IONIZATION PROBE ASSEMBLIES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ionization probe assembly, comprising:
- at least one probe mounting structure;
at least one probe that is movably coupled to the probe mounting structure, which probe is configured to discontinuously introduce sample aliquots into an ion source housing; and
,at least one probe conveyance mechanism operably connected to the probe, which probe conveyance mechanism is configured to convey the probe between at least a first position and at least a second position, wherein the first position is substantially electrically isolated from the second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates generally to sample ionization, and provides ionization probe assemblies, systems, computer program products, and methods useful for this purpose.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. An ionization probe assembly, comprising:
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at least one probe mounting structure; at least one probe that is movably coupled to the probe mounting structure, which probe is configured to discontinuously introduce sample aliquots into an ion source housing; and
,at least one probe conveyance mechanism operably connected to the probe, which probe conveyance mechanism is configured to convey the probe between at least a first position and at least a second position, wherein the first position is substantially electrically isolated from the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An ionization probe assembly, comprising:
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at least one ion source housing back plate that comprises one or more surfaces that define at least one spray orifice, which ion source housing back plate is configured to operably connect to an ion source housing; at least one rinse cavity that is at least partially disposed within the ion source housing back plate, wherein the rinse cavity communicates with the spray orifice via at least one opening; at least one probe support structure coupled to the ion source housing back plate via at least one linear slide; at least one probe substantially fixedly mounted on the probe support structure; and
,at least one probe conveyance mechanism operably connected to the probe support structure, which probe conveyance mechanism is configured to selectively convey the probe support structure such that the probe slides between the spray orifice and the rinse cavity through the opening. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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43. An ionization probe assembly, comprising:
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at least one ion source housing back plate that comprises one or more surfaces that define at least one spray orifice, which ion source housing back plate is configured to operably connect to an ion source housing; at least one rinse cavity that is at least partially disposed within the ion source housing back plate, wherein the rinse cavity communicates with the spray orifice via at least one opening; at least one probe movably coupled to the ion source housing back plate via at least one pivot mechanism; and
,at least one probe conveyance mechanism that comprises at least one motor operably connected to the pivot mechanism via a pulley and belt drive assembly, which probe conveyance mechanism is configured to selectively convey the probe between the spray orifice and the rinse cavity through the opening.
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44. A molecular mass measurement system, comprising:
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at least one mass spectrometer that comprises at least one ion source housing; at least one ionization probe assembly operably connected to the ion source housing, which ionization probe assembly comprises; at least one probe mounting structure; at least one probe that comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the inlet fluidly communicates with the outlet, wherein the probe is movably coupled to the probe mounting structure, which probe is configured to discontinuously introduce sample aliquots into the ion source housing; and at least one probe conveyance mechanism operably connected to the probe, which probe conveyance mechanism is configured to convey the probe between a spray position and a rinse position, wherein the spray position is substantially electrically isolated from the rinse position; at least one sample source in fluid communication with the inlet of the probe; at least one rinse fluid source in fluid communication with the inlet of the probe; and
,at least one controller operably connected at least to the ionization probe assembly, which controller is configured to selectively direct the ionization probe assembly to; (a) convey the probe from the rinse position to the spray position; (b) spray at least one sample aliquot into the ion source housing from the sample source when the probe is in the spray position; (c) convey the probe from the spray position to the rinse position; and (d) rinse the probe with rinse fluid from the rinse fluid source when the probe is in the rinse position. - View Dependent Claims (45)
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46. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable medium having one or more logic instructions for directing an ionization probe assembly of a molecular mass measurement system to:
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(a) convey a first probe from a first rinse position to a first spray position of the molecular mass measurement system, wherein the first rinse position and the first spray position are substantially electrically isolated from one another; (b) convey a second probe from a second spray position to a second rinse position of the molecular mass measurement system, wherein the second spray position and the second rinse position are substantially electrically isolated from one another; (c) spray at least a first sample aliquot into an ion source housing of the molecular mass measurement system via the first probe when the first probe is in the first spray position; (d) rinse the second probe when the second probe is in the second rinse position; (e) convey the first probe from the first spray position to the first rinse position; (f) convey the second probe from the second rinse position to the second spray position; (g) spray at least a second sample aliquot into the ion source housing of the molecular mass measurement system via the second probe when the second probe is in the second spray position; and
,(h) rinse the first probe when the first probe is in the first rinse position. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of spraying sample aliquots into an ion source housing of a molecular mass measurement system, the method comprising:
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(a) conveying a first probe from a first rinse position to a first spray position of the molecular mass measurement system, wherein the first rinse position and the first spray position are substantially electrically isolated from one another and wherein the first spray position is in fluid communication with the ion source housing; (b) conveying a second probe from a second spray position to a second rinse position of the molecular mass measurement system, wherein the second spray position and the second rinse position are substantially electrically isolated from one another; (c) spraying at least a first sample aliquot into the ion source housing via the first probe when the first probe is in the first spray position; (d) rinsing the second probe when the second probe is in the second rinse position; (e) conveying the first probe from the first spray position to the first rinse position; (f) conveying the second probe from the second rinse position to the second spray position, wherein the second spray position is in fluid communication with the ion source housing; (g) spraying at least a second sample aliquot into the ion source housing of the molecular mass measurement system via the second probe when the second probe is in the second spray position; and
,(h) rinsing the first probe when the first probe is in the first rinse position, thereby spraying the sample aliquots into the ion source housing of the molecular mass measurement system. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification