EP-4735879-A1 - LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY INSTALLATION WITH COLUMN, AND CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMN FOR SUCH AN INSTALLATION

Abstract

The present invention relates to an installation (1) for liquid chromatography on a chromatography column (3), the column body (31) of which is generally cylindrical in shape and comprises: - a column inlet end (311) able to be connected to a feed pipe (TA) by a first activatable/deactivatable connection system (4), and - a column outlet end (312) able to be connected to an outlet pipe (TS) by a second activatable/deactivatable connection system (5), in order to allow said chromatography column (3) to be placed in an active position, connected to said feed pipe (TA) and to said outlet pipe (TS), and in an inactive position, disconnected from at least one of said feed (TA) and outlet (TS) pipes. According to the invention, the first and second connection systems (4, 5) have a structure that can be activated and deactivated by a translational movement.

Inventors

• LEMER, PIERRE-MARIE
• HADJADJ, Félix

Assignees

• Global Morpho Pharma

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240627

Claims (1)

1. Claims [Claim 1] Liquid phase chromatography installation (1) on a chromatography column (3), which chromatography column (3) comprises a column body (31) of generally cylindrical shape comprising a column axis (32), which column body (31) comprises a column inlet end (311) and a column outlet end (312), which column inlet end (311) is capable of being connected to a feed pipe (TA) by a first connection system (4) that can be activated/deactivated, and which column outlet end (312) is capable of being connected to an outlet pipe (TS) by a second connection system (5) that can be activated/deactivated, to allow said chromatography column (3) to be placed in a position connected to said feed pipe (TA) and to said outlet pipe (TS), and in a position disconnected from at least one of of said supply (TA) and outlet (TS) pipes, characterized in that said first and second connection systems (4, 5) are of a structure which can be activated and deactivated by a translational movement. [Claim 2] Chromatography installation (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said first connection system (4) and said second connection system (5) each comprise a male connection member (7) and a female connection member (6), said male connection member (7) and said female connection member (6) each comprising a valve (65, 75) subjected to the action of an elastic return means (67, 77), said valves (65, 75) of said male and female connection members (6, 7) being movable in translation between an open position and a closed position, which elastic return means (67, 77) is designed to tend to place the associated valve (65, 75) in the closed position, said open position of said valves (65, 75) being obtained when said chromatography column (3) is connected to said feed pipe (TA) and to said outlet pipe (TS), by engagement of said male connection members (7) in said female connection members (6), and said closed position of said valves (65, 75) being obtained, under the action of said elastic return means (67, 77), upon disengagement of said male connection members (7) relative to said female connection members (6). [Claim s] Chromatography installation (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises: - a column inlet support (9) on which are fixed (a) an end piece (12) of said supply pipe (TA) and (b) one of said male (7) or female (6) connection members of one of said connection systems (4, 5), said end piece (12) of said supply pipe (TA) and said male (7) or female (6) connection member being in fluid communication, - a column outlet support (8) on which are fixed (a) an end piece (10) of said outlet pipe (TS) and (b) one of said male (7) or female (6) connection members of the other of said connection systems (4, 5), said end piece (10) of said outlet pipe (TS) and said male (7) or female (6) connection member being in fluid communication, said male (7) or female (6) connection members fixed on said column inlet support (9) and on said column outlet support (8) being arranged on parallel axes, said column inlet end (311) comprising a male (7) or female (6) connection member, complementary to that fixed on said column inlet support (9), said column outlet end (312) comprising a male (7) or female (6) connection member, complementary to that fixed on said column outlet support (8), and which installation (1) further comprises moving means, designed to allow the movement of at least one of said column inlet and outlet supports (8, 9), or of said chromatography column (3), to allow said column inlet support (9) and said column outlet support (8) to be placed: (i) in a position remote from the column inlet end (311) or the column outlet end (312), the male (7) and female (6) connection members being disconnected, capable of allowing the supply or removal of a chromatography column (3), in the disconnected position, and (ii) in a close positioning of the column inlet end (311) or the column outlet end (312), the male (7) or female (6) connecting members of the column inlet support (9) and the column outlet support (8) being respectively engaged with the female (6) or male (7) connecting member of the column inlet and outlet end (311, 312), in their connected position. [Claim 4] Chromatography installation according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a frame (2) on which are mounted said column inlet support (9) and said column outlet support (8), at least one of said column inlet support (9) and column outlet support (8) being mounted on a maneuvering carriage (14) which is movable in translation on said frame (2) along a displacement axis parallel to the activation/deactivation axis of said female (6) and male (7) connection members. [Claim s] Chromatography installation (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said maneuvering carriage (14) is equipped with a maneuvering handle (15) authorizing its direct or indirect movement between said connected and disconnected positions. [Claim s] Chromatography installation (1) according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that it comprises removable locking means (16; 23, 24) of said connected and disconnected positions of said maneuvering carriage (14). [Claim 7] Chromatography installation (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said removable locking means of the disconnected position of the maneuvering carriage (14) comprise a ball stop (23) cooperating with a reservation (24). [Claim s] Chromatography installation (1) according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that it comprises a toggle mechanism (16) interposed between the chassis (2) and the operating carriage (14), which toggle mechanism (16) is actuated by said operating handle (15) and comprises an end-of-travel position constituting said removable locking means of said connected position of the operating carriage (14). [Claim 9] Chromatography installation (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that at least one of said column supports (8, 9) comprises: - a support base (81) fixed on said chassis (2), and - an adapter (83) on which are fixed (a) said end piece (10) of said outlet pipe (TS), or said end piece (12) of said supply pipe (TA), as the case may be, and (b) one of said male (7) or female (6) connection members of one of said connection members (4, 5), with said end piece (10) of said outlet pipe (TS), or said end piece (12) of said supply pipe (TA), as the case may be, and said male (7) or female (6) connection member, in fluid communication, which adapter (83) is guided in translation on said support base (81), with the interposition between them of elastic return means (84) designed to tend to push said adapter (83) towards the male (7) or female (6) connection member fixed on the opposite column end (311, 312). [Claim 10] Chromatography column (3) for a chromatography installation (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a column body (31) provided with a column inlet end (311) and a column outlet end (312) each equipped with a male connection member (7) or a female connection member (6), which male connection members (7) or female connection member (6) each comprise a valve (65, 75) subjected to the action of an elastic return means (67, 77), which valves (65, 75) are movable in translation between an open position and a sealed closed position, and which elastic return means (67, 77) is designed to tend to place the associated valve (65, 75) in the sealed closed position.

Description

LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY INSTALLATION WITH COLUMN AND CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMN FOR SUCH INSTALLATION Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to a liquid chromatography installation on a column. It also concerns a chromatography column for such an installation. State of the art High-performance chromatographic installations use cylindrical columns filled with a stationary phase (also called a "chromatographic bed") suitable for separating chemical substances from a mixture of components. These columns are mounted on a support frame with one of their ends capable of being connected to a supply pipe by a first connection system, and with their other end capable of being connected to an outlet pipe by a second connection system. The connection systems in question generally consist of manually screwed fittings. Due to the evolution over time of their stationary phase, these columns must be changed periodically, involving the disconnection of the used column and the connection of a new column. However, handling screw connections takes time and is not always easy to carry out due to the rotational movements required. In addition, once the connection is unscrewed or not completely screwed in, the liquid phase contained in the column may drip. However, particularly in a radioactive environment, it is essential to avoid any contamination of the workspace and to limit the time operators are exposed to radioactivity. There is therefore a need to develop a solution for the removable fluidic connection of chromatography columns, which is both fast, reliable and watertight. Presentation of the invention In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the state of the art, the present invention proposes a liquid chromatography installation on a chromatography column, which chromatography column comprises a column body of generally cylindrical shape comprising a column axis, which column body comprises a column inlet end and a column outlet end, which column inlet end is capable of being connected to a feed pipe by a first activatable/deactivatable connection system, and which column outlet end is capable of being connected to an outlet pipe by a second activatable/deactivatable connection system, to allow said chromatography column to be placed in an active position connected to said feed pipe and to said outlet pipe, and in an inactive position, disconnected from at least one of said feed and outlet pipes, this installation being characterized in that said first and second connection systems are of a structure that can be activated and deactivated by a translational movement. Such a structure of connection systems is quick to implement and allows to improve their reliability and sealing characteristics. It also makes it easier to assemble and disassemble the column on a support frame, particularly with mechanical assistance. Other non-limiting and advantageous characteristics of the installation according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows: - the first connection system and the second connection system each comprise a male connection member and a female connection member, said male connection member and said female connection member each comprising a valve subjected to the action of an elastic return means, said valves of said male and female connection members being movable in translation between an open position and a closed position, which elastic return means is designed to tend to place the associated valve in the closed position, said open position of the valves being obtained when the chromatography column is connected to said supply tubing and to said outlet tubing, by engagement of said male connection members in said female connection members, and said closed position of the valves being obtained, under the action of said elastic return means, upon disengagement of the male connection members relative to the female connection members. - The chromatography installation includes: (i) a column inlet support on which are fixed (a) an end piece of said supply tubing and (b) one of said male or female connection members of one of said connection systems, said end piece of said supply tubing and said male or female connection member being in fluid communication, (ii) a column outlet support on which are fixed (a) an end piece of said outlet tubing and (b) one of said male or female connection members of the other of said connection systems, said end piece of said outlet tubing and said male or female connection member being in fluid communication, said male or female connection members fixed on said column inlet support and on said column outlet support being arranged on parallel axes, said column inlet end comprising a male or female connection member, complementary to that fixed on said column inlet support, said column outlet end comprising a male or female connection member, complementary to that fixed on said column outlet suppor