates the head 12e of the fixing portion 12 around the center line O, and screws the male thread on the outer circumferential portion 12d of the fixing portion 12 into the female thread on the inner circumferential portion 15b of the connector receiving portion 15 (step S3).

[0039] The operator further rotates head 12e of fixing part 12, and moves fixing part 12 together with sleeve 11 toward the first side (step S4). At this time, opening 12c of fixing part 12 at least partially abuts against tapered outer circumferential portion 11f of sleeve 11, and pushes sleeve 11 toward the first side.

[0040] The worker advances the fixing part 12 to push the sleeve 11 toward the first side, and the O-ring 13 comes into contact with the surface 16c around the flow path end 16b of the substrate 16, i.e., the side surface of the substrate 16 (step S5). As a result, the small diameter hole 11b of the sleeve 11 and the flow path 16a are connected via the space surrounded by the O-ring 13, the first end 11x of the sleeve 11, and the surface 16c.

[0041] The worker further rotates the fixing portion 12 from the state of step S5, and presses the O-ring 13 with the sleeve 11 (step S6).

[0042] As the O-ring 13 is pressed by the sleeve 11, the O-ring 13 is deformed between the groove 11d of the sleeve 11 and the surface 16c. This prevents or reduces leakage of fluid from the space surrounded by the O-ring 13, the first end 11x of the sleeve 11, and the surface 16c to the outside. That is, the connection between the small diameter hole 11b of the sleeve 11 and the flow path end 16b is sealed (step S7).

[0043] In the state of step S6, a force is applied between the fixed part 12 and the sleeve 11, pressing against the surface of the tapered outer peripheral part 11f of the sleeve 11. That is, a force having a component in a direction toward the center line O is applied from the fixed part 12 to the outer peripheral part 11f of the sleeve 11. As a result, by rotating the fixed part 12, an inward deformation occurs in the tapered part of the sleeve 11 on the second end 11y side. This deformation narrows the part of the sleeve 11 on the second end 11y side around the tube 14. As a result, the tube 14 is clamped by the part of the sleeve 11 on the second end 11y side, and is fixed in place by the frictional force between the tube 14 and the sleeve 11 (step S8).

[0044] If recesses 11g are formed in the outer circumferential portion 11f of the sleeve 11, the sleeve 11 becomes thinner at the recesses 11g in step S8, making it easier to deform. This makes it easier to fix the tube 14 by the sleeve 11.

[0045] Furthermore, if a protrusion 11h is formed on part of the inner periphery of the large-diameter hole 11a of the sleeve 11, in step S8, the protrusion 11h is pressed against the outer periphery of the tube wall 14b of the tube 14. The protrusion 11h may partially deform the outer periphery of the tube wall 14b of the tube 14, forming a tight fit with the outer periphery of the tube wall 14b of the tube 14. This further firmly fixes the sleeve 11 and the tube 14 together.

[0046] Furthermore, since the protrusions 11h have an annular shape that goes around the inner circumference of the large diameter hole 11a, it is possible to reduce or prevent fluid leakage from between the pipe wall 14b of the tube 14 and the outer circumference of the large diameter hole 11a of the sleeve 11. Furthermore, since multiple protrusions 11h are arranged side by side in the direction of the center line O, it is possible to further strengthen the fixation between the sleeve 11 and the tube 14 and further improve the ability to prevent fluid leakage.

[0047] The deformation of the O-ring 13 in step S7 and the deformation of the sleeve 11 in step S8 may be performed in parallel rather than sequentially.

[0048] As described above, the connector 10 of the present disclosure reduces or prevents fluid leakage from the connection between the connector 10 and the flow path 16a by using the O-ring 13, which is a sealing member. Furthermore, the connector 10 of the present disclosure partially deforms the sleeve 11 and presses it against the outer periphery of the tube 14, thereby stably fixing the tube 14 to the sleeve 11 while reducing or preventing fluid leakage along the outer periphery of the tube 14. This improves the reliability of the connection between the tube 14 and the flow path 16a.

[0049] Furthermore, in the connector 10 of the present disclosure, the sleeve 11 has a groove 11d in which the O-ring 13 is mounted, and the tapered outer periphery 11f of the sleeve 11 is shaped to fit into the opening 12c of the fixing portion 12. Furthermore, the tube 14 is stopped by abutting the tip end 14c against the stepped portion of the stepped hole 11c of the sleeve 11. This leaves little room for error in the positioning of the O-ring 13, the components of the connector 10, the tube 14, etc. Therefore, the connector 10 of the present disclosure can connect the tube 14 to the flow path 16a with consistent quality, without relying on the operator.

[0050] Furthermore, the connector 10 of the present disclosure has a minute protrusion 11h on the inner periphery of the large diameter hole 11a of the sleeve 11, which prevents the tube 14 from coming loose or rotating from the connector 10. Furthermore, the protrusion 11h, which is provided so as to surround the large diameter hole 11a, strongly presses against the outer periphery of the tube 14, thereby further reducing or preventing fluid leakage through the side surfaces of the sleeve 11 and the tube 14.

[0051] Furthermore, in the connector according to one embodiment, the sleeve and fixing portion are made of PEEK resin, which has chemical resistance and heat resistance properties, so that concerns about contamination due to elution of metal ions or the like can be eliminated.

[0052] (Connector connection structure for fluid device) 6 is a diagram showing an example of connecting a tube 14 to a fluidic device 20 using a connector 10 of the present disclosure. The fluidic device 20 may be included in a fluidic system. The fluidic system is configured by connecting one or more tubes 14 to at least one end of an inlet and / or outlet of a flow path of one or more fluidic devices 20.

[0053] 6, the structure for connecting the tube 14 to the fluidic device 20 includes a holder 21 that fixes the fluidic device 20, and a connector 10 that connects the fluidic device 20 held by the holder 21 to the tube 14. In FIG. 6, components that are the same as or similar to those in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0054] The fluidic device 20 includes a substrate 16 and a flow path 16a formed inside the substrate 16. In FIG. 6, the substrate 16 is a rectangular plate-like member in a plan view. However, the shape of the substrate 16 is not limited to this. The size of the substrate 16 can be set arbitrarily. For example, the size of the substrate 16 can be on the order of several centimeters to several tens of centimeters in a plan view. Furthermore, the thickness of the substrate 16 can be on the order of several millimeters to several centimeters. The material of the substrate 16 is not particularly limited, and for example, glass, silicon, silica, quartz, resin, silicon carbide, or the like can be used.

[0055] The flow channel 16a is, for example, a minute micro-channel with a flow channel width on the order of μm. However, the width of the flow channel 16a is not limited to this range. The flow channel 16a allows a fluid to pass from the upstream side to the downstream side. In FIG. 6, the flow channel 16a between the upstream side and the downstream side of the fluidic device 20 is not shown. At the upstream end of the flow channel 16a, an inlet 16b1 is provided on a side surface 16c1 of the substrate 16. At the downstream end of the flow channel 16a, an outlet 16b2 is provided on a side surface 16c2 of the substrate 16. The inlet 16b1 is an opening that receives liquid supplied from the outside to the fluidic device 20. The outlet 16b2 is an opening that discharges the fluid that has flowed through the flow channel 16 of the fluidic device 20 to the outside of the fluidic device 20. Both the inlet 16b1 and the outlet 16b2 are included in the flow channel end 16b.

[0056] 6, for example, sequentially mixes liquids flowing in from three upstream inlets 16b1, reacts the reaction components, and discharges the resulting product from outlet 16b2. For this reason, the flow paths 16a connected to the three inlets 16b1 may be configured to sequentially merge into one flow path 16a, which snakes through the substrate 16 and connects to outlet 16b2. However, the shape of the flow path 16a and the number and arrangement of inlets 16b1 and outlets 16b2 are not limited to this and can be freely designed depending on the operation, such as mixing and chemical reaction, performed by the fluidic device 20.

[0057] The holder 21 includes two holding members 22a and 22b, each of which accommodates one of two opposing side surfaces 16c1 and 16c2 of the substrate 16 of the fluidic device 20 and holds the substrate 16 by sandwiching it between them. The holding members 22a and 22b may be made of a high-strength material such as PEEK resin. The holding members 22a and 22b each have a groove formed therein that accommodates an end portion of the substrate 16, including one of the side surfaces 16c1 or 16c2. This allows the holder 21 to accurately position the substrate 16 relative to the holding members 22a and 22b while the substrate 16 is fixed.

[0058] The holding members 22a and 22b are fixed by fastening members 23 with the ends of the substrate 16 fitted into their respective grooves and sandwiching the substrate 16 from both sides. For example, the holding members 22a and 22b have two pairs of opposing through holes at both ends in the direction in which the grooves extend, outside the portion where the substrate 16 is housed. The holding members 22a and 22b are fixed by two pairs of long bolts 24a and 24b and nuts 25a and 25b that pass through the respective through holes. In this case, the long bolts 24a and 24b and the nuts 25a and 25b are the fastening members 23.

[0059] Each of the two holding members 22a, 22b is provided with a connector receiving portion 15 having a thread formed on the inside thereof, corresponding to the position of the inlet 16b1 and / or the outlet 16b2 of the fluidic device 20. The screw hole 15a of the connector receiving portion 15 is centered at the position where the inlet 16b1 or the outlet 16b2 is positioned when the fluidic device 20 is fixed to the holder 21, and extends in a direction perpendicular to the side surfaces 16c1, 16c2 of the substrate 16. By connecting the connector 10 to the connector receiving portion 15 of the holder 21, the inner hole 14a of the tube 14 is fluidly connected to the flow path 16a of the fluidic device 20.

[0060] In the connection structure of the connector 10 to the fluidic device 20 shown in FIG. 6, the connector 10 is connected to the side surfaces 16c1 and 16c2 of the substrate 16. However, the connector 10 is not limited to a structure in which it is connected to the substrate 16 of the fluidic device 20 from the side. For example, the connector 10 may be configured to be connected to the flow path 16a in the substrate 16 from the top surface of the substrate 16. Here, the "top surface" of the substrate 16 refers to a relatively wide surface surrounded by the narrow side surfaces of the substrate 16. Furthermore, in this case, the opening of the flow path 16a to which the connector 10 is connected is not necessarily located at the end of the flow path 16a.

[0061] (Connector evaluation) The following describes the results of tests conducted by the inventors of the present invention on the connector 10. The connector 10 tested below has a recess 11g on a portion of the outer periphery 11f of the sleeve 11 and a protrusion 11h on a portion of the inner periphery of the large-diameter hole 11a of the sleeve 11, as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0062] <Leak test> A fluid system 30 using the connector of the present disclosure was operated for a long period of time to check for fluid leakage. The fluid system 30 used for the leak test included four fluid devices 20a to 20d connected in series using tubes 14 and connectors 10 of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG.

[0063] A syringe pump 31 was used to deliver liquid to the fluid system 30. A pressure gauge 32a was placed between the syringe pump 31 and the fluidic device 20a. A pressure gauge 32b, a back pressure valve 34, and a recovery bottle 35 were placed downstream of the fluidic device 20d. The inlet of the most upstream fluidic device 20a and the outlet of the most downstream fluidic device 20d were connected to the tube 14 using a commonly available conventional connector 33 ("ITJ-301" manufactured by Micro Chemical Engineering Co., Ltd.).

[0064] The syringe pump 31 pumps ethanol as a transport liquid at a flow rate of 50 μL / min and a pressure of 18 bar (1 bar = 10 5 The back pressure valve 34 functions as a pressure regulating valve. The pressure gauges 32a and 32b measure the pressure applied to the fluid on the upstream and downstream sides of the fluidic devices 20a to 20d, respectively. During the measurement, the pressure gauges 32a and 32b indicated approximately the same values.

[0065] FIG. 8 shows the results of a leak test in which each of the fluidic devices 20a to 20d was heated to 120°C. The horizontal axis of the graph in FIG. 8 represents the elapsed time from the start of fluid flow. The vertical axis represents the pressure measured by the pressure gauges 32a and 32b. Up until approximately 1,200 seconds after the start of the test, the back pressure valve 34 was opened to discharge air from the flow path, after which the back pressure valve was closed and the pressure setting of the back pressure valve was kept constant at 22 bar. As shown in FIG. 3, the pressure indicated by the pressure gauges 32a and 32b remained constant at approximately 22 bar, and no decrease and / or fluctuation in pressure due to fluid leakage was observed.

[0066] Additionally, sample recovery rates were calculated for a period P1 from 2400 seconds to 3000 seconds and a period P2 from 7200 seconds to 8000 seconds. The sample recovery rate is calculated by dividing the amount of fluid discharged into the recovery bottle 35 during the period by the amount of fluid inflow from the syringe pump 31 to the fluid system 30. Two measurements were performed during the period P1, and an average sample recovery rate of 99.9% was obtained. Three measurements were performed during the period P2, and an average sample recovery rate of 100.2% was obtained. Since both values ​​were within the measurement error range of 100%, it was confirmed that there was almost no fluid leakage for more than 1.5 hours when using the connector 10 of the present disclosure under conditions of 120°C and 22 bar.

[0067] <Tensile test> 9, in the tensile test, one end of the tube 14 was connected to the fluidic device 20 using the conventional connector and the connector 10 of the present invention, and the other end of the tube 14 was connected to a spring balance 41. In this state, the spring balance 41 was pulled, and the tensile load when the tube 14 was pulled out from the conventional connector and the connector 10 of the present invention was measured.

[0068] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the results of measuring the tensile load of five conventional connectors and the connector 10 of the present invention. The height of each bar indicates the average value of the measurement results. The error bars indicate the standard deviation of the measured values ​​from the average value. As shown in FIG. 10, it was confirmed that the connector 10 of the present invention had approximately 2.7 times the tensile resistance compared to the conventional connector.

[0069] <Evaluation of torsion resistance> 11, in the evaluation of torsion resistance, one end of the tube 14 was connected to the fluidic device 20 using a conventional connector and the connector 10 of the present invention, and the other end of the tube 14 was connected to a torque driver 42. In this state, a rotational force was applied from the torque driver 42, and the torque when the tube 14 rotated was recorded.

[0070] FIG. 12 compares the torque measurement results when the tube rotates for five conventional connectors and the connector 10 of the present invention. The height of the bars indicates the average value of the measurement results. The error bars indicate the standard deviation of the measured values ​​from the average value. For the conventional connectors, the torque when the tube rotated was less than 0.5 cNm for four of the five connectors. No error bars are shown in the graph for the conventional connector. In contrast, the connector 10 of the present invention rotated once with a torque of 1 to 2 cNm, and then rotated the entire connector with an average torque of 4.1 cNm. As shown in FIG. 12, it was confirmed that the connector 10 of the present disclosure had more than eight times the torsion resistance compared to the conventional connector.

[0071] As described above, it has been confirmed that the use of the connector 10 of the present disclosure makes it less likely for the tube 14 to come loose or rotate than when a conventional connector is used. Thus, the connector 10 of the present disclosure can firmly and reliably connect the tube 14 to the flow path 16a of the fluidic device 20.

[0072] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and many modifications and variations are possible. The connector, fluid system, and connection method of the above-described embodiments are merely examples. Addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible as appropriate within the scope of the gist of this disclosure.

[0073] For example, in the above embodiment, the connector of the present disclosure is used to connect a tube to a channel of a fluidic device. However, the connector of the present disclosure is not limited to fluidic devices and can be used to connect various fluid-handling devices. The connector of the present disclosure can also be applied to connecting tubes to each other. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, a microfluidic device with a channel diameter on the order of μm is exemplified as the fluidic device. However, the present disclosure can also be applied to fluidic devices with a channel diameter of 1 mm or more or less than 1 μm. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10 Connectors 11 Sleeve 11a Large diameter hole 11b Small hole 11c stepped hole 11d Groove 11e opening 11th floor outer periphery 11g recess 11h convex part 11x 1st end 11y 2nd end 12 Fixed part 12a Through hole 12b Inner circumference 12c opening 12d outer periphery 12e head 13 O-ring (sealing material) 14 tubes 14a Inner hole 14b Tube wall 14c Tip 15 Connector receiving part 15a screw hole 15b Inner circumference 16 boards 16a Flow path 16b Flow path end 16c side 20, 20a-20d Fluidic Devices 21 Holder 22a, 22b holding members 23 Fastening members 24a, 24b long bolts 25a, 25b nuts 26 screw holes 30 Fluid Systems 31 Syringe Pump 32a, 32b pressure gauge 33 Connector 34 Back pressure valve 35 Collection bottle 41 Spring balance 42 Torque driver O center line

Claims

1. A connector that connects a tube to a flow path on a connector receiving portion side, a sleeve having a stepped hole in its central portion, the stepped hole having a large diameter hole through which the tube is inserted and a small diameter hole communicating with an inner hole of the tube, a groove formed around an opening of the small diameter hole at a first end portion on the small diameter hole side along the stepped hole, and a tapered outer periphery narrowing toward a second end portion opposite the first end portion; a sealing member attached to the groove; a fixing portion having an inner peripheral portion through which the tube passes and which at least partially abuts against the tapered outer peripheral portion of the sleeve, and an outer peripheral portion having a male thread that screws into a female thread provided on the inner peripheral portion of the connector receiving portion; A connector comprising:

2. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein when connecting to the connector receiving portion, the male screw is threadedly engaged with the female screw and rotated, so that the fixing portion presses the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve toward the connector receiving portion, deforming the sleeve to fix the tube, and pressing the sealing member against the surface around the opening of the flow path to deform it, thereby sealing the connection between the small diameter hole and the flow path.

3. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve has a recess in a part of its outer periphery.

4. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the large diameter hole of the sleeve has a protrusion on a part of an inner periphery thereof.

5. The connector according to claim 4 , wherein the protrusion has an annular shape that surrounds the inner periphery of the large diameter hole.

6. The connector according to claim 5 , comprising a plurality of said projections.

7. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is an O-ring.

8. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve and the fixing portion are made of PEEK (Poly Ether Ether Ketone) resin.

9. one or more fluidic devices having fluid flow paths therein; one or more tubes; The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the one or more tubes are connected to at least either an inlet or an outlet of the flow path of the one or more fluidic devices. A fluid system comprising:

10. A connection method for connecting a tube to a flow path on a connector receiving portion side, comprising: a sleeve having a stepped hole in the center thereof, the stepped hole having a large diameter hole through which the tube is inserted and a small diameter hole communicating with the inner hole of the tube, a groove formed around the opening of the small diameter hole at a first end on the small diameter hole side along the stepped hole, and a tapered outer periphery narrowing toward a second end opposite the first end, a sealing member attached to the groove, and a fixing part through which the tube is passed, the fixing part including an inner periphery at least partially abutting the tapered outer periphery of the sleeve and an outer periphery having a male thread; inserting the tube through the inner periphery of the fixing portion into the large diameter hole of the sleeve; coupling the fixing portion with the connector receiving portion by threading the male screw with a female screw provided on an inner periphery of the connector receiving portion; rotating the stationary portion so that the inner periphery of the stationary portion at least partially abuts the outer periphery of the sleeve, and advancing the stationary portion until the sealing member abuts against a surface around the opening of the flow channel; further rotating the fixing portion to press the sealing member against the surface, deforming the sleeve to fix the tube, and deforming the sealing member to seal the connection portion between the small diameter hole and the flow path. A method comprising:

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