Atmospheric solids analysis source assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12488972-B2
Application number	US-202117998005-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2021
Priority date	May 5, 2020
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

A nozzle for directing heated gas onto the distal end of a capillary arrangeable adjacent the nozzle, the nozzle comprising: a housing defining a plenum for heated gas; and at outlet comprising at least one aperture fluidly connected to the plenum, the outlet configured to direct a curtain of the heated gas onto the distal end of a capillary in use, such that the curtain of heated gas is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the capillary.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A nozzle for directing heated gas onto the distal end of a capillary arrangeable adjacent the nozzle, the nozzle comprising:
a housing defining a plenum for heated gas; and at outlet comprising at least one aperture fluidly connected to the plenum, the outlet configured to direct a curtain of the heated gas onto the distal end of a capillary in use, such that the plane of the curtain of heated gas is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the capillary.

2 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet comprises a plurality of apertures arranged substantially linearly.

3 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet comprises four apertures.

4 . A nozzle according to claim 2 , wherein each of the apertures has substantially the same surface area.

5 . A nozzle according to claim 2 , wherein each of the apertures is substantially circular.

6 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein the aperture(s) is/are non-circular.

7 . A nozzle according to claim 6 , wherein the aperture(s) is/are elongated.

8 . A nozzle according to claim 6 , wherein the outlet comprises a single elongate aperture.

9 . A nozzle according to claim 6 , wherein the outlet comprises a plurality of elongate apertures, wherein the direction of elongation is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the curtain of heated gas.

10 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , further comprising a heater arrangement, for heating gas in the plenum.

11 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a cylindrical outer sleeve and a substantially planar plate at the distal end of the sleeve, wherein the outlet is provided in said plate.

12 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , further comprising a gas source, for delivering a gas to the plenum.

13 . A nozzle according to claim 12 , wherein the gas is nitrogen.

14 . A source assembly comprising:
a source housing, configured to receive at least the distal end of a capillary therein; and a nozzle according to claim 1 , received in the source housing, configured such that, in use, the curtain of heated gas is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the capillary.

15 . A source assembly according to claim 14 , further comprising a capillary, wherein the distal end of the capillary is received in the source assembly and the curtain of heated gas is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the capillary.

Assignees

• Micromass Ltd

Inventors

• Rangan Arvind
• Lum Veronica
• Chen Carl
• Rocha Steven
• Guo Enchen
• Lumley Nicola
• Douce David

Classifications

• H01J49/0459

  for solid samples · CPC title

• H01J49/0431 Primary

  for liquid samples (interfaces to liquid chromatographs G01N30/7233) · CPC title

• H01J49/049

  with means for applying heat to desorb the sample; Evaporation · CPC title

• H01J49/0468

  with means for heating or cooling the sample · CPC title

• H01J49/0404 Primary

  Capillaries used for transferring samples or ions (electrospray nozzles H01J49/167) · CPC title