Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WO 00/61279 PCT/EP00/02988
Reaction vessel containing a syphon tube
The invention relates to a reaction vessel for accepting a reaction fluid
which, together
with other reaction vessels, can be placed in a reaction vessel holder for
carrying out
solid phase synthesis, the reaction fluid of which can be supplied to a micro-
titre plate
via a syphon outlet.
Such a reaction vessel is known from US-5 770 157 A. A tube piece is utilised
in the
outlet opening of this reaction vessel to implement a syphon outlet, one end
of which
is fixed to the base of the reaction vessel by melting and the other end of
which is to
be hung in a discharge pipe in order that the reaction fluid can be conveyed
into this.
In each case, the discharge pipes are disposed adjacent to a reaction vessel
at a lateral
distance from one another in a reaction vessel holder, so that in each case,
the tube
piece is to be bent through 180° both in the melted area and in its
other end area. The
syphon outlet formed by the tube piece is therefore disposed outside the
reaction
vessel, laterally adjacent thereto.
Manual bending of the occasionally-brittle tube piece which is connected to
the
reaction vessel and its introduction into the discharge pipe, especially since
space is
limited in a reaction vessel holder, does not just require dexterity, these
work
processes are also extremely time-consuming. Above all, however, it is
disadvantageous that the melt connection between the tube piece and the base
of the
reaction vessel is loaded to such a high degree by bending and/or displacing
so that
damage is often unavoidable. This can lead to leakage, as a result of which
the solid
phase synthesis may be questioned, leading to high expenditure in time and
money.
In addition, considerable space is required as a result of the arrangement of
the tube
piece which forms the syphon outlet in each case adjacent to the reaction
vessel in the
reaction vessel holder, hence the reaction vessel holder is almost completely
filled by
the reaction vessels and tube pieces so that uniform heating or cooling of the
reaction
vessels by flushing is practically excluded. Therefore the known reaction
vessels are
only unsatisfactorily suitable for use in a reaction vessel holder.
Hence the invention is tasked to produce a reaction vessel to accept a
reaction fluid of
the type mentioned above which is not only configured in a constructionally-
simple
CA 02372796 2001-09-26
manner and is thus economical to produce but wherein it is practically out of
the
question that leakage can occur. Rather it is to be avoided that additional
processing
for formation of a syphon outlet is necessary and that substantial amounts of
space
can be saved with the same vessel capacity, so that greater amounts of free
space can
be used in a reaction vessel holder for the supply of fluids and gases to
uniformly heat
or cool reaction vessels placed in a reaction vessel holder. Furthermore,
versatility
with a low failure rate and simple manipulation should also be guaranteed.
According to the invention, this is attained with a reaction vessel for
accepting a
reaction fluid of the type mentioned above in that a syphon tube is disposed
preferably
centrically in the reaction vessel, connected to its outlet, that a riser,
which is closed at
its upper end, is attached at a radial distance thereto in the lower portion
of the
reaction vessel, and that the riser is in communication with its acceptance
space and is
linked in the upper portion with the syphon tube.
Here, it is expedient to configure the syphon tube as one piece with a housing
which
forms the acceptance space of the reaction vessel and preferably to injection
mould it
on the base thereof, and to place the riser therein at an axial distance to
the base of the
housing, wherein in order to hold the riser in the housing, the base of this
housing can
be provided with a shoulder piece in its edge area, preferably disposed about
its
periphery, which is especially configured as a step, on which the riser is
supported
with a moulded-on collar, and the collar should preferably have symmetrically-
disposed penetration openings. Furthermore, it is indicated that an outlet
nozzle is to
be moulded onto the outside of the base of the housing, preferably injection
moulded
centrically thereon.
It is also very advantageous to dispose a filter insert, especially in the
form of a frit, in
the transitional area between the acceptance space of the housing and the
riser, which
can be supported on the collar of the riser, and to provide the riser in its
upper edge
area with a penetration opening which opens into the acceptance space of the
housing,
to which a restrictor is to be assigned, e.g. in the form of a frit placed in
the interior of
the riser.
Furthermore, it is appropriate to provide the housing of the reaction vessel
with an
inlet opening in its upper portion for the introduction of a pressurised gas.
If a
plurality of such reaction vessels are to be placed in a reaction vessel
holder, it is
expedient to seal the reaction vessels together in an airtight manner with the
help of a
plate.
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If a reaction vessel for accepting a reaction fluid is configured according to
the
invention, not only it is possible in the easiest manner to assemble this but
it is also
practically out of the question that the individual components of the reaction
vessel
will be damaged. During assembly, the riser must merely be placed over the
syphon
tube which is moulded onto the housing of the reaction vessel in order to
provide a
reaction vessel which can be used in a very versatile manner over an extended
time
period, wherein there is no danger of operational failure.
Furthermore, it is substantially advantageous, since the syphon tube is
disposed within
the housing of the reaction vessel, hence saving space, that large amounts of
free
space are provided when the reaction vessel is placed in a reaction vessel
holder, these
spaces being useful for cooling and heating the reaction fluids disposed in
the reaction
vessels in that the free spaces are rinsed through with fluids or gases.
Uniform
influencing of the individual reaction vessels is consequently guaranteed,
which
means that versatility is provided along with simple manipulation.
An embodiment example of the reaction vessel for acceptance of a reaction
fluid,
configured according to the invention, is shown in the drawing and is
explained in
greater detail in the following text.
The reaction vessel, designated as 1 and shown in axial cross-section, serves
to accept
reaction fluids 2 in order to carry out solid phase synthesis in a reaction
vessel holder,
and substantially comprises a housing 11 which is configured like a beaker, a
syphon
tube 16, centrically moulded onto the base 13 thereof, projecting into the
acceptance
space 12 of the housing 11 and a riser 21 placed over this and disposed
laterally
thereto, supported on the base 13 of the housing 11 and in communication with
the
interior 12 thereof. In order to effect this, an annular-configured flange 23
is moulded
onto the riser 21 and a peripherally-projecting shoulder 14 is provided in the
edge area
of the base 13 of the housing 11, on which the flange 23 rests. The riser 21,
or its
flange 23, is thus supported at a distance from the base 13. And since the
flange 23 is
provided with uniformly-distributed penetrations 24, the reaction fluid 2 can
flow out
from the interior of the housing 11 into the annular space 22 between the
syphon tube
16 and the riser 21. Furthermore, a filter insert 25 in the form of an annular
frit is
placed on the flange 23, hence particles disposed in the reaction fluid are
held back
and do not gain access to the annular space 22.
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4
After placing a plurality of reaction vessels 1 in a reaction vessel holder,
not
illustrated, and filling with reaction fluid 2, these are sealed together in
an airtight
manner with the help of a plate 20. If required, the reaction vessel 1 is then
heated or
cooled to influence solid phase synthesis. When this process is completed, the
reaction fluid is transferred to a micro-titre plate. This takes place in that
the reaction
fluid 2 disposed in the acceptance space 12 of the housing 11 is acted upon by
a
pressurised gas which can be supplied by means of a bore 18 introduced into an
upper
portion of the housing 12. As a result, since the riser 21 is closed at its
upper end
portion the reaction fluid 102 rises into the annular space 22 and flows into
the
interior 17 of the syphon tube 16 which is connected with an outlet nozzle 15
centrically moulded onto the outside of the base 13. With the help of the
outlet nozzle
15, the reaction fluid 2 can then be poured into the respective acceptance
space of a
micro-titre plate. Naturally it is also possible to empty the reaction vessels
1 by
syphoning off, in that a vacuum is applied to the outlet nozzle 15.
Since an overpressure is formed in that part of the interior 12 of the housing
11 which
is not filled with reaction fluid 2 when the reaction vessels are heated,
which can lead
to the reaction fluid 2 being forced into the syphon tube 16, causing the
housing 11 to
undesirably run dry, a penetration bore 26 is introduced into the upper end of
the riser
21 to prevent this. With the help of the penetration bore 26, pressure is
equalised in
the two spaces which are connected thereto so that even the reaction fluid 2
disposed
in the annular space 22 is acted upon and hence no rise occurs. And in order
to
prevent the fluid stream from being interrupted by the air sucked through the
penetration bore 26 when the reaction fluid 102 is drawn off, a frit 27 is
also disposed
in front of the penetration bore 26 which works as a restrictor, only allowing
a small
quantity of air to be drawn off. Despite its simple construction, the reaction
vessel 1
can be used over extended periods of time, in particular for testing solid
phase
synthesis, without operational failure.
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