US Patent 7075067 - Composite Nanotube Housing For Mass Spectrometer
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7075067.pdf
Mass spectrometry is used to analyze the chemical constituents of substances by examining the charge to mass ratio of the constituents. However, the housings of mass spectrometers can present problems such as reactions with the material that is being analyzed that reduce the effectiveness of the measurement. This patent proposes to use composite nanotube material in the housing which are less reactive with the analytes. Claim 1, 8 and 22 are representative.
1. An ionization chamber for a mass spectrometry system comprising: a housing defining an ionization region, the housing comprising a carbon nanotube material wherein the carbon nanotube material comprises a carbon nanotube composite material.
8. An ion source for a mass spectrometry system, comprising: an ionization chamber comprising an inert carbon nanotube composite material.
22. An ionization chamber for a mass spectrometry system comprising: a housing defining an ionization region, the housing comprising a non-emitting carbon nanotube composite material.
Although the Examiner applied prior art employing electron emissive nanotubes to reject some of the claims the attorney argued that the limitations in the claims were supported by the specifications limitation to non-electron emitting (i.e. inert) nanotubes or nanotube composites solely for the purpose of forming the ionization chamber housing.
Mass spectrometry is used to analyze the chemical constituents of substances by examining the charge to mass ratio of the constituents. However, the housings of mass spectrometers can present problems such as reactions with the material that is being analyzed that reduce the effectiveness of the measurement. This patent proposes to use composite nanotube material in the housing which are less reactive with the analytes. Claim 1, 8 and 22 are representative.
1. An ionization chamber for a mass spectrometry system comprising: a housing defining an ionization region, the housing comprising a carbon nanotube material wherein the carbon nanotube material comprises a carbon nanotube composite material.
8. An ion source for a mass spectrometry system, comprising: an ionization chamber comprising an inert carbon nanotube composite material.
22. An ionization chamber for a mass spectrometry system comprising: a housing defining an ionization region, the housing comprising a non-emitting carbon nanotube composite material.
Although the Examiner applied prior art employing electron emissive nanotubes to reject some of the claims the attorney argued that the limitations in the claims were supported by the specifications limitation to non-electron emitting (i.e. inert) nanotubes or nanotube composites solely for the purpose of forming the ionization chamber housing.
posted by blaisemouttet at 9:18 PM
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