Device, Apparatus And Methods For Mass Spectrometry
AssigneeWaters Technologies Corporation
InventorsMichael J. Tomany, Joseph A. Jarrell, Stanislaw Koziol, Wade P. Leveille
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Abstract
The invention comprises apparatus for use with atmospheric pressure ionization sources in which an aerosol is formed from a solution of a sample. The aerosol is received in a hollow member and discharged outside the chamber of the ionization source in order to reduce contamination of the ionization source itself by involatile material in the solution and by previously analysed samples. The hollow member is easily removable from the ionization source to facilitate cleaning and replacement. Ionization sources, mass spectrometers, and ion mobility spectrometers comprising the apparatus are also described.
Claims29
A device, for placement in a chamber of an interface housing, said interface housing having at least one wall defining said chamber and having at least one exit port and at least one working port in said wall, said chamber for receiving an aerosol said aerosol having at least a working portion, an exiting portion and a falling portion, said working portion is received by said at least one of working port, said exiting portion flowing past said working port and received by said exit port and said falling portion comprising a portion of said aerosol that falls out of suspension, comprising:
- a. a deflector having aerosol deflecting surfaces and in a first position in which said deflector is positioned for directing an aerosol flowing past said working port to said exit port and a second position in which said deflector is removed from said chamber;
- b. a support member affixed to said deflector and having mounting means for removably mounting said deflector in said first position and in said second position said support member and said deflector removed from said chamber to allow removal of said fallen portion of aerosol deposited on said device.
A device, for receiving aerosols, comprising:
- a. an interface housing, said interface housing having at least one wall defining a chamber and having at least one exit port and at least one working port in said wall, said chamber for receiving an aerosol said aerosol having at least a working portion, an exiting portion and a falling portion, said working portion is received by said at least one of working ports, said exiting portion flowing past said at least one working port and received by said at least one exit port and said fallen portion flowing comprising a part of said aerosol that falls out of suspension,
- b. at least one manifold, said at least one manifold having a deflector and a support member, each of said at least one manifold having a first position and a second position, in said first position said manifold is in said chamber and in said second position, said manifold is removed from said chamber, said deflector having aerosol deflecting surfaces and in said first position said deflector is positioned for directing an aerosol flowing past said working port to said exit port and;
- said support member affixed to said deflector and having mounting means for removably mounting said deflector in said first position and in said second position said support member and said deflector removed from said chamber to allow removal of said fallen portion of aerosol deposited on said device.
The device of claim 21 wherein said at least one edge has a containment ridge to collect fallen aerosol.
A method of servicing an interface housing, said interface housing having at least one wall defining said chamber and having at least one exit port and at least one working port in said wall, said chamber for receiving an aerosol said aerosol having at least a working portion, an exiting portion and a falling portion, said working portion is received by at least one of said working port, said exiting portion flowing past said working port and received by said exit port and said fallen portion flowing comprising a part of said aerosol that falls out of suspension, said interface housing having a door means having an open position and a closed position, said method comprising the step of:
- placing said door means in an open position and removing, if present a manifold, and inserting a manifold having a defector and a support member, said deflector having aerosol deflecting surfaces and in a first position in which said deflector is positioned for directing an aerosol flowing past said working port to said exit port and a second position in which said deflector is removed from said chamber;
- said support member affixed to said deflector and having mounting means for removably mounting said deflector in said first position and in said second position said support member and said deflector removed from said chamber to allow removal of said fallen portion of aerosol deposited on said device;
- removably mounting said support member with said deflector in said first position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.