System and Method for Extracting an Air Sample from a Sealed Package

A system (20) for extracting and testing an air sample from an individual sealed package (22), the individual sealed package (22) having a top surface (24), the testing using a suitable chemical detector to detect the presence of a range of compounds of interest or concern within the sealed package (22), the system (20) comprising:

• a conveyor (28) for transporting multiple sealed packages between first and second positions;
• a frame (32) positioned at a location over the conveyor (28) and between the first and second positions;
• a suitable chemical detector at a location that is remote from the conveyor (28), the suitable chemical detector functioning to detect the presence of a range of compounds of interest or concern within the air sample that is extracted from the sealed package (22);
• a sampling head (34) movably interconnected to the frame (32) via horizontally and vertically arranged worm gears (36, 38), the worm gears (36, 38) selectively positioning the sampling head (34) within an interior area of the frame (32), the sampling head (34) further comprising:
• a distance sensor (42) for determining the distance between the sampling head (34) and a top surface (24) of the individual sealed package (22);
• a switch position (44) on a lower surface of the sampling head (34) for determining when the sampling head (34) is in physical contact with the top surface (24) of the sealed package (22);
• a linear actuator (46) with a distal end (50), the distal end (50) of the linear actuator (46) having extended and retracted positions;
• a needle (52) with a hollow interior and a side port (54), the needle (52) interconnected to the distal end (50) of the linear actuator (46) and having corresponding extended and retracted positions;
• a vacuum ring (56) positioned about a lower end of the linear actuator (46), the vacuum ring (56) adapted to create a vacuum seal that secures the sampling head (34) to the top surface (24) of the individual sealed package (22), the vacuum seal also functioning to make the top surface of the package taught to thereby facilitate the insertion of needle (52);
• a microcontroller (58) for controlling the operation of the distance sensor (42), switch (44), linear actuator (46), and vacuum ring (56), the microcontroller (58) actuating the vacuum ring (56) to secure the individual sealed package (22) after the switch (44) has determined that the sampling head (34) is in contact with the top surface (24), the microcontroller (58) thereafter positioning the needle (52) into its extended position thereby inserting the needle (52) through the top surface (24) of the individual sealed package (22);
• an air line (62) interconnecting the side port (54) of the needle (52) to the suitable chemical detector and a heating element (64) associated with the air line (62), the air line (62) initially delivering a small burst of air into the individual package (22) following the insertion of the needle (52), the air line (62) thereafter extracting an air sample from the interior of the individual sealed package (22), the heating element (64) raising the temperature of the air sample to volatilize all organic materials for subsequent analysis via the suitable chemical detector.