Patents Assigned to Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
  • Publication number: 20170254452
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a tubing and ferrule assembly for use in joining a clad tubing to a fitting. The ferrule is bound to the clad tubing, which includes a partial jacket of stainless steel, such that the inert core protrudes from, and has a common outer diameter with, the jacket. The ferrule is bound to the jacket slightly more distant than necessary for the inert core to contact a fitting. When the ferrule is retained in place, the inert core is compressed and provides a true zero dead volume connection between the clad tubing and the fitting. The relationship of the ferrule, the clad tubing, and the fitting limits the position of the clad tubing and therefore precludes damaging of the associated valve or component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, H. Max Loy, JR.
  • Publication number: 20170145994
    Abstract: A combined pump-injector valve system utilizing a monolithic body to provide the barrel of the pump and as the stator of the valve, thus eliminating any need for connections between a pump and a valve, and therefore the potential for high-pressure leaks or pressure reductions. The combined pump-injector valve permits injection of nanoliter-sized samples into a chromatographic column, which is sealed during loading of the sample and filling of the pump, such that complete analyses can be completed with microliters of mobile phase with nanoliters of a sample. The pump-injector valve system further includes a pressure sensor external the barrel of the pump and may include an interim position intermediate loading and injection where the contents of the barrel may be pressurized to a desired pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Ales Plistil, Martin Paul Brisbin
  • Patent number: 9546646
    Abstract: A combined pump-injector valve utilizing a single piece as the barrel of the pump and as the stator of the valve, thus eliminating any need for connections between a pump and a valve, and therefore the potential for high-pressure leaks or pressure reductions. The combined pump-injector valve permits injection of nanoliter-sized samples into a chromatographic column, which is sealed during loading of the sample and filling of the pump, such that complete analyses can be completed with microliters of mobile phase with nanoliters of a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Ales Plistil
  • Patent number: 9539524
    Abstract: A combined dual pump-injector valve utilizing a single piece of material to house the barrel for each of the two piston-based pumps and to provide the stator of the associated valve, thus eliminating any need for connections between the pumps and the valve, and therefore eliminating the potential for high-pressure leaks or pressure reductions. The combined dual pump-injector valve permits injection of nanoliter-sized samples into a chromatographic column such that complete analyses can be completed with microliters of mobile phase with nanoliters of a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Ales Plistil
  • Patent number: 9234608
    Abstract: A heated rotary valve for use in connection with a sample to be separated in a column for heating the sample to temperature within the valve. The heated rotary valve permits introduction of compounds, having a wide boiling range, into a gas chromatograph with improved precision of area and retention time. The valve includes a stator, an elongate body, a rotor seal, a drive shaft, and an internal element for generating heat. The rotor seal may be laterally captured by a ring to prevent movement or creep due to heat absorption during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Martin Paul Brisbin, David Miller
  • Patent number: 9188570
    Abstract: A detector for gas chromatography using two or more ionization sources within a single body to separately provide ionization energy to a column gas eluent to provide electrical discharge to two or more collecting electrodes provides improved selectivity and may be so used. Use is made of combined bias/collecting electrodes or of sets of separated bias and collecting electrodes. The use of multiple ionization sources permits generation of multiple detector outputs from within a common body and of a common constituent flow. The ionization sources and any applicable discharge gas and dopant may be selected based on desired selectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai
  • Publication number: 20150184774
    Abstract: A heated rotary valve for use in connection with a sample to be separated in a column for heating the sample to temperature within the valve. The heated rotary valve permits introduction of compounds, having a wide boiling range, into a gas chromatograph with improved precision of area and retention time. The valve includes a stator, an elongate body, a rotor seal, a drive shaft, and an internal element for generating heat. The rotor seal may be laterally captured by a ring to prevent movement or creep due to heat absorption during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Martin Paul Brisbin, David Miller
  • Patent number: 8963554
    Abstract: A pulsed discharge helium ionization detector for gas chromatography with multiple combined bias/collecting electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai
  • Publication number: 20140347062
    Abstract: A detector for gas chromatography using two or more ionization sources within a single body to separately provide ionization energy to a column gas eluent to provide electrical discharge to two or more collecting electrodes provides improved selectivity and may be so used. Use is made of combined bias/collecting electrodes or of sets of separated bias and collecting electrodes. The use of multiple ionization sources permits generation of multiple detector outputs from within a common body and of a common constituent flow. The ionization sources and any applicable discharge gas and dopant may be selected based on desired selectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai
  • Publication number: 20140326650
    Abstract: A combined dual pump-injector valve utilizing a single piece of material to house the barrel for each of the two piston-based pumps and to provide the stator of the associated valve, thus eliminating any need for connections between the pumps and the valve, and therefore eliminating the potential for high-pressure leaks or pressure reductions. The combined dual pump-injector valve permits injection of nanoliter-sized samples into a chromatographic column such that complete analyses can be completed with microliters of mobile phase with nanoliters of a sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Ales Plistil
  • Patent number: 8829914
    Abstract: A detector for gas chromatography using two ionization sources within a single body to separately provide ionization energy to a column gas eluent to provide electrical discharge to two or more collecting electrodes provides improved selectivity and may be so used. Use is made of combined bias/collecting electrodes. The use of two ionization sources permits generation of two detector outputs from within a common body and of a common constituent flow. The ionization sources and any applicable discharge gas and dopant may be selected based on desired selectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai
  • Publication number: 20140197247
    Abstract: A combined pump-injector valve utilizing a single piece as the barrel of the pump and as the stator of the valve, thus eliminating any need for connections between a pump and a valve, and therefore the potential for high-pressure leaks or pressure reductions. The combined pump-injector valve permits injection of nanoliter-sized samples into a chromatographic column, which is sealed during loading of the sample and filling of the pump, such that complete analyses can be completed with microliters of mobile phase with nanoliters of a sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Ales Plistil
  • Patent number: 8772680
    Abstract: The adaptive temperature controller system includes a device for measuring resistance, an electrically-conductive material, a power supply, and a device for controlling power. In operation, the controller determines the resistance of material at one or more temperatures and therefore determines the resistance of the material through a range of operating temperature. Based on such determination so long as voltage and power are known, the resistance of the material, and therefore its temperature, are known. As a result the voltage or power may be instantly varied to produce near infinite control over material temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai, Chris S. Cowles
  • Publication number: 20140132277
    Abstract: A detector for gas chromatography using two ionization sources within a single body to separately provide ionization energy to a column gas eluent to provide electrical discharge to two or more collecting electrodes provides improved selectivity and may be so used. Use is made of combined bias/collecting electrodes. The use of two ionization sources permits generation of two detector outputs from within a common body and of a common constituent flow. The ionization sources and any applicable discharge gas and dopant may be selected based on desired selectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: VALCO INSTRUMENTS COMPANY, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai
  • Publication number: 20140076885
    Abstract: The adaptive temperature controller system includes a device for measuring resistance, an electrically-conductive material, a power supply, and a device for controlling power. In operation, the controller determines the resistance of material at one or more temperatures and therefore determines the resistance of the material through a range of operating temperature. Based on such determination so long as voltage and power are known, the resistance of the material, and therefore its temperature, are known. As a result the voltage or power may be instantly varied to produce near infinite control over material temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai, Chris S. Cowles
  • Patent number: 8642931
    Abstract: The adaptive temperature controller includes a device for measuring resistance, an electrically-conductive material, a power supply, and a device for controlling power. In operation, the controller determines the resistance of material at one or more temperatures and therefore determines the resistance of the material through a range of operating temperature. Based on such determination so long as voltage and power are known, the resistance of the material, and therefore its temperature, are known. As a result the voltage or power may be instantly varied to produce near infinite control over material temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Valco Instruments Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stanley D. Stearns, Huamin Cai, Chris S. Cowles