Apparatus for, and method of using, gas chromatography inlet system for direct analysis of substances fired from an inkjet pen

An analytical apparatus comprising:

• a block containing a heating element and having a chamber therein accessible through an opening in a side of said block;
• a cover adapted to close the opening in said block;
• a stage in the chamber provided below the opening, said stage being adapted to receive an analyte sample falling under gravity through the opening;
• an inlet in said block adapted to receive a continuous flow of transfer gas and adapted to direct the continuous flow of the transfer gas over said stage;
• an outlet in said block adapted to receive the transfer gas;
• and
• an analytical device in fluid communication with the outlet, said analytical device being adapted to receive the transfer gas,
• wherein when said cover closes the opening, the chamber is inaccessible from an exterior of said block except via the inlet and outlet, and wherein the analytical device is adapted to determine the components of the analyte sample.

A method of determining the components in an ink fired from an inkjet pen comprising the steps of:

• cooling a block having a stage in a chamber therein;
• depositing an analyte sample of the ink onto the stage;
• sealing the chamber;
• heating the stage to vaporize at least a portion of the analyte sample thereon;
• passing a transfer gas over the stage so that the vaporized portion of the analyte sample is mixed with the transfer gas forming a gaseous mixture;
• receiving the gaseous mixture in an analytical device which is in fluid communication with the block;
• determining, by means of the analytical device, the components of the gaseous mixture and thereby the components of the vaporized portion of the analyte sample;
• closing a valve in an intake vessel which carries the gaseous mixture from the chamber to the analytical device, after a sufficient amount of the gaseous mixture is received in the analytical device, thereby preventing additional gaseous mixture from entering the analytical device;
• and
• opening a valve in an exhaust vessel into which the additional gaseous mixture flows.

A method for determining whether an inkjet pen is performing properly, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing an analyte sample of ink from the inkjet pen onto a stage in a chamber in a block;
• heating the stage to vaporize at least a portion of the analyte sample thereon;
• passing a transfer gas over the stage so that the vaporized portion of the analyte sample is mixed with the transfer gas forming a gaseous mixture;
• receiving the gaseous mixture in an analytical device which is in fluid communication with the block;
• determining, by means of the analytical device, the components of the gaseous mixture and thereby the components of the vaporized portion of the analyte sample;
• and
• determining, based on the components of the vaporized portion of the analyte sample, whether the inkjet pen is performing properly,
• wherein said inkjet pen comprises a plurality of resistors, and wherein the step of determining, based on the components of the vaporized portion of the analyte sample, whether the inkjet pen is performing properly comprises:
• diagnosing improper firing by at least one of said plurality of resistors.

A method for determining whether an inkjet pen is performing properly, said method comprising the steps of:

• depositing an analyte sample of ink from the inkjet pen onto a stage in a chamber in a block;
• heating the stage to vaporize at least a portion of the analyte sample thereon;
• passing a transfer gas over the stage so that the vaporized portion of the analyte sample is mixed with the transfer gas forming a gaseous mixture;
• receiving the gaseous mixture in an analytical device which is in fluid communication with the block;
• determining, by means of the analytical device, the components of the gaseous mixture and thereby the components of the vaporized portion of the analyte sample;
• and
• determining, based on the components of the vaporized portion of the analyte sample, whether the inkjet pen is performing properly,
• wherein said inkjet pen comprises a plurality of firing chambers, and wherein the step of determining, based on the components of the vaporized portion of the analyte sample, whether the inkjet pen is performing properly comprises:
• diagnosing failures in at least one of said plurality of firing chambers.