US 5,181,427 AGranted

Thermally-releasable-sample collecting device

AssigneeNational Research Council of Canada

InventorsLorne Elias, Andre H. Lawrence, Francis W. Lemon

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Abstract

A thermally-releasable-sample collecting device is provided comprising a pistol-shaped casing, a blunt ended probe in the front end of the casing barrel, an adsorber tube locating collar in a rear end of the casing barrel, and an adsorber tube slidably located in the collar and having an open ended, sample adsorber end portion in a central portion of a gas passage extending through the probe. The adsorber tube has a closed rear end and gas ports which are located by a spring loaded plunger in a first position for drawing air through the probe into the adsorber tube, and a second position where carrier gas passes along the adsorber tube, to entrain thermally released sample, while the sample adsorber end portion is protruding from the probe into the heated entry of an analyzer.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A thermally-releasable-sample collecting device, comprising:

a) a pistol-shaped casing, having an open ended, tubular barrel portion and a handle portion,
b) a surface probe, secured and sealed to a front end of the tubular, barrel portion, the probe having an exposed, blunt, front end and a sample passage extending therethrough from the blunt end to the tubular, barrel portion interior,
c) an adsorber tube locating collar secured and sealed to a rear end of the tubular, barrel portion,
d) an adsorber tube having a front, open, sample adsorbent end portion,
e) means releasably securing the adsorber tube within the tubular, barrel portion with a rear end portion of the adsorber tube located in the collar and the front, open, sample adsorbent end portion of the adsorbent tube located in a central portion of the sample passage of the probe and terminating therein adjacent the blunt end of the probe, and
f) means for drawing air into and along the adsorbent tube from the front, open, sample adsorbent end portion thereof.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.