US 12,247,961 B2
Column accommodation device and liquid chromatograph
Shotaro Ando, Kyoto (JP); Takashi Inoue, Kyoto (JP); Tsutomu Watanabe, Kyoto (JP); Hiroyuki Minato, Kyoto (JP); and Nobumitsu Fukushima, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to SHIMADZU CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/799,741
Filed by SHIMADZU CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Feb. 27, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/008118
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/171508, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0349868 A1, Nov. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 30/60 (2006.01); B01D 15/22 (2006.01); G01N 30/16 (2006.01); G01N 30/32 (2006.01); G01N 30/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 30/60 (2013.01) [B01D 15/22 (2013.01); G01N 30/16 (2013.01); G01N 30/32 (2013.01); G01N 2030/027 (2013.01); G01N 2030/326 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A column accommodation device including a housing in which a column accommodation space for accommodating a separation column for liquid chromatography analysis is provided, wherein
the separation column is a chip column having a plate-shape and having an internal flow path filled with a separation medium, and an outer surface of the chip column parallel to the internal flow path is provided with openings respectively communicating with both ends of the internal flow path,
the column accommodation device includes
pipes provided inside the column accommodation space and fluidly connected to the openings of the chip column,
a guide provided inside the column accommodation space so as to guide the chip column to a predetermined position inside the column accommodation space,
a seal device that moves end parts of the pipes to connect and release the pipes to and from the openings of the chip column arranged at the predetermined position,
a controller configured to perform operation control of the seal device,
wherein the controller is configured to fluidly connect the pipes to the openings of the chip column when it is determined that the chip column is arranged at the predetermined position;
wherein the housing is provided with an insertion port for inserting the chip column from outside of the housing into the column accommodation space, and
wherein inside of the column accommodation space is provided with a loading mechanism that comes into contact with the chip column inserted into the column accommodation space via the insertion port and applies a propulsive force in an introduction direction toward the predetermined position
an arrangement detection sensor for detecting that the chip column is arranged at the predetermined position when the chip column is guided to the predetermined position by the guide; and
a stopper for positioning the chip column at the predetermined position by coming into contact with the chip column when the chip column is guided to the predetermined position by the guide,
wherein the controller is further configured to control an operation of the loading mechanism so that the loading mechanism applies a propulsive force in the introduction direction to the chip column for a certain time after receiving a signal from the arrangement detection sensor indicating that the chip column is arranged at the predetermined position.