Quick-Lock Capillary Connector With Force-Limited High-Pressure Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems face challenges in achieving efficient and biocompatible fluidic connections under high pressure, requiring reliable sealing and mechanical stability while ensuring easy handling and preventing damage from excessive forces.
Innovation Solution
A fluidic fitting with a capillary reception, force applicator, force limitation mechanism, force splitter, and biasing mechanism that applies a reproducible fixing force to secure the capillary within the fitting, preventing excessive force application and ensuring sealing under high pressure conditions, using a lever mechanism or alternative force applicators like screws or hydraulic/pneumatic systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a force applicator is used to apply fixing force to the capillary, then the capillary is securely fixed within the fitting, but excessive force may damage the capillary or fitting
Solution Approach 1:
The force limitation mechanism is designed to cushion and limit the fixing force applied by the force applicator before excessive force can damage the capillary or fitting. This mechanism provides predetermined protection against over-tightening by mechanically restricting the maximum force transmission path.
2Reliability
If high fixing force is applied to ensure sealing under high pressure, then sealing integrity is maintained, but the capillary may be damaged or deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The force limitation mechanism provides beforehand cushioning by establishing a maximum force threshold that prevents both excessive clamping force and excessive advancing force. This ensures the capillary is secured with sufficient force for sealing while remaining below the damage threshold of the capillary structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The force splitter differentiates the application of fixing force by directing different components of force to different functions: one component provides clamping force for sealing while another component provides advancing force for positioning. This local differentiation of force quality allows optimized force distribution that maintains sealing without excessive overall force.
3Manufacturing precision
If a complex force control mechanism is implemented to prevent excessive force, then force precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force control function is segmented into distinct mechanical components: a force applicator for applying force, a force splitter for dividing the force into clamping and advancing components, and a force limitation mechanism for capping maximum force. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function simply while collectively achieving precise force control.
Solution Approach 2:
The force limitation mechanism is designed to automatically limit the fixing force without requiring external control systems or complex electronics. The mechanism self-regulates the force transmission through its mechanical design, making the precision force control inherent to the structure rather than requiring additional active control elements.
4Ease of operation
If manual operation is required for applying fixing force, then ease of operation is improved, but reproducibility of the fixing force decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The force applicator is designed to automatically apply a reproducible fixing force through its mechanical design, eliminating the need for users to manually control the magnitude of force. The mechanism self-regulates to provide consistent force application across multiple operations while remaining simple to operate.
Solution Approach 2:
The force limitation mechanism provides mechanical feedback by establishing a hard stop or resistance point that prevents further force application beyond the predetermined limit. This feedback ensures that regardless of user input variation, the actual fixing force applied to the capillary remains within a reproducible range.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a reliable, user-friendly, and failure-resistant fluidic connection that maintains sealing integrity under high pressures up to 2000 bar, ensuring biocompatibility and preventing damage from excessive forces, with a simple operation that does not require tools.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing mechanism (particularly arranged between the force applicator and the force splitter) configured (particularly mounted within the fitting) for biasing the force splitter against the capillary
Implementation Method 2
a force splitter configured for splitting the fixing force into an advance force component (particularly oriented longitudinally along an extension direction of the capillary reception) for advancing the capillary received in the capillary reception (particularly forwardly) towards the fluidic component and into a clamping force component for (particularly circumferentially and/or inwardly) clamping the capillary received in the capillary reception within the fitting
Data Source
AI summary
A fitting for providing a fluid connection between a capillary and a fluidic conduit of a fluidic component, wherein the fitting comprises a capillary reception configured for receiving the capillary, a force applicator configured for being operable to apply a fixing force for fixing the capillary within the fitting, a force limitation mechanism configured for limiting the fixing force being applicable by the force applicator to the capillary, a force splitter configured for splitting the fixing force into an advance force component for advancing the capillary received in the capillary reception towards the fluidic component and into a clamping force component for clamping the capillary received in the capillary reception within the fitting, and a biasing mechanism particularly arranged between the force applicator and the force splitter and configured for biasing the force splitter against the capillary.