PORTABLE EXPLOSIVE OR DRUG DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20100184229A1
• Filed: 01/16/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Douglas Haas, Jeffrey Haas
• Original Assignee: Douglas Haas, Jeffrey Haas
• Inventors: Haas, Jeffrey, Haas, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,071,385 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/4022 by thermal techniques; Phase changes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/022 sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/028 Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8483 Investigating reagent band test-element handling not specific to a test method G01N33/4875; analytical elements specific to chemical analysis of biological material G01N33/52; autometer with reagent band G01N35/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0057 Warfare agents or explosives
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 Condition or time responsive

Abstract

A portable chemical analytical apparatus to analyze a test swipe includes a heater to warm the test swipe to a predetermined temperature; a clamp to secure the test swipe to the heater; one or more pumps to dispense one or more chemicals onto the test swipe from a disposable cartridge; a fan to remove chemical vapors rising a predetermined distance from the test swipe; and a camera to capture an image of the test swipe for automated analysis.

Claims

1. A portable chemical analytical apparatus to analyze a test swipe, comprising:

a heater to warm the test swipe to various predetermined temperatures at various hold times;

a clamp to secure the test swipe to the heater;

one or more pumps to dispense one or more chemicals onto the test swipe from a disposable cartridge;

a fan to remove chemical vapors rising a predetermined distance from the test swipe but leaving vapors immediately in contact with the swipe; and

a camera to capture an image of the test swipe for analysis and for real-time viewing by the operator to provide secondary level of assessment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a controller to perform the analysis in real-time and storing data according to positive or negative results with a time and date stamp for later retrieval.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a controller coupled to each pump to dispense chemical solutions in predetermined sequences.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a heater that heats up the swiped sample to predetermined temperatures and hold times using an automatic ramped heating feedback control providing results unique to the analyte.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fan provides the camera with anti-fog protection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the camera output is shown on a display.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a JPEG encoder and decoder for storing and viewing previous results and images.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a programmable uniform white light intensity source coupled to the camera.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a controller to perform automatic calibration under different lighting environments.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a processor coupled to the camera and to the one or more pumps to analyze the test swipe.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a proximity sensor to detect the presence of a swipe.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a controller coupled to a motor to drive a solution delivery manifold to the center of the swipe and in close proximity to the swipe to dispense the solution without dripping, regardless orientation.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a controller coupled to the disposable cartridge for monitoring fluid levels within each reservoir contained in the disposable cartridge.

15. A method to analyze a test swipe, comprising:

clamping the test swipe to a heater in a test chamber;

controlling the heater to expose the test swipe through a predetermined temperature sequence;

dispensing one or more chemicals onto the test swipe through one or more pumps throughout the temperature sequence;

removing chemical vapors rising a predetermined distance from the test swipe but leaving vapors immediately in contact with the swipe; and

capturing an image of the test swipe for analysis.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising performing image analysis in real-time.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a controller controls each pump to dispense one or more chemical solutions in a predetermined sequence.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising heating the swipe test to one or more predetermined temperatures and hold times using an automatic ramped heating feedback control.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising protecting the camera with anti-fog protection.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the camera output is shown real-time on a display.

21. The method of claim 15, comprising storing and viewing images with a JPEG encoder and decoder.

22. The method of claim 15, comprising generating a programmable uniform white light intensity source to light the swipe.

23. The method of claim 15, comprising performing automatic calibration under different lighting environments.

24. A method to analyze a swiped sample to identify a chemical composition, comprising:

automatically pumping a series of chemical solution agents into the swiped sample without dripping;

heating the swiped sample to one or more predetermined temperatures and hold times to optimize and accelerate the chemical reactions;

capturing one or more images of the chemical reaction;

sending the images to the a display screen for operator observation; and

analyzing the images to identify the chemical composition based on a chemical reaction and sequence of occurrence and database.