Interface for liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer
AssigneeSepragen Corporation
InventorsBrian D. Andresen, Eric R. Fought
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A moving belt interface for real-time, high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC)/mass spectrometer (MS) analysis which strips away the HPLC solvent as it emerges from the end of the HPLC column and leaves a residue suitable for mass-spectral analysis. The interface includes a portable, stand-alone apparatus having a plural stage vacuum station, a continuous ribbon or belt, a drive train magnetically coupled to an external drive motor, a calibrated HPLC delivery system, a heated probe tip and means located adjacent the probe tip for direct ionization of the residue on the belt. The interface is also capable of being readily adapted to fit any mass spectrometer.
Claims22
A moving belt interface comprising:
- a vacuum tight housing having a plurality of chambers therein, each of said chambers being constructed and arranged to be connected to a vacuum pumping means, said housing being provided with at least one opening:
- a probe assembly operatively connected to said housing and in alignment with said opening, said probe assembly including a tip section which includes a rotatable member and means for heating said rotatable member;
- a continuous belt positioned in said housing and said probe assembly so as to extend into each of said plurality of chambers in said housing and around said rotatable member of said probe assembly tip section, said belt being constructed of material which is substantially nonstretchable and chemically nonreactive to material positioned thereon and which is nonreactive to fast atom bombardment;
- means for rotating said continuous belt;
- means for directing material onto said belt;
- and
- means for selectively controlling an angle at which material is directed from said material directing means onto said belt, such that material is deposited on said belt in a thin, uniform layer.
In a mass spectrometer-liquid chromatography system having a moving belt interface therebetween, the improvement wherein the interface comprises:
- a vacuum tight housing having three chambers therein, each of said chambers being adapted to be connected to a vacuum pumping means, constructed and arranged to produce different pressures in each of the chambers, said housing being provided with at least one opening;
- a probe assembly operationally connected to said housing and in alignment with said opening, said probe assembly including a tip section which includes a rotatable member and means for heating said rotatable member, said tip section of said probe assembly being adapted to be inserted into an associated mass spectrometer;
- a continuous belt constructed of stainless steel positioned in said housing and said probe assembly so as to extend into each of said three chambers of said housing and around said rotatable member of said probe assembly tip section;
- means including a magnetically coupled drive-train for rotating said continuous belt;
- means including a magnetic coupling for selectively controlling an angle at which material is directed from said material directing means onto said belt in a thin, uniform layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.