# US 11,029,295 B2 · Voctron: a low weight portable air sampling device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,295 B2 - Document ID: US11029295B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/157,148 - Filed: 2018-10-11 - Published: 2020-04-16 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-11 - Assignees: Tintoria Piana US, Inc. - Applicants: Tintoria Piana US, Inc. - Inventors: Massimo Maffei; Andrea Piana - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029295B2 ## CPC - G01N 33/0047: {Organic compounds} - A61B 5/082: {Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath (A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence)} - A61B 5/087: Measuring breath flow - A61B 5/097: Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices - G01N 1/2205: {with filters} - G01N 1/2273: {Atmospheric sampling} - G01N 33/497: of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath - A61B 5/742: {using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339)} - G01N 1/2214: {by sorption} - 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)} - G01N 2001/2244: {Exhaled gas, e.g. alcohol detecting} - G01N 2001/2276: {Personal monitors} - G01N 2030/025: {Gas chromatography} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A low weight portable air sampling device comprising a housing at least partially enclosing an inlet for receiving an air or breath sample; a removable liner coupled to the inlet containing sorbing materials; a micro-pump for regulating air flow within the device; and an outlet for emitting the air or breath sample from the device is described. The device may be used to collect Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) of both biotic and abiotic origin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable low weight air sampling device comprising: a housing at least partially enclosing an inlet for receiving an air or breath sample, wherein the inlet is defined by an open cavity passing through and bounded by a removable cap; a removable liner coupled to the cap such that the liner and the cap can be removed from the device as a single unit, wherein the removable liner contains sorbing materials; a micro-pump for regulating air flow within the device; and an outlet for emitting the air or breath sample from the device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, further comprising a removable liner holder containing the liner. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, further comprising an accessory attached to the inlet for receiving an air or breath sample selected from the group consisting of a mouthpiece, a plate for skin sniffing, a funnel, and a tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 3, wherein the mouthpiece is attached to the inlet and a filter for trapping moisture is arranged between the mouthpiece and the liner. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, wherein the sorbing materials comprise one or more of silica gel, activated charcoal, porous polymers, polydimethylsiloxane, and porous anodic alumina. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, wherein the micro-pump is a diaphragm pump. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, further comprising a flow meter for measuring the air flow rate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 7, further comprising a display for showing the air flow rate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, further comprising a master switch to operate the device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 9, wherein the master switch has three positions: switched off, reduced flow, and full flow, wherein the full flow position is configured to provide a first predefined flow level and the reduced flow position is configured to provide a second predefined flow level that is lower than the first predefined flow level. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, wherein the outlet comprises a removable filter for trapping microorganisms. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, further comprising a battery for powering the device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, wherein a side of the housing includes a cavity configured to hold the removable liner in place when the removable liner is inserted. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in a breath sample, comprising: collecting a breath sample from a subject using a device as claimed in claim 1 by i) positioning a mouthpiece connected to the inlet of the device to the subject's mouth; and ii) powering the device on for a predetermined time; removing the liner from the device; and desorbing VOCs adsorbed to the liner for analysis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein a moisture filter is arranged between the mouthpiece and the liner and the moisture filter is replaced before and/or after the collecting step. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein an exhaust filter is coupled to the outlet and the exhaust filter is replaced before and/or after the collecting step. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the device comprises a master switch having three positions: switched off, reduced flow, and full flow and the device is set to reduced flow during the collecting step. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the collecting step is performed for 20-30 minutes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the liner is conditioned for reuse after the VOCs are desorbed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the analysis comprises gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and/or other detectors. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) A method for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in an environmental sample, comprising: collecting an environmental air sample using a device as claimed in claim 1 by i) positioning a funnel connected to the inlet of the device towards an air space to be sampled; and ii) powering the device on for a predetermined time; removing the liner from the device; and desorbing VOCs adsorbed to the liner for analysis. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the collecting step is performed for 30-60 minutes. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The portable low weight air sampling device of claim 1, wherein the device weighs less than one pound. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the device comprises a master switch having three positions: switched off, reduced flow, and full flow and the device is set to reduced flow and full flow during the collecting step.