A ratchet fitting includes a screw portion and an operating portion. One of the screw portion and the operating portion has an engaging member, and the other one of the screw portion and the operating portion has an elastic member and a holding member formed separately from the elastic member. The elastic member and the engaging member are fitted such that a rotational force is transmittable to each other due to engagement of the projection and the protrusion and engagement between the projection and the protrusion is releasable due to deformation of the elastic member. The elastic member has a first fitting portion, the holding member has a second fitting portion, and the holding member and the elastic member are fitted such that the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted to each other in a rotation direction.

Disclosed are chromatography systems employing a releasable coupling (100) for holding a fluid tubing to a spigot, the coupling comprising: a cylindrical inner component (110) for accepting a fluid tubing (30), said inner component including a resiliently deflectable portion (118) arranged to urge an outer surface of the tubing toward a spigot; and a cylindrical collar (130) having and internal through-aperture (132) for slideably accepting the inner component, the aperture and resilient portion having complementary surface formations which in a first position of the collar mounted to the inner component provide for said resilient deflection in use, and which in a second different position do not cause said deflection, the coupling being characterized in that the collar comprises a collar flange (134) extending outwardly away from the aperture of a size allowing manual manipulation of the collar between the first and second positions. Chromatography systems employing said couplings is disclosed also.

A fitting includes a screw portion that is rotatable around an axis extending in one direction, an operating portion that applies a torque around the axis to the screw portion, and a rotation auxiliary member that is configured to be engageable with the operating portion. A slot extending from a first end to a second end is provided in the rotation auxiliary member, and also a first projection that protrudes outward is provided on the rotation auxiliary member. A positional relationship of the first projection is set such that an engaging force between the rotation auxiliary member and the operating portion is increased due to a change in width of the slot in a case where a force is applied to the first projection in the first rotation direction with the rotation auxiliary member engaging with the operating portion.

A ratchet fitting includes a screw portion and an operating portion. One of the screw portion and the operating portion has an engaging member, and the other one of the screw portion and the operating portion has an elastic member and a holding member formed separately from the elastic member. The elastic member and the engaging member are fitted such that a rotational force is transmittable to each other due to engagement of the projection and the protrusion and engagement between the projection and the protrusion is releasable due to deformation of the elastic member. The elastic member has a first fitting portion, the holding member has a second fitting portion, and the holding member and the elastic member are fitted such that the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are fitted to each other in a rotation direction.

A parallel assembly (2; 11; 51) of chromatography column modules (3a,b,c; 13a,b,c; 53a,b,c, 90a, b) connected in a rigid housing (21; 61), the assembly having one common assembly inlet (15; 55) and one common assembly outlet (17; 57), each column module comprising a bed space (29) filled with chromatography medium and each column module comprises integrated fluid conduits which when the column module is connected with other column modules in the rigid housing are adapted to connect the bed space (29) of the column module with the assembly inlet (15; 55) and the assembly outlet (17; 57), wherein the total length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the assembly inlet to one bed space together with the length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the same bed space to the assembly outlet is substantially the same for all bed spaces and modules installed in the parallel assembly.

A device for separating one or more molecules of interest in a liquid specimen including a monolithic body defining a fractionation column. The column includes an inlet opening at a proximal end of the fractionation column; an outlet opening at a distal, opposite end of the fractionation column; a solid phase chamber positioned between the inlet opening and the outlet opening; a specimen introduction area adjacent a proximal end of the solid phase chamber; an analyte exit area adjacent a distal end of the solid phase chamber; an inlet chamber adjacent the inlet opening that tapers into the specimen introduction area; and an outlet chamber that extends from the analyte exit area to the outlet opening. A metered amount of solid phase packed within the solid phase chamber between a first porous frit and a second porous frit of the solid phase chamber.

A parallel assembly of chromatography column modules connected in a rigid housing the assembly having one common assembly inlet and one common assembly outlet each column module comprising a bed space filled with chromatography medium and each column module comprises integrated fluid conduits which when the column module is connected with other column modules in the rigid housing are adapted to connect the bed space of the column module with the assembly inlet and the assembly outlet wherein the total length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the assembly inlet to one bed space together with the length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the same bed space to the assembly outlet is substantially the same for all bed spaces and modules installed in the parallel assembly.

Disclosed are chromatography systems employing a releasable coupling 100 for holding a fluid tubing to a spigot, the coupling comprising: a cylindrical inner component 110 for accepting a fluid tubing 30, said inner component including a resiliently deflectable portion 118 arranged to urge an outer surface of the tubing toward a spigot; and a cylindrical collar 130 having and internal through-aperture 132 for slideably accepting the inner component, the aperture and resilient portion having complementary surface formations which in a first position of the collar mounted to the inner component provide for said resilient deflection in use, and which in a second different position do not cause said deflection, the coupling being characterized in that the collar comprises a collar flange 134 extending outwardly away from the aperture of a size allowing manual manipulation of the collar between the first and second positions. Chromatography systems employing said couplings is disclosed also.

Chromatography apparatus and methods are described, especially for expanded bed adsorption. A column tube has a process fluid input device at the bottom and a movable piston in the top. The piston is enclosed in the column by a cover plate. The piston body has an inflatable seal, and is connected by a frame to a contact ring which carries another inflatable member to contact the tube wall. Process fluid leaves the operating volume through an opening of the piston and flexible hose, through the enclosed space and out through the cover plate. The space above the piston can be pressurised to control piston movement. The contact ring maintains piston alignment. The inflatable seals are used to fix the piston in position, allow it to slide or allow washing. The piston outlet may include a vortex-inhibitor. Bed and piston levels may be monitored by ultrasound sensors.

A compression fitting includes a nut with a threaded end for receiving a threaded tube and a receiving end for holding a plunger head; and a plunger with an inner bore for receiving a capillary tube and the plunger head for engaging a ferrule positioned within the receiving end between the plunger head and the threaded tube, the plunger slidingly engaged with the nut to force the ferrule from the nut.