Apparatus, and process, for automatically sampling solids and semi-solids materials for analysis
First Claim
1. In a process for the extraction and separation for analysis of an organic fluid or solids specimen from a semi-solids or solids sample carried within a vialthe combination of steps which comprise locating a septum sealed vial having a single compartment within which is contained said semi-solids or solids sample adjacent a probe assembly,projecting said probe assembly through said septum into the compartment of the vial, said probe assembly includinga pair of concentrically mounted needles, an inner needle having a boretherethrough formed by an enclosing wall, an outlet at the lower terminal end of the needle opening into the bore through which a gas or liquid can be passed, and an upper inlet communicated with the bore of said inner needle for use in introducing a gas or liquid into the bore, andan outer needle having a bore therethrough formed by an enclosing wall of diameter sufficiently large to provide an annular passageway between the outside wall face of said inner needle and inside wall face of said outer needle, a gas inlet at the lower terminal end of the outer needle terminating above the outlet at the lower terminal end of said inner needle, and gas outlet at the upper terminal end of the outer needle communicated with the annular passageway,a first line from a supply source of both gas and liquid connected to the inlet of said inner needle through which gas can be passed to exit via the outlet at the lower terminal end of the inner needle to pressurize the contents of the vial, or liquid introduced as a solvent to disperse the semi-solids or solids sample,a second line connected to the gas outlet at the upper end of said outer needle through which a specimen-containing gas can be transported,whereby, when the probe assembly is inserted into the septum sealed vial, the gas inlet at the lower terminal end of the outer needle remains above said semi-solids or solids sample,injecting a liquid solvent via said first line of said probe assembly into the bore of said inner needle, the liquid solvent exiting at the opening at the lower terminal end of the inner needle to fill the vial compartment to a predetermined liquid level, and disperse the semi-solids or solids sample within the liquid solvent to form a slurry,injecting a gas via said first line into the bore of said inner needle, the gas exiting from the lower terminal end of said inner needle, thereby pressurizing the contents of the vial and mixing with the liquid slurry, and passing gas into the annular passageway of the outer needle, the gas exiting from the second line to a specimen collector for concentration therein, and transfer therefrom for analysis in an analytical instrument.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, and process, for extracting organic fluids and solids specimens from weighed amounts of semi-solids and solids samples for collection, concentration and transfer to an analytic unit. The organic specimen is picked up by a probe assembly from a single compartment septum-sealed vial by heating and slurrying the sample, contacting with a gas; and then transferring the organic specimen with the gas to a collection device, e.g., a syringe or adsorbent trap. The specimen is then transported to an analytical instrument for analysis.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. In a process for the extraction and separation for analysis of an organic fluid or solids specimen from a semi-solids or solids sample carried within a vial
the combination of steps which comprise locating a septum sealed vial having a single compartment within which is contained said semi-solids or solids sample adjacent a probe assembly, projecting said probe assembly through said septum into the compartment of the vial, said probe assembly including a pair of concentrically mounted needles, an inner needle having a bore therethrough formed by an enclosing wall, an outlet at the lower terminal end of the needle opening into the bore through which a gas or liquid can be passed, and an upper inlet communicated with the bore of said inner needle for use in introducing a gas or liquid into the bore, and an outer needle having a bore therethrough formed by an enclosing wall of diameter sufficiently large to provide an annular passageway between the outside wall face of said inner needle and inside wall face of said outer needle, a gas inlet at the lower terminal end of the outer needle terminating above the outlet at the lower terminal end of said inner needle, and gas outlet at the upper terminal end of the outer needle communicated with the annular passageway, a first line from a supply source of both gas and liquid connected to the inlet of said inner needle through which gas can be passed to exit via the outlet at the lower terminal end of the inner needle to pressurize the contents of the vial, or liquid introduced as a solvent to disperse the semi-solids or solids sample, a second line connected to the gas outlet at the upper end of said outer needle through which a specimen-containing gas can be transported, whereby, when the probe assembly is inserted into the septum sealed vial, the gas inlet at the lower terminal end of the outer needle remains above said semi-solids or solids sample, injecting a liquid solvent via said first line of said probe assembly into the bore of said inner needle, the liquid solvent exiting at the opening at the lower terminal end of the inner needle to fill the vial compartment to a predetermined liquid level, and disperse the semi-solids or solids sample within the liquid solvent to form a slurry, injecting a gas via said first line into the bore of said inner needle, the gas exiting from the lower terminal end of said inner needle, thereby pressurizing the contents of the vial and mixing with the liquid slurry, and passing gas into the annular passageway of the outer needle, the gas exiting from the second line to a specimen collector for concentration therein, and transfer therefrom for analysis in an analytical instrument.
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7. In a process for the extraction and separation for analysis of an organic fluid or solids specimen from a semi-solids or solids sample carried within a vial
the combination of steps which comprise locating a septum sealed vial having a single compartment within which is contained said semi-solids or solids sample adjacent a probe assembly, projecting a pair of hollow needles of said probe assembly through said septum into the compartment of the vial, said pair of hollow needles including, a first needle having a bore therethrough formed by an enclosing wall, an outlet at the lower terminal end of the first needle opening into the bore through which a gas or liquid can be passed, and an upper inlet communicated with the bore of said first needle for use in introducing a gas or liquid into the bore, and a second needle having a bore therethrough formed by an enclosing wail, a gas inlet at the lower terminal end of the second needle and gas outlet at the upper terminal end of the second needle communicated with the passageway provided by the bore through said second needle, a first line from a supply source of both gas and liquid connected to the inlet of said first needle through which gas can be passed to exit via the outlet at the lower terminal end of the first needle to thereby pressurize the contents of the vial, or liquid introduced as a solvent to disperse the semi-solids or solids sample, a second line connected to the gas outer at the upper end of said second needle through which a specimen-containing gas can be transported, whereby, when the pair of hollow needles of said probe assembly is inserted into the septum-sealed vial, the gas inlet to the second needle at the lower terminal end thereof remains above said semi-solids or solids sample, injecting a liquid solvent via said first line into the bore of said first needle, the liquid solvent exiting at the opening at the lower terminal end of the needle to fill the vial compartment to a predetermined liquid level, dispersing the semi-solids or solids sample within the liquid solvent to form a slurry, injecting a gas via said first line into the bore of said first needle, the gas exiting from the lower terminal end of said needle, pressurizing the contents of the vial and mixing with the liquid slurry, and passing gas from the vial into the bore of the second needle to transport the specimen for analysis, the gas exiting from the second line to a specimen collector for concentration therein, and transfer therefrom for analysis in an analytical instrument.
Specification