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Claims  |
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The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
an electrophoretic voltage source connected across said capillary tubes to
force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the first ends
of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary tubes, said
flow chamber being held essentially at ground potential;
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes; and
an outlet for draining said sheath flow fluid and entrained streams
directly from said flow chamber to waste, said outlet having a
substantially larger flow area than said capillary tubes to thereby permit
non-capillary flow therethrough.
2. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
an electrophoretic voltage source to force said organic sample through the
capillary tubes from the first ends of the capillary tubes to the second
ends of the capillary tubes; said electrophoretic voltage source being
connected across the length of the capillary tubes whereby said flow
chamber is held essentially at ground potential; and
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes.
3. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes;
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes;
an exit port in said flow chamber for draining said sheath flow fluid and
entrained streams directly from said flow chamber to waste, said exit port
having a substantially larger flow area than said capillary tubes to
thereby permit non-capillary flow therethrough; and
means to prevent drop formation at said exit port.
4. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes; said means including an electrophoretic voltage source connected
across the length of the capillary tubes;
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes;
an exit port in said flow chamber for drawing sheath fluid from said
chamber; and
means to prevent drop formation at said exit port.
5. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes;
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes, said detector being selected
from the group comprising thermo-optical absorption detectors and
electrochemical detectors; and
an outlet for draining said sheath flow fluid and entrained streams
directly from said flow chamber to waste, said outlet having a
substantially larger flow area than said capillary tubes to thereby permit
non-capillary flow therethrough.
6. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes; said means including an electrophoretic voltage source connected
across the length of the capillary tubes; and
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes, said detector being selected
from the group comprising thermo-optical absorption detectors and
electrochemical detectors.
7. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes, said means to force being selected from the group comprising pumps
and gas pressure;
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes; and
an outlet for draining said sheath flow fluid and entrained streams
directly from said flow chamber to waste, said outlet having a flow area
substantially larger than that of the capillary tubes to thereby permit
non-capillary flow therethrough.
8. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes;
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes;
an outlet for draining said sheath flow fluid and entrained streams
directly from said flow chamber to waste, said outlet having a flow area
substantially larger than that of the capillary tubes to thereby permit
non-capillary flow therethrough; and
wherein said plurality of capillary tubes is arranged in a two-dimensional
array and wherein said detector comprises a mass spectrometer having an
ionization chamber, the second ends of said capillary tubes being disposed
within said ionization chamber.
9. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes; said means including an electrophoretic voltage source connected
across the length of the capillary tubes;
a detector positioned to detect organic sample in the individual sample
streams emerging from the capillary tubes; and
wherein said plurality of capillary tubes is arranged in a two-dimensional
array and wherein said detector comprises a mass spectrometer having an
ionization chamber, the second ends of said capillary tubes being disposed
within said ionization chamber.
10. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent to and abutting each other and the first ends being
connectable to a source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the second ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that organic sample from the capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force organic sample through the capillary tubes from the first
ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary tubes; and
a detector to detect organic sample emerging in the individual sample
streams from the capillary tubes.
11. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the detector includes a
source of collimated electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength that
may excite the sample to emit radiation, said source being aligned to
provide collimated light through the organic sample drawn from the
capillary tubes by the sheath fluid.
12. The analyzer of claim 11 in which the detector includes an optical
system aligned to receive emitted radiation from the organic sample.
13. The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein said flow
chamber is at ground potential.
14. The analyzer according to claim 13, wherein said chamber is at least
partially formed of a transparent material and includes a recessed portion
wherein the transparent material is exposed; and wherein said detector
includes a source of collimated radiation and means for receiving emitted
radiation from said sample streams; and wherein said source of collimated
radiation and means for receiving emitted radiation are positioned in said
recessed portion and adjacent to said transparent material.
15. The analyzer of claim 11 in which the detector is an optical system
that receives scattered radiation from contaminants carried by the sample.
16. The analyzer of claim 11, in which said capillary tubes are arrayed in
a linear array.
17. The analyzer of claim 11 in which the chamber includes an upper portion
and a lower portion, and the means to supply sheath fluid includes a tube
connected to the upper portion of the chamber, and the lower portion of
the chamber encircles the second ends of the capillary tubes.
18. The analyzer according to claim 12, wherein a least a portion of the
lower portion of the chamber is made of transparent material, said portion
being adjacent the second ends of the capillary tubes.
19. The apparatus according to claims 17, wherein said detector further
comprises a source of collimated electromagnetic radiation for generating
electromagnetic radiation in a first direction which is generally
orthogonal with respect to the direction of flow of said sample streams
and an optical collection means positioned to receive radiation emitted
from said sample streams in a second direction which is generally
orthogonal with respect to the direction of flow of said sample streams.
20. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the means to force the
organic sample through the capillary tubes includes an electrophoretic
voltage source connected across the length of the capillary tubes.
21. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said capillary tubes are
arrayed in a linear array.
22. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the means to supply sheath
flow into said interior cavity includes a reservoir of sheath fluid syphon
coupled to the chamber.
23. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said flow chamber comprises
a side wall at least partially encircling said interior cavity and wherein
at least a segment of the side wall is transparent to electromagnetic
radiation radiating away from organic sample drawn from the capillary
tubes by the sheath fluid.
24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said detector further
comprises a source of collimated electromagnetic radiation for generating
electromagnetic radiation in a first direction which is generally
orthogonal with respect to the direction of flow of said sample streams
and an optical collection means positioned to receive radiation emitted
from said sample streams in a second direction which is generally
orthogonal with respect to the direction of flow of said sample streams.
25. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said chamber comprises a
side wall at least partially encircling said interior cavity and wherein
at least a segment of the side wall is transparent to electromagnetic
radiation radiating away from organic sample drawn from the capillary
tubes by the sheath fluid and in which at least a further segment of the
side wall is transparent to the collimated electromagnetic radiation.
26. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said detector further
comprises a source of collimated electromagnetic radiation for generating
electromagnetic radiation in a first direction which is generally
orthogonal with respect to the direction of flow of said sample streams
and an optical collection means positioned to receive radiation emitted
from said sample streams in a second direction which is generally
orthogonal with respect to the direction of flow of said sample streams.
27. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein each of said capillary
tubes has an inside diameter on the order of about 50 .mu.m and an outside
diameter on the order of about 150 .mu.m.
28. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said means to force an
organic sample through the capillary tube comprises an electrophoretic
voltage source of on the order of 30 kv connected across said capillary
tubes and said flow chamber.
29. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the organic material is
carried in said capillaries by a fluid, said fluid having essentially the
same index of refraction as the sheath fluid.
30. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the volumetric flow of
sheath fluid through said chamber is on the order of less than about 10
mL/hr.
31. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the rate flow of sheath
fluid through said chamber is on the order of less than about 4 mm/sec.
32. The analyzer according to claim 10, further comprising an exit port in
said flow chamber for drawing sheath fluid from said chamber and means to
prevent drop formation at said exit port.
33. The analyzer according to any one of claim 3 or 4, wherein said means
to prevent drop formation comprises a container, at least partially filled
with fluid, connected to said exit port and into which the fluid from said
chamber drains.
34. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said detector comprises a
thermo-optical absorption detector.
35. The analyzer according to any one of claims 34, 6 or 7, wherein said
organic samples are carried in said capillary tubes in a fluid and said
detector comprises:
a first laser, aligned with said array of capillary tubes for
simultaneously exciting the organic samples in said individual sample
streams and for heating said fluid;
a second laser for passing a laser beam through each of said individual
sample streams in a direction generally orthogonal to the direction of
alignment of said first laser; and
an optical system for receiving emitted light from said individual sample
streams.
36. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said detector comprises an
electrochemical detector.
37. The analyzer according to any one of claims 36, 5 or 6, wherein said
chamber is made of an inert, non-conducting material and further
comprising an array of electrodes aligned with said array of capillary
tubes and disposed in said chamber downstream, in the direction of sheath
fluid flow from the second ends of said capillary tubes;
means, connected to each of said electrodes, for electrochemically
analyzing each of said individual sample streams.
38. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said means for forcing the
organic sample through said capillary tubes comprises a pump.
39. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein the means to force the
organic samples through the capillary tubes comprises gas pressure.
40. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of capillary
tubes is arranged in a two-dimensional array and wherein said detector
comprises a mass spectrometer having an ionization chamber, the second
ends of said capillary tubes being disposed within said ionization
chamber.
41. The analyzer according to any one of claims 40, 8 or 9, wherein a
portion of the second capillary tubes extends into said ionization
chamber, said portion being formed of an electrically conductive material.
42. The analyzer according to claim 10, wherein said plurality of capillary
tubes are arranged side by side-in abutting relationship.
43. The analyzer according to claim 11, wherein a fluid acceleration region
is formed downstream of the second ends of said capillaries, and wherein
said source of collimated electromagnetic radiation is positioned to
direct said radiation at the fluid acceleration region.
44. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said detector further
comprises an optical collection means positioned to collect radiation
emitted by said sample in a direction generally orthogonal to the
direction of flow of said sample streams.
45. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the seconds ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force said organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes; and
a detector, including a source of collimated electromagnetic radiation
having a wavelength that may excite the sample to emit radiation to detect
organic sample emerging in the individual sample streams from the
capillary tubes; said source being aligned to provide collimated light
through the organic sample drawn from the capillary tubes by the sheath
fluid, said detector further comprising an optical system aligned to
receive emitted radiation from the organic sample, said optical system
including plural photodetectors, one for each capillary tube.
46. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the second ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force the organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes; and
a detector including a first source of collimated electromagnetic radiation
having a wavelength that may excite the sample to emit radiation to detect
organic sample emerging in the individual sample streams from the
capillary tubes, said source being aligned to provide collimated light
through organic sample drawn from the capillary tubes by the sheath fluid,
said detector further comprising a second source of collimated
electromagnetic radiation aligned to direct a beam of radiation at each of
said sample streams, further comprising an optical system aligned to
detect radiation from said sample streams.
47. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the second ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in said capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force the organic sample through the capillary tubes from the
first ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary
tubes;
a detector including a source of collimated electromagnetic radiation
having a wavelength that may excite the sample to emit radiation to detect
organic sample emerging in the individual sample streams from the
capillary tubes; said source being aligned to provide collimated light
through the organic sample drawn from the capillary tubes by the sheath
fluid; and
wherein the means to force sample through the capillary tubes comprises a
pump and the capillary tubes are filled with chromatographic packing
material.
48. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the second ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in the capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force organic sample through the capillary tubes from the first
ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary tubes;
a detector to detect organic sample emerging in the individual sample
streams from the capillary tubes; and
wherein said plurality of capillary tubes are arrayed in a two-dimensional
array formed of plural rows of capillary tubes, each row of capillary
tubes terminating at a different level from any other row of capillary
tubes.
49. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other and the first ends being connectable to a
source of organic sample;
a flow chamber having an interior cavity, the second ends of the capillary
tubes terminating inside the interior cavity;
means to supply sheath fluid into the interior cavity of said flow chamber
to provide a flow of sheath fluid past the second ends of the capillary
tubes such that any organic sample in the capillary tubes is drawn by the
flow of sheath fluid in individual sample streams from the second ends of
the capillary tubes;
means to force organic sample through the capillary tubes from the first
ends of the capillary tubes to the second ends of the capillary tubes;
a detector, including a source of collimated electromagnetic radiation
having a wavelength that may excite the sample to emit radiation to detect
organic sample emerging in the individual sample streams from the
capillary tubes, said source being aligned to provide collimated light
through the organic sample drawn from the capillary tubes by the sheath
fluid, and;
wherein said capillary tubes are arrayed in a two-dimensional array formed
of plural rows of capillary tubes, each row of capillary tubes terminating
at a different level from any other row of capillary tubes.
50. An analyzer for analyzing an organic sample, the analyzer comprising:
a plurality of capillary tubes arrayed side by side, each capillary tube
having first and second ends, the second ends of the capillary tubes
terminating adjacent each other | | |
