Manifold Connection Assembly Tool-Free Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluidic connection systems for high-pressure applications, such as liquid chromatography, require additional tools for creating seals and can be prone to over-tightening or under-tightening, leading to inefficiencies and potential damage, especially in biological samples where stainless steel components can contaminate the sample.
Innovation Solution
A fluidic connection system that uses a nut with a passageway and a tube with an inner and outer layer, where the outer layer is metal and the inner layer is biocompatible, allowing for a seal to be formed without ferrules or locking rings, enabling manual connection and disconnection with minimal torque and without tools, suitable for pressures up to 25,000 psi.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional fluidic connection systems use additional sealing components like ferrules and locking rings, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases and tool requirements arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes ferrules, locking rings, and other additional sealing components from the connection system. The sealing function is integrated directly into the tube structure through the layered construction, eliminating the need for separate sealing elements and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the sealing function with the tube structure itself by creating a layered tube assembly where the interface between layers provides the sealing mechanism. This merges the structural and sealing functions into a single integrated component rather than requiring separate parts.
2Reliability
If conventional connection systems use additional sealing components, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to tool requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for external tools by removing traditional sealing components that require specialized installation equipment. The layered tube design allows sealing to be achieved through simple manual assembly without requiring ferrule crimping tools or other specialized equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system is designed to create its own seal through the inherent properties of the layered tube structure. The interface between the inner and outer layers automatically provides sealing when the tubes are joined, eliminating the need for external sealing components or tools to facilitate the connection.
3Strength
If stainless steel components are used in fluidic connections, then the strength and pressure resistance are improved, but sample contamination occurs in biological applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite tube structure with an inner layer made of biocompatible material (such as PEEK, PFA, or ePTFE) and an outer layer made of stainless steel. This composite construction allows the inner layer to contact the sample and prevent contamination while the outer layer provides the necessary mechanical strength and pressure resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material properties to different parts of the tube structure. The inner layer is specifically designed with biocompatible materials that prevent sample contamination, while the outer layer uses stainless steel for structural integrity. This localized material selection optimizes both chemical compatibility and mechanical performance.
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional connection systems require tools for creating seals, then the sealing precision is improved, but the productivity deteriorates due to additional steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for tool-based sealing processes entirely. The layered tube design achieves sealing through the inherent interface between layers, eliminating steps that require ferrule installation, crimping, or other tool-dependent operations, thereby improving connection efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection system creates its own seal through the self-mating interface of the layered tube structure. When the inner and outer layers are joined, the design inherently provides the sealing function without requiring external intervention or additional processing steps, improving both precision and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A manifold assembly has a manifold and can be located between a block and a plate, and serve as a stator for a valve or other component. The manifold, block or plate can have a plurality of ports either integral thereto or removably connected thereto, with the ports adapted to receive and sealingly engage with a tube having an inner tube layer, an outer tube layer, a sleeve, a tip portion, and a nut. Each of the nut, sleeve, inner and outer tubing layers, and tip portion have a passageway therethrough, with at least the passageways in the sleeve, tip portion, outer tube layer, and nut adapted to allow the inner tube layer to pass therethrough or extend over the inner layer. The ends of the tip portion and inner layer together can define a substantially flat surface which can form a seal in a flat-bottomed port of the manifold, block, or plate, which can be used in a component in an analytical instrument system, including for example a liquid chromatography system. The nut, tube, ferrule, and transfer tube or liner tube may comprise biocompatible materials. In addition, the nut may have a slot, such as a slot adapted to allow the tube and the nut to be easily and quickly separated or to allow a portion of the tube to be easily and quickly inserted in the nut.