JP2006117323A - Sealing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for sealing a container. <P>SOLUTION: The container closing device comprises a flexible sealing element 4, which has a size enough to cover the opening 102 of a container 100 and has a flexible channel 6 passing through the inside, and a compressive member 20 to apply a compression force to the flexible channel 6 so that the flexible channel 6 can maintain a sealing structure even if a fluid moving member 50 exists in the flexible channel 6 or does not exist. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a sealing device for sealing an opening of a container.
Various different devices have been developed to seal the opening of the container, for example to seal the sample in the container. Many of these sealing devices are designed so that the sample can be sealed in a container and later removed and used.

  For example, commonly used container seals include disk or cylindrical shaped seals made of an elastic material such as rubber. In order to remove the sample from the container without removing the seal from the container, a syringe needle or the like can be inserted into the seal and the contents of the container can be brought into contact with the needle and sucked into the needle. The needle and the contents of the container are then removed through the seal and the needle is withdrawn from the container along with the contents of the container.

  However, current container sealing has many disadvantages. For example, if the syringe needle penetrates, the integrity of the seal is impaired and the contents of the container are exposed to the outside air. This exposure evaporates the contents and / or oxidizes the contents by exposure to ambient oxygen. Evaporation may change the concentration of the content, oxidation may change the content of the content, and in either case, using the exposed content in an experiment can adversely affect the results. In many cases the container seal is designed to be penetrated many times, resulting in accelerated evaporation and / or oxidation of the contents of the container.

  Another disadvantage of current container seals is that when the syringe needle penetrates the seal, the seal material can be worn out and airborne particles of the sealant can be generated. Worn particles can block the syringe needle and / or enter the contents of the container. Over time, these worn particle components may leach into the contents of the container, or the worn particles may otherwise contaminate the contents of the container and adversely affect the experimental results.

  Given the continuing need for container sealing, there remains a need to develop new devices and methods for sealing containers.

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for sealing a container.
Embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus for sealing an opening of a container. The container sealing device includes a flexible sealing element sized to cover the opening of the container, a flexible channel in the flexible sealing element, and whether or not a fluid moving member is present in the flexible channel. And a compression member that maintains the flexible channel in a sealed configuration. Furthermore, the container sealed with the sealing apparatus of this invention and the usage method of the sealing apparatus of this invention are provided.

  Embodiments also include a method of sealing a container. The method may include introducing fluid into the container and sealing the fluid in the container with the container sealing device of the present invention. In addition, a method of taking out a fluid from the container sealed with the container sealing device of the present invention is also provided. Embodiments include introducing a fluid moving member through a channel of a container sealing device, pressing a wall of the channel against the introduced fluid moving member with a compression member of the sealing device, and applying a certain amount of fluid to the fluid Removing from the sealed container with a moving member.

  The present invention also provides a kit for use in sealing a container. Embodiments of the kit of the present invention may include the container sealing device of the present invention and another component such as a container that uses the container sealing device to seal fluid within the container.

Definitions The term “container” is used in its normal sense and refers to any object that can be used to hold one or more items, such as a quantity of fluid, such as a liquid or gas.

  The phrase “flexible sealing element” refers to any structure that can cover the opening of the container in such a way that the contents of the container are sealed from the environment outside the container.

  The term “channel” refers to any type of fluid conduit, such as a tubular passage.

  The term “compression member” means a structure that can apply a compressive force to another structure.

  The term “fluid moving member” means a device that serves to move a certain amount of fluid from a first position to a second position.

  The term liquid seal means “closed”, if not completely, impervious to fluid.

  The term “spring” means an elastic device that recovers its original shape even after being compressed or stretched, such as a coil or elastic band of wire.

  The term “transparent” means that light can be transmitted therethrough without substantial attenuation or distortion.

  “Without substantial attenuation” means that there is no loss of light above about 40%, for example, no loss above about 30%, no loss above about 20%, loss above about 10% May include no loss, greater than about 5% loss.

  The term “opaque” broadly refers to the absorption / opacity of a particular wavelength of light for the shield (or other element indicated) of the present invention, eg, less than about 10%, eg, less than about 5%, eg, about 2 This means that outside light can reach a closed microvolume space of less than about 20%, such as less than%, for example less than about 1%.

  The term “light return” is broad and refers to the change that occurs in the direction when an electromagnetic wave irradiates the surface back. In some embodiments, light return may mean reflecting about 2% or more of incident light, such as about 5% or more, about 10% or more.

  The term “option” or “as an option” means that the situation described below may or may not occur and the description includes both when the situation occurs and when it does not occur.

  The term “plastic” is any synthetic organic polymer of high molecular weight (eg, at least 1000 grams / mole, or at least 10,000 or 100,000 grams / mole).

  The term “soft” refers to a flexible item bending 180 degrees around a roller having a radius of less than 1.25 cm. The item can be repeatedly bent and straightened in either direction at least 100 times without causing breakage (eg cracks) or plastic deformation. This bending must be within the elastic limits of the material. The aforementioned test for flexibility is performed at a temperature of 20 ° C.

  The term “rigid” is not flexible and the segments of about 2.5 × 7.5 cm retain their shape and cannot bend beyond 60 degrees in any direction without breaking (often less than 40 degrees, 20 degrees or less, 10 degrees or less, 5 degrees or less).

  The term "does not leak fluid" describes a spatial relationship between two solid surfaces that are in physical contact so that fluid (liquid and / or gas) does not flow into the interface between the surfaces. Used for.

  The terms “soft” and “deformable” are used interchangeably and refer to materials that can be compressed, for example, to conform to a contacted surface.

  The “chromatography” process generally involves preferential separation of components, including reverse phase, hydrophobic interaction, ion exchange, molecular sieve chromatography, affinity chromatography, and similar methods.

  The term “surface treatment” is used to refer to conditioning or modification of the surface of a substrate, such as a container surface. Accordingly, “surface treatment” as used herein includes the following treatments. Adsorb physical surfaces, covalently bond selected chemical components to functional groups on the surface of the substrate being treated (eg, bond amines, hydroxyl groups, carboxylic acid groups, etc. on condensation polymers), and coat the surface Methods such as dynamic deactivation of the treated surface (e.g. adding a surfactant to the medium), implantation of a polymer on the treated surface (e.g. polystyrene or divinylbenzene), on the treated substrate Including thin film deposition of materials such as diamond or sapphire.

  An item is considered “larger” if it is at least about 1% greater than the second item at a given measurement parameter. Including greater than about 10% greater than the second item for a given measurement parameter, greater than at least about 5% greater, and the like.

  The term “remote location” means a location other than where the array is present and where hybridization occurs. For example, the remote location may be another location in the same town (eg office, laboratory, etc.), another location in a different town, another location in a different state, or another location in a different country. There may be. Thus, if one item is shown to be “remote” from another item, it means that the two items are at least in different rooms or different buildings, at least one mile (1.609 kilometers), or 10 Indicates miles (16.090 kilometers), at least 100 miles (160.90 kilometers) away.

  The terms “determine” and “evaluate” are used interchangeably and refer to any form of measurement, including determining whether an element is present. The terms “decision”, “measurement”, “judgment”, “analysis” are used interchangeably and include both quantitative and qualitative measurements. The evaluation may be relative or absolute. The term “assessing presence” includes determining the amount of what is present and determining whether it is present or absent.

  The term “communication” of information refers to transmitting data representing information as a signal (eg, electrical signal, wireless signal, optical signal) over an appropriate communication channel (eg, a private or public network).

  The term “transfer” of an item refers to any means of physically transporting the item or otherwise moving it from one place to another (if possible), at least in the case of data , Physically transporting data carrying data or communicating data.

  The term “remote location” means a location different from the location where the light measurement was taken. For example, the remote location may be another location in the same town (eg office, laboratory, etc.), another location in a different town, another location in a different state, or another location in a different country. There may be. Thus, if one item is shown to be “remote” from another item, it means that the two items are at least in different buildings, at least 1 mile (1.609 kilometers), or 10 miles (16 0.09 km), at least 100 miles (160.9 km) away.

  The terms “computer”, “processor”, and “processing unit” are used interchangeably and each includes any hardware, or hardware and software, that can control the components necessary to perform the above steps. Refers to any combination. For example, a computer, processor, processing unit may be a general purpose digital microprocessor appropriately programmed to perform all the necessary steps, or any hardware or hardware and software that performs these or equivalent steps. Includes combinations. Programming can be done, for example, from a computer readable medium (such as a portable storage medium) carrying the required program code, or by communicating from a remote location (eg, via a communication channel).

  “Memory” or “memory unit” refers to any device capable of storing information to be retrieved as a signal by a processor, such as a magnetic or optical device (hard disk or floppy disk, CD, DVD, etc.), solid state A memory device (such as volatile or non-volatile RAM) may be included. A memory or memory unit may have multiple physical memory devices of the same or different types (e.g., a memory is a number of memory devices, such as a number of hard drives or a number of solid state memory devices, or A predetermined combination of a hard drive and a solid state memory device may be included.

  The term “recording” data, programming, or other information on a computer-readable medium refers to the process of storing information using any method known in the art. Any convenient data storage structure can be chosen based on the means used to access the stored information. Various data processor programs and formats can be used for storage, such as document processing text files, database formats, etc.

  A container sealing device and method are provided. Embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus for sealing an opening of a container. This container sealing device is a flexible sealing element sized to cover the opening of the container, a flexible channel in the flexible sealing element, a flexible channel with or without a liquid moving member in the flexible channel A compression member that maintains the hermetically sealed configuration may be included. Also provided are containers sealed by the sealing device of the present invention and methods of using the sealing device.

  Embodiments of the invention also include a method of sealing a container. The method includes introducing a fluid into the container and sealing the fluid in the container with the container sealing device of the present invention. Furthermore, a method of taking out a fluid from the container sealed with the container sealing device of the present invention is also provided. Embodiments of the present invention introduce a fluid moving member through a channel of a container sealing device, press a channel wall against the introduced fluid moving member with a compression member of the sealing device, and a sealed container Removing a predetermined amount of fluid from the fluid moving member.

  The present invention also provides a kit for use in sealing a container. Embodiments of the kit of the present invention may include other components such as a container sealing device of the present invention and a container that uses the container sealing device to seal fluid within the container.

  Before describing the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described, but of course can be varied. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the accompanying claims.

  When providing a range of values, each value intervening between the upper and lower limits of the range up to the tenth unit of the lower limit unit, unless stated otherwise in the context, and within the stated range It should be understood that other mentioned values or intervening values are also included in the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges are independently included in the smaller ranges and are included in the present invention accordingly if there are limitations specifically excluded within the stated ranges. Where the stated range includes one or both of the upper and lower limits, ranges excluding either or both of the included limitations are also included in the invention.

  Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described.

  All patents and publications referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference to disclose and describe the methods and / or materials of the present invention in the context of the cited publications. is there. Any patents or publications are cited for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present invention, and the present invention should not be construed as anticipated by such publications due to the previous invention. . Further, the date of publication provided may be different from the actual publication date, and the actual publication date may need to be confirmed separately.

  In the present specification and the appended claims, the singular forms include the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. It should also be noted that the claims may be written to exclude any optional element. This description is therefore intended to serve as a basis for assumptions regarding the use of exclusive terms such as “only”, “simply”, or the use of “negative” restrictions in connection with the recitation of claim elements.

  As those skilled in the art will appreciate upon reading this disclosure, each individual embodiment described and illustrated herein has other components and features, which are within the scope or spirit of the present invention. Can be easily separated from and combined with any of several other embodiments without departing from.

  The figures shown herein are not necessarily drawn to scale, but some components and features are exaggerated for clarity.

Apparatus As described above, the present invention provides a container closure device having a flexible channel for receiving a fluid moving member. The device is configured to maintain a seal before removing the fluid moving member from the flexible channel of the device, while the fluid moving member occupies the flexible channel of the device, before introducing the fluid moving member into the flexible channel. Is done. In this respect, the embodiment of the sealing device of the present invention is characterized by a self-sealing device without fluid leakage.

  As will be described in more detail below, the container closure device of the present invention provides a compressive force suitable for creating a closed channel, ie, a channel through which fluid (eg, gas or liquid) cannot pass. A compression member located around at least a portion of the flexible channel. When the fluid moving member is in the channel, the compression member presses the channel wall against the wall of the fluid moving member in a configuration that does not leak fluid, and the contents of the container are exposed to the outside air even if the fluid moving member is in the channel. To prevent that. In this regard, the present invention minimizes evaporation of the contents of the container and exposure to atmospheric factors. For this reason, the container sealing device of the present invention has only a single sealing mechanism rather than two or more sealing mechanisms as in some conventional sealings. If there are two or more sealing mechanisms, the manufacturing cost increases and the possibility of breakage increases.

  The container closure device of the present invention can be used to seal various containers and is not intended to be limited to any particular type or size of container. As will be apparent from the specification, the apparatus of the present invention can be used, for example, to seal any container having a perimeter that defines an opening, such as an opening to any chamber, such as a container or conduit. . In some embodiments, the devices of the present invention are used to seal containers used for gas or liquid chromatography applications. For example, a container sealed with the apparatus of the present invention may contain a gas or liquid chromatography sample, or a gas or liquid chromatography control or standard, a gas or fluid solvent, etc., as assessed by gas or liquid chromatography. . In some embodiments, the sealing device can be configured to seal an opening in the fluid pathway, such as an opening to a chromatography column.

  As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the sealing device of the present invention can be used in gas chromatography applications. In some embodiments, the sealing device is configured to separate the carrier gas of the gas chromatography device from the atmosphere, and the sample is passed through the sealing device by crossing the channel of the sealing device with a fluid moving member such as a syringe needle. Can be injected into a gas chromatography system. That is, aspects of the invention include a sealing device configured for use as an injection port for gas chromatography or the like.

  A cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a container 100 that can be used with the sealing device of the present invention is shown in FIG. The container includes an opening 102 and an interior space or cavity 105. In this particular embodiment, the neck of the container includes a thread 104 that engages the overcap with a thread (see, eg, FIG. 6B). The overcap is placed on the sealing device and secured to the sealing device and / or container, for example, by gluing or otherwise.

Container 100 may be of any suitable size, and for certain applications, cavity 105 of container 100 may have a volume in the range of about 100 μl to about 20 liters, such as, for example, about 100 μl to about 125 ml. . Size of the opening 102 is also of course a variety, the opening 102 in certain embodiments, such as, for example, from about 0.75 cm ² to about 5 cm ^2, have an area ranging from about 0.75 cm ² to about 80 cm ² May be.

  Containers that can be sealed with the sealing device of the present invention can be made of any suitable material, and in certain embodiments where the container is used to contain photosensitive contents, the container returns an opaque material or light. Can be made with materials. The container can be made of, for example, plastic, glass, ceramic, metal or the like. In certain embodiments, the container can be made of polypropylene or USP type 1 borosilicate glass or the like. For example, a polypropylene container can be used to contain a fluid that may adhere to the glass or cause a chemical reaction with the glass.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, the sealing device of the present invention includes a flexible sealing element 4 having at least one deformable hole or channel 6. FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a flexible sealing element 4 with a flexible channel 6 extending therethrough. In this particular embodiment, the outer diameter (OD) of the flexible sealing element is substantially constant over the entire length L, and the exterior of the flexible sealing element is substantially straight along the length dimension.

  Since the flexible channel 6 extends from the first end 4a of the flexible sealing element or layer to the second end 4b throughout the flexible sealing element, the fluid moving member is inserted into the flexible sealing element through the channel, The contents of the container sealed by the device 4 can be accessed. The first end 4a may include a tapered lead-in or indentation for guiding a fluid moving member into the channel (see, eg, FIGS. 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B). The lead-in may be formed in the form of a flexible sealing element or may be generated when the compression member compresses the flexible sealing element. This will be described in detail later. The lead-in helps guide the fluid moving member to the same point of the sealing device each time, so that the fluid moving member enters the channel exactly the same every time, even when using a fluid moving member with a sharp tip, a flexible seal The possibility of the elements being worn away is further reduced. In some embodiments, the first end and the second end are annular ends. The flexible channel 6 is defined by the channel wall 7. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the channel 6 is substantially constant along its entire length. That is, the channel wall is substantially straight.

  FIG. 3 shows another example embodiment in which the OD of the flexible sealing element 4 is changed and the flexible sealing element 4 is barrel-shaped. The flexible sealing element 4 has a smaller outer diameter dimension near the ends 4a and 4b than the area between the ends, but the diameter of the flexible channel is substantially constant over length. For example, embodiments include a flexible sealing element having a variable wall thickness WT or a plurality of different wall thicknesses WT. The wall thickness is here defined as the size from the channel wall to the outer surface of the flexible sealing element. The wall thickness varies along the length and may be thicker in the middle part of the flexible sealing element than in the part near the end of the flexible sealing element.

  As shown in FIG. 4, some embodiments may include a lip 8 at the end of the flexible sealing element. The lip 8 can be configured to contact the face of the container that defines an opening that is sealed by the apparatus of the present invention. For example, the lip 8 may extend over and engage the upper edge 103 of the container so as not to leak fluid. It is understood that the lip and container fluid-free adhesion can be achieved by any of a variety of suitable methods, such as any suitable chemical and / or mechanical method such as welding, bonding, adhesives, overcaps, etc. I want to be. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the lip 8 is shown with a barrel-type flexible sealing element, but the lip can be used with any form of flexible sealing element.

  In constructing the flexible sealing element / channel component, the flexible sealing element 4 can be made of any suitable flexible material. For example, the flexible sealing element 4 can be made of a resilient polymer such as butadiene and co-polymers, natural polymers such as neoprene, chloroprene or synthetic polymers. For example, the flexible sealing element can be made of rubber (natural / butyl), PTFE / natural or butyl rubber, silicone / silicone rubber, PTFE / silicone, PTFE / silicone / PTFE, VITON®.

  The material of the flexible sealing element 4 can be selected to be compatible with any chemicals and conditions that the flexible sealing element may be exposed for the intended use, for example, This is not necessarily the case, for example when surrounding a flexible sealing element with a barrier (eg a coating) that prevents direct contact of any chemical. In some embodiments, the septum may be made of a material that can withstand high temperatures such as about 150 ° C. or higher, such as about 200 ° C. or higher, such as about 300 ° C. or higher, such as about 400 ° C. or higher.

  For example, in some embodiments, rubber (natural / butyl) can be selected as the flexible sealing element material to be compatible with ACN, acetone, DMF, alcohol, diethylamine, DMSO, phenol. In some embodiments, silicone / silicone rubber can be selected as the material for the flexible sealing element to be compatible with alcohol, acetone, ether, DMF, DMSO. In some embodiments, VITON can be selected as the flexible sealing element material to be compatible with chlorinated solvents, benzene, toluene, alcohol, hexane, heptane.

  The materials that can be used typically do not penetrate gas or have little permeability to water. This separates the contents of the container from the outside air or any other source of reactive gas and increases the shelf life.

  Flexible sealing elements can also be made from “composites”, ie composites made from different or dissimilar materials. The composite may be a block composite such as an ABA block composite or an ABC block composite. Alternatively, the composite may be a combination of dissimilar materials whose materials are different or in different phases, or may be a homogeneous combination of dissimilar materials. As used herein, the term “composite” includes “laminate” composites. The term “laminate” refers to a composite material formed from several different bonded layers of the same material or different materials.

  In some embodiments, at least a portion of the flexible sealing element may be hydrophobic. The hydrophobicity may be inherently hydrophobic, or may be made hydrophobic by hydrophobic chemicals or chemical treatment. The term "hydrophobic" means that at least part of the flexible sealing element is not substantially wettable even if it is not complete, and does not substantially draw liquid even if the sample that contacts the sealing element is not complete Means. The same applies when the sample is not an aqueous solution. Thus, for example, in the case of oil-based samples, it is necessary to have a correspondingly oleophobic surface. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the flexible sealing element is hydrophilic. In this case, the flexible sealing element material may be hydrophilic in nature, or may be made hydrophilic by, for example, hydrophilic chemicals or chemical treatment. The term “hydrophilic” means that at least a portion of the flexible sealing element has a high wettability for the type of sample that contacts the sealing element. The same applies when the sample is not an aqueous solution. Thus, for example, in the case of oil-based samples, it should correspondingly have a “lipophilic” surface. In some embodiments, the flexible sealing element may have one or more regions that are hydrophobic and one or more regions that are hydrophilic. For example, in some embodiments, the flexible sealing element 4 may include surface modifications or treatments such as surface coatings that can make the flexible sealing element hydrophilic, hydrophobic, lipophilic, oleophobic. Good. The coating may cover part or all of the surface area of the outer surface of the flexible sealing element and / or may cover part or all of the surface area of the wall of the flexible channel 6. A variety of surface coatings may be used, including but not limited to polytetrafluoroethylene (eg, Teflon®) coatings and the like.

  Since the flexible sealing element 4 is sized to cover the opening of the container, the specific size of the flexible sealing element will of course depend at least on the size of the opening that this element is designed to cover. For example, in some embodiments, for containers having a size within the above range, the flexible sealing element may have a length in the range of about 5 mm to about 25 mm, such as about 5 mm to about 10 mm, for example about 5 mm to about The channel may have a width in the range of about 2 mm to about 15 mm, such as 8 mm, and the channel may have an inner diameter in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm, such as about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm. The wall thickness may range from about 0.75 mm to about 5 mm, and in some embodiments a given flexible sealing element may have a constant wall thickness, or The wall thickness may vary along the length of a given flexible sealing element, and the wall thickness may vary gradually or otherwise.

  The size of the flexible channel depends at least in part on the size of the flexible sealing element, and in some embodiments, the size or size of a fluid moving member designed to accommodate the channel. Depends on the range. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the flexible channel when not compressed by the compression member may range from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm, such as, for example, about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm. For example, in some applications, a needle, such as a 26 gauge needle, can be used to access the contents of a container that is sealed by the device of the present invention. In such embodiments, the inner diameter of the flexible channel may be sized to receive such a needle, and in some embodiments may have an inner diameter in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm. Good.

  The container closure device can be configured to be inserted into an opening of an existing container that operates as a direct replacement for the original or currently installed device closure. Embodiments include a sealing device configured to replace a seal currently integrated into an analytical system such as a septum of a GC inlet system, such as a septum or septum nut of a capillary inlet system. In this way, existing devices can be easily modified to incorporate the sealing device of the present invention.

  The container closure device of the present invention is located at least around the wall of the flexible channel, and in some embodiments is located around the OD of the flexible sealing element, for example applying a radial compressive force to the channel wall. A compression member that maintains the sealed configuration of the flexible channels by pressing the channel walls inwardly (e.g., pressing together). In this way, when the fluid moving member is placed in the flexible channel, the compression member presses the channel wall against the surface of the fluid moving member, so that the channel wall moves in a position that does not leak fluid. The contents of the container are protected from the atmosphere by matching the surface of the member and not contacting the contents of the container with the atmosphere.

  FIG. 5A shows an exemplary embodiment of the sealing device 2 of the present invention comprising a flexible sealing element 4 having a flexible channel 6 therethrough. FIG. 5B shows that the apparatus of FIG. 5A is placed in the opening of the container 100 and the opening and the contents 200 therein are sealed inside. The apparatus includes a compression member 20, which, as shown, presses the walls of the channel together to close the channel when the fluid moving member is not in the channel and closes the channel when the fluid moving member is in the channel. Is pressed against the fluid moving member. Therefore, when there is no fluid moving member in the channel, the compression member 20 seals the contents of the container from the atmosphere, and when the fluid moving member is in the channel, the channel wall is sealed to the wall of the fluid moving member. Seal the contents of the container from the atmosphere by pressing.

  When the channel is tightened and closed by the compression member, the taper lead-in results from the tightening and helps guide the fluid moving member to the channel. Due to the flexible channel configuration, various fluid moving members can be used, including tapered and blunt tip fluid moving members. For example, blunt or sharp tip needles (eg, stainless steel needles) can be used, and tubing such as rubber tubing can be used.

  While the compression member 20 seals the channel by applying a force to the channel wall, the device can cause the fluid moving member to pass through the channel, beyond the closure in the channel, and into the container that the device seals. Composed. However, even if the fluid moving member is in the channel, the compression member continues to apply a force that presses against the wall of the channel and presses against the outer surface of the fluid moving member in a relationship that does not leak fluid. In this way, the contents of the container remain sealed from the environment, as shown in FIG. 6A. 6A shows the fluid moving member 50 present in the channel 6 of the device 2 and FIG. 6B shows that the device of FIG. 6A enters the opening of the container 100 and seals the opening and the contents 200 in the container. Where. Specifically, when the fluid moving member is inserted into the channel, the sealing device applies a force that forces the fluid moving member to open the flexible channel, and the channel opens slightly, but beyond the closure by the compression member, the fluid moving member Open only enough to accommodate. The compression member causes the channel wall to sealingly contact the member and provide a leak-tight seal. When the fluid moving member is pulled out of the channel, the compression member closes the channel. During this time, the contents of the container are continuously sealed from the atmosphere.

  Provides a sealed configuration in which the compression member applies sufficient force to the channel wall to close the channel and the fluid moving member does not leak fluid by sealing the channel wall against the member through the closure in the channel As long as it is done, the compression member may be in any suitable form. For example, the compression member may be a band, a ring (metal, plastic, rubber, etc.), a spring, a clamp, a clip, or the like. In some embodiments, the compression member is a metal or rubber, plastic band, tube.

  The compression member can apply force to the flexible channel in any way. In some embodiments, the size of the compression member may at least partially provide the compression required for the flexible channel. For example, the inner diameter of the compression member may be slightly smaller than the area contained therein (or, for example, the inner diameter of the compression member is tightened from a first diameter to a second smaller diameter or otherwise reduced, etc.) May be configured to be slightly smaller). For example, the outer diameter of the channel or the flexible sealing element may be such that when in the activated position, the size of the compression member fits and the channel wall is pressed and closed. In addition to or as an alternative to the way the size fits, the compression member is crimped (shrinked, pleated) or otherwise tightened, or around the channel (or outside the flexible sealing element) The channel may be closed by applying a force to the channel wall.

  Aspects of the invention include an overcap 125 that can be placed over a container closure device (see, eg, FIG. 5B). The overcap is maintained in a fixed position on the sealing device and / or container by any suitable chemical and / or mechanical method such as solder, bonding, adhesive, thread, snap fit, press fit, friction fit, crimp, etc. can do. For example, the sealing device may be adhered to the overcap. The overcap may be in various forms such as a screw cap, a crimp cap, a snap cap, and the like. The overcap may be a solid piece that covers the entrance to the flexible channel and must be removed (or penetrated) before the fluid moving member is introduced into the channel, or The configuration may include an opening at least around the opening to the channel, and the fluid moving member does not need to be removed before being taken out and introduced from the channel. The overcap has a function of preventing inadvertent movement such as inadvertently removing the sealing device from the container.

  The sealing device can be manufactured in any convenient way. In one embodiment, it may generally be produced by the following method. The partition may be formed in an appropriate form, for example, from an elastomer in which a cylindrical channel is formed in advance. The sealing device may be formed using any suitable process such as, for example, injection molding. A method of forming a septum and a method that can be adapted for use to produce a flexible sealing element is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 6,648,853. Once the flexible sealing element is formed, the compression member can be applied around at least a portion of the flexible sealing element including at least a portion of the channel. The wall of the channel can be pressed and closed by the compression member (closed in size, crimped, etc.). Closing the channel against the compression member provides a fluid moving member lead-in (eg, a tapered lead-in).

  Embodiments include a sealing device that can be used again. In some other embodiments, the sealing device may be disposable.

Method The present invention also provides a method for sealing a container. The method includes sealing fluid within the container with the container sealing device of the present invention. Embodiments also include removing at least a portion of the fluid from the sealed container without removing the sealing device from the container or otherwise sacrificing the seal.

  Aspects of the invention include introducing fluid into a container. Here, for example, any appropriate container such as the container shown in FIG. 1 can be used. The container may be in the form of a rigid and impermeable sample container, such as a glass vial with an open neck. The neck may be open toward the cavity that receives the sample. In some embodiments, the container may be a container used for gas chromatography (GC), GC / mass spectrometry (MS), liquid chromatography (LC) applications. For example, the container may be a housing bonded to an injection port or inlet system such as gas chromatography. Embodiments of the invention may include a sealed container with the sample sealed therein for gas chromatography analysis or liquid chromatography.

  Embodiments of the invention include introducing fluid into the container. Any suitable fluid can be introduced here, including liquids and gases. As described above, in some embodiments, the fluid may be a sample, such as a liquid sample that is evaluated using gas chromatography or liquid chromatography. In some embodiments, both a liquid and a gas such as an inert gas may be introduced and sealed in the same container. Fluids include, but are not limited to, test samples such as solvents (eg, used in gas chromatography), test controls or standards, biological samples that can be dissolved in a suitable solvent. For example, the container may be filled with a gas chromatography solvent or sample and then covered with a layer of inert gas to protect the gas chromatography solvent or sample.

  In some other embodiments, the fluid can be introduced after the opening of the container is sealed with a sealing device and can be introduced through the flexible channel of the sealing device. In such a case, the fluid moving member is inserted through the flexible channel and fluid can be injected into or removed from the container through the channel. In some other embodiments, the opening of the container may be sealed with a sealing device after the fluid is introduced into the container. In such a case, after the target fluid is introduced into the cavity of the container, the container can be sealed with a sealing device. The fluid can be introduced into the container using any suitable means, such as a manually operated pipetter and an automated automatic sampler or pipetter, all associated with a robotic arm under processor control, Including manual means and automatic means. For example, the container may be filled with a predetermined amount of fluid by an automatic filling machine.

  Regardless of when the container is sealed (before or after the fluid is introduced into the container), the sealing device of the present invention is located around the opening of the container and compresses the flexible channel of the sealing device. A sealed but penetrable channel and a sealed container can be produced. The sealing device of the present invention extends over the opening of the container and closes the interior space of the container with a seal that does not leak fluid.

  When a container is filled with fluid and the container is sealed with the sealing device of the present invention, the overcap is placed on the sealing device, and chemicals such as solder, bonding, adhesive, thread, snap fit, press fit, friction fit, crimp, etc. And / or can be maintained in a fixed position in the sealing device and / or container in a mechanical manner. The overcap may be a solid piece that covers the entrance to the flexible channel and requires the cap to be removed (or penetrated) before introducing the fluid transfer member into the channel, or at least the opening of the channel. An arrangement may be adopted in which an opening is provided around the portion and the fluid moving member does not need to be removed before being removed from the channel and introduced. The overcap serves to prevent inadvertent removal of the sealing device from the container.

  In order to remove part or all of the sample without removing the sealing device from the opening of the container, a fluid moving member is introduced through the sealing device by dividing the flexible channel instead of uncoring the device (e.g. (See FIGS. 6A and 6B). As described above, when the fluid moving member is in a flexible channel, the contents of the container are in fluid contact with the atmosphere because the wall of the channel is in sealing contact with the surface of the fluid moving member. It remains sealed.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 6B, the fluid moving member 50, which may be in the form of a hollow needle 50 or the like, may be in a position where a flexible channel enters, for example, via a lead-in portion. An automatic motion enabler supports the fluid moving member 50 and may allow for automatic longitudinal movement of the needles, for example, by an automated system under the control of a suitably programmed processor. . The fluid moving member 50 has a fluid contacting end or needle tip 52, a longitudinal tubular passage 54, and a circular cylindrical wall defining the passage. The end 52 may be a blunt tip or a sharp tip. The fluid moving member may be a fixed syringe needle or a removable syringe needle. For example, the fluid transfer member may be a fixed or removable syringe needle of about 23 gauge with a volume of about 5 μl to about 10 μl.

  The fluid moving member 50 is positioned perpendicular to the sealing device, and the longitudinal movement of the needle toward the sealing device causes the tip of the needle to enter the flexible channel, separating the channel by a sufficient distance, Allows entry into the container through the channel. While the fluid moving member is in the channel, the walls of the channel (i.e., the material of the sealing device that forms the channel wall) hermetically surrounds the outside of the wall of the fluid moving member, thus leaking liquid around the fluid moving member There is no sealing provided. As shown in FIG. 6C, a portion of the needle length is inserted through the flexible channel and brought into contact with the contents of the container. Then, a certain amount of the contents of the container can be drawn into the fluid moving member, and the rest of the contents can be taken out in a similar manner later.

  The fluid moving member can be taken out by moving the inserted fluid moving member in the vertical direction. During removal of the fluid moving member, the contents of the container remain sealed from the environment, as the compression member applies a compressive force to the channel wall and the channel is pressed closed. When the fluid moving member is removed from the channel, the channel is closed by the material offset to the outside of the channel wall, the fluid passage is eliminated, and a seal is maintained that does not leak fluid between the atmosphere and the interior of the container. Thus, the passage through the seal is automatically sealed, and a seal that does not leak fluid is recreated.

  The fluid moving member can be reinserted and removed from the sealing device through the sealing device. For example, the contents of the container can be sealed from the atmosphere even if it is repeated 20 times or more, 5 times or more, 10 times or more, 20 times or more, 30 times or more, 40 times or more, 50 times or more, 100 times, or even 1000 times. it can. Therefore, according to the method of the present invention, the fluid can be taken out from the sealed container in a manner that does not leak regardless of the number of times of insertion / extraction of the fluid moving member. Because the contents of the container are separated from external environmental factors, the contents maintain a long shelf life when not in the container, such as during storage, and are not otherwise contaminated. This is especially important when the contents of the container are an internal standard or control and a certain amount of contents are repeatedly accessed and removed, such as an automated system that analyzes a large number of samples.

  As noted above, some containers may contain liquids such as sample liquids for analysis, may or may not be dissolved in a suitable solvent, or may contain only solvent liquids. Good. A gas such as an inert gas (eg, N, Ar, etc.) can be introduced into the container to cover the contained liquid and assist in maintaining the integrity of the liquid before use. A problem encountered with some conventional seals is that there may be an unintentional gas leak when using a fluid moving member to remove a volume of liquid from the container due to the seal leak. If the fluid moving member is introduced and removed many times in the seal, the seal may be compromised and the amount of unintentionally leaking gas from the container may be substantial, thereby compromising the integrity of the liquid. The sealing device of the present invention provides a seal even when a fluid moving member is present in the channel of the device, so that a certain amount of sample can be removed from the container without unintentional gas leakage from the container. For this reason, even after the sample is repeatedly introduced into and taken out from the container, the gas can be held in the container.

  As described above, in certain embodiments, the sealing device according to the present invention is used in gas chromatography and liquid chromatography applications in a sealed manner that does not leak fluid to prevent exposure of samples, controls, standards, etc. to the atmosphere, For example, the analytical sample can be retained in the container (eg, dissolved in a solvent), the control or standard can be retained in the container, the solvent, etc. can be retained in the container, and the like. Aspects of the present invention are adapted to fit into an injection port of a chromatography device (not shown) and allow the sample to be inserted and injected through a channel of the sealing device with a fluid moving member such as a syringe needle. Includes sealing device. For example, the sealing device may be associated with a sample injector of an analytical instrument such as gas chromatography. Embodiments of the present invention include replacing a septum on the GC inlet system, such as a septum on the capillary inlet system or a septum nut.

  For such injection port applications, the sealing device of the present invention seals the inlet port of the injector block. An amount of sample to be analyzed is introduced through a sealing device using a liquid transfer element and a gas flow is introduced by injection from a fluid transfer member, such as a hypodermic syringe. This method is similar to the method described above for introducing the fluid moving member through the channel of the sealing device. As described above, the sample is introduced by introducing the fluid moving member into the channel of the sealing device, and when the fluid moving member is inside, the sealing device seals the fluid moving member around and the fluid moving member is withdrawn. When it is sealed by itself. That is, when the fluid moving member is present in the channel of the sealing device, the walls of the channel are pressed against the fluid moving member in a sealed relationship that does not leak liquid, providing a sealed configuration. When the sample is introduced into the gas, the gas carrying the injected sample passes through the chromatographic separation column and the effluent gas passes to the detector. This is a method known in the art.

Kit Finally, a kit is also provided. The kit of the present invention may include one or more container closure devices. The kit may also include one or more containers that can be sealed with a sealing device. The container can be provided in a kit sealed with a sealing device, for example, in a form in which the fluid is sealed. Where the fluid is sealed within the container, the fluid may be any suitable fluid as described above, such as, for example, a liquid used in a gas chromatography or liquid chromatography protocol. The kit may include a fluid moving member such as a syringe.

  The kit of the present invention also includes written instructions for sealing the container using the sealing device and for introducing and / or removing fluid from the sealed container without removing the sealing device. You may go out. Kit instructions may be printed on a substrate such as paper or plastic. Thus, the instructions may be included in the kit as a package insert or may be a label on the container of the kit or kit components (ie, associated with a package or subpackage). In other embodiments, the instructions exist as electronically stored data files that reside on a suitable computer readable storage medium, such as a CD-ROM, diskette, etc. In yet other embodiments, the actual instructions are not present in the kit, and means are provided for obtaining the instructions from a remote source, for example via the Internet. An example of this embodiment is a kit that includes a web address where instructions can be viewed and / or downloaded. Similar to the instructions, this means of obtaining the instructions is recorded on a suitable substrate.

  In many embodiments of the kit of the present invention, the kit components are packaged within the kit-containing element to form a single, easy-to-handle unit. Here, for example, a box or similarly structured kit-containing element may or may not be confidential, and additionally uses one or more chemical arrays and reagents (if present) Protect until.

  Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various changes and substitutions without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. I want you to understand. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, composition of matter, process, process step or steps, to the objective, spirit and scope of the present invention. All such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

It is a figure which shows embodiment of the container which can be sealed with the container sealing device of this invention. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the flexible sealing element of the present invention having a substantially constant outer diameter. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the flexible sealing element of the present invention having a barrel shape. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the flexible sealing element of the present invention having a lip that contacts the container. FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the container sealing device of the present invention including the flexible sealing element and compression member of FIG. 4. It is a figure which shows the place which put the apparatus of FIG. 5A in the opening part of the container of FIG. 1, and sealed the opening part. FIG. 5B shows the container closure device of FIG. 5A with a fluid moving member present in the channel of the container. Here, the wall of the channel is in sealing contact with the wall of the fluid moving member to provide a seal that does not leak fluid therebetween. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the apparatus of FIG. 6A placed in the opening of the container of FIG. 1 to seal the opening and the fluid moving member present in the channel and partially in the container. It is a figure which shows the fluid moving member which contacts the contents of a container.

Explanation of symbols

4 Sealing element 6 Channel 7 Channel wall 8 Lip 20 Compression member 50 Fluid movement member 52 Needle tip 54 Tubular passage 100 Container 102 Opening 103 Top edge 104 Thread 105 Cavity 200 Contents

Claims (13)

a) a flexible sealing element sized to cover the opening of the container and having a flexible channel extending therethrough;
b) A container sealing device comprising a compression member that applies a compressive force to the flexible channel so that the flexible channel maintains a sealed configuration, whether or not a fluid moving member is present in the flexible channel. .   The flexible channel has a first end having a first outer diameter and a second end having a second outer diameter, wherein the first outer diameter is greater than the second outer diameter. Item 2. The container sealing device according to Item 1.   The container sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible sealing element has an integral structure.   5. The container closure device according to claim 4, wherein the first and second ends of the flexible channel are annular.   The container closure device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible sealing element comprises a hydrophobic coating.   A sealed container comprising the container sealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   The sealed container according to claim 6, further comprising a fluid sealed in the container.   The sealed container according to claim 7, wherein the container further contains a gas. Place a container sealing device on the opening of the container,
The method for sealing a container, wherein the container sealing device is the container sealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   The method of claim 9, further comprising introducing a fluid into the container.   The method of claim 10, wherein the fluid is introduced into the container prior to sealing the container. a) placing the first end of the fluid moving member into the fluid present in the sealed container according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the placing is performed via the flexible channel; Introducing the fluid moving member into a container;
b) removing a quantity of fluid from the sealed container via the fluid moving member contained therein. a) a container;
b) The container sealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sealing device includes a container sealing device configured to seal an opening of the container.

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