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EP-4575487-B1 - NOZZLE ASSEMBLY FOR A FRACTION COLLECTION UNIT

EP4575487B1EP 4575487 B1EP4575487 B1EP 4575487B1EP-4575487-B1

Inventors

  • BJERNULF, OLLE
  • ÅGREN, Tomas Yngve

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20210809

Claims (14)

  1. A nozzle assembly (200) for a fraction collection unit (120) configured to collect one or more fluid samples, said nozzle assembly comprising and being characterized by : a conduit adapter (210) configured to fluidly couple to a conduit, and a nozzle body (220), wherein the nozzle body comprises at least: a nozzle part (221) configured to form and release drops of the one or more collected fluid samples at a tip (223) of the nozzle part (221), and an interface part (222) configured to mechanically couple the assembly (200) to the fraction collection unit, wherein the assembly, when the conduit adapter (210) is attached to the nozzle body (220), forms a fluid channel from an inlet (219) of the conduit adapter (210) to the tip (223) of the nozzle part (221), wherein the tip has the smallest dimension of both the outer diameter and the inner diameter in the nozzle assembly.
  2. The nozzle assembly (200) according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the tip (223) of the nozzle part (221) is in the range of 0.2 to 2 millimeters in diameter and more preferably in the range of 0.3 to 0.5 millimeters in diameter.
  3. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the inner diameter of the tip (223) of the nozzle part (221) is preferably in the range of 0.1 to 1 millimeters in diameter and more preferably in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters in diameter.
  4. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle part (221) comprises a cylindrical part (224) and a conical part (225) comprising the tip of the nozzle part.
  5. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the interface part (222) further comprises a locking element (510) configured to lock the nozzle assembly to the fraction collection unit.
  6. The nozzle assembly (200) according to claim 5, wherein the interface part (222) further comprises a collector interface part (229) configured to be received by a recess of the fraction collection unit (120), wherein the locking element (510) is provided at one end of the collector interface part (229) which is arranged adjacent to the nozzle part (221).
  7. The nozzle assembly (200) according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the locking element (510) is formed like a flap extending from the collector interface part (229) in a direction parallel to a centerline of the nozzle body, wherein the flap is provided with a locking lip at an end of the lip arranged furthest away from the collector interface part (229).
  8. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the interface part (222) further comprises a gripping element (227) configured to provide a secure grip for a user handling the nozzle assembly (200).
  9. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle body and conduit adapter comprises attachment elements (216, 226) that are used to releasably attach the nozzle body to the conduit adapter.
  10. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle assembly (200) is made at least partially from plastic.
  11. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one component thereof comprises polyetereterketon (PEEK).
  12. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, having a total internal volume of less than 10 µl, and preferably less than 2 µl.
  13. The nozzle assembly (200) according to claim 12, wherein: i) the outer diameter of the tip (223) of the nozzle part (221) is about 0.4 mm and a channel therein has an inner diameter of about 0.3 mm with a total volume of about 1 µl; or ii) the outer diameter of the tip (223) of the nozzle part (221) is about 0.4 mm and a fluid channel therein is divided into two parts with a first part having an inner diameter of about 0.3 mm and a second part having an inner diameter of about 0.5mm, with a total volume of about 1.6 µl.
  14. The nozzle assembly (200) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzle body (220) is configured to be releasably attached to the conduit adapter (210).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a nozzle assembly for a fraction collection unit configured to collect one or more fluid samples. BACKGROUND Bioprocessing systems are widely used, e.g. to perform chemical separation. An example of a bioprocessing system is a chromatography system. Chromatography is a well-known procedure for analyzing and preparing chemical mixtures or chemical samples. The sample may typically be dissolved in a fluid, referred to as the mobile phase. The various sample components or samples of the mixture travel at different speeds, causing them to separate. In preparative chromatography the separation may be used to separate the sample components in a fractionation step where the mobile phase may be directed to different containers by a fraction collection unit. The fraction collection unit will typically be controlled to divert flow of samples to different containers dependent on the output of a sensor/detector, e.g. an ultraviolet light absorbance detector. The minimum volume of a sample that can be discriminated and/or diverted to a container is a fluid drop. The volume of such a drop depends on an outer diameter of a drop former or nozzle. A problem with conventional solutions is that at low flow rates and/or narrow detector peaks (i.e. where a desired sample is only delivered for a brief moment in time) a very narrow tubing end is required, typically the tubing must be < 0.5 millimeters. For this dimension, the only readily available tubing is fused silica. This conventional drop former or nozzle has many disadvantages. It is difficult to handle as it is very fragile. Further, special cutting tools are required to adapt the fused silica tubing to a suitable length. Further, fused silica tubing has a relatively high price. US2015338000 discloses a device for providing media for use with on-demand transport services. Thus, there is a need for an improved drop former or nozzle for a fraction collection unit. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An objective of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a solution which mitigates or solves the drawbacks and problems described above. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above and further objectives are achieved by a nozzle assembly according to the independent claim.. Further advantageous implementation forms of the invention are further defined in the dependent claims. An advantage of the invention is that improved handling of the nozzle is provided as installation of tubing and nozzle can be made in two or more steps. A further advantage is that generic cutting tools can be used to adapt standard tubing to a suitable length. A further advantage is that cheap and easily available tubing can be used to fluidly couple the fraction collection unit to a sample source, such as a chromatography system. Further applications and advantages of embodiments of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows an exemplary application of a fraction collection unit according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Fig. 2 shows conduit adapter of a nozzle assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Fig. 3 shows a nozzle body of a nozzle assembly according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Fig. 4 shows the nozzle assembly when the conduit adapter is attached to the nozzle body according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.Fig. 5 shows the nozzle assembly further comprises a locking element according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. A more complete understanding of embodiments of the invention will be afforded to those skilled in the art, as well as a realization of additional advantages thereof, by a consideration of the following detailed description of one or more embodiments. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION An "or" in this description and the corresponding claims is to be understood as a mathematical OR which covers "and" and "or", and is not to be understand as an XOR (exclusive OR). The indefinite article "a" in this disclosure and claims is not limited to "one" and can also be understood as "one or more", i.e., plural. In the present disclosure the term "nozzle assembly" denotes an arrangement configured to be handled/held by a user and an arrangement in the form of a drop former or nozzle configured to receive fluid, typically from a conduit fluidly coupled to a fluid source, and dispense a drop of fluid and/or an arrangement configured to be held by fraction collection unit and typically moved to positions over different containers of the fraction collection unit. In the present disclosure the terms "sensor" and "detector" are used interchangeably and denote an apparatus capable of detecting/sensing/measuring physical properties, e.g. of a fluid. In one exa