Uniform and quantitative evaluation of aroma emitting substances
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorsKaren L. Bett, Peter B. Johnsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is drawn to evaluation of the aroma of aroma-emitting substances, such as agricultural grains and oil seeds, in a safe and quantitative way. This is accomplished by causing a known volume of non-toxic gas to pass through the aroma-emitting substance, absorb the aroma, and deliver it to an evaluator. This enables the evaluator to sniff the aroma and thereby make gross quantitative evaluations with respect to the strength of any particular odor of the substance.
Claims23
A hand held sampling device for containing a sample of an aroma-emitting substance for evaluation of the aroma in a non-continuous manner, which device is comprised of:
- (a) a container means provided with:
- (i) a cavity of sufficient size to contain a sample of the aroma-emitting substance;
- (ii) a resealable opening of sufficient size to permit said sample to pass into said cavity;
- (iii) an inlet of sufficient size to permit entry of a carrier gas, wherein said inlet is positioned at a point on said container means such that it directs said carrier gas through said sample, and wherein said inlet is sealingly connectable to a gas delivery means;
- and (iv) an outlet of sufficient size to permit said carrier gas, to pass from said cavity;
- and
- (b) a filtering means positioned across said outlet so that said gas passes through said filtering means.
A hand-held sampling device for containing a sample of an aroma-emitting substance in a non-continuous manner, which device is comprised of:
- (a) a container means provided with:
- (i) a cavity of sufficient size to contain a sample of the aroma-emitting substance;
- (ii) a resealable opening of sufficient size to permit said sample to pass into said cavity;
- (iii) an inlet of sufficient size to permit entry of a carrier gas, wherein said inlet is positioned at a point on said container means such that it directs said carrier gas through said sample;
- and (iv) an outlet of sufficient size to permit said carrier gas to pass from said cavity;
- and
- (b) a filtering means positioned across said outlet so that said gas passes through said filtering means;
- and
- (c) carrier gas delivery means, operably attached to said inlet, for delivering a predetermined volume of said carrier gas through said inlet and sample, thereby becoming laden with aroma from said sample.
A method for evaluating aroma odor intensity of an aroma-emitting substance in a non-continuous manner, comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing a sample of aroma-emitting substance in a container means provided with:
- (i) a cavity of sufficient size to contain said sample of said aroma-emitting substance;
- (ii) a resealable opening of sufficient size to permit said sample to pass into said cavity;
- (iii) an inlet of sufficient size to permit entry of a carrier gas, wherein said inlet is positioned at a point on said container means such that inlet directs said carrier gas through said sample, and wherein said inlet is sealingly connected to a source of carrier gas;
- (iv) an outlet of sufficient size to permit said carrier gas which passes through said aroma-emitting sample, to pass from said cavity;
- and a filtering means positioned across said outlet so that said gas passes through said filtering means;
- (b) flowing a predetermined volume of carrier gas from said source of carrier gas, through said inlet of said container means, through said sample of aroma-emitting substance thereby becoming laden with said aroma, and through said outlet;
- and
- (c) sniffing said aroma-laden carrier gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.