Patents
US 12399152 B2: Apparatus and methods for preparation and introduction of trace samples into an ionizing detection system
- Granted
- 2025-08-26
- Filed
- 2022-04-07 application 17715287
- Type
- Utility · 22 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
The present disclosure describes an improved sample preparation technique, swab, swab holder and solvent for the removal of trace chemical materials from swabs and delivery of the trace materials into a mass spectrometer (MS) or an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). The devices and techniques aid the delivery of the analyte into the instrument inlet and concurrently serves as an ionization source. The technique includes the steps of positioning or shaping the swab so that a pointed analyte release area is directed toward the inlet of the MS or IMS, adding a solvent to the swab and charging the swab to create an ionized analyte spray (Taylor Cone spray) into the inlet of the detection instrument. Solvent may include a chemical for depressing the ionization of residual solvent or enhancing the ionization of the desired analyte and this chemical may serve as an internal standard or benchmark.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg250826.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees 40 patents | US company or organization | Kingston, RI | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jimmie Oxley | Narragansett, RI | 6 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| James L. Smith | Narragansett, RI | 13 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Alexander Yevdokimov | Norwich, CT | 3 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| G01N | Investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties | G01N27/622 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| H01J | Electric discharge tubes or discharge lamps | H01J49/0031 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-04-07 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | OXLEY, JIMMIE signed 2021-10-19 SMITH, JAMES L. signed 2021-10-19 YEVDOKIMOV, ALEXANDER signed 2021-10-19 | UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND BOARD OF TRUSTEES KINGSTON, RI | 59530/894 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.