Method and apparatus for detecting trace amounts of substances
OwnerYuval Ovadia, Yaniv Biraninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting trace amounts of a target substance carried by the object, by: applying to the object a flow of air which has been pre-heated, to dislodge substances carried by the object; collecting the heated air after applied to the object; and analyzing the collected heated air for the presence of the target substance. Preferably, a marker substance is introduced into the air before applied to the objects, and the collected heated air is analyzed also for the presence of the marker substance.
Claims47
A method of examining objects for detecting trace amounts of a target substance carried by the object, comprising:
- applying to the object a flow of air which has been pre-heated, to dislodge substances carried by the object;
- collecting the heated air after applied to the object;
- and analyzing said collected heated air for the presence of said target substance.
A method of examining objects within an examination station for detecting tracer amounts of target substance carried by the object, comprising:
- applying air both vertically and horizontally within the examination station to dislodge from the object substances carried by the object;
- collecting the air after applied to the object;
- and analyzing said collected air for the presence of said target substance.
Apparatus for examining objects for detecting trace amounts of a target substance carried by the object, comprising:
- a source of pressurized air for applying a flow of air to the object in order to dislodge substances therefrom;
- a heater for heating the air before applied to the object;
- a collector for collecting the air after applied to the object;
- and an analyzer for analyzing the collected air for the presence of said target substance.
Apparatus for examining objects in order to detect trace amounts of a target substance carried by the objects, comprising:
- an examination station sized and dimensioned for receiving an object to be examined;
- a first group of nozzles for applying a flow of air vertically through the examination station in order to dislodge substances from the object;
- a second group of nozzles for applying a flow of air horizontally within the examination station in order to dislodge substances from the object;
- a collector for collecting the air after applied to the object;
- and an analyzer for analyzing the collected air for the presence of said target substance.
Apparatus for examining objects for detecting trace amounts of a target substance carried by the object, comprising;
- a source of pressurized air for applying a flow of air to the object in order to dislodge substances therefrom;
- a manually-maniputable probe having an outlet for applying said pressurized air to the objects, and an inlet for collecting the air after applied to the object;
- and an analyzer for analyzing the collected air for the presence of said target substance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.