Device for picking and transporting nanoobjects contained in aerosols, with a cassette with a module suited to reducing the suction noise during picking

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10401263-B2
Application number	US-201515315821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 4, 2014
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

A device for picking and transporting nano-objects present in an aerosol for analyzing includes a porous sampling filter configured to trap the nano-objects. The device also includes a cassette having means for holding the filter in a cavity within the cassette, an inlet orifice configured to allow aspirated aerosol to pass through, and an outlet orifice configured to pass the filtered aerosol, rid of the nano-objects trapped upstream of the inlet orifice of the cassette. A module of the device is configured to collect, by inertial impaction, the particles of a size above a threshold value and to allow aerosol containing particles of a size smaller than the threshold value to pass. The module is further configured to reduce, during picking, emission noise of the aspiration means of the picking device on which the cassette is fixed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for sampling and transporting nano-objects present in an aerosol for purposes of analysis, comprising:
a porous sampling filter configured to trap nano-objects in suspension in the aerosol,
a cassette comprising means for holding the filter in a cavity formed by the cassette, an entrance orifice configured to pass aspirated aerosol through the filter, and an exit orifice configured to let the aspirated aerosol emerge without trapped nano-objects, the cassette configured to be secured to a sampling apparatus comprising an aspiration means,
upstream from the entrance orifice of the cassette, a module distinct from the cassette and configured to collect, by inertial impact, particles with a size above a threshold value and to let pass the aerosol containing particles with a size smaller than the threshold value, and further configured to reduce, during the sampling process, noise emitted by the aspiration means of the sampling apparatus.

2. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the module is an assembly of the following elements:
a body with a central orifice in communication with the entrance orifice of the cassette,
a first plate, or inertial impact plate, held inside the body, and comprising a central solid portion and elongated openings at a periphery of the inertial impact plate, the openings being in communication with the central orifice of the body,
a second plate, or selector plate, held inside the body above the inertial impact plate, and comprising one or more holes distributed in a circle around a center of the selector plate, the holes being in communication with the elongated openings.

3. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a diameter of the holes is between 0.1 mm and 1.5 mm.

4. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the selector plate defining a length of the holes is between 0.5 mm and 2 mm.

5. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 2 , wherein a spacing between the selector plate and impact plate is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm.

6. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the module comprises a sampling head on top of the module in communication with an environment outside the module.

7. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the sampling head comprises a deflector configured to modify an angle of sampling with respect to a longitudinal axis of the cassette.

8. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the module is secured in a removable manner to the cassette.

9. A device for sampling as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the module is secured in a permanent manner to the cassette.

10. Use of a device as claimed in claim 1 as an assembly for tracking exposure of workers at a manufacturing station for nano-objects, processing of nano-materials, or of products containing nano-objects or nano-materials.

Assignees

• Commissariat Energie Atomique

Inventors

• Clavaguera Simon
• Berne Philippe
• Guiot Arnaud
• Reynes Mathias

Classifications

• G01N2001/2223

  aerosol sampling devices · CPC title

• G01N1/2205 Primary

  with filters · CPC title

• G01N1/2208

  with impactors · CPC title