XRF analyzer activation switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9689816-B2
Application number	US-201514886342-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2014
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The invention includes various electronic devices for avoiding or minimizing XRF analyzer user fatigue. In one embodiment, the XRF analyzer can include a finger sensor for activating an XRF analysis. In another embodiment, the XRF analyzer can include a finger tap switch for activating the XRF analysis. In another embodiment, the XRF analyzer can include a microphone for activating the XRF analysis by receipt of a verbal command. Additional benefits of some embodiments include improving XRF analysis safety and avoiding XRF analyzer theft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer comprising:
a. an x-ray source configured to emit x-rays towards a sample and an x-ray detector configured to receive fluoresced x-rays emitted from the sample;
b. an activation switch electrically coupled to an electronic processor and operable to activate an XRF analysis, the XRF analysis including:
i. the electronic processor causing the x-ray source to emit x-rays towards the sample;
ii. the x-ray detector to receive the fluoresced x-rays emitted from the sample; and
iii. analysis of the fluoresced x-rays; and

c. the activation switch including a finger sensor;
d. the finger sensor comprising a temperature sensor, a photo sensor, a pressure sensor, a capacitive sensor, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to receive a signal from an RFID tag on a user of the XRF analyzer, or combinations thereof; and
e. the finger sensor configured to activate the XRF analysis by a finger of the user approaching or touching the activation switch.

2. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor comprises:
a. the temperature sensor, the photo sensor, the pressure sensor, the capacitive sensor, or combinations thereof; and
b. the RFID reader.

3. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , further comprising a hand sensor, and wherein:
a. the hand sensor is located at a handle of the XRF analyzer and spaced apart from the finger sensor;
b. the hand sensor comprises a temperature sensor, a photo sensor, a pressure sensor, a capacitive sensor, an RFID reader configured to receive a signal from an RFID tag on the user of the XRF analyzer, or combinations thereof;
c. the activation switch is configured to activate the XRF analysis only upon:
i. the finger sensor sensing the finger of the user; and
ii. the hand sensor sensing a hand of the user.

4. The XRF analyzer of claim 3 , wherein the hand sensor comprises:
a. the temperature sensor, the photo sensor, the pressure sensor, the capacitive sensor, or combinations thereof; and
b. the RFID reader.

5. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor is the pressure sensor and the pressure sensor is configured to activate the XRF analysis by the finger of the user pressing the pressure sensor with a pressure of between 10 and 30 newtons of force.

6. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , further comprising an indicator light, a speaker, or both electrically coupled to the electronic processor, and wherein the indicator light, the speaker, or both are configured to notify the user upon activation of the XRF analysis.

7. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , further comprising an interlock switch located at an exterior of the XRF analyzer, electrically coupled to the electronic processor, and configured to allow activation of the XRF analysis only when the interlock switch is pressed.

8. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , further comprising a kill switch located at an exterior of the XRF analyzer, electrically coupled to the electronic processor, and configured to terminate the XRF analysis when pressed.

9. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor comprises the pressure sensor, the capacitive sensor, or combinations thereof.

10. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the activation switch further comprises a microphone configured to receive a verbal command from a user to activate the XRF analysis upon receipt of both the verbal command and activation by the finger sensor.

11. The XRF analyzer of claim 10 , wherein the microphone requires a password in the verbal command, includes voice recognition of the user's voice, or both, to activate the XRF analysis.

12. The XRF analyzer of claim 10 , wherein the microphone is configured to receive a command from the user to stop the XRF analysis.

13. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor comprises the temperature sensor.

14. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor comprises the photo sensor.

15. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor is configured to activate the XRF analysis by the finger of the user touching the activation switch, and the finger sensor comprises the pressure sensor.

16. The XRF analyzer of claim 15 , wherein the finger sensor further comprises the RFID reader.

17. The XRF analyzer of claim 15 , wherein the finger sensor further comprises a hand sensor, and wherein:
a. the hand sensor is located at a handle of the XRF analyzer and spaced apart from the finger sensor;
b. the hand sensor comprises a temperature sensor, a photo sensor, a pressure sensor, a capacitive sensor, an RFID reader configured to receive a signal from an RFID tag on the user of the XRF analyzer, or combinations thereof;
c. the activation switch is configured to activate the XRF analysis only upon:
i. the finger sensor sensing the finger of the user; and
ii. the hand sensor sensing a hand of the user.

18. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor comprises the capacitive sensor.

19. The XRF analyzer of claim 1 , wherein the finger sensor comprises the RFID reader.

Assignees

• Moxtek Inc

Inventors

• Jones Vincent Floyd
• Paas Daniel N
• Harris Brad

Classifications

• G01N2223/301

  portable apparatus · CPC title

• G01N2223/0766

  X-ray fluorescence with indicator, tags · CPC title

• G01N23/223 Primary

  by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence · CPC title