Apparatus having one or more sensors for sampling the headspace and process for sampling the headspace

An apparatus for sampling a headspace of a container, comprising:

• a mobile station provided with a plurality of housing seats to house a plurality of containers for sampling the headspace of a container;
• a heater;
• a blocking device comprising at least one first mobile element that moves between at least two positions, a first position adapted to prevent a container from the plurality of containers from passing from said mobile station to said heater, and a second position adapted to allow a container from the plurality of containers to pass from said mobile station to said heater;
• at least one first sensor placed upstream of said at least one first mobile element, to detect a presence of a container from the plurality of containers in an operating position of said housing seats upstream of said heater;
• a movement element movable between said mobile station and said heater, the movement element being configured to move a container from the plurality of containers from said mobile station to said heater, and
• a second sensor placed downstream of said at least one first mobile element and outside the heater to detect the presence of a container from the plurality of containers in said heater,
• the movement element operable to move a container from the plurality of containers from the heater to a position near the second sensor to allow the second sensor to detect the presence of the container from the heater, and
• the apparatus being configured to estimate measure a length of time the container from the plurality of containers is detected by the at least one first sensor and the second sensor as the container is moved from said mobile station to said heater, and to determine a volume and a height of the container based on the measured length of time the container from the plurality of containers is detected by the at least one first sensor and the second sensor as the container is moved from said mobile station to said heater,
• wherein the mobile station is adapted to move the plurality of housing seats and the plurality of containers in a first direction, the movement element is adapted to move the containers from said mobile station to said heater along a second direction orthogonal to a plane containing the first direction, and the blocking device is adapted to prevent movement of the container along the second direction when in the first position, wherein the at least one first sensor and the second sensor are in fixed position along the second direction and the height of the container is estimated based on speed of the movement element and an amount of time the container is detected by the sensors.