Device for testing surfaces of articles for traces of explosives and/or drugs
First Claim
1. An apparatus for collecting samples of interest from a card, the apparatus comprising a housing formed with a slot dimensioned for slidably receiving the card, at least one wiper disposed in the housing substantially adjacent the slot for biased engagement against the card slid through the slot and an enclosure for selectively enclosing the wiper.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device is provided for testing surfaces of a card for the presence of explosives, drugs or other substances of interest. The device includes a slot for receiving the card. Thin metallic wiper blades are dispose in alignment with the slot and wipe over surfaces of the card as the card is passed through the slot. Thus, substances on the surface of the card are transferred to the wiper blade. The wiper blade then is enclosed and rapidly heated to desorb the material retrieved from the card. The enclosure then is placed in communication with a detector to test for the presence of substances of interest.
59 Citations
20 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for collecting samples of interest from a card, the apparatus comprising a housing formed with a slot dimensioned for slidably receiving the card, at least one wiper disposed in the housing substantially adjacent the slot for biased engagement against the card slid through the slot and an enclosure for selectively enclosing the wiper.
- 9. An apparatus for collecting samples from surfaces of a card, the apparatus comprising first and second wipers formed from an electrically conductive material, each said wiper having a blade with a wiping area, the wiping areas being disposed for contacting opposite surfaces of the card upon insertion of the card between the wipers, an enclosure for selectively enclosing said wipers, and a heater for heating the wipers sufficiently for vaporizing samples of material collected on said wiping edges.
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14. An apparatus for testing for substances of interest on surfaces of a card, said apparatus comprising;
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a housing having a slot formed therein for slidably receiving said card;
first and second metallic wipers disposed in said apparatus and in proximity to said slot, said first and second metallic wipers being formed respectively with first and second resiliently deflectable wiper blades biased toward one another, said blades having wiping areas disposed relative to one another for contacting opposite surfaces of said card upon moving said card through said slot;
an enclosure selectively movable from an open position where said wipers are exposed for access at said slot and a closed position where said wipers are substantially enclosed;
an electric heater for heating said wipers when said enclosure is in said closed position; and
a detector communicating with said enclosure for testing for substances of interest collected on said blades of said wipers. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for testing for substances of interest, said method comprising:
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receiving a card from a suspect;
passing the card against a resiliently deflectable metallic wiper such that said wiper removes substances from said card;
enclosing the wiper in an enclosure;
heating the wiper in the enclosure sufficiently for desorbing substances removed from said card and onto said wiper;
placing said wiper in communication with a detector; and
testing the collected sample for the presence of a substance of interest. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification