Thermophoretic sampler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9618439-B2
Application number	US-201514614192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 4, 2015
Priority date	May 24, 2011
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A thermophoretic sampler includes a sample assembly into which a removable sample cartridge can be inserted. The sample cartridge holds a substrate that, upon insertion, is exposed to a sample chamber. Thermophoresis is induced in the sample chamber, causing nanoparticles to be deposited on the substrate.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A thermophoretic sampling device, the device comprising:
a sample chamber housing, comprising:
an upper chamber boundary defined within the sample chamber housing; and
a cartridge channel defined within the sample chamber housing; and

a sample cartridge configured to be removably inserted into the cartridge channel, the sample cartridge comprising:
an upper surface, wherein a notch is defined in the upper surface, the notch corresponding to the upper chamber boundary such that, when the sample cartridge is inserted into the cartridge channel, a sample chamber is provided, the sample chamber defining a portion of a flow path for air;
a substrate, coupled to a first portion of the sample cartridge, the substrate having a collection surface configured to be exposed to a first region of the sample chamber in response to the sample cartridge being inserted into the cartridge channel;
an air inlet defined in a first end of a second portion of the sample cartridge; and
an inlet duct extending from the air inlet to an aperture defined in a second end of the second portion of the sample cartridge, wherein the inlet duct is configured to allow air to move from the air inlet to the sample chamber.

2. The device of claim 1 , the notch comprising a space at least partially defined by a lower internal surface, a first internal side surface, and a second internal side surface, the sample cartridge further comprising:
a bottom surface; and
a depression at least partially defined in the lower internal surface, the depression extending at least partially in a direction toward the sample chamber and away from the aperture defined in the second end of the second portion of the sample cartridge.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sample cartridge further comprises threading disposed on an internal surface of the inlet duct.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the threading is configured to facilitate connection of a handle device with the sample cartridge.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sample chamber housing includes a thermoelectric cooler.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the sample cartridge further comprises a first thermal conduction element that is thermally coupled to the substrate, where the first thermal conduction element is configured to be thermally coupled to the thermoelectric cooler in response to the sample cartridge being inserted into the cartridge channel.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the thermoelectric cooler comprises a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the thermoelectric cooler is configured to contact a first surface of the first thermal conduction element and, wherein the second surface of the thermoelectric cooler contacts a heat dispersion mechanism.

8. The device of claim 7 , the heat dispersion mechanism comprising at least one of a thermally conductive housing and a heat sink.

9. The device of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second thermal conduction element having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the second thermal conduction element is exposed to a second region of the sample chamber; and
a heating element having a surface that contacts the second surface of the second thermal conduction element.

10. The device of claim 6 , the first portion of the cartridge comprising:
a bottom surface, wherein a first opening is defined in the bottom surface;
an upper surface, wherein a notch is defined in the upper surface;
a second opening, wherein the second opening is defined in an inside surface of the notch; and
a hollow channel extending from the first opening to the second opening, wherein the first thermal conduction element is disposed within the hollow channel such that the surface of the first thermal conduction element extends from the first opening.

11. The device of claim 6 , wherein the surface of the first thermal conduction element includes an angled feature that facilitates application of an upward force on the surface when the first portion of the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge channel, and wherein the upward force causes compression of an elastic mechanism disposed within the hollow channel, thereby facilitating thermal coupling between the substrate and the first thermal conduction element.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sample cartridge further comprises threading disposed on an internal surface of the inlet duct, wherein the threading is configured to facilitate connection of a handle device with the sample cartridge.

13. A system for collecting nanoparticles on a substrate, the system comprising:
a sample core assembly having a sample chamber defined therein, the sample core assembly comprising:
an opening defined in an outside wall of the sample core assembly;
a cooling mechanism; and
a cartridge channel extending from the opening to the sample chamber;

a sample cartridge configured to be removably inserted into the cartridge channel through the opening, the sample cartridge comprising:
a first portion configured to be disposed within the cartridge channel;
a second portion adjacent to the first portion;
an air inlet disposed in a first end of the second portion; and
an inlet duct disposed within the second portion, the inlet duct extending from the air inlet to an aperture defined in a second end of the second portion; and

a substrate removably coupled to the sample cartridge, wherein the cooling mechanism is configured to be thermally coupled to the substrate in response to the sample cartridge being inserted into the cartridge channel.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a controller that controls the cooling mechanism to maintain the substrate at a temperature that is lower than a temperature of a warm region of the sample chamber, thereby inducing thermophoresis.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a heating element that applies heat to the warm region of the sample chamber.

16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an air flow mechanism, the air flow mechanism comprising:
a pump that pulls air into the sample core assembly through the air inlet; and
a flow sensor that determines an amount of air being moved through the sample core assembly.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the sample cartridge comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag and, wherein the sample core assembly comprises an RFID sensor that obtains information from the RFID tag.

18. The system of claim 13 , further comprising an ambient sensor that measures at least one of an ambient temperature, an ambient air pressure, and an ambient relative humidity.

19. The system of claim 13 , the sample cartridge further comprising:
a bottom surface;
an upper surface, wherein a notch is defined in the upper surface, the notch comprising a space at least partially defined by a lower internal surface, a first internal side surface, and a second internal side surface; and
a depression at least partially defined in the lower internal surface, the depression extending, at least partially in a direction toward the sample chamber and away from the aperture defined in the second end of the second portion.

20. A method for collecting nanoparticles on a substrate, the method comprising:
receiving a sample cartridge, having a substrate removably coupled thereto, within a sample core assembly, the sample core assembly comprising a cartridge channel configured to receive a first portion of the sample cartridge, and an upper chamber

Assignees

• Univ Colorado State Res Found
• Rj Lee Group
• Rj Lee Group Inc

Inventors

• Volckens John
• Casuccio Gary
• Lentz Henry P
• Marchese Anthony
• Mastovich John T
• Miller-Lionberg Daniel David
• Yang Judith Chun-Hsu

Classifications

• G01N1/2247

  Sampling from a flowing stream of gas · CPC title

• G01N15/0606 Primary

  by collecting particles on a support · CPC title

• G01N1/2273

  Atmospheric sampling · CPC title

• G01N1/2202

  involving separation of sample components during sampling · CPC title

• G01N2001/2276

  Personal monitors · CPC title