Filter element connection device

Abstract

To provide a connection device allowing even a person unfamiliar to use of a tool to connect / detach a filter element by a simple method, the connection device being excellent in stability of a connection state and safety at detachment / attachment, and thereby, capable of solving the problems that for connecting the filter element for a liquid chromatography to a pipeline, a work space required for tightening by screw rotation using the tool is relatively large and that it is hard to make tightening force constant.SOLUTION: The present invention adopts a mechanism capable of tightening / releasing only by vertically operating a lever handle 32. A filter element 70 is tightened interposed between two joint members 40, 60 connected to a pipeline in a manner of being inserted into the pipeline, respectively, based on a toggle mechanism 20 that produces strong linear driving force only by adding small force to the lever handle. A lever mechanism 30 that applies lever action force to a point of force of the toggle mechanism is combined therewith.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connecting device that allows a filter element used in liquid chromatography to be attached or detached. [Background technology]

[0002] Liquid chromatography is widely used for clinical testing of biological samples, including hemoglobin, lipoproteins, catecholamines, vitamins, and amino acids. To improve operational efficiency and shorten total measurement time, hospitals and testing centers require that biological samples, such as blood and urine, be subjected to liquid chromatography without manual pretreatment. These samples are injected directly into a pretreatment column or analytical column, with the exception of automated dilution steps within the instrument. Analytical columns are generally the most expensive consumable component per unit measurement, and are required to be durable enough to withstand the number of measurements, leading to a trend toward reduced replacement frequency.

[0003] To improve the durability of the column, the line filter connected inline upstream of the column is required to adsorb as much of the substances other than the target of measurement as possible in the sample and, in some cases, in the eluent, without affecting the measurement, and to prevent them from leaking into the column. As a result, the line filter needs to be replaced more frequently than the column.

[0004] In general, line filters are connected by sandwiching a filter element, which has a filter material arranged inside a filter case, between connecting members in the flow path and rotating and tightening it using a tool, etc. This prevents liquid leakage in a high-pressure environment. Patent Document 1 describes that a filter case containing a filter in an inline system can be easily tightened and replaced by fixing the filter housing (which also serves as a connecting member) on the inlet side of the pipe and then rotating the tightening knob on the filter housing on the outlet side of the pipe.

[0005] However, deformation of the filter changes its exact filter performance. If the tightening force cannot be kept constant due to differences in the tools used or the strength of manual tightening, this can ultimately lead to increased differences between filters in filter durability indicators such as pressure rise. Furthermore, manual tightening or rotation using tools requires a large amount of space in the device, hindering the miniaturization of the entire liquid chromatography system. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-242238 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] As mentioned above, a liquid chromatography system requires a relatively large amount of space or working space to connect a filter element to piping, and maintaining a constant tightening force on the filter element requires skilled operation. The present invention was made to solve this problem by providing a connection device that allows even operators who are unfamiliar with tools to easily connect and detach filter elements in a simple manner. The connection device of the present invention also aims to provide excellent stability in the connected state and safety during attachment and detachment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] When connecting a filter element to a pipe, instead of conventional manual tightening or rotary tightening using a tool, this invention employs a mechanism that allows for tightening and releasing simply by moving a lever handle up and down. The filter element is inserted into the pipe and clamped between two joint components connected to the pipe. This is based on a toggle mechanism that can generate a powerful linear driving force by simply applying a small force to the lever handle, and is configured to combine a lever mechanism that applies a lever force to the force point of the toggle mechanism.

[0009] A toggle mechanism is a power-boosting mechanism that has a driving link whose one end is journaled on a stationary member, a driven link connected to the free end of the driving link by a connecting shaft, and a connection part at the tip of the driven link with a pressure joint that acts as a slider.A lever mechanism is a power transmission mechanism that has a lever handle with a rotation shaft as a fulcrum on a stationary member, and amplifies the manual force applied to the force point of the lever handle by applying it to the connecting shaft, which is the force point of the toggle mechanism.

[0010] The toggle or lever mechanism is configured to abut against a stopper portion to define a predetermined angle beyond the point where the driving link and the driven link are aligned in the same line. This stopper portion is a portion fixed to the stationary member against which a part of the lever or toggle mechanism member can abut.

[0011] In a toggle mechanism, the linear driving force of the slider increases as the angle between the driving link and driven link approaches 180 degrees. If the limit of movement is set at an angle before 180 degrees, a reaction force from the object being tightened will act in the direction of loosening the tightening, requiring a locking means to prevent this. If the limit of movement is set at the point where the angle between both links reaches 180 degrees, the behavior of the toggle mechanism will be unpredictable, making it difficult to adjust the position of the stopper. Furthermore, there is a risk of the tightening mechanism loosening due to vibrations of the device while the liquid chromatograph is in operation, which could lead to an accident.

[0012] Therefore, in the present invention, the limit of movement of the lever handle is set to a predetermined angle beyond the traction point of the toggle mechanism. By maintaining the toggle mechanism at a position beyond the traction point, the reaction force from the object being tightened attempts to rotate the connecting shaft in the same direction as when the traction point was passed, but this is stopped and stabilized by the stopper portion that defines the limit of movement. Note that the predetermined angle is the angle between the two links that ensures that the linear driving force provides sufficient tightening force to maintain the filter element in a liquid-tight state. Specifically, it is preferable to set the angle approximately 5 to 10 degrees beyond the traction point.

[0013] The operation of rotating the lever handle itself is a rotary motion similar to conventional screw tightening operations, but as described above, the present invention differs in that the lever mechanism is connected to a toggle mechanism. In conventional screw tightening operations, the required torque increases as the screw is tightened, so special tools are required to adjust the tightening torque and the operation is often dependent on the skill of the operator.

[0014] In contrast, the present invention significantly reduces the burden on the operator in terms of both the strength required for the tightening operation and the ability to adjust the tightening force to obtain an accurate tightening strength. In other words, during the initial tightening operation, when the angle between the driving link and the driven link is small, the force-boosting effect of the lever mechanism is mainly applied to the toggle connecting shaft, and as the angle between the two links approaches 180 degrees, the toggle mechanism's boosting effect can be applied to the object to be tightened as a powerful linear driving force. Furthermore, the stopper that determines the movable limit of the lever handle allows for a high level of reproducibility of the tightening conditions.

[0015] The immovable member that supports one end of the driving link of the toggle mechanism and one end of the lever handle may be an immovable rigid body or structure that is integrated with or can be fixed to the base, support, or device housing.

[0016] A filter element is an insert member that has a filter material disposed inside a hollow body and can be attached to and detached from a piping flow path. Examples of the hollow body include a cylindrical container and an annular cylinder (ring). In order to insert the hollow body into the piping flow path in a liquid-tight state, it is preferable that the hollow body be made of an elastic resin material. An example of a structure is a cylindrical resin container that has a through opening located at the center axis and has a filter material disposed inside. Furthermore, the filter element may be composed of a cylindrical filter material and a resin sleeve or ring, with the opening being the filter material itself.

[0017] Examples of the filter material include filter paper, membrane filters, sintered bodies made of stainless steel or resin, and wire mesh, and the filter material may be composed of a single filter material or a combination of several filter materials.

[0018] The two coupling members that are clamped together to insert the filter element into the piping are called the press coupling and the base coupling. The press coupling, which functions as the slider of the toggle mechanism, is connected to the connecting portion at the tip of the driven link. It is a rigid body, preferably made of metal, with an open end that can be pressure-welded to the upper through-opening of the filter element, and the other open end can be connected to the flow path piping. In order for the press coupling to function as a slider, a linear guide fixed to a stationary member is required to restrict the movement of the press coupling to linear sliding up and down.

[0019] The other joint member, the base joint, which clamps and tightens the filter element, is fixed to a stationary member and is a rigid body, preferably made of metal, that has a mounting surface for positioning and mounting the filter element and an open end at the mounting surface position that joins with the lower through opening of the filter element, and the other open end can be connected to the flow path piping.

[0020] As mentioned above, a lever mechanism is a power transmission mechanism that amplifies the manual force applied to the force point of a lever handle on the connecting shaft, which is the force point of a toggle mechanism, but it can also be configured to include a movable rotation shaft located at the point of application on the lever handle, closer to the fulcrum than the force point, and an intermediate link that rotatably connects the movable rotation shaft to the connecting shaft of the toggle mechanism. In this configuration, the intermediate link plays a role in effectively directing the force applied to the force point of the lever handle to the connecting shaft of the toggle mechanism.

[0021] When employing a lever mechanism including the above-described intermediate link, it is desirable to provide a rotating shaft housing fixed to a stationary member, more specifically, a rotating shaft housing that supports and houses the rotating shaft of the lever handle. The exterior surface of the rotating shaft housing serves as a stopper that abuts against the movable rotating shaft of the lever mechanism when the lever handle is operated, thereby limiting the movable range of the lever handle, which is preferable.

[0022] Regarding the lever handle, to prevent rotational movements against the operator's will, such as rotational falling due to its own weight during operation or recoil transmitted to the lever handle when the filter element is tightly compressed and then released, it is desirable to mount a pair of cam members on the rotating shaft of the stationary part of the lever handle. One cam member (called the rotating cam member) rotates integrally with the rotating shaft and has a wavy uneven surface around the periphery of its end face. The other cam member (called the locking cam member) is located on the same rotating shaft, locked against rotation but capable of sliding axially, and is in pressure contact with the rotating cam member. Its cam surface has a wavy uneven surface that may be the same as or different from the cam surface of the rotating cam member. When a force is applied to rotate the rotating cam member, the rotating cam member repeatedly pushes the locked cam axially and approaches it to engage, depending on the contact state of the uneven surface. When pushing the locking cam member away, a large frictional resistance force is generated in the rotational movement.

[0023] The filter element can be configured so that the opposing convex and concave surfaces of the pair of cam members are deeply engaged when the filter element is tightened, and so that the opposing convex and concave surfaces are shallowly engaged when the filter element is released. This configuration ensures stability in the deep engagement state when tightened and can suppress sudden recoil of the lever handle due to friction torque generated when loosening the tightening. Furthermore, by configuring the convex and concave surfaces of both cam surfaces to be shallowly engaged when the filter element is released, friction torque during the transition in the tightening direction is suppressed, allowing for a smooth transition to the tightened state.

[0024] It is also preferable to configure the filter element so that the change in the degree of engagement when one of the cam members is rotated by a unit angle in the direction from the tightened state to the released state is greater than the change in the degree of engagement when the cam member is rotated by a unit angle in the tightened state.

[0025] Here, the degree of engagement refers to the length of the overlapping portion of the two cam members projected along the rotation axis at the moment the two cam members are in contact. This length is equal to the amount of displacement between the base ends of the two cam members caused by the engagement of the cam members. A large change in the degree of engagement per unit angle, i.e., a large rate of change, means that the gradient of the circumferential displacement of the contact surfaces of the cams is steep and the friction torque is large. Conversely, a small change in the degree of engagement per unit angle means that the gradient of the circumferential displacement of the contact surfaces of the cams is gentle and the friction torque is small. In other words, a cam member with an asymmetrical wave shape, in which the wave-like unevenness of the cam surface has a gentle gradient in the tightening direction and a steep gradient in the opposite, loosening direction, is also effective.

[0026] One of the cam members installed on the fixed rotating shaft of the lever mechanism is locked against rotation, and as a locking mechanism, a structure can be presented in which a locking pin is fixed to the peripheral edge of the locked cam member, and a locking groove that slides and engages with the locking pin is fixedly installed extending in the direction of the rotating shaft on the inside of the rotating shaft housing that covers the rotating shaft.

[0027] The linear guide installed to allow the pressure joint to move linearly back and forth as a slider of the toggle mechanism may be configured to be fixed integrally to the upper part of the base joint.

[0028] When attaching the filter element to the base joint, it is desirable to position and place the filter element via a tray and then slide it into the installation position within the base joint. The tray body has a slidable side member on the guide side wall of the base joint, and can be provided with a vertical through-hole that fits onto the cylindrical outer side surface of the filter element and a finger grip at one end.

[0029] The operations for positioning and attaching the filter element, including placing the filter element in the through-hole of the tray with the tray at hand, gripping the tray by its knob and sliding it into the mounting position in the base joint, and gripping the tray by its knob and pulling it out of the base joint when removing it, all promise highly reproducible and satisfactory attachment and detachment results, regardless of the operator's level of skill.

[0030] Furthermore, if the filter element is placed directly on the base joint without using a tray, there are concerns that the attachment position within the base joint will be difficult for the operator to see; that the operator may come into contact with biological samples that have seeped out of the filter element when removing it; or that the pressure joint may suddenly drop when attaching or detaching it, causing fingers to get pinched.

[0031] Filter elements are usually designed with the sample flow direction in mind. Therefore, a configuration that uniquely determines the installation direction is desirable from the standpoint of usability. It is also preferable to prevent the filter element from falling off the tray.

[0032] For this reason, it is desirable that the filter element has a flange portion disposed on the top of its cylindrical body. The presence of the flange portion uniquely determines the orientation in which the filter element can be attached and prevents it from falling off. The flange portion can have a thin, disc-like shape with a diameter larger than the outer periphery of the cylindrical filter element, but there are no restrictions on its shape as long as it is a structure that protrudes from the outer periphery of the cylinder.

[0033] To ensure proper positioning when the tray is attached to the base joint, the tray side can be configured such that the vertical corners of the side of the tray body at the leading edge of insertion are chamfered and a vertically extending V-shaped groove is provided in the middle of insertion, while the base joint side can be configured such that a biasing pin is provided on the guide side wall within the base joint that can advance and retreat in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction. Also, by providing a contact surface on the base joint or the immovable member that contacts the far end of the tray and configuring it to be magnetically attached when contacted, it is possible to stabilize the positioning in the front-to-rear direction during sliding insertion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of a connection device and a filter element of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the connection device of the present invention (when opened). [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of the connecting device of the present invention (when fastened). [Figure 4] 1 is an enlarged view of a rotation shaft portion of a lever handle of a connecting device of the present invention (when opened). FIG. [Figure 5] 1 is an enlarged view of a rotation shaft portion of a lever handle of a connecting device of the present invention (when fastened). FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a filter element is attached to a tray used in the connection device of the present invention and then attached to a base joint. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] 1 is an external perspective view of a filter element connection device 1 according to the present invention. The connection device 1 of the present invention comprises a stationary member 10, a toggle mechanism 20, a lever mechanism 30, a stopper portion 11, a pressure joint 40, a linear guide 50, and a base joint 60. A filter element 70 is clamped between the two joint members 40, 60. Both joints are provided with flow channels (through holes) that can be connected to piping for connection to a pump or column.

[0036] The toggle mechanism 20 is a force-boosting mechanism having one end of a driving link 22 pivotally supported on a stationary member to form a fixed rotation shaft 21, a driven link 24 connected to the free end of the driving link 22 by a connecting shaft 23, and a connection part 25 at the tip of the driven link 24 with a pressure joint 40 that acts as a slider.

[0037] 1, driving link 22 and driven link 24 are arranged in parallel on the left and right, separated by a width corresponding to the width of stationary member 10 or press joint 40, and are connected by their respective rotation axes. Lever mechanism 30 is a power transmission mechanism in which a lever handle 32 having a fixed rotation axis 31 as a fulcrum on the stationary member is provided, and manual force applied to force point 33 of lever handle 32 is amplified and applied to connecting shaft 23, which is the force point of the toggle mechanism.

[0038] 1 illustrates a configuration in which a movable rotation shaft 34 is provided at the position of the point of application on the lever handle that is closer to the fixed rotation shaft 31 (fulcrum) than the force point 33, and includes an intermediate link 35 that rotatably connects the movable rotation shaft 34 and the connecting shaft 23 of the toggle mechanism. The intermediate links 35 are arranged parallel to the left and right, separated by the same width as the driving link 22 and driven link 24 of the toggle mechanism, and are connected by each rotation shaft.

[0039] 1, lever handle 32 is fixed to one side of each of fixed rotation shaft 31 and movable rotation shaft 34, and short lever link 36 is fixed to the other side. Unlike this figure, a lever handle that is roughly the same shape as lever handle 32 and symmetrical to it can be provided instead of lever link 36, and the lever handles can be connected to form a four-sided frame. Linear guide 50 can also be configured to be fixed integrally to the top of base joint 60.

[0040] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the connection device 1 in an open state before the filter element is tightened. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the tightened state of the filter element. The filter element is not shown, but is assumed to be placed on a tray 80. In FIG. 2, by pressing down on the force point 33 of the lever handle 32, the movable rotation shaft 34 is swung clockwise relative to the fixed rotation shaft 31 with increasing force. The direction of action is changed via the boomerang-shaped intermediate link 35, and a force is applied to the connecting shaft 23 of the toggle mechanism in a leftward direction in the figure. The links 22 and 24 of the toggle mechanism extend in a straight line via the connecting shaft 23 (the neutral point), and then come to rest at a link angle approximately 5 degrees beyond the neutral point, as shown in FIG. 3, and the pressure joint 40 slides down, tightening the filter element.

[0041] In the open state shown in Figure 2, the movable rotating shaft 34 abuts against stopper portion 11a, which is part of the metal rotating shaft housing 12 that supports and houses the rotating shaft 31 of the lever handle 32. In the tightened state shown in Figure 3, the movable rotating shaft 34 abuts against a different stopper portion 11b. These stoppers determine the movable range of the lever mechanism, i.e., the toggle mechanism. When removing the filter element from this connection device, by manually lifting the force point 33 of the lever handle from the tightened state shown in Figure 3, the lever mechanism and toggle mechanism move in the opposite direction to when tightened, allowing the device to easily return to the state shown in Figure 2.

[0042] Next, we will explain the technical measures taken to improve the operability and safety of the lever mechanism. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the rotating shaft 31 portion of the lever handle, showing the lever handle 32 in an open state with the lever handle 32 raised. Figure 5 is a view of the lever handle 32 in a tightened state with the lever handle 32 pressed down. The rotating shaft housing, which serves as the bearing and stopper for the rotating shaft 31, is not shown in order to visualize the cam members and other components disposed on the rotating shaft. For the same reason, the movable rotating shaft 34, which is shown in Figure 5, is not shown in Figure 4.

[0043] 4 and 5 is mainly composed of a bearing 94, a cam member (rotating cam member 90) that rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 31 and has a wavy uneven surface in the circumferential direction of its end face, a cam member (locking cam member 91) that is locked against rotation but is able to slide in the axial direction and is pressed against the rotating cam 90, and a compression spring 93 that urges the locking cam member 91 toward the rotating cam member 90. A lock pin 92 is fixed to the locking cam member 91, and the movement of the locking cam member 91 is restricted by a structure (not shown) in which a locking groove that slides onto the lock pin 92 is fixedly provided on the inside of the rotating shaft housing and extends in the axial direction.

[0044] When a manual force is applied to the lever handle 32, the rotation of the rotary shaft 31 causes the rotating cam member 90 to rotate, pushing the locking cam member 91 in the axial direction according to the state of contact between the wavy concave and convex surfaces of the cam members, and as the rotation progresses, when the concave and convex surfaces of the cam members come into engagement with each other, the locking cam member moves toward the rotating cam member. This movement, particularly when pushing the locking cam member away, generates frictional resistance due to the biasing force of the compression spring 93 against the rotational movement.

[0045] In fact, in the open state shown in Figure 4, the locking cam member 91 is depicted as having a large inverted trapezoidal recess 95, a small recess 96, and a trapezoidal protrusion 98 connecting them, with the protrusion 97 of the opposing rotating cam member 90 shallowly fitting into the small recess 96. Here, the recess and protrusion refer to the recess and protrusion on the circumferentially wavy uneven surface excluding the axial center of the projected circle when the cam member is viewed axially. Therefore, in this case, the recess can be rephrased as a valley, and the protrusion as a ridge.

[0046] Now, when the lever handle 32 is pushed down from the state shown in Figure 4 and the rotating cam 90 is rotated towards you, the protrusion 97 pushes the locking cam member 91 in the axial direction, passes through the trapezoidal protrusion 98, and transitions to a state where it is deeply fitted into and abuts on the large inverted trapezoidal recess 95, as shown in Figure 5. The process of this action is as follows.

[0047] First, when transitioning from the state shown in Figure 4 to a state in which convex portion 97 abuts trapezoidal convex portion 98, the frictional resistance force received from locking cam member 91 is relatively small. When transitioning from this state to the state shown in Figure 5, the rotation of convex portion 97 is promoted by the biasing force of compression spring 93 acting via the slope of inverted trapezoidal recess 95, and finally, convex portion 97 and large inverted trapezoidal recess 95, which have approximately the same height and depth, are fitted together and abut against each other, resulting in a stable state. According to the present invention, friction torque can be suppressed when transitioning from the released state to the tightened state, enabling a smooth transition to the tightened state.

[0048] Conversely, when transitioning from the tightened state of Fig. 5 to the released state of Fig. 4, the position of the locking cam member in contact with the convex portion 97 of the rotating cam member 90 is first located in the middle of the inverted trapezoidal recess 95, so there is almost no frictional resistance force during the short period when the lever handle 32 begins to be lifted. This short period corresponds to the process of returning the link angle of the toggle mechanism from the tightened state angle, which is slightly over 180 degrees, to 180 degrees. Next, the convex portion 97, which is about to rotate, is subjected to frictional resistance force due to the relatively long slope of the large inverted trapezoidal recess 95, and passes through the trapezoidal convex portion 98 to reach the state of Fig. 4.

[0049] That is, when the lever handle is operated to remove or install the filter element, the compressed filter element expands as soon as the pressure on the pressure joint is released, and this, combined with the movement of the lever handle, can cause the lever handle to suddenly jump up, potentially causing injury to the operator. The frictional resistance generated by the relatively long slope of the large inverted trapezoidal recess 95 disposed in the locking cam member 91 described above, contributes to preventing the lever handle 32 from suddenly jumping up.

[0050] The filter element is a cartridge component for an in-line filter, with two openings 71 (Fig. 1) at the top and bottom of the central axis of a cylindrical resin container, and a filter material disposed inside. The filter element can be placed on a tray and installed in the connection device 1 of the present invention. Fig. 1 shows how the filter element 70 is placed on the tray 80 and then inserted into the base fitting 60. To regulate the orientation of the filter element and to prevent it from falling off the tray, it is desirable to provide a flange portion 72 on the upper part of the cylindrical body of the filter element 70.

[0051] Figure 6 shows the tray 80 attached to the base fitting 60. The tray 80 has a vertical through-hole 85 that fits onto the cylindrical outer side of the filter element, and a stepped flange receiving portion 83. A grip portion 84 is integrated into the tray 80. Note that the filter element is not depicted in the figure to visualize the mounting surface 62 of the base fitting 60. The mounting surface 62 has a flow path opening end 65 and an annular recess 66 that opens upward around it. The annular recess 66 is useful for increasing the pressure on the center of the filter element and improving adhesion when the area around the flow path opening end 65 of the mounting surface is pressed against the bottom of the filter element.

[0052] The figure shows a technical means for accurately positioning and inserting the tray 80 into the mounting position of the base joint 60. The tray 80 has a tapered section 81 on its side where the vertical side corner at the insertion tip is chamfered, and a V-shaped groove 82 extending vertically (toward the depth in the figure) at the middle of the insertion. On the other hand, the base joint 60 can be configured so that a biasing pin 63 (with a compression spring 64) that can advance and retreat in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction is provided on the guide side wall 61 inside the base joint. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 1 Filter element connection device 10 Immovable parts 11 Stopper part 12 Rotating shaft housing 20 Toggle mechanism 21 One end of the driving link (fixed rotating shaft) 22 Driving Link 23 Connecting shaft 24 driven link 25 Connection with press joint 30 Lever mechanism 31 Fixed axis of rotation as a fulcrum for a lever handle 32 Lever handle 33 Lever handle force point 34 Movable rotation axis 35 intermediate links 36 Lever Link 40 Pressurized joint 50 Linear guide 60 Base fitting 61 Guide side wall 62 Placement surface 63 energizing pin 64 Compression spring 65 Flow path open end 66 Annular recess at upper opening 70 filter element 71 Filter element opening 72 Flange 80 trays 81 Tapered section 82 V-shaped groove 83 Flange receiving part 84 knobs 85 Tray through-hole 90 Rotating cam member 91 Locking cam member 92 Lock pin 93 Compression Spring 94 bearings 95 Large inverted trapezoid recess in locking cam member 96 Small recess in locking cam member 97 Convex portion of rotating cam member 98 Trapezoidal convex portion of locking cam member

Claims

1. The device includes a stationary member, a toggle mechanism, a lever mechanism, a stopper portion, a pressure joint, a linear guide, and a base joint, A connection device for liquid chromatography, in which a filter element is tightened and connected between the press joint and the base joint, The immovable member is a rigid body or structure that is integrated with or can be fixed to a base, a support, or a main body of the device; The filter element is a member that has a filter material disposed inside a hollow body, has through-openings at both ends, and can be inserted into a piping flow path in a liquid-tight manner, The toggle mechanism is a boosting mechanism having a driving link whose one end is pivotally supported on the stationary member, a driven link connected to the free end of the driving link by a connecting shaft, and a connecting portion at the tip of the driven link with the pressure joint that acts as a slider, the lever mechanism is a power transmission mechanism in which a lever handle having a rotation axis serving as a fulcrum is provided on the immovable member, and a manual force applied to a force point of the lever handle is amplified and applied to the connecting shaft of the toggle mechanism; the stopper portion is a portion fixed to the immovable member against which a part of a member of the lever mechanism or the toggle mechanism can come into contact in order to define the movable limit of the toggle mechanism at a predetermined angle beyond the point at which the driving link and the driven link become colinear, the press joint is connected to the connecting portion at the tip of the driven link as a slider, and has a flow path opening end that can be pressure-welded to the upper through-opening of the filter element, and another flow path opening end that can be connected to an external flow path piping, The linear guide is fixed to the stationary member and restricts the movement of the pressure joint to linear sliding up and down; the base joint is fixed to the immovable member and has a mounting surface for positioning and mounting the filter element, a guide side wall, a flow path opening end at a position on the mounting surface that is joined to the lower through-opening of the filter element, and another flow path opening end that can be connected to an external flow path piping. The connection device.

2. 2. The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein said linear guide is integrally fixed to an upper portion of said base joint.

3. The lever mechanism includes a movable rotation axis provided on the lever handle at a position of a point of application closer to a fulcrum than a point of force; The connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: an intermediate link rotatably connecting the movable rotation shaft and the connecting shaft of the toggle mechanism.

4. A rotation axis is installed on the stationary member as a fulcrum of the lever handle, a rotating cam member that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft and has a wavy uneven surface in the circumferential direction of an end face except for the center of the shaft; a locking cam member that is on the rotation shaft, is locked in rotation, is axially slidable, and is pressed against and abuts against the rotating cam member, and has a wavy uneven surface that is the same as or different from the rotating cam member; The connection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. 5. The connection device according to claim 4, wherein the opposing wavy convex and concave surfaces of the rotating cam member and the locking cam member are deeply fitted together when the filter element is fastened, and the opposing wavy convex and concave surfaces are shallowly fitted together when the filter element is released.

6. 6. The connection device according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising one or both cam members having a wavy uneven surface configured so that the change in the degree of engagement between the two cam members when the rotating cam member is rotated by a unit angle in a direction from a tightened state to a direction to release the filter element is greater than the change in the degree of engagement when the rotating cam member is rotated by a unit angle in a tightening direction.

7. A connection device as described in claim 3, comprising a rotating shaft housing fixed to the immovable member, the rotating shaft housing supporting and accommodating the rotating shaft of the lever handle, the exterior surface of which serves as the stopper portion against which the movable rotating shaft of the lever mechanism abuts when the lever handle is operated.

8. A rotating shaft installed on the immovable member as a fulcrum of the lever handle, a rotating cam member that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft and has a wavy uneven surface in the circumferential direction of an end face except for the center of the shaft; a locking cam member that is on the rotation shaft, is locked in rotation, is axially slidable, and is pressed against and abuts against the rotating cam member, and has a wavy uneven surface that is the same as or different from the rotating cam member; The connection device according to claim 7.

9. A connection device as described in Claim 8, configured so that when the filter element is tightened, the opposing wavy convex and concave surfaces of both the rotating cam member and the locking cam member fit together deeply, and when the filter element is released, the opposing wavy convex and concave surfaces fit together shallowly.

10. A connection device as described in claim 8 or 9, comprising one or both cam members having a wavy uneven surface configured so that the change in the degree of engagement between the two cam members when the rotating cam member is rotated by a unit angle in the direction of releasing the filter element from a tightened state is greater than the change in the degree of engagement when the rotating cam member is rotated by a unit angle in the tightening direction.

11. 11. A connection device according to claim 8, wherein a lock pin is fixed to a peripheral portion of the locking cam member, and a locking groove extending in the axial direction is fixedly provided on the inside of the rotating shaft housing, the lock pin slidingly engaging with the lock pin.

12. 12. The connection device according to claim 1, wherein the filter element is positioned and placed on the tray, and then slidably inserted into an installation position within the base joint, the tray body having a side member that can slide on the guide side wall of the base joint, and the tray is removably provided with a vertical through hole that fits onto the cylindrical outer side surface of the filter element and a knob portion at one end that can be gripped with fingers.

13. 13. The connection device according to claim 12, wherein the filter element is a removable insert member having a flange portion disposed on an upper portion of a cylindrical body thereof.

14. The tray body has a tapered portion formed by chamfering the vertical side corner of the insertion tip of the side surface of the tray body, and a V-shaped groove portion extending vertically in the insertion intermediate portion, 14. The connecting device according to claim 12, wherein a biasing pin is provided on the guide side wall in the base joint, the biasing pin being movable forward and backward in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction.

15. 15. The connection device according to claim 12, wherein the rear end of the tray and a contact surface provided on the base joint or the immovable member are magnetically attracted to each other.

Images