US3845301A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and methods employing ion analysis apparatus with enhanced gas flow
Assignee: PCP Inc A CORP OF FLORIDA
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Filing: 1972-05-10
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Granted: 1974-10-29
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Expires: 1992-05-10
Abstract
Abstract Plasma chromatograph response time is descreased by improvement of the gas flow. An ion-molecule reaction region is provided in tandem with a larger diameter drift region, and a gas outlet is provided at the junction of the regions. Sample gas flowing through the ion-molecule reaction region into the drift region is re-directed by a counter-flow of drift gas through the drift region, causing both gases to exit through the outlet and reducing intrusion of the sample gas into the drift region. Diffuse gas flow is employed in both regions, special structures being provided to avoid gas jetting.
Inventors
- 👤 R Wernlund
- 👤 D Carroll
- 👤 H Gibson
- 👤 M Cohen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 02:49
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N27/00; G01N27/62; G01N27/622; G01N27/623
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
Ion analysis apparatus and the like comprising an ionmolecule reaction chamber followed by an ion drift chamber communicating therewith, means for establishing a drift field along said chambers, means for introducing a sample gas into said reaction chamber through an inlet and causing said sample gas to flow through said reaction chamber toward said drift chamber, means including an ionizer for forming ions in said reaction chamber by ion-molecule reactions, outlet means for said gas substantially at the junction of said chambers and closer to said drift chamber than said inlet, means for introducIng a drift gas into said drift chamber in counter-flow to the flow of sample gas in said reaction chamber, and means for detecting ions after they have drifted in said drift chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
Ion analysis apparatus and the like comprising an ionmolecule reaction chamber followed by an ion drift chamber communicating therewith, means for establishing a drift field along said chambers, means for introducing a sample gas into said reaction chamber through an inlet and causing said sample gas to flow through said reaction chamber toward said drift chamber, means including an ionizer for forming ions in said reaction chamber by ion-molecule reactions, outlet means for said gas substantially at the junction of said chambers and closer to said drift chamber than said inlet, means for introducIng a drift gas into said drift chamber in counter-flow to the flow of sample gas in said reaction chamber, and means for detecting ions after they have drifted in said drift chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of the reaction chamber transverse to said drift field is substantially less than the cross-sectional area of the drift chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for diffusing the flow of at least one of said sample gas and drift gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said diffusing means comprises at least one screen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the diffusing means comprises means for causing the gas to be diffused to change direction as it is introduced.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the diffusing means comprises means for causing swirling movement of the gas to be diffused.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein the means for causing swirling movement of the gas to be diffused comprises means for directing that gas substantially tangentially of the chamber into which it is introduced.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber has smaller cross-sectional area transverse to said drift field than the drift chamber, and the gas outlet is provided through an end of the drift chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, each of said chambers being defined in part by a series of electric field guard rings.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 9, adjacent rings being insulated from one another and providing controlled gas leakage paths therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said drift chamber having a grid thereacross adjacent to the junction of said chambers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 11, said drift chamber having a further grid thereacross remote from the first-mentioned grid, said detecting means comprising a signal electrode following said further grid, said grids being ion gates for selectively passing ions to said signal electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said reaction chamber having smaller cross-sectional area transverse to said drift field than said drift chamber, and means for diffusing the flow of sample gas substantially throughout said reaction chamber.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said means for introducing a drift gas into said drift chamber in counter-flow to the flow of sample gas in said reaction chamber includes means for supplying said drift gas at a volumetric flow rate at least several times the flow rate of the sample gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising foraminous means for forming a substantially planar boundary between said gases adjacent to said outlet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for introducing a drift gas into said drift chamber comprises a chamber surrounding one end of said drift chamber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a housing surrounding said chambers and having a gas exhaust therefrom.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein said gas exhaust is located at an end of said housing remote from said drift chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 18, said housing having a baffle therein surrounding the end of said reaction chamber remote from said drift chamber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said drift chamber has an electrode therein with an aperture therethrough for the passage of ions to a further chamber for detection.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said detecting means comprising a foraminous electrode in said drift chamber, and said means for introducing a drift gas into said drift chamber including means for passing said drift gas through said electrode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for maintaining the pressure in said chambers at a level such thAt the length of the mean free path of ions therein is substantially less than the dimensions of the chambers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said chambers are defined in part by electric field guard rings, said gas outlet being provided through one of said guard rings.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of ion analysis, which comprises providing communicating ion-molecule reaction and drift chambers in tandem, with the drift chamber having larger cross-sectional area than the reaction chamber and with a gas outlet from the region of the junction of said chambers, causing a sample gas to flow from an inlet to said reaction chamber and along said reaction chamber in a direction toward said drift chamber and said junction, producing product ions from said sample gas by ion-molecule reactions in said reaction chamber, applying a drift field along said chambers in the direction of said sample gas flow and causing said ions to pass from said reaction chamber and then through said drift chamber, detecting at least a portion of the ions in said drift chamber, and causing a drift gas to flow through said drift chamber toward said junction in counter-flow to the flow of sample gas and at a sufficient volumetric flow rate to re-direct said sample gas through the gas outlet.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of ion analysis, which comprises providing communicating ion-molecule reaction and drift chambers in tandem, with the drift chamber having larger cross-sectional area than the reaction chamber and with a gas outlet from the region of the junction of said chambers, causing a sample gas to flow from an inlet to said reaction chamber and along said reaction chamber in a direction toward said drift chamber and said junction, producing product ions from said sample gas by ion-molecule reactions in said reaction chamber, applying a drift field along said chambers in the direction of said sample gas flow and causing said ions to pass from said reaction chamber and then through said drift chamber, detecting at least a portion of the ions in said drift chamber, and causing a drift gas to flow through said drift chamber toward said junction in counter-flow to the flow of sample gas and at a sufficient volumetric flow rate to re-direct said sample gas through the gas outlet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising maintaining the pressure in said chambers at a level such that the mean free path of ions therein is short compared to the dimensions of said chambers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising segregating the ions in said drift chamber in accordance with their drift velocity.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the pressure in said drift chamber is maintained high enough to cause said ions to reach substantially constant statistical drift velocity dependent upon ion mass.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising causing said sample gas to flow diffusely through said reaction chamber and into said drift chamber.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method in accordance with claim 28, further comprising causing said drift gas to flow diffusely along said drift chamber.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said sample gas is introduced axially of said reaction chamber and is then re-directed.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein said drift gas is introduced axially of said drift chamber and is then re-directed.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein at least one of said sample gas and said drift gas is caused to swirl as it flows.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
118 words
Ion analysis apparatus comprising an ion-molecule reaction chamber communicating with an ion drift chamber, means for producing ions by ion-molecule reactions in said reaction chamber, means for establishing a drift field along said chambers for causing ions to move along said reaction chamber and into and along said drift chamber, means for segregating ions in said drift chamber in accordance with their drift velocity, means for detecting at least some of the segregated ions, the cross-sectional area of said reaction chamber transverse to said drift field being substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said drift chamber, and means for introducing a sample gas into said reaction chamber and a drift gas into said drift chamber in counter-flow.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
118 words
Ion analysis apparatus comprising an ion-molecule reaction chamber communicating with an ion drift chamber, means for producing ions by ion-molecule reactions in said reaction chamber, means for establishing a drift field along said chambers for causing ions to move along said reaction chamber and into and along said drift chamber, means for segregating ions in said drift chamber in accordance with their drift velocity, means for detecting at least some of the segregated ions, the cross-sectional area of said reaction chamber transverse to said drift field being substantially less than the cross-sectional area of said drift chamber, and means for introducing a sample gas into said reaction chamber and a drift gas into said drift chamber in counter-flow.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 33, further comprising means for causing said gases to flow diffusely in said chambers, respectively, across substantially the entire chamber cross-sectional areas.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 33, said chambers being defined at least in part by electric field guard rings.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 33, further comprising means for maintaining the pressure in said chambers at a level such that the mean free path of ions in said chambers is short compared to the dimensions of said chambers and such that said ions reach substantially constant mass-dependent statistical drift velocity in said drift chamber.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
139 words
Ion analysis apparatus comprising an ion-molecule reaction chamber communicating with an ion drift chamber, means for introducing a sample gas into said reaction chamber, means for introducing a drift gas into said drift chamber, means for producing ions by ion-molecule reactions in said reaction chamber, means for establishing a drift field along said chambers for causing ions to drift along said reaction chamber and into and along said drift chamber, means for segregating ions in said drift chamber in accordance with their drift velocity, means for detecting at least some of the segregated ions, means for causing the gases to flow in said chambers, respectively, in counter-flow and means including a gas diffusion screen for causing at least said sample gas to flow diffusely through said reaction chamber and preventing said sample gas from jetting into said drift chamber.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
139 words
Ion analysis apparatus comprising an ion-molecule reaction chamber communicating with an ion drift chamber, means for introducing a sample gas into said reaction chamber, means for introducing a drift gas into said drift chamber, means for producing ions by ion-molecule reactions in said reaction chamber, means for establishing a drift field along said chambers for causing ions to drift along said reaction chamber and into and along said drift chamber, means for segregating ions in said drift chamber in accordance with their drift velocity, means for detecting at least some of the segregated ions, means for causing the gases to flow in said chambers, respectively, in counter-flow and means including a gas diffusion screen for causing at least said sample gas to flow diffusely through said reaction chamber and preventing said sample gas from jetting into said drift chamber.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 37, further comprising means providing a gas outlet adjacent to the junction of said chambers and means for supplying said drift gas to said drift gas introducing means at a volumetric flow rate sufficient to prevent substantial intrusion of said sample gas into said drift chamber.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 38, further comprising means for forming a substantially planar boundary between said gases adjacent to said outlet.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 39, the last-mentioned means comprising a grid across said drift chamber.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
92 words
Ion analysis apparatus comprising a chamber, means for introducing a sample gas into said chamber, means for producing ions in said chamber from said sample gas, means for establishing an electric drift field along said chamber, means for detecting at least some of the ions after the ions have moved along said chamber, and a series of guard rings spaced along said chamber for maintaining the drift field along said chamber, said guard rings having circuitous junctions for controlling the leakage of gas therebetween by causing it to flow along circuitous paths.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
92 words
Ion analysis apparatus comprising a chamber, means for introducing a sample gas into said chamber, means for producing ions in said chamber from said sample gas, means for establishing an electric drift field along said chamber, means for detecting at least some of the ions after the ions have moved along said chamber, and a series of guard rings spaced along said chamber for maintaining the drift field along said chamber, said guard rings having circuitous junctions for controlling the leakage of gas therebetween by causing it to flow along circuitous paths.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
157 words
Ion analysis apparatus and the like comprising an envelope having a pair of electrodes spaced apart therein, means for introducing a sample gas into said envelope, means including an ionizer adjacent to one of said electrodes for forming ions of said sample by ion-molecule reactions, means for establishing a drift field between said electrodes and causing said ions to drift toward the other of said electrodes, shutter grid means between said electrodes for segregating ions in the space between said electrodes in accordance with their drift velocity, means adjacent to said other electrode for detecting at least some of the segregated ions, a plurality of guard rings arranged in series between said electrodes and spaced from said envelope, and means including an annular shield extending between one of said rings and said envelope for shielding the detector means from said shutter grids and for introducing a drift gas into said envelope in counter-flow to said sample gas.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
157 words
Ion analysis apparatus and the like comprising an envelope having a pair of electrodes spaced apart therein, means for introducing a sample gas into said envelope, means including an ionizer adjacent to one of said electrodes for forming ions of said sample by ion-molecule reactions, means for establishing a drift field between said electrodes and causing said ions to drift toward the other of said electrodes, shutter grid means between said electrodes for segregating ions in the space between said electrodes in accordance with their drift velocity, means adjacent to said other electrode for detecting at least some of the segregated ions, a plurality of guard rings arranged in series between said electrodes and spaced from said envelope, and means including an annular shield extending between one of said rings and said envelope for shielding the detector means from said shutter grids and for introducing a drift gas into said envelope in counter-flow to said sample gas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |