Tamper-resistant chemical sampling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11209342-B2
Application number	US-201916447401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2019
Priority date	Jun 25, 2014
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for a tamper-resistant collection and retention a chemical sample. In one embodiment, the tamper-resistant system comprises a container operable to collect and retain a chemical sample, a tamper-resistant mechanism operable to disengage at a first chemical sample to allow for a collection of a chemical sample, wherein the tamper-resistant mechanism is operable to record one or more of: a date, a time, and a location, of the chemical sample during the collection of the chemical sample, and wherein the tamper-resistant mechanism is further operable to re-engage and lock after the collection of the chemical sample to resist subsequent chemical samples after the first chemical sampling.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of chemical sampling using a tamper-resistant chemical sampling system, the method comprising:
removing a tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus from a packaging;
turning a twist mechanism on the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus to an open position effective to allow a chemical sample to be collected into the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus through a calibrated orifice;
leaving the twist mechanism in the open position for a period of time effective to collect the chemical sample through the calibrated orifice and into the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus;
turning the twist mechanism on the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus to a closed position after collecting the chemical sample effective to retain the chemical sample within the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus; and
locking the twist mechanism into a locked position effective to resist turning of the twist mechanism.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising examining global positioning system (GPS) indicator lights after closing and locking the twist mechanism to determine acquisition of a GPS satellite signal and recordation of GPS data.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising manually actuating a GPS switch to acquire a GPS satellite signal effective to record the GPS coordinate data associated with the collection location of the chemical sample.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising automatically acquiring GPS satellite signal at a fixed or irregular interval.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising recording one or more unsuccessful GPS satellite signal acquisition attempts.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising collecting the chemical sample through the calibrated orifice on the twist mechanism.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising mounting the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus on a vehicle mounting platform.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein turning the twist mechanism to the open position comprises remotely actuating a valve mechanism to a closed position, and turning the twist mechanism to the closed position comprises remotely actuating the valve mechanism to a closed position.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising generating and recording one or more date-time group (DTG) data associated with one or more of: collection time of the chemical sample; collection duration of the chemical sample; acquisition of global coordinate associated with the collection location of the chemical sample; attempts at establishing a global coordinate associated with the collection location of the chemical sample; error codes; tampering attempts; transfer of data from the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus to an external device.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising actuating a slide lock to allow rotation of the twist mechanism.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising recording at least one of humidity data and temperature data.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising storing one or more of: DTG data and GPS data in a memory of the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising wirelessly transferring one or more of the DTG data and the GPS data to a device external to the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
mounting the temper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus to a remote controlled robotic device; and
positioning the robotic device to collect the chemical sample.

15. The method of claim 1 , comprising sealing the tamper-resistant chemical sampling apparatus back into the packaging.

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Williams Pax T
• Seibert David C
• Sullivan Edward J
• O'Donnell Thomas S

Classifications

• B01L2200/082

  Handling hazardous material · CPC title

• B01L2200/141

  Preventing contamination, tampering · CPC title

• G01N2001/027

  field kits / quick test kits · CPC title

• G01N1/2273 Primary

  Atmospheric sampling · CPC title

• B01L2300/069

  Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid · CPC title