ADAPTER FOR RECEIVING A CAPILLARY

Abstract

An adapter assembly for receiving a capillary includes a passage, into which the capillary is or can be received. The adapter assembly has an adapter cone which is configured for being received in or on a correspondingly configured counter cone. The adapter cone, at least over a section for bringing the adapter cone into contact with the counter cone, includes an elastic material that is more elastic than the material of the counter cone. The invention further relates to a counterpart for connecting to the adapter, to an apparatus and to a method for automatically exchanging capillaries.

Claims

1. An adapter assembly for accommodating a capillary, the adapter assembly comprising: an adapter cone having a passage for receiving the capillary therein; said adapter cone having a first conical surface; a counter cone having a second conical surface formed thereon corresponding in conjugation to said first conical surface so as to permit said adapter cone to be received in or on said second conical surface causing said first and second conical surfaces to conjointly define a conical interface; said counter cone being made of a first material having a first elasticity; said adapter cone having at least one section thereof configured to bring said adapter cone into contact with said counter cone at said interface; and, said at least one section being made of a second material having a second elasticity greater than said first elasticity.

2. The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein said second material has a modulus of elasticity E=<10 GPa.

3. The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein the adapter cone is configured either as an inner cone or an outer cone.

4. The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein said adapter cone has a free end face; and, said adapter assembly further comprises a seal disposed on said free end face.

5. The adapter assembly of claim 4, wherein said at least one section is formed in the region of said free end face of said adapter cone.

6. The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein said adapter cone includes at least one circumferential sealing element.

7. The adapter assembly of claim 1, further comprising: an adapter body incorporating said adapter cone and having a region facing away from said adapter cone; and, said adapter body having a first cross section at said adapter body and a second cross section at said region different from said first cross section.

8. The adapter assembly of claim 1, wherein said capillary is arranged in said passage.

9. A counter piece for connecting to an adapter cone having a passage for receiving a capillary therein; said adapter cone having a first conical surface; said adapter cone having at least one section thereof configured to bring said adapter cone into contact with said counter piece and said at least one section being made of a first material having a first elasticity; said counter piece comprising: a counter cone having a second conical surface formed thereon conjugated to said first conical surface so as to permit said adapter cone to be received in or on said second conical surface causing said first and second conical surfaces to conjointly define a conical interface; said counter cone being made of a second material having a second elasticity lower than said first elasticity of said first material of said adapter cone; and, said second material of said counter cone having a modulus of elasticity of at least 20 GPa over the portion thereof that is in contact with the adapter cone or is to be brought into contact with the adapter cone.

10. The counter piece of claim 9, further comprising a connection region configured for releasably connecting the counter piece to a device.

11. A method for automatically replacing capillaries, the method being for the pickup and release of cells, small cell clusters, small particles in the range of a few micrometers and volumes in the nanoliter range in a targeted manner, the method comprising the steps of: picking up an adapter accommodating a capillary from a storage container; picking up and/or transporting and/or releasing the cells, cell clusters, particles and/or volumes with said capillary; and, stripping or discarding the adapter or releasing the adapter in a targeted manner into an addressable parking or waiting position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said method steps are for a simultaneous use of a plurality of adapters including respective capillaries.

13. An apparatus for automatically replacing capillaries, the apparatus comprising: an adapter assembly including: an adapter cone having a passage for receiving the capillary therein and having a first conical surface; a counter cone having a second conical surface formed thereon corresponding in conjugation to said first conical surface so as to permit said adapter cone to be received in or on said second conical surface causing said first and second conical surfaces to conjointly define a conical interface; said counter cone being made of a first material having a first elasticity; said adapter cone having at least one section thereof configured to bring said adapter cone into contact with said counter cone at said interface; and, said at least one section being made of a second material having a second elasticity greater than said first elasticity; said adapter cone accommodating the capillary being removably mounted in a park position; a pick-up device holding said counter cone for picking up said adapter cone from said park position for transporting and/or releasing cells, cell clusters, particles and/or volumes with said capillary; and, a stripping device to facilitate disconnecting said adapter cone from said counter cone.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a control unit for controlling generation of negative pressure or overpressure in the capillary as well as movements for receiving and discarding said adapter cone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:

[0038] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of an adapter according to the invention comprising a capillary;

[0039] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a counterpart;

[0040] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a second embodiment of an adapter comprising the capillary inserted into the counterpart;

[0041] FIG. 4 is a schematic, partial sectional view of the inserted adapter, the capillary and the counterpart;

[0042] FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of an enlarged detail, circled in FIG. 4, of the inserted adapter, the capillary and the counterpart;

[0043] FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of an enlarged detail of a third embodiment of an adapter according to the invention;

[0044] FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of an enlarged detail of a fourth embodiment of an adapter according to the invention;

[0045] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a fifth embodiment of an adapter according to the invention;

[0046] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the adapter comprising the capillary inserted into the counterpart;

[0047] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the adapter comprising the capillary, the counterpart and a stripper;

[0048] FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a storage container in the form of a rack and an adapter comprising a capillary and counterpart; and,

[0049] FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a device comprising the counterpart, adapter and capillary.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0050] In the schematic of a first embodiment of an adapter 1 according to the invention in FIG. 1, a capillary 3 is inserted into a passage 2 (see FIGS. 4 to 7) in the adapter 1 and tightly connected thereto. The adapter 1 comprises an adapter cone 4 in the form of an outer cone. This consists of a resilient material 10 having a modulus of elasticity of =<10, preferably <5 GPa. In addition, the adapter 1 has a change 5 in cross section in the form of a rotationally symmetrical convex portion.

[0051] FIG. 2 schematically shows a counterpart 6, which has a counter cone 7 in the form of an inner cone and a connection region 8. The counter cone 7 is dimensioned in such a way that the adapter cone 4 can be inserted therein and the two cones 4 and 7 can be used to produce a force-locked/form-locked, releasable connection between the adapter 1 and the counterpart 6. The connection region 8 is configured as an outer cone and serves to connect the counterpart 6 to a device 13 (see FIG. 12).

[0052] In the embodiments described in this application, the adapter cone 4 is configured as an outer cone and the counter cone 7 is configured as an inner cone. In further possible configurations of the adapter 1 and the counterpart 6, the adapter cone 4 may be configured as an inner cone and the counter cone 7 may be configured as an outer cone.

[0053] FIG. 3 is a side view of an adapter 1 comprising a capillary 3 that is inserted into the counterpart 6. The course of a sectional plane A-A is indicated longitudinally through the counterpart 6, adapter 1 and capillary 3.

[0054] The section A-A shows the second embodiment of the adapter 1 according to the invention (FIG. 4). The adapter has a seal 9 on the end face of a free end of the adapter cone 4. The adapter cone 4 is in contact with the counter cone 7 and extends as far as the rear end of the counter cone 7. The adapter cone 4 and the counter cone 7 each consist of a hard material such as a metal, a metal alloy, ceramic or a hard composite material.

[0055] The seal 9 is configured as an O-ring made of a resilient material 10 and seals the inserted adapter 1 against the rear end of the counter cone 7 (FIG. 5). The seal 9 is part of the adapter 1. Alternatively, the seal 9 is not part of the adapter 1, but then the adapter cone 4 consists of the resilient material at least over a portion of its surface, in particular on the end face. In further embodiments, the seal 9 can also be combined with an adapter cone 4, which consists of the resilient material 10 at least over one portion or comprises this material over a portion.

[0056] An overpressure or negative pressure can be applied to the capillary 3 through a channel 15 that is present in the counterpart 6 and connects to the passage 2 and the capillary 3.

[0057] In the third embodiment of the adapter 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 6, its adapter cone 4 consists of a hard material over a first portion 4.1, while a resilient material 10 is inserted into the adapter cone 4 over a second portion 4.2. Alternatively, the resilient material 10 can also be applied to a region of the adapter 1 that has a smaller diameter than the adapter cone 4. In addition, a seal 9 (not shown; see FIG. 5) can be provided at the free end of the adapter cone 4.

[0058] The fourth embodiment of the adapter 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 7 in turn has a first portion 4.1 of the adapter cone 4, which consists of a hard material. The second portion 4.2 is formed continuously from the resilient material 10.

[0059] FIG. 8 shows a fifth embodiment of the adapter 1. In addition to the first and second portions 4.1 and 4.2, there are sealing elements 16 which are configured, for example, as O-rings and/or sealing lips. The sealing elements 16, of which only one or more than two can be present in other configurations, bring about additional retention of the adapter cone 4 on the counter cone 7 and increase the leak-tightness. Where necessary, alternatively or additionally, the flexibility of the adapter 1 in relation to the counter-cone 7 can be influenced, for example increased, by means of the sealing elements 16.

[0060] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the adapter 1 comprising the capillary 3 inserted into the counterpart 6.

[0061] The change 5 in cross section serves for the engagement of a stripper 11 (see FIG. 10), the effect of which can pull the adapter 1 out of the counterpart 6.

[0062] The adapter 1 can be inserted into a slot in a storage container 12, for example a rack. FIG. 11 shows, in a simplified form, an adapter 1 which is stored in the storage container 12. If the counterpart 6 is plugged into the adapter cone 4, the adapter 1 can be removed from the storage container 12.

[0063] The adapter 1, the capillary 3 and the counterpart 6 can be used as parts of a device 13 which is, for example, a pipetting unit, a cell sorter or a micromanipulator (FIG. 12). The actuation of the device 13 and the generation of negative pressure or overpressure in the capillary 3 as well as movements for receiving the adapter 1, for discarding the adapter 1 and possibly for positioning the adapter are coordinated and triggered by means of a control unit 14.

[0064] It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0065] 1 adapter [0066] 2 passage [0067] 3 capillary [0068] 4 adapter cone [0069] 4.1 first portion (of the adapter cone 4) [0070] 4.2 second portion (of the adapter cone 4) [0071] 5 change in cross section [0072] 6 counterpart [0073] 7 counter cone [0074] 8 connection region [0075] 9 seal [0076] 10 resilient material [0077] 11 stripper [0078] 12 storage container [0079] 13 device [0080] 14 control unit [0081] 15 channel [0082] 16 sealing elements