Apparatuses and methods for wireless monitoring and control of environmental sampling and chromatographic apparatuses

• US 20080179251A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne Instruments Incorporated (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Teledyne Isco, Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davison, Dale A., Meyer, Dale L., Silver, Jack E., Jameson, Daniel G., Pipes, Ruth A., Curran, Jon L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,555,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/656
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/10 characterised by constructional or operational features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/0095 Separation specially adapted for use outside laboratory, e.g. field sampling, portable equipments
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/02 Column chromatography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/16 Injection G01N30/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

A liquid chromatographic system includes columns, column mounting fixtures to which the columns are mounted, a detector, a collector, a controller and a plurality of RFIDs. A first RFID communicates with the controller and cooperating RFIDs mounted to other components provide information such as the history of components, parameters and the like. They also receive information from sensors relating to the operation of the liquid chromatograph, store the information and transmit it. Moreover, the RFIDs may substitute for hard wiring in many applications and may enable a central computer to control several liquid chromatographic

Claims

1. A liquid sampler comprising:

pump means for repeatedly drawing liquid from a body of liquid;

at least one container;

at least one container mounting fixture adapted to receive at least one column;

at least one controller; and

a movable fixture providing at least one flow path;

said at least one controller communicating with said pump means and including a program for initiating pumping and determining a container into which at least one sample is deposited;

said pump means having a first wireless communication device;

said at least one controller having a second wireless communication device; and

said at least one controller having a third wireless communication device positioned to communicate wirelessly with at least the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.

2. A liquid sampler in accordance with claim 1 wherein container stations are connected to communicate with wireless communication devices identifying the container station wherein the at least one controller may direct fluid to that container station.

3. A liquid sampler in accordance with claim 1 in which a temperature measuring device is positioned in juxtaposition with a sampler and communicates with an RFID device to transmit an indication of temperature to the at least one controller;

said at least one controller maintaining a log of temperature changes.

4. A liquid sampler in accordance with claim 3 further including a heater placed in intimate contact with said at least one container;

said heater containing a source of power and a wireless communication device whereby said at least one controller may control the temperature of said at least one container to maintain it at a desired relationship with respect to the log of temperature changes.

5. A liquid sampler in accordance with claim 4 wherein a weight of said at least one container is transmitted to a wireless communication device in contact with a pump motor or the at least one controller to provide a feedback signal terminating pumping of liquid into the at least one container when a predetermined weight of the at least one container is reached.

6. A liquid sampler in accordance with claim 1 wherein the at least one container includes:

a plurality of containers;

at least one console;

each of said at least one console having a station for at least a corresponding one of the plurality of containers;

at least a corresponding one of a plurality of container mounting fixtures adapted to receive at least one container;

at least one corresponding controller for each of the at least one console; and

at least a corresponding one of a plurality of movable fixtures providing at least one flow path in each of said at least one console;

said at least one corresponding controller communicating with at least one pump and including a program for initiating pumping and determining a container into which at least one sample is deposited;

each of said pumps having a corresponding one of a plurality of a first wireless communication devices;

said at least one corresponding controller having a second wireless communication device; and

said at least one corresponding controller having a third wireless communication device positioned to communicate wirelessly with at least the first wireless communication device in at least a corresponding one of the at least one console and the second wireless communication device.

7. A liquid sampler system in accordance with claim 6 wherein container stations are connected to communicate with wireless communication devices identifying the container station wherein the at least one corresponding controller may direct fluid to that container station.

8. A liquid sampler system in accordance with claim 7 further including an analyzing station including a wireless communication device wherein said analyzing station may identify a source of each of said plurality of containers.

9. A method of environmental sampling comprising the steps of:

pumping liquid from a body of liquid into at least one container within a corresponding one of a plurality of container mounting fixtures adapted to receive the at least one container; and

moving a movable fixture with at least one flow path;

communicating with a pump;

initiating pumping and determining the at least one container into which at least one sample is deposited;

moving the at least one flow path to a selected container under the control of a first wireless control device connected for communication with a control system and a second wireless control device communicating with said movable fixture.

a controller having a second wireless communication device; and

said controller having a third wireless communication device positioned to communicate wirelessly with at least the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device.

10. A method of environmental sampling in accordance with claim 9 wherein container stations are connected to communicate with wireless communication devices identifying the container station wherein the controller may direct fluid to that container station through the wireless communication devices.

11. A method of environmental sampling in accordance with claim 9 further including the steps of determining the location of a liquid sampler with a position detector and recording at least one of the location of the container, the time of drawing a sample and the temperature in a wireless communication device on the container receiving the liquid from the liquid sampler.

12. A carrier for environmental sample containers including at least one wireless communication device on at least one of the carrier and at least one of the sample containers, whereby information can be recorded identifying one of the carrier and the at least one sample container.

13. A portable instrument comprising:

at least one chromatographic column;

said at least one chromatographic column having a plurality of sensors spaced along its length;

at least one wireless communication device on said column;

at least some of said plurality of sensors being connected to communicate with the at least one wireless communication device;

an input for the chromatographic column;

a readout device connected to a wireless communication device, wherein readings from the plurality of sensors may be displayed.

14. A portable instrument in accordance with claim 13 further including a positioning device to provide location of sampling;

said positioning system being able to record the position of said containers.

15. A portable instrument in accordance with claim 14 in which said positioning device is a global positioning system.