Zero dead volume tube to surface seal

Patent · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872973

Benett, William J ^[1]; Folta, James A ^[1]

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1. Livermore, CA

A method and apparatus for connecting a tube to a surface that creates a dead volume seal. The apparatus is composed of three components, a body, a ferrule, and a threaded fitting. The ferrule is compressed onto a tube and a seal is formed between the tube and a device retained in the body by threading the fitting into the body which provides pressure that seals the face of the ferrule to a mating surface on the device. This seal can be used at elevated temperatures depending on the materials used. While the invention has been developed for use with micro-machined silicon wafers used in Capillary Gas Chromatograph (GC), it can be utilized anywhere for making a gas or fluid face seal to the surface of a device that has near zero dead volume.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6056331
• OSTI ID: 872973
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/285/29/
apparatus
capillary
capillary gas
chromatograph
components
composed
compressed
connecting
creates
dead
dead volume
depending
developed
device
elevated
elevated temperature
elevated temperatures
ferrule
fitting
fluid
formed
gas
gas chromatograph
gc
materials
mating
mating surface
method
micro-machined
near
pressure
provides
provides pressure
retained
seal
seals
silicon
silicon wafer
silicon wafers
surface
temperatures
threaded
threaded fitting
threading
tube
utilized
volume
wafers
zero
zero dead