Analytical Instruments, Assemblies, and Methods

• US 20110133078A1
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Griffin Analytical Technologies, LLC (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patterson, Garth E., Gregory, Mark, Springston, Jason, Barket, Dennis JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,952,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/288
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00326 Analysers with modular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/06 Preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/7206 interfaced to gas chromatograph interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/722 through a gas permeable barrier (membranes, porous layers)
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/0022 Portable spectrometers, e.g. devices comprising independent power supply, constructional details relating to portability small scale devices per se H01J49/0013 and H01J49/0018
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 49/02 Details

Abstract

Person-portable mass analysis instrumentation configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis is provided. Mass analysis instrumentation can include a housing encompassing components of the instrumentation with the housing of the instrumentation defining a space having a volume of equal to or less than about 100,000 cm³. Instrument assemblies are also provided that can include a housing coupled to an instrument component isolation assembly, wherein the component isolation assembly is isolated from an environment exterior to the housing. Exemplary instrument assemblies can include at least first and second components configured to provide analysis with a housing of the instrument at least partially encompassing the first and second components and the first component being rigidly affixed to the housing. An isolation assembly can also be provided that is rigidly affixed to the second component with the isolation assembly being isolated from received inputs of the housing.

Claims

1. A person-portable mass analysis instrument configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein the multidimensional mass analysis comprises sequential mass spectrometry analyses.

3. The instrument of claim 1 further comprising a sample inlet component coupled to a mass analysis component, the sample inlet component being configured to receive a sample for analysis and prepare the sample for mass analysis by the mass analysis component, wherein the mass analysis component is configured to perform the multidimensional mass analysis.

4. The instrument of claim 3 further comprising a process circuitry component coupled to one or both of the sample inlet component and the mass analysis component, wherein the process circuitry component is configured to one or more of acquire data, store data, and manipulate acquired data generated by one or both of the sample inlet component and the mass analysis component.

5. The instrument of claim 4 wherein the process circuitry is configured to be accessed from remote process and storage circuitry.

6. The instrument of claim 3 wherein the sample inlet component is configured to be coupled to a plurality of sampling components.

7. The instrument of claim 3 wherein the sample inlet component is configured to be coupled to a plurality of analyte modification components.

8. The instrument of claim 3 further comprising:

a housing encompassing at least the mass analysis component; and

an isolator coupled to the housing and at least one component within the housing.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein the isolator is configured to isolate the one component from one or more of shock, vibration, electronic, and thermal inputs received by the housing.

10. A mass analysis instrument comprising:

a mass analysis component coupled to a sample preparation component, the sample preparation component being configured to receive a sample for analysis and expose the sample to a composition;

a consumables-generation component coupled to the sample preparation component, the consumables-generation component being configured to generate the composition; and

a housing coupled to one or more of the mass analysis component, the sample preparation component, and the consumables-generation component, the housing defining a space encompassing the instrument, wherein the composition is generated by the consumables-generation component from within the space.

11. The instrument of claim 10 wherein:

the sample preparation component is configured to perform gas chromatography, the chromatography partitioning a portion of the sample into a mobile phase; and

the composition is a gas.

12. The instrument of claim 10 wherein the mass analysis component comprises a cylindrical ion trap.

13. A mass analysis instrument comprising a housing encompassing components of the instrument, the components comprising a processing and control component, a sample inlet component, a sample preparation component, a mass analysis component, and a detection component, wherein the housing defines a space having a volume of equal to or less than about 100,000 cm³.

14. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the sample inlet component is coupled to the sample preparation component, the sample inlet component being configured to receive a sample and provide the sample to the sample preparation component, wherein the sample inlet component comprises a syringe port.

15. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the sample inlet component is coupled to the sample preparation component, the sample preparation component being configured to receive a sample from the sample inlet component, wherein the sample preparation component is configured to perform gas chromatography.

16. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the sample inlet component is coupled to the mass analysis component, the mass analysis component being configured to receive a sample from the sample inlet component, wherein the mass analysis component is configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis.

17. The instrument of claim 16 wherein the mass analysis component is coupled to the processing and control component, the processing and control component being configured to provide mass analysis parameters to the mass analysis component.

18. The instrument of claim 17 wherein the mass analysis parameters include waveforms.

19. The instrument of claim 18 wherein the mass analysis component comprises a cylindrical ion trap.

20. The instrument of claim 13 wherein the mass analysis component is coupled to the detection component, the detection component being configured to receive ionized analytes from the mass analysis component, wherein the detection component comprises an electron multiplier.