1. An apparatus for pressurizing a removable chromatographic cartridge having a side surface and ends, said apparatus comprising:
radial pressure means acting on the side surface of the chromatographic cartridge, and
axial pressure means acting on the ends of the chromatographic cartridge, said radial pressure means comprising a hollow tubular element having an inner diameter that is substantially the same as the outer diameter of said chromatographic cartridge, said axial pressure means and radial pressure means being simultaneously active and actuating means for said radial pressure means and axial pressure means.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hollow tubular element comprises at least two pressure shells substantially having the shape of a hollow cylindrical sector, said at least two pressure shells being complementary to each other, and said axial pressure means comprise piston-shaped means arranged on the ends of said chromatographic cartridge.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said actuating means of said pressure shells comprise two members arranged on ends of said pressure shells on planes that are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said pressure shells, provided on their peripheral edges with suitable means pushing said shells towards the one another when said axial pressure means are actuated.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said means pushing said shells towards one another comprise first inclined surfaces located on the peripheral edges of said members cooperating with second inclined surfaces complementary to the first inclined surfaces and arranged on the ends of said shells.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first inclined surfaces and said second inclined surfaces lie substantially on an average inclination plane having an inclination comprised within 15\xb0 and 45\xb0 with respect to the longitudinal axis of said shells.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second inclined surfaces comprise a tapered lateral surface of an inward projecting flange disposed at each end of said shells.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said members comprise cylindrical plate means having an axial cavity facing the ends of said shells, the side wall of said cavity being tapered.
8. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said members comprise spider-shaped means arranged on the ends of said shells on planes that are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shells, and having two or more radial arms comprising free ends cooperating with walls of said shells.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second inclined surfaces comprise edges facing said ends of the shells of openings obtained in the walls of said shells.
10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the edges of said openings comprise swellings increasing contact surface of said inclined surfaces.
11. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said actuating means of the piston-shaped means comprise a threaded rod coupled on one end, freely turnable provided by suitable means, with said piston-shaped means, and coupled with a threaded bushing axially disposed within said member.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a stiff tubular element integrally connected on one end to said piston is coaxially arranged within said threaded rod.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said piston is provided with an axial channel in fluid communication with said stiff tubular element, an eluant intakeoutlet duct being provided within said stiff tubular element, and said stiff tubular element being connected on its other end to eluant intakeoutlet means.
14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said piston is provided with sealing means cooperating with the walls of said cartridge.
15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said piston-shaped means comprises:
an upper cup-shaped body, and a lower cup-shaped body; and
a seat, adapted to accommodate a collar bearing, is formed by the insertion of the lower body into the cavity of the upper cup-shaped body, said upper cup-shaped body and lower cup-shaped body being mutually connected by a connection forming an axial gap between said upper cup-shaped body and said lower cup-shaped body.
16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the piston-shaped means comprise a piston-shaped portion connected to said member, said piston shaped portion communicating with eluant outlet means, and said member being arranged on uprights connected to a base.
17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said piston-shaped portion is connected to said member by means of twist-lock engagement between cavities and projections formed on the mutually facing surfaces.
18. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said piston-shaped means are provided with an axial projecting tang having a through passage in which is inserted said stiff tubular element, an eluant intakeoutlet duct being provided within said stiff tubular element, an end portion of said stiff tubular element being provided with a flanged head, and a collar bearing being placed between said flanged head and trail edge of said tang.
19. The apparatus according to claim 3, said apparatus accommodates use of at least two different sizes of cartridges, and further comprising spacing means which allow the compensation for different size cartridges.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said spacing means comprise a tubular member, having the same section of said cartridge and placed in contact with said cartridge at its inlet end.
21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said spacing means comprise a tubular member provided with an upper and a lower transverse walls, said upper and lower walls being provided with means for coupling with said piston-shaped and with said member arranged on uprights connected to a base, respectively.
22. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hollow tubular element has a cylindrical shape.
23. The apparatus according to claim 1, further adapted to accommodate an outwardly extending rim of the cartridge.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for operating a first computing device, the method comprising:
detecting a signal generated from an inductive signal interface provided on a front facade of the first computing device, the signal being generated by the inductive signal interface being in operational proximity to an inductive signal interface provided on a rear facade of a second computing device; and
dynamically presenting a graphic notification feature, on a display of the first computing device, that confirms an event related to the first and second computing devices inductively signaling one another, the graphic notification feature being dynamically presented on different regions of the display for a duration of time.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event corresponds to the first and second computing devices being inductively coupled to exchange at least one of power or data.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event corresponds to a coil of the inductive signal interface of each of the first and second computing devices being in sufficient alignment.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphic notification feature is dynamically presented concurrently with the exchange.
5. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphic notification feature is dynamically presented upon completion of the exchange.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic notification feature corresponds to a ripple or a wave.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the event corresponds to the first and second computing devices exchanging data inductively in order to establish a local wireless radio-frequency link.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the event corresponds to the first and second computing devices (i) exchanging data inductively in order to establish a local wireless radio-frequency link, then (ii) communicating information to one another using the local wireless radio-frequency link.
9. A first computing device comprising:
an inductive signal interface provided on a front facade of the first computing device;
a display screen;
one or more processors coupled to the inductive signal interface and the display screen; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first computing device to perform operations comprising:
detect a signal generated from the inductive signal interface as a result of the inductive signal interface being in operational proximity to an inductive signal interface of a second computing device, wherein the inductive signal interface of the second computing device is provided on a rear facade of the second computing device; and
dynamically present a graphic notification feature, on the display screen, that confirms an event related to the first and second computing devices being in operational proximity to inductively signal one another, the graphic notification feature being dynamically presented on different regions of the display screen for a duration of time.
10. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the graphic notification feature corresponds to a ripple or a wave.
11. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the inductive signal interface of the first computing device comprises one or more coils, and wherein the event corresponds to the one or more coils being sufficiently aligned to one or more coils of the second computing device.
12. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the inductive signal interface of both the first computing device and the second computing device comprises one or more coils, and wherein the event corresponds to the one or more coils of both the first computing device and the second computing device being properly aligned.
13. The first computing device of claim 9, further comprising:
a local wireless radio-frequency communication port; and
wherein the event corresponds to the first computing device exchanging data with the second computing device using the local wireless radio-frequency communication port.
14. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the first computing device is a mobile computing device.
15. The first computing device of claim 9, wherein the first computing device is a tablet.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first computing device, cause the first computing device to perform operations comprising:
detecting a signal generated from an inductive signal interface provided on a front facade of the first computing device, the signal generated by the inductive signal interface being in operational proximity to an inductive signal interface provided on a rear facade of a second computing device; and
dynamically presenting a graphic notification feature, on a display of the first computing device, that confirms an event related to the first and second computing devices inductively signaling one another, the graphic notification feature being dynamically presented on different regions of the display for a duration of time.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the event corresponds to the first and second computing devices being inductively coupled to exchange at least one of power or data.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the graphic notification feature is dynamically presented concurrently with the exchange of data or upon completion of the exchange.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the graphic notification feature corresponds to a ripple or a wave.