DOCKING STAND FOR ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENT

• US 20090057582A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo Niton Analyzers LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Thermo Niton Analyzers LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Martin, Kenneth P., Dugas, Michael E., Hamilton, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,875,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/522.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00841 results of the analyses
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00861 printing and sticking of identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/65 Raman scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/0766 X-ray fluorescence with indicator, tags
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2223/301 portable apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/00732 Identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer

Abstract

An analytical instrument may be docked in a stand. The stand provides electrical power, cooling, gas to purge air from an analytical gap within the instrument and/or other supplies or services to the instrument. The stand contains a contactless memory, such as an RF-ID tag, which stores information about the supplies and/or services the stand is capable of providing to the instrument. The instrument reads the stand'"'"'s contactless memory and automatically sets operational parameters of the instrument in accordance with the supplies and/or services the stand is capable of providing. Thus, the instrument may automatically operate in an enhanced mode, such as at a higher x-ray beam power, as a result of being mounted in the stand.

Claims

1. A method for automatically setting an operating parameter of an analytical instrument, comprising:

automatically determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on a stand;

if the analytical instrument is determined to be mounted on the stand, operating the analytical instrument according to a first operating parameter; and

if the analytical instrument is determined not to be mounted on the stand, operating the analytical instrument according to a second operating parameter different than the first operating parameter.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on the stand comprises determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on a stand that is capable of cooling at least a portion of the analytical instrument.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on the stand comprises determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on a stand that is capable of providing electrical power to the analytical instrument.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein, according to the first operating parameter, the analytical instrument is operated at a higher power rating than according to the second operating parameter.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on the stand comprises scanning for a contactless memory associated with the stand.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the scanning for the contactless memory comprises scanning for a radio-frequency identification (RF-ID) tag.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the scanning for the contactless memory comprises scanning a barcode.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the scanning for the contactless memory comprises reading a magnetic stripe.

9. A method for automatically preventing unsafe operation of an analytical instrument that can operate in at least two different modes, the method comprising:

automatically determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on a stand;

if the analytical instrument is determined to be mounted on the stand, operating the analytical instrument according to a first of the at least two different modes only if a safety device on the stand has been activated; and

if the analytical instrument is determined not to be mounted on the stand, operating the analytical instrument according to a second of the at least two different modes.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein:

operating the analytical instrument according to the first mode comprises operating a source for producing a beam of penetrating radiation at a first power level; and

operating the analytical instrument according to the second mode comprises operating the source for producing a beam of penetrating radiation at a second power level less than the first power level.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the safety device comprises a closeable cover.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the source for producing a beam of penetrating radiation comprises an x-ray tube.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the source for producing a beam of penetrating radiation comprises a laser.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the source for producing a beam of penetrating radiation comprises a spark source.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein determining if the analytical instrument is mounted on the stand comprises scanning for a contactless memory associated with the stand.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the scanning for the contactless memory comprises scanning for a radio-frequency identification (RF-ID) tag.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the scanning for the contactless memory comprises scanning a barcode.

18. A method according to claim 15, wherein the scanning for the contactless memory comprises reading a magnetic stripe.

19. A stand for an analytical instrument, comprising:

a receiver for detachably docking an analytical instrument that produces a beam of penetrating radiation;

a shield that is substantially opaque to the radiation produced by the analytical instrument; and

an interlock that prevents production of the radiation by the analytical instrument when the shield is in a first position and allows production of the radiation when the shield is in a second position.

20. A system for analyzing composition of a sample, comprising:

a stand comprising a recloseable, radiation-shielded enclosure;

a hand-held analyzer that is releasably attachable to the stand, the analyzer comprising a source for producing an excitation signal that produces a response signal from the sample, the analyzer being operable in a first mode, in which the source operates at a first power level, and in a second mode, in which the source operates at a second power level, greater than the first power level; and

an interlock that enables the analyzer to operate in the second mode only if the analyzer is attached to the stand and the enclosure is closed.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the interlock comprises:

a contactless memory attached to the stand;

a contactless memory reader in the analyzer; and

a sensor that detects a state of the enclosure.