Hand-held apparatus and method

Abstract

There is disclosed a gas sampling apparatus adapted for use in a hand-held gas sensing device having at least one gas sensor, the apparatus comprising: a gas inlet; a gas conductor for conducting gas from the gas inlet to the sensor or sensors; a gas outlet; a gas conductor for conducting gas from the sensor or sensors to the gas outlet; and a vacuum containment enclosing an inner region having a pressure below atmospheric pressure and adapted for connection to the gas outlet so that a flow of gas is developed from the gas inlet to the vacuum containment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to apparatus and methods for gas sampling, with particular reference to gas sampling in hand-held portable gas sensing devices.

[0003] Devices which can detect a range of gases (so-called “electronic noses”) have recently become commercially available. Such devices typically comprise an array of individual gas sensing elements, the elements having broad and overlapping sensitivities. The identity of a gas is established by reference to the pattern of response across the array of sensors (see, for example, Gardner, J. W. and Bartlett, P. N., Sensors and Actuators B, 18-19 (1994) pages 211-220; Persaud, K. C.; Bartlett, J. G. and Pelosi, P., in “Robots and Biological Systems: Toward a new bionics?,” Eds. Dario, P., Sandini, G. and Aebisher, P., NATO ASI Series F: Computer and Systems Sciences 102 (1993) 579 and references therein).

[0004] Electronic noses have to date generally comprised bench-top units, usually interfaced to a personal computer which performs pattern recognition functions and data processing. Such devices are perfectly convenient for use in a laboratory, but are not portable and therefore not suitable for use in the field. It is likely that the next generation of electronic noses will include portable, hand-held devices. One problem with the production of a practical, hand-held electronic nose is the gas sampling system. Conventional bench-top electronic noses utilize small pumps to draw a stream of gas across the gas sensor array. It is less desirable to employ such an approach in a hand-held device, because of the additional requirements placed upon the battery power source, with consequential and unacceptable increases in the weight and volume of the instrument.

[0005] The present invention addresses the above-named problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Although primarily directed towards electronic noses, the present invention has within its scope other hand-held gas sensing devices, including gas specific, single sensor devices.

[0007] For the avoidance of doubt, the term “gas” is understood to embrace any ambient atmosphere, which might comprise a mixture of gases and/or vapors.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a gas sampling apparatus adapted for use in a hand-held gas sensing device having at least one gas sensor, the apparatus comprising:

[0009] gas inlet means;

[0010] gas conducting means for conducting gas from said gas inlet means to the sensor or sensors;

[0011] gas outlet means;

[0012] gas conducting means for conducting gas from the sensor or sensors to the gas outlet means; and

[0013] vacuum containment means enclosing an inner region having a pressure below atmospheric pressure and adapted for connection to the gas outlet means so that a flow of gas is developed from the gas inlet means to the vacuum containment means.

[0014] The apparatus may further comprise pressurized wash gas containment means containing a wash gas and adapted for connection to the gas outlet means so that a flow of wash gas is developed across the gas sensor or sensors.

[0015] The apparatus may further comprise pressurized reference gas containment means containing a reference gas and adapted for connection to the gas outlet means so that a flow of reference gas is developed across the gas sensor or sensors.

[0016] The gas outlet means and/or the gas inlet means may comprise valve means.

[0017] The vacuum containment means may comprise valve means.

[0018] The apparatus may further comprise gas flow constriction means.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method for sampling gas in a hand-held gas sensing device having at least one gas sensor comprising the steps of:

[0020] providing apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention; and

[0021] connecting the vacuum containment means to the gas outlet means so that a flow of gas is developed from the gas inlet means to the vacuum containment means.

[0022] The step of connecting the vacuum containment means to the gas outlet means may be preceded by the steps of:

[0023] connecting pressurized reference gas containment means containing a reference gas to said gas outlet means so that a flow of reference gas is developed across the gas sensor or sensors.

[0024] This step comprises a “reference cycle.”

[0025] The step of connecting the pressurized reference gas containment means may be preceded by the step of:

[0026] connecting pressurized wash gas containment means containing a wash gas to said gas outlet means so that the flow of wash gas is developed across the gas sensor or sensors.

[0027] This step comprises a “wash” cycle.

[0028] The method may further comprise the steps of gas tightly sealing the vacuum containment means; detaching same from the gas outlet means; and transporting said vacuum containment means to secondary analysis means for further analysis of the sampled gas.

[0029] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The drawing is a schematic diagram of a gas sampling apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Each embodiment of apparatuses and methods in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a schematic diagram of a gas sampling apparatus.

[0032] The drawing shows gas sampling apparatus 10 adapted for use in a hand-held gas sensing device 12 having at least one gas sensor 14, the apparatus 10 comprising:

[0033] gas inlet means 16;

[0034] gas conducting means 18 for conducting gas from said gas inlet means 16 to the sensors 14;

[0035] gas outlet means 20;

[0036] gas conducting means 22 for conducting gas from the sensors 14 to the gas outlet means 20; and

[0037] vacuum containment means 24 enclosing an inner region having a pressure below atmospheric pressure and adapted for connection to the gas outlet means 20 so that a flow of gas is developed from the gas inlet means 16 to the vacuum containment means 24.

[0038] In the present example, the hand-held gas sensing device 12 is an electronic nose having an array of sensors 14, although other sorts of hand-held gas sensing devices, including single sensor devices, are within the scope of the invention. The vacuum containment means 24 may comprise any suitable vacuum container, such as a vacuum flask having a steel body and an inner sleeve (which bounds the inner region) comprising, for example, glass or PTFE. The gas conducting means 18, 22 may comprise tubing, or, possibly, suitable conduits formed in the body of the device 12.

[0039] Prior to sampling the gas to be detected, there are certain other functions which are advantageously performed, namely a wash cycle and a reference cycle. The present invention provides means for conveniently performing these cycles in a hand-held instrument. Thus, the apparatus 10 further comprises pressurized inert gas containment means 26 containing a wash gas and adapted for connection to the gas outlet means 20 so that a flow of wash gas is developed across the gas sensors 14. The wash gas, which might comprise a water/butanol mixture is a pressurized inert gas, such as a noble gas, washes the gas sensors 14. The gas flow path is conveniently (although not necessarily) the reverse of the gas flow path when the gas to be detected is sampled.

[0040] In order to perform the reference cycles, the apparatus 10 further comprises pressurized reference gas containment means 28 containing a reference gas and adapted for connection to the gas outlet means 20 so that a flow of reference gas is developed across the gas sensors 14. Since the sample atmosphere is likely to be humid, a suitable reference gas could be compressed air at a defined humidity. The use of a reference gas provides a response baseline for the gas sensors 14. The subsequently sampled gas may be detected by response variations away from the baseline response established by the reference cycle.

[0041] Preferably, the gas inlet means 16 and the gas outlet means 20 comprise valve means 30, 32 operable to selectively open and close the inlet and outlet means 16, 20. Clearly, such is highly desirable if a wash cycle is employed. The valves means 30, 32 can be manually controlled, or electronically actuated as part of the automatic operating protocol of the device 12. Another possibility is a two-way valve which mechanically operates when a given pressure differential is exceeded, irrespective of which side of the valve is at the higher pressure. Such a valve would be compatible with the reversal in the direction of gas flow which occurs between gas sampling and the wash and reference cycles. The gas inlet means 16 may also comprise an air filter to prevent particulate matter entering the device 12. Suitably shaped tubular probes may be attached to the gas inlet means in order to sample gas from otherwise inaccessible regions.

[0042] Advantageously, the vacuum containment means 24 comprises valve means 34. The advantage of such an approach is that after gas has been sampled by the gas sensors 14, the valve means 34 can be closed, and the vacuum containment means 24 detached from the gas outlet means 20 and transported to secondary analysis means for further analysis of the sampled gas. Such secondary analysis means can be a laboratory based device such as GC/MS, and might be used simply to confirm the results produced by the as sensing device 12 or for providing additional information.

[0043] It is quite possible to provide the pressurized wash gas containment means 26 and the pressurized reference gas containment means 28 with valves. Alternatively, the gas outlet means 20 might be provided, for example, with puncturing teeth so that connection of either the wash gas containment means 26 or reference gas containment means 28 to the gas outlet means 20 punches an aperture in the former, in much the same way that portable, outdoor gas stoves operate.

[0044] The flow of gas into the vacuum containment means 24 can be controlled by suitable flow constriction means, which might comprise one of the valve means 30, 32, 34 or a needle valve, or a mass flow controller.

[0045] The vacuum 24, pressurized wash gas 26 and pressurized reference gas 28 containment means may be conveniently and portably stored in a bag or a pouch. In use, the pressurized wash gas containment means 26 is connected to the gas outlet means 20, normally directly after the previous measurement. Valve means 30, 32 are opened so that wash gas flows from the pressurized containment means across the gas sensors 14 and exits from the gas inlet means 16, thereby washing the sampling apparatus in general, and the sensors 14 in particular. Next, the wash gas containment means 26 is removed and pressurized reference gas containment means 28 is connected in the same manner. The process is repeated, in order to obtain a reference response from the gas sensors 14 (although further washing may be performed during this process). The reference gas containment means 28 is then removed from the gas outlet means 20, the vacuum containment means 24 connected thereto, and the valve means 30, 32, 34 are opened so that a flow of gas is drawn through the gas inlet means 16, across the gas sensors 14 and into the vacuum containment means 24. The valve means 30, 32, 34 are then closed, whereupon the vacuum containment means 24 is detached from gas outlet means 24. The vacuum containment means 24 now contains an atmosphere of sampled gas which can be transported to a laboratory for further analysis.

[0046] Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. I claim all modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A hand-held sensing apparatus comprising: a housing; a sensor module mounted in the housing and including at least two sensors that provide a distinct response to a particular test sample; a sample chamber defined by one or both of the housing and the sensor module, the sample chamber incorporating an inlet port and an outlet port, wherein the at least two sensors are mounted within or adjacent to the sample chamber; and analysis means configured to analyze a particular response from the at least two sensors and produce an analytic result.

2. A method for analyzing a gas test sample using a hand-held gas analyzer, comprising: providing a sensor array which includes at least two sensors in a sample chamber within a hand-holdable housing; introducing the gas test sample into the sample chamber via an inlet port; contacting the gas test sample to the at least two sensors in the sample chamber; generating a response by the at least two sensors; and analyzing the response to produce an analytic result of the gas test sample.