EP-4735880-A2 - END FITTING COMPONENT FOR USE WITH CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMN

Abstract

An end fitting component is provided for use in a chromatography column. The end fitting component has a body and a raised central portion having at least one groove(s) therein. The end fitting component is configured to abut against a frit assembly of the chromatography column. A fluid distribution device is also provided, having a body and raised central portion with at least one groove(s). Fluid entering the column is distributed through the at least one grooves(s) which are connected with a central aperture. The fluid is evenly distributed through the groove(s) and through the entire surface of a frit of a column. Also provided is a chromatography column, having an end fitting component.

Inventors

• ANSPACH, Jason A.
• FRIEDLANDER, Gareth
• Gallagher, Kenny A.

Assignees

• Phenomenex, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240723

Claims (1)

1. Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 CLAIMS What is claimed is: 1. An end fitting component for use in a chromatography column, said component comprising: a body portion; a raised central portion arising from the body portion; at least one groove(s) contained within the raised central portion; and an aperture connected with the at least one groove(s). 2. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the raised central portion abuts against a frit assembly within the chromatography column. 3. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the at least one groove(s) comprise groove(s) in a spiral configuration. 4. The end fitting component of claim 3, wherein the at least one groove(s) further comprise a perimeter groove. 5. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the at least one groove(s) are in a concentric configuration. 6. The end fitting component of claim 5, wherein the at least one groove(s) in concentric configuration are connected via a plurality of through-channels. 7. The end fitting component of claim 5, wherein the at least one groove(s) in concentric configuration are connected to the aperture via a plurality of through-channels. 8. The end fitting component of claims 6 or 7, wherein the plurality of through-channels extend from the aperture to a perimeter wall of the raised central portion in a spiral configuration. Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 9. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the raised central portion has a height of about 0.5 mm to 4.0 mm. 10. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the raised central portion has a diameter of about 1.0 mm to 7.8 mm. 11. The end fitting component of claim 1, further comprising a perimeter wall which aligns with a recessed center portion of a frit assembly in the chromatography column. 12. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the raised central portion has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the recessed center portion of the frit assembly. 13. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein a fluid enters through the aperture and is distributed through the at least one groove(s) connected to the aperture. 14. The end fitting component of claim 13, wherein the fluid that is distributed through the at least one groove(s) is further distributed throughout the surface area of a frit as it enters the chromatography column. 15. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the end fitting component is configured to fit inside a recess of an end cap of a chromatography column. 16. The end fitting component of claim 1, wherein the end fitting component is comprised of metallic, polymeric, elastomeric, or ceramic material. Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 17. The end fitting component of claim 16, wherein the end fitting component is comprised of stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, MP35N, Inconel, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), silica, or aluminum oxide. 18. A fluid distribution device for use in a chromatography column, said fluid distribution device comprising: a body portion; a raised central portion arising from the body portion; at least one groove(s) contained within the raised central portion; and an aperture connected with the at least one groove(s). 19. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein the raised central portion abuts against a frit assembly within the chromatography column. 20. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein the at least one groove(s) comprise groove(s) in a spiral configuration. 21. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein the at least one groove(s) further comprise a perimeter groove. 22. The fluid distribution device of claim 1, wherein the at least one groove(s) are in a concentric circular configuration. 23. The fluid distribution device of claim 22, wherein the at least one groove(s) in concentric configuration are connected via a plurality of through-channels. 24. The fluid distribution device of claim 22, wherein the at least one groove(s) in concentric configuration are connected to the aperture via a plurality of through-channels. Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 25. The fluid distribution device of claims 23 or 24, wherein the plurality of through- channels extend from the aperture to a perimeter wall of the raised central portion in a spiral configuration. 26. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein the raised central portion has a height of about 0.5 mm to 4.0 mm. 27. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein the raised central portion has a diameter of about 1.0 mm to 7.8 mm. 28. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, further comprising a perimeter wall which aligns with a recessed center portion of a frit assembly in the chromatography column. 29. The fluid distribution device of claim 28, wherein the raised central portion has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the recessed center portion of the frit assembly. 30. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein a fluid enters through the aperture and is distributed through the at least one groove(s) connected to the aperture. 31. The fluid distribution device of claim 30, wherein the fluid that is distributed through the at least one groove(s) is further distributed throughout the surface area of a frit as it enters the chromatography column. 32. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein the end fitting component is configured to fit inside a recess of an end cap of a chromatography column. 33. The fluid distribution device of claim 18, wherein the end fitting component is comprised of metallic, polymeric, elastomeric, or ceramic material. Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 34. The fluid distribution device of claim 33, wherein the end fitting component is comprised of stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, MP35N, Inconel, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), silica, or aluminum oxide. 35. A chromatography device comprising: - a tubular body having a first opening and a second opening; - a first frit assembly positioned at the first opening and a second frit assembly positioned at the second opening; and - an end fitting component; wherein the first end fitting component comprises: - a body portion; - a raised central portion arising from the body portion; - at least one groove(s) contained within the raised central portion; and - an aperture connected with the at least one groove(s). 36. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the raised central portion abuts against a frit assembly within the chromatography column. 37. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the at least one groove(s) comprise groove(s) in a spiral configuration. 38. The chromatography device of claim 37, wherein the at least one groove(s) further comprise a perimeter groove. 39. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the at least one groove(s) are in a concentric circular configuration. Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 40. The chromatography device of claim 39, wherein the at least one groove(s) in concentric configuration are connected via a plurality of through-channels. 41. The chromatography device of claim 39, wherein the at least one groove(s) in concentric configuration are connected to the aperture via a plurality of through-channels. 42. The chromatography device of claims 40 or 41, wherein the plurality of through-channels extend from the aperture to a perimeter wall of the raised central portion in a spiral configuration. 43. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the raised central portion has a height of about 0.5 mm to 4.0 mm. 44. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the raised central portion has a diameter of about 1.0 mm to 7.8 mm. 45. The chromatography device of claim 35, further comprising a perimeter wall which aligns with a recessed center portion of a frit assembly in the chromatography column. 46. The chromatography device of claim 45, wherein the raised central portion has a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the recessed center portion of the frit assembly. 47. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein a fluid enters through the aperture and is distributed through the at least one groove(s) connected to the aperture. 48. The chromatography device of claim 47, wherein the fluid that is distributed through the at least one groove(s) is further distributed throughout the surface area of a frit as it enters the chromatography column. Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 49. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the end fitting component is configured to fit inside a recess of an end cap of a chromatography column. 50. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the end fitting component is comprised of metallic, polymeric, elastomeric, or ceramic material. 51. The chromatography device of claim 50, wherein the end fitting component is comprised of stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, MP35N, Inconel, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), silica, or aluminum oxide. 52. The chromatography device of claim 35, wherein the tubular body has an internal diameter of about 1.0 mm to 7.8 mm.

Description

Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 END FITTING COMPONENT FOR USE WITH CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMN CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/515,862 filed 27 July 2023, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. INTRODUCTION [0002] The use of chromatography as a laboratory analytical tool is widely known, particularly in applications relating to the pharmaceutical industry and drug development, chemical manufacturing, and clinical toxicology laboratories. During the operation of a chromatography column, a mixture of different chemicals and analytes of interest is separated into is substituent components for detection and quantification. The most important component of a chromatography system is the chromatography column itself. Inside the column, there is a chemically modified sorbent or packing material, known as the stationary phase. A liquid containing the analyte of interest and various buffers is pumped through the column. This is known as the mobile phase. The separation of the various chemical compounds occurs as the analyte is passing through the column, because each chemical compound has a different affinity and interaction for the mobile phase and the stationary phase. [0003] A typical chromatography column contains various system components which are coupled at the inlet and outlet of the system, including frit screens, end caps and tubes wherein the sample of interest is fed through. In order to keep the stationary phase inside the column and to keep undesirable particles in the sample from entering the column, a mechanical filter is placed at the inlet and outlet ends of the column. These filters are commonly known and referred to as frits or frit screens or frit mesh. These frits have to be fine enough to hold the stationary phase, but permeable enough to allow the mobile phase and analyte molecules to pass through the frit. The stationary phase may have particles a few microns diameter, or smaller. Along with retaining the chromatographic stationary media or packing material in the column, the filters or frits also act as a physical filter which keep out particulate contamination that may be present in the sample or the mobile phase, or that are generated by degradation of the particles. In an analytical setting for example, the samples often include blood and plasma which contains Attorney Docket No. 105083-61 biological components and debris which can clog the frits and reduce the column lifetime. This happens particularly in the central portion of the frit where the sample contacts the frit through the inlet injection tube. At times the sample is not distributed evenly throughout the surface area of the frit and as such, the clogging happens in a concentrated central portion of the frit. This problem is exacerbated during packing of stationary media of the column (in pressurized setting) the screen frit can get pushed into what is known as the four-degree dispersion cone. Once the frit deforms into the dispersion cone, the fluid sample distribution entering the frit screen will be concentrated into a particular area, instead of distributed evenly and uniformly across the entire surface area of the frit. Primarily the fluid entering the column is concentrated onto the center of the frit screen. If the fluid flow exiting the chromatography column is not evenly concentrated, the eluting peak(s) of the sample will be disturbed, resulting in less accurate analyses of the liquid sample. Additionally, the uneven fluid distribution at the frit will cause the center the frit to clog, which results in reduction of the column’s lifetime and the necessity of replacement of the column. This is an expensive and time-consuming issue for laboratory environments which rely on the reliability of a chromatography column for processing their samples in an efficient and timely manner. One solution currently used to ameliorate the issue of debris or particulate clogging in a column’s screen frits is the use a separate guard column which is attached to the column itself. The purpose of the guard column, as the name suggests, is to preempt these issues and be a first screening means for the fluid entering the chromatography column. HPLC guard columns help by removing particulate contaminants and highly absorptive compounds from samples, prior to the sample entering the column itself, and thus they are useful in prolonging column life. Ideally, guard columns should contain the same stationary phase as the analytical column. The drawbacks of relying on guard columns is that they are routinely replaced when they get clogged and are an expensive way to extend the column life. Particularly for users in high throughput applications it is of primary importance to maximize the number of injections on a column, without the added complication of using guard columns, which ha