# US 11,443,934 B2 · Time-of-flight mass spectrometry device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,443,934 B2 - Document ID: US11443934B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/056,444 - Filed: 2018-05-23 - Published: 2021-07-08 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-23 - Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation - Applicants: Shimadzu Corporation - Inventors: Tomoya Kudo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443934B2 ## CPC - H01J 49/068: {Mounting, supporting, spacing, or insulating electrodes} - H01J 49/401: {characterised by orthogonal acceleration, e.g. focusing or selecting the ions, pusher electrode} - H01J 49/02: Details - H01J 49/0409: {Sample holders or containers (containers for retaining a material to be analyzed, B01L3/50, for DNA, C12Q1/6834, for biological materials, G01N33/543)} - H01J 49/0486: {with means for monitoring the sample temperature} - H01J 49/40: Time-of-flight spectrometers (H01J49/36 takes precedence) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A time-of-flight mass spectrometry device includes: an ion introduction unit; a vacuum chamber connected to the ion introduction unit; a support member provided inside the vacuum chamber; a flight tube having a part of the outer surface supported by the support member and provided inside the vacuum chamber; a temperature sensor provided in the vicinity of a connection portion with the support member of the vacuum chamber; a temperature adjustment element provided in the vicinity of the connection portion; and a temperature control unit that controls the temperature adjustment element based on a measurement result of the temperature sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A time-of-flight mass spectrometry device, comprising: an ion introducer; a vacuum chamber having an outer surface and an inner surface and connected to the ion introducer; a flight tube provided within the vacuum chamber; a support member that supports the flight tube within the vacuum chamber, wherein the support member is in contact with the flight tube and the inner surface of the vacuum chamber; a temperature sensor provided in the vicinity of a contact part between the vacuum chamber and the support member and on a side of the outer surface of the vacuum chamber; a temperature adjuster provided in the vicinity of the contact part and on the side of the outer surface of the vacuum chamber; and a temperature controller that controls the temperature adjuster based on a measurement result of the temperature sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 1, comprising: a plurality of the support members; and a plurality of the contact parts each connected to one of the support members, wherein: the temperature sensor and the temperature adjuster are provided in the vicinity of a plurality of the contact parts connected to the support members in the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 2, wherein: the plurality of the support members are arranged on a plane orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the flight tube or in the vicinity of the plane. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 3, further comprising: a second temperature sensor and a second temperature adjuster provided on the outer surface of the vacuum chamber and at positions separated at least in the longitudinal direction of the flight tube from the temperature sensor, wherein: the temperature controller controls the second temperature adjuster based on a measurement result of the second temperature sensor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 4, further comprising: a third temperature sensor and a third temperature adjuster provided on the outer surface of the vacuum chamber and at positions separated at least in the longitudinal direction of the flight tube from the second temperature sensor, wherein: the temperature controller controls the third temperature adjuster based on a measurement result of the third temperature sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 1, wherein: an inner wall surface of the vacuum chamber facing the flight tube is subjected to radiation factor improvement treatment. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 6, wherein: the ion introducer has a contact portion with a device housing, and the ion introducer is in thermal contact with the device housing via a high thermal conductive member that has a high thermal conductivity at at least a part of the contact portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 1, wherein: the ion introducer has a contact portion with a device housing, and the ion introducer is in thermal contact with the device housing via a high thermal conductive member that has a high thermal conductivity at at least a part of the contact portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 8, wherein: the contact portion includes a plurality of contact portions, the contact portions are a plurality of locations having different distances from the flight tube, and the high thermal conductive member is provided on a contact portion among a plurality of the contact portions that is far from the flight tube. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 1, wherein: the vacuum chamber has a second contact portion that contacts with a device housing, and the vacuum chamber is in thermal contact with the device housing via a low heat conductive member that has a low thermal conductivity at at least a part of the second contact portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 6, wherein: the vacuum chamber has a second contact portion that contacts with a device housing, and the vacuum chamber is in thermal contact with the device housing via a low heat conductive member that has a low thermal conductivity at at least a part of the second contact portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 7, wherein: the vacuum chamber has a second contact portion that contacts with the device housing, and the vacuum chamber is in thermal contact with the device housing via a low heat conductive member that has a low thermal conductivity at at least a part of the second contact portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The time-of-flight mass spectrometry device according to claim 8, wherein: the vacuum chamber has a second contact portion that contacts with the device housing, and the vacuum chamber is in thermal contact with the device housing via a low heat conductive member that has a low thermal conductivity at at least a part of the second contact portion.