Abstract: A heater assembly used in chromatography includes a thermally conductive base having a chamber extending fully through the base with an opening at a first side of the base and at a second side of the base, and a cavity with an opening at the second side of the base. A heater is disposed within the cavity in thermal communication with the base. A thermistor assembly, having a thermistor within a thermally conductive body is disposed within the chamber. The body has a head region with a planar surface. The planar surface of the head region is exposed at the opening of the chamber at the first side of the base for making thermally conductive contact therewith. The thermistor assembly is thermally isolated from the base.

Abstract: A liquid-chromatography module includes a microfluidic cartridge housing a microfluidic substrate with a channel for transporting fluid. The microfluidic substrate has fluidic apertures through which fluid is supplied to the channel. One side of the cartridge has nozzle openings, each aligning with a fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate and receiving a fluidic nozzle. A clamping assembly has a plunger that is movable into a clamped position and an end housing that defines a chamber. One wall of the end housing has a fluidic block with fluidic nozzles extending into the chamber. A second wall has a slot through which the cartridge enters the chamber. When moved into the clamped position while the cartridge is in the chamber, the plunger urges the cartridge against the fluidic block such that each fluidic nozzle enters one nozzle opening and establishes fluidic communication with one fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate.

Abstract: A heater assembly used in chromatography includes a thermally conductive base having a chamber extending fully through the base with an opening at a first side of the base and at a second side of the base, and a cavity with an opening at the second side of the base. A heater is disposed within the cavity in thermal communication with the base. A thermistor assembly, having a thermistor within a thermally conductive body is disposed within the chamber. The body has a head region with a planar surface. The planar surface of the head region is exposed at the opening of the chamber at the first side of the base for making thermally conductive contact therewith. The thermistor assembly is thermally isolated from the base.

Abstract: Low-pressure mixing of fluids includes a pumping system having a pump and a fluidic inlet port through which fluid is introduced to the pump. A fluid proportioning system is in fluidic communication with the fluidic inlet port of the pumping system to deliver thereto a fluid stream comprised of multiple different fluids. The fluid proportioning system includes a manifold having a plurality of inlet ports, an outlet port connected by tubing to the fluidic inlet port of the pumping system, and an outlet conduit providing an internal fluidic passageway to the outlet port. Each inlet port is fluidically coupled to a fluid source to receive one of the different fluids and to the outlet conduit to deliver thereto the received fluid for delivery out of the manifold through the outlet port to the fluidic inlet port of the pumping system.

Abstract: An actuator has a support plate, a pump head in thermally conductive contact with the support plate, and an actuator body. Cooling means is disposed between the support plate and the actuator body. The cooling means is configured to remove and transfer heat from the pump head to the actuator body. In one embodiment, the cooling means includes two thermally conductive plates (called cold-side and hot-side plates) and a thermoelectric device disposed in thermally conductive contact between the cold-side and hot-side plates. The cold-side plate is in thermal communication with the pump head through the support plate. The hot-side plate is in thermal communication with the actuator body. The thermoelectric device is configured to transfer heat from the cold-side plate, which is in thermal communication with the pump head, to the hot-side plate, which is in thermal communication with the actuator body, thereby removing heat from the pump head.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemical separations includes a microfluidic substrate having an outlet aperture for outputting an eluent of a sample, a spray unit having an inlet to receive the eluent and an outlet to emit a spray of the eluent, and a force-applying unit. The spray unit has a deformable portion defining the inlet and having an elastic modulus that is lower than an elastic modulus of the microfluidic substrate. The force-applying unit, such as a spring, is disposed to urge the deformable portion in contact with the substrate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal.

Abstract: A liquid-chromatography module includes a microfluidic cartridge housing a microfluidic substrate with a channel for transporting fluid. The microfluidic substrate has fluidic apertures through which fluid is supplied to the channel. One side of the cartridge has nozzle openings, each aligning with a fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate and receiving a fluidic nozzle. A clamping assembly has a plunger that is movable into a clamped position and an end housing that defines a chamber. One wall of the end housing has a fluidic block with fluidic nozzles extending into the chamber. A second wall has a slot through which the cartridge enters the chamber. When moved into the clamped position while the cartridge is in the chamber, the plunger urges the cartridge against the fluidic block such that each fluidic nozzle enters one nozzle opening and establishes fluidic communication with one fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate.

Abstract: A liquid-chromatography module includes a microfluidic cartridge housing a microfluidic substrate with a channel for transporting fluid. The microfluidic substrate has fluidic apertures through which fluid is supplied to the channel. One side of the cartridge has nozzle openings, each aligning with a fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate and receiving a fluidic nozzle. A clamping assembly has a plunger that is movable into a clamped position and an end housing that defines a chamber. One wall of the end housing has a fluidic block with fluidic nozzles extending into the chamber. A second wall has a slot through which the cartridge enters the chamber. When moved into the clamped position while the cartridge is in the chamber, the plunger urges the cartridge against the fluidic block such that each fluidic nozzle enters one nozzle opening and establishes fluidic communication with one fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemical separations includes a microfluidic substrate having an outlet aperture for outputting an eluent of a sample, a spray unit having an inlet to receive the eluent and an outlet to emit a spray of the eluent, and a force-applying unit. The spray unit has a deformable portion defining the inlet and having an elastic modulus that is lower than an elastic modulus of the microfluidic substrate. The force-applying unit, such as a spring, is disposed to urge the deformable portion in contact with the substrate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemical separations includes a microfluidic substrate having an outlet aperture for outputting an eluent of a sample, a spray unit having an inlet to receive the eluent and an outlet to emit a spray of the eluent, and a force-applying unit. The spray unit has a deformable portion defining the inlet and having an elastic modulus that is lower than an elastic modulus of the microfluidic substrate. The force-applying unit, such as a spring, is disposed to urge the deformable portion in contact with the substrate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal.

Abstract: An actuator has a support plate, a pump head in thermally conductive contact with the support plate, and an actuator body. Cooling means is disposed between the support plate and the actuator body. The cooling means is configured to remove and transfer heat from the pump head to the actuator body. In one embodiment, the cooling means includes two thermally conductive plates (called cold-side and hot-side plates) and a thermoelectric device disposed in thermally conductive contact between the cold-side and hot-side plates. The cold-side plate is in thermal communication with the pump head through the support plate. The hot-side plate is in thermal communication with the actuator body. The thermoelectric device is configured to transfer heat from the cold-side plate, which is in thermal communication with the pump head, to the hot-side plate, which is in thermal communication with the actuator body, thereby removing heat from the pump head.

Abstract: Low-pressure mixing of fluids includes a pumping system having a pump and a fluidic inlet port through which fluid is introduced to the pump. A fluid proportioning system is in fluidic communication with the fluidic inlet port of the pumping system to deliver thereto a fluid stream comprised of multiple different fluids. The fluid proportioning system includes a manifold having a plurality of inlet ports, an outlet port connected by tubing to the fluidic inlet port of the pumping system, and an outlet conduit providing an internal fluidic passageway to the outlet port. Each inlet port is fluidically coupled to a fluid source to receive one of the different fluids and to the outlet conduit to deliver thereto the received fluid for delivery out of the manifold through the outlet port to the fluidic inlet port of the pumping system.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemical separations includes a microfluidic substrate having an outlet aperture for outputting an eluent of a sample, a spray unit having an inlet to receive the eluent and an outlet to emit a spray of the eluent, and a force-applying unit. The spray unit has a deformable portion defining the inlet and having an elastic modulus that is lower than an elastic modulus of the microfluidic substrate. The force-applying unit, such as a spring, is disposed to urge the deformable portion in contact with the substrate to form a substantially fluid-tight seal.

Abstract: A liquid-chromatography module includes a microfluidic cartridge housing a microfluidic substrate with a channel for transporting fluid. The microfluidic substrate has fluidic apertures through which fluid is supplied to the channel. One side of the cartridge has nozzle openings, each aligning with a fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate and receiving a fluidic nozzle. A clamping assembly has a plunger that is movable into a clamped position and an end housing that defines a chamber. One wall of the end housing has a fluidic block with fluidic nozzles extending into the chamber. A second wall has a slot through which the cartridge enters the chamber. When moved into the clamped position while the cartridge is in the chamber, the plunger urges the cartridge against the fluidic block such that each fluidic nozzle enters one nozzle opening and establishes fluidic communication with one fluidic aperture in the microfluidic substrate.

Abstract: An interactive data transfer system and method is provided. In embodiments of the invention, the data transfer system includes a computing device, and a data well for interfacing with an elongate instrument, the elongate instrument having a data transfer end with a data transfer tip. The data well has a housing with an opening for receiving the data transfer tip of the elongate instrument. The data well also has a communications port operatively coupled to the computing device to provide data to the computing device, and the data well has a data communication device contained in the housing for interfacing with the data transfer tip when the data transfer end of the elongate instrument is received in the opening The computing device is programmed to receive data from the data well. The received data includes data indicative of at least one address on a global communications network.

Abstract: A data well arrangement is for storing data and for interfacing with a writing implement having a writing end with a writing tip and data transfer end with a data transfer tip. The data well arrangement has a housing with an inlet opening for receiving an end of the implement. A data reader is in the housing for facing the data transfer tip to exchange data with the implement when the data transfer end of the implement is received in the opening. A shutter in the housing is engageable with an engagement portion of the implement for moving of shutter between a writing end storage position in which the data reader is inaccessible, and an interface position in which the data reader is accessible to the data transfer tip with the shutter being engaged by the engagement portion of the implement, only when the data transfer end is received in this opening.

Abstract: A data well arrangement for storing data and for interfacing with a writing implement having a writing end with a writing tip and data transfer end with a data transfer tip is described. The data well arrangement has a housing with an inlet opening for receiving an end of the implement. A data reader resides in the housing for facing the data transfer tip to exchange data with the implement when the data transfer end of the implement is received in the opening. A shutter in the housing is engageable with an engagement portion of the implement for moving of shutter between a writing end storage position in which the data reader is inaccessible, and an interface position in which the data reader is accessible to the data transfer tip with the shutter being engaged by the engagement portion of the implement, only when the data transfer end is received in this opening.