Abstract: Remote-activation locks designed to permit unlocking and/or locking of the lock without physical manipulation of the lock are articulated to a product/good in a manner so as to deny one or more benefits associated with the product/good.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to apparatus, systems and methods used in connection with a needle valve device operating in a pressurized flow system. The apparatus, systems and methods provide for automatic positioning of a needle relative to a seat in the needle valve device to provide consistent calibration with minimal user interaction after a maintenance event or upon a start-up of the pressurized flow system. The apparatus, systems and methods utilize a calibration collar secured to a shaft of an actuator within the needle valve device. The calibration collar includes one or more locking mechanism and a spring.

Abstract: Described is a coupling seal that includes a polymeric body having a bore extending from a first end to an internal sealing surface and a fluid channel extending from the internal sealing surface to a second end. The bore is configured to receive a tube having a fluid channel so that an endface of the tube engages the internal sealing surface. The second end of the polymeric body is configured to contact a sealing surface of a coupling body that has a fluid channel extending from the sealing surface. A fluidic seal occurs when the coupling seal is compressed between the endface and the sealing surface. A void between an outer surface of the polymeric body and an inner surface of the coupling body receives the deformation of the coupling seal while under compression to thereby prevent the fluid channel of the tube from being crushed or obstructed.

Abstract: Described is a mobile phase fitting having reduced corrosion and erosion. The fitting includes a coupling body, compression screw, compression member and gasket. The coupling body has a threaded bore at one end, a tapered cavity, a narrow bore and a fluid channel. The compression screw has an axial bore to receive a tube and a threaded outer surface in engagement with the threaded bore of the coupling body. The compression member is disposed in the tapered cavity and has an axial opening to pass the tube and a tapered surface to engage a surface of the tapered cavity. The gasket is disposed in the narrow bore and has one surface in contact with the first internal surface and has a parallel surface to receive an end face of the tube. Mobile phase flows along a path that includes the tube, an opening in the gasket and the fluid channel.

Abstract: A method for controlling fluid flowing through a chromatographic system includes determining a fluidic parameter related to density at a first fluidic location in the chromatographic system; and in response to the determined fluidic parameter, modifying a volumetric flow rate or a pressure at a second fluidic location in the chromatographic system to produce a selected mass flow rate of the fluid.

Abstract: The invention generally provides a static back pressure regulator. In exemplary embodiments, the static back pressure regulator includes a seat that defines part of a fluid pathway, a poppet, a spring arranged to bias the poppet toward the seat to restrict fluid flow through the fluid pathway, and a calibration element configured to adjust a force applied to the poppet by the spring. The calibration element can include a through hole that forms part of the fluid pathway. The poppet can include a first guiding portion that extends into the through hole of the calibration element and inhibits tipping of the poppet relative to the seat.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to modular solenoid valve kits and associated methods, generally involving a valve body that includes a plurality of actuator section components and a plurality of head section components. The plurality of actuator section components includes a drive solenoid, a solenoid return spring, a stroke calibration collar and an actuator-to-head calibration collar. The plurality of head section components includes a needle, a stem return spring, a seal and a seat. The plurality of actuator section components and head section components are adapted to be interchanged to create a pull-through normally open valve, a pull-through normally closed valve, a push-in normally open valve and a push-in normally closed valve. That is, the kits and methods allow for modification of one valve type (e.g., a pull-through normally open valve, a pull-through normally closed valve, a push-in normally open valve and a push-in normally closed valve) into a different type.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments are directed to apparatus, systems and methods used in connection with a needle valve device operating in a pressurized flow system. The apparatus, systems and methods provide for automatic positioning of a needle relative to a seat in the needle valve device to provide consistent calibration with minimal user interaction after a maintenance event or upon a start-up of the pressurized flow system. The apparatus, systems and methods utilize a calibration collar secured to a shaft of an actuator within the needle valve device. The calibration collar includes one or more locking mechanism and a spring.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in a liquid chromatography system includes a chromatography port and a tubing assembly having a chromatography tube coupled at one end to the chromatography port. The end of the tube has an end face covered with a corrosion-resistant material, for example, gold. The corrosion-resistant nature of the material protects the end of the tube from corrosion or erosion, which improves the quality and reliability of a seal between the end face of the tube and a sealing surface of the port. Alternatively, or in addition to covering the end face of the tube with the corrosion-resistant material, a gasket covered with or made of the corrosion-resistant material can be disposed between the end face of the tube and the port. This gasket extends the reach of the tube to facilitate bottoming out the tube within the port.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to limiting a rate or pressurization in a reconfigurable pressurized flow system for which different system configurations can have different system volumes. In exemplary embodiments, the system can determine a limit for the rate of pressurization by configuring the system for a closed system rate of pressurization, measuring the closed system rate of pressurization at a set flow rate, and determining a relationship between the closed system rate of pressurization and the flow rate. The system can use the relationship to dynamically set the limit for different flow rates in the system.

Abstract: The invention generally provides a dynamic back pressure regulator. In exemplary embodiments, the back pressure regulator includes an inlet, an outlet, a seat disposed between the inlet and the outlet and defining at least part of a fluid pathway, and a needle displaceable relative to the seat to form a restriction region therebetween for restricting fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet. In some embodiments, the needle can be formed of a chemically resistant ceramic or have a metal plating to provide corrosion and/or erosion resistance.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to manipulating pressure-related hysteresis in a pressurized flow system by setting the pressure of the system to a predetermined location in the hysteresis band to advantageously minimize an effect of the pressure related hysteresis on the pressure of the system or to advantageously benefit from the effects of the hysteresis on the pressure of the system.

Abstract: Remote-activation locks designed to permit unlocking and/or locking of the lock without physical manipulation of the lock are articulated to a product/good in a manner so as to deny one or more benefits associated with the product/good.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a drive housing and a storage disk rotatably coupled to the drive housing. In one embodiment, the storage disk includes a first substrate, a spaced-apart second substrate, a damping layer and a rigid substrate spacer. The first substrate is formed from a first material having a first composition and the second substrate is formed from a second material having a second composition. The damping layer is positioned at least partially between the first substrate and the second substrate. The rigid substrate spacer is positioned at least partially between the first substrate and the second substrate, and is formed from a third material having a third composition that is different from the first composition and the second composition. In one embodiment, the first composition is different than the second composition. The first substrate has a first thickness and the second substrate has a second thickness that can be different than the second thickness.

Abstract: A vacuum pickup tool (11), capable of picking up components (26) having a wide range in size and weight, comprises a body (12) having shaft (14) extending therefrom. The end of the shaft furthest from the body has an orifice (18) surrounded by a sealing surface (22) adapted for contact with a planar surface (24) on the component to form a substantially airtight seal therewith. A sleeve (30), having a rim (32) at the end thereof, is slidably carried by the shaft for movement thereon between a first and second position. At the first position of the sleeve, the sealing surface (22) at the end of the shaft extends beyond the rim (32) so that the sealing surface may contact the component, enabling a vacuum to be drawn over a first sized vacuum area on the surface of the component when the vacuum is drawn through the orifice.

Abstract: A technique is provided for calibrating a SCARA type robot (10) comprised of a first rotatable link (20) and a second link (32), rotatably connected at one end to the first link, and carrying a tool (40) at the other end thereof. The calibration technique relies on the fact that SCARA robots are controlled using a kinematic model, which, when accurate, allows the links to be placed in both a first and second angular configuration at which the tool (40) carried by the second link remains at the same position. To calibrate the kinematic model, the links are placed in the first configuration to locate the tool above a fixed datum point (60). Then, the links are placed in the second angular configuration to nominally locate the tool again in registration with the datum point. The error in the kinematic model is computed from the shift in the position of the tool from the datum point when the links are switched from the first to the second angular configuration.