Portable volatile organic compound monitoring system

A portable volatile organic compound monitoring system for monitoring a device that includes a coded identification tag, said system comprising housing structure, tag reader structure positioned and arranged as an integral part of said housing structure, and analyzer and data storage unit, said unit comprising:

• means defining an analysis chamber, a sample probe coupled via a conduit to said analysis chamber;
• means for drawing a gas sample to be analyzed through said sample probe into said analysis chamber;
• ionization apparatus coupled to said analysis chamber for ionizing a gas sample drawn into said analysis chamber through said sample probe from the device being monitored;
• sensor apparatus responsive to ionized gas in said analysis chamber for producing an output signal as a function of an ionization characteristic of the ionized gas;
• first storage means for storing a plurality of response factors as a function of various types of volatile organic compounds to be monitored,
• second storage means for storing tag information read by said tag reader structure;
• circuitry means responsive to tag information stored in said second storage means for selecting a response factor from said first storage means;
• and
• microprocessor apparatus responsive to response factor information from said first storage means selected in response to said stored tag information from said second storage means and said sensor apparatus output signal for producing an output indicative of volatile organic compound concentration at the monitored device.

A portable volatile organic compound monitoring system for monitoring a device that includes a coded identification tag, said system comprising a handheld probe-reader unit with a handle portion and tag reader structure, analyzer and data storage unit, said unit comprising:

• means defining an analysis chamber, a sample probe coupled via a conduit to said analysis chamber;
• means for drawing a gas sample to be analyzed through said sample probe into said analysis chamber;
• ionization apparatus coupled to said analysis chamber for ionizing a gas sample drawn into said analysis chamber through said sample probe from the device being monitored;
• sensor apparatus responsive to ionized gas in said analysis chamber for producing an output signal as a function of an ionization characteristic of the ionized gas;
• first storage means for storing a plurality of response factors as a function of various types of volatile organic compounds to be monitored;
• second storage means for storing tag information read by said tag reader structure;
• circuitry means responsive to tag information stored in said second storage means for selecting a response factor from said first storage means;
• and
• microprocessor apparatus connected to said probe-reader unit, said microprocessor apparatus being responsive to response factor information from said first storage means selected in response to said stored tag information from said second storage means and said sensor apparatus output signal for producing an output indicative of volatile organic compound concentration at the monitored device.

A portable volatile organic compound monitoring system for monitoring a device that includes a coded identification tag, said system comprising a handheld probe-reader unit with a handle portion and an analyzer and data storage unit connected to said probe-reader unit, said probe-reader unit including a sample probe fixed to and protruding forwardly from said probe-reader unit and a reader that generates a beam of radiation for reading a bar code on a tag that is associated with a component to be monitored,

• said analyzer including means defining an analysis chamber,
• means for drawing a gas sample to be analyzed through said sample probe into said analysis chamber,
• ionization apparatus coupled to said analysis chamber for ionizing a gas sample drawn into said analysis chamber through said sample probe from the device being monitored,
• sensor apparatus responsive to ionized gas in said analysis chamber for producing an output signal as a function of an ionization characteristic of the ionized gas;
• said data storage unit including first storage means for storing a plurality of response factors as a function of various types of volatile organic compounds to be monitored, and second storage means for storing tag information read by said reader,
• circuitry means responsive to tag information stored in said second storage means for selecting a response factor from said first storage means, and
• microprocessor apparatus responsive to response factor information from said first storage means selected in response to said stored tag information from said second storage means and said sensor apparatus output signal for producing an output indicative of volatile organic compound concentration at the monitored device.