Flash chromatography cartridge

Abstract

A low pressure liquid chromatographic cartridge has a tubular polymer container that receives a chromatographic packing material. The container has an outlet port located at its downstream end and container threads formed on its upstream end. A polymer cap, with an inlet port on an upstream end, screws onto the container threads. A flange depending from the cap mates with the lip of the container to form a fluid tight seal between the polymer cap and container suitable for use in low pressure liquid chromatography.

1 . A low pressure liquid chromatographic cartridge having a longitudinal axis, comprising:
 a tubular polymer container adapted to receive a chromatographic packing material, the container having an outlet port located at a downstream end of the container and configured for connecting to chromatographic equipment during use of the cartridge, the container having container threads formed on an upstream end of the container and a lip defining an opening to the container with a inward facing inclined sealing surface adjacent the lip and facing the longitudinal axis;   a polymer cap having an inlet port located on an upstream end of the container, the port being configured for connecting to chromatographic equipment during use of the cartridge, the cap having cap threads located on a skirt of the cap to threadingly engage the container threads;   an annular sealing flange depending from the cap and located radially closer to the longitudinal axis than the skirt, the flange having an outward facing inclined sealing surface facing away from the axis with an upstream end of the flange being further from the axis than a downstream distal end of the flange; the outward facing inclined surface on the flange generally aligned with and located to abut the inward facing inclined surface on the container to form a resilient fluid tight seal between the cap and container suitable for use in low pressure liquid chromatography when the cap is screwed onto the container.   
     
     
         2 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A low pressure liquid chromatography cartridge, comprising:
 a tubular polymer container adapted to receive a chromatographic packing material, the container having an outlet port located at a downstream end of the container and configured for use with chromatographic equipment during use of the cartridge, the container having container threads formed on an upstream end of the container;   a polymer cap having an inlet port located on an upstream end of the cap, the port being configured for use with chromatographic equipment during use of the cartridge, the cap having continuous cap threads located on a skirt of the cap to threadingly engage the container threads;   resilient sealing means for sealing the cap to the container sufficiently to maintain a seal suitable for low pressure chromatographic use when a user screws the cap onto the container.   
     
     
         19 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for a user to perform low pressure liquid chromatography, comprising:
 placing at least one of a material to be analyzed or a chromatographic packing material in a tubular polymer container having an outlet port located at a downstream end of the container and configured for use with chromatographic equipment, the container having container threads formed on an upstream end of the container;   threadingly engaging threads on a polymer cap with the container threads, the cap having an inlet port on an upstream end of the cap; and   sealing the cap to the container by tightening the threads and engaging a seal between the cap and the container, the seal providing a fluid tight seal below about 100 psi suitable for LPLC use.   
     
     
         23 .- 32 . (canceled)