SAMPLE CARTRIDGE FOR AIR-SAMPLING DEVICE

• US 20070295112A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evogen Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sceptor Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Swank, Freeman, Tesluk, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,549,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/864
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2273 Atmospheric sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/007 Devices specially adapted for forensic samples, e.g. tamper-proofing, sample tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/022 sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents

Abstract

The present invention provides a sample cartridge for use with an air and gas sampling device. The cartridge includes a body that defines an interior space, a top portion attached to the body and substantially covering the interior space, and first and second valves seated in the top portion of the cartridge. The valves automatically seal to prevent leakage from the cartridge when the cartridge is not in operable position within the air and gas sampling device.

Claims

1. A sample cartridge for use with a gas and air sampling device comprising:

a) a body portion defining an interior space therein;

b) a first valve seated in a surface of said body portion; and

c) a second valve seated in a surface of said body portion,

wherein said first valve and said second valve automatically seal to prevent leakage from said cartridge when said cartridge is not operably positioned within a gas and air sampling device.

2. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a top portion attached to said body portion and substantially covering said interior space defined by said body portion.

3. The sample cartridge according to claim 2 further comprising a cap portion removably engageable with said top portion, said lid portion being adapted to form a seal against said first and second valves.

4. The sample cartridge according to claim 2 wherein said top portion is fixedly attached to said body portion.

5. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a data storage portion for storing data related to a sample contained within said cartridge.

6. The sample cartridge according to claim 5 wherein said data storage portion is selected from the group consisting of magnetic storage devices, flash storage devices, computer-readable discs, RFID devices, RAM storage devices, and combinations thereof.

7. The sample cartridge according to claim 5 further comprising a data receiver for receiving data from a gas and air sampling device.

8. The sample cartridge according to claim 5 further comprising a data transmitter for transmitting data to a gas and air sampling device.

9. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said sample cartridge is a single-use, disposable sample cartridge.

10. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said sample cartridge is pre-charged with a sampling fluid contained within said interior space defined by said body portion.

11. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 wherein said sample cartridge is adapted to receive a fluid sample after said fluid sample is processed by an air and gas sampling device.

12. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 wherein a sample contained within said sample cartridge is visible through the material from which said sample cartridge is constructed.

13. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising at least one gripping portion on an exterior surface of said body, said gripping portion allowing for easy manipulation of said sample cartridge by a user thereof.

14. The sample cartridge according to claim 13 wherein said gripping portion comprises at least one molded rib.

15. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a plurality of markings on an exterior surface of said body, said markings adapted such that a user of said cartridge can use said markings to estimate a volume of fluid within said cartridge.

16. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a sterilization indicator attached to said body.

17. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a sensor for monitoring the level of a fluid contained within the body of said sample cartridge.

18. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising an identifier for identifying a sample contained within the sample cartridge.

19. The sample cartridge according to claim 18 wherein said identifier is a human-readable identifier.

20. The sample cartridge according to claim 18 wherein said identifier is a computer-readable identifier.

21. The sample cartridge according to claim 20 wherein said identifier is an RFID device.

22. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a third valve seated in a surface of said body portion wherein said third valve automatically seals to prevent leakage from said cartridge when said cartridge is not operably positioned within a gas and air sampling device.

23. The sample cartridge according to claim 22 further comprising a fourth valve seated in a surface of said body portion wherein said fourth valve automatically seals to prevent leakage from said cartridge when said cartridge is not operably positioned within a gas and air sampling device.

44. The sample cartridge according to claim 1 further comprising a material contained within said cartridge to facilitate the analysis of a sample introduced into said cartridge.

24. A sample cartridge for use with a gas and air sampling device comprising:

a) a body portion defining an interior space therein;

b) a top portion attached to said body portion and substantially covering said interior space defined by said body portion;

b) a first valve seated in a surface of said top portion;

c) a second valve seated in a surface of said top portion;

d) a third valve seated in a surface of said body top; and

wherein said first, second, and third valves automatically seal to prevent leakage from said cartridge when said cartridge is not operably positioned within a gas and air sampling device, and further wherein said first, second, and third valves are in bi-directional fluid communication with a gas and air sampling device when operably positioned therein.

25. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising a lid portion removable engageable with said top portion, said lid portion being adapted to form a seal against said first, second, and third valves when engaged with said top portion.

26. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising a data storage portion for storing data related to a sample contained within said cartridge.

27. The sample cartridge according to claim 26 wherein said data storage portion is selected from the group consisting of magnetic storage devices, RFID devices, flash storage devices, computer-readable discs, RAM storage devices, and combinations thereof.

28. The sample cartridge according to claim 26 further comprising a data receiver for receiving data from a gas and air sampling device.

29. The sample cartridge according to claim 26 further comprising a data transmitter for transmitting data to a gas and air sampling device.

30. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 wherein said cartridge is a single-use, disposable sample cartridge.

31. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 wherein said sample cartridge is pre-charged with a sampling fluid contained within said interior space defined by said body portion.

32. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 wherein said sample cartridge is adapted to receive a fluid sample after said fluid sample is processed by a gas and air sampling device.

33. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 wherein a sample contained within said sample cartridge is visible through the material from which said sample cartridge is constructed, thereby allowing a user of said sample cartridge to view a sample contained therein.

34. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising at least one gripping portion on an exterior surface of said body, said gripping portion allowing for easy manipulation of said sample cartridge by a user therof.

35. The sample cartridge according to claim 34 wherein said gripping portion comprises at least one molded rib.

36. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising a plurality of markings on an exterior surface of said body, said markings adapted such that a user of said cartridge can use said markings to estimate a volume of fluid within said cartridge.

37. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising a sterilization indicator attached to said body.

38. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising a sensor for monitoring the level of a fluid contained within the body of said sample cartridge.

39. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising an identifier for identifying a sample contained within the sample cartridge.

40. The sample cartridge according to claim 39 wherein said identifier is a human-readable identifier.

41. The sample cartridge according to claim 39 wherein said identifier is a computer-readable identifier.

42. The sample cartridge according to claim 41 wherein said identifier is a RFID device.

43. The sample cartridge according to claim 24 further comprising a fourth valve seated in a surface of said body portion wherein said fourth valve automatically seals to prevent leakage from said cartridge when said cartridge is not operably positioned within a gas and air sampling device.