Patent Application
20120099699
The invention relates generally to sample cup holding devices, and more particularly, to sample cup holding devices for use in X-ray spectroscopy.
Sample cups are used in X-ray spectroscopy to determine the characteristics or properties of various substances. The sample substances are disposed in a sample cup, which has a thin-film of material disposed across one end of the cup, and the substance is subjected to analysis in an instrumentation chamber, where X-ray beams impinge upon the thin-film.
After one or more sample substances are contained in one or more sample cups, the cups must be transported to the analysis chamber. Handling the sample cups may cause unwanted contamination, particularly if the thin-film of material is touched or damaged by wrinkling or tearing. Elimination of any contamination possibilities is one of the goals in obtaining the most accurate and precise data. Convenience to the user is also desirable, in transporting the assembled sample cups to an analysis chamber of the instrumentation.
There remains a need for a sample cup holding device that provides ease of usage and substantially eliminates the possibility of contamination for use in X-ray spectroscopy.
According to an aspect of the invention, a sample cup holding device including a base member with a top side, a bottom side, and one or more frustoconical recesses extending from the top side to the bottom side, each of the one or more frustoconical recesses being tapered at a selected angle for receiving a sample cup and maintaining the sample cup in a substantially vertical position is described.
According to an aspect of the invention, a sample cup holding device including a base member with a top side, a bottom side, and one or more apertures extending from said top side to said bottom side, each aperture including one or more stepped portions, each of the stepped portions configured for receiving a sample cup of a selected dimension and maintaining the sample cup in a substantially vertical position.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method including the steps of preparing one or more spectroscopy sample cups, each of the cups containing an analyte; disposing the one or more spectroscopy analyte-containing sample cups in a sample cup holding device, the device including a base member with a top side, a bottom side, and one or more apertures extending from the top side to the bottom side, each of the one or more apertures configured for receiving a sample cup and maintaining the sample cup in a substantially vertical position is also described.
Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals are used to indicate common features of the described devices.
The above-identified drawing figures set forth several preferred embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments are also contemplated, as disclosed herein. The disclosure represents the invention, but is not limited thereby, as it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art which fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes”, “including”, “has”, “having”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, article or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In addition, unless expressly stated to the contrary, the term “of” refers to an inclusive “or” and not to an exclusive “or”. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present); A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present); and both A and B are true (or present).
The terms “a” or “an” as used herein are to describe elements and components of the invention. This is done for convenience to the reader and to provide a general sense of the invention. The use of these terms in the description herein should be read and understood to include one or at least one. In addition, the singular also includes the plural unless indicated to the contrary. For example, reference to a composition containing “a compound” includes one or more compounds. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.
All numeric values are herein assumed to be modified by the term “about,” whether or not explicitly indicated. The term “about” generally refers to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited value (i.e., having the same function or result). In any instances, the terms “about” may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure.
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As used herein, the term “stepped portions” refers to any configuration of an annular recess that transitions from a stepwise or incremental manner from one diameter to a different diameter. It should be understood that the individual stepped portions may be made a right angles (oriented 90 degrees from the major plane), or may be of other stepped transitional geometry (beveled, concave and convex, for example). The diameters of the stepped portions 38a-38d decrease from the top side 14′ to the bottom side 16′ to accommodate different sizes of sample cups 22. It should be understood that the selected diameters of the stepped portions 38a-38d are not critical, and that many different diameters may be employed.
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Each device 10, 10′, 110 and 110′ may be configured to receive sample cups 22 having a diameter ranging between about 24 to about 45 mm. By using the devices described herein, a user can easily dispose prepared sample cups in the devices, and place one or more devices in an analysis chamber for subjection to spectroscopic analysis, including X-ray fluorescence, for example. It should be understood that the thin-film of material that covers an open end of the assembled sample cup(s) is disposed adjacent the bottom side of the device, which protects the film from contamination, as it is held a selected distance in the device from the analysis chamber.
The devices 10, 10′, 110 and 110′ may be composed of a rigid plastic, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, polycarbonate, or other suitable plastic material. It should be understood that the composition of the device is not a limiting factor, but it should be suitable for use in X-ray spectroscopy.
The invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art, however, appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. For example, although the base member may be rectangular according to an aspect of the invention, the base member may take many forms, dependent upon the shape of the analysis chamber. Accordingly, the specification is to be regarded in an illustrative manner, rather than with a restrictive view, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. The benefits, advantages, and solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefits, advantages, or solutions to occur or become more pronounced, are not to be construed as a critical, required, or an essential feature or element of any or all of the claims.
