Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for trapping, manipulation and transferring ions along RF and DC potential surfaces and through RF ion guides. Potential wells are formed near RF-field generating surfaces due to the overlap of the radio-frequency (RF) fields and electrostatic fields created by static potentials applied to surrounding electrodes. Ions can be constrained and accumulated over time in such wells. During confinement, ions may be subjected to various processes, such as accumulation, fragmentation, collisional cooling, focusing, mass-to-charge filtering, spatial separation ion mobility and chemical interactions, leading to improved performance in subsequent processing and analysis steps, such as mass analysis. Alternatively, the motion of ions may be better manipulated during confinement to improve the efficiency of their transport to specific locations, such as an entrance aperture into vacuum from atmospheric pressure or into a subsequent vacuum stage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) into Atmospheric Pressure Ion sources (API) including Electrospray (ES) and Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI) sources whereby the sampling and spray needles are one and the same. The sampling and spray needle configured with an autoinjector apparatus or used in manual injection is introduced directly into a mating ES or APCI probe configured in an API source. Such a sampling and spray needle eliminates the need for injector valves, transfer lines or additional fluid delivery systems in FIA into API sources interfaced to mass spectrometers or other chemical analyzers. The use of a sampling and spray needle configuration reduces component costs, liquid dead volume, sample dilution effects, and minimizes cross contamination effects, solvent consumption and waste while increasing sample throughput.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for multiplexing plural ion beams to a mass spectrometer. At least two ion sources are provided with means of transporting the ions from the ion sources to separate two-dimensional ion traps. Each ion trap is used for storage and transmission of the ions and operates between the ion sources and the mass analyzer. Each ion trap has a set of equally spaced, parallel multipole rods, as well as entrance and exit sections into which and from which ions enter and exit the trap, respectively. For each ion trap, the entrance section is placed in a region where background gas pressure is at viscous flow. The pressure at the exit section drops to molecular flow pressure regimes without a break in the structure of the ion trap. Each trap alternately stores and transmits ions by way of a fast voltage switch applied to the ion trap exit lens.

Abstract: In order to provide a simple design of ventilation device which has a relatively open aperture of pleasing aesthetic appearance, there is provided a face 2 for facing into a room, the face including an aperture 3. Three closure parts 5 are provided for closing the aperture 3. The closure parts 5 are rotatably mounted adjacent to the aperture 3 about pivots 9 located around the periphery of the aperture. A drive means is provided for moving the closure parts between an open position and a closed position. A suitable fan 6 can be provided for drawing air through the aperture when the closure parts are in the open position. In a first aspect of the invention, the closure parts 5 each comprise closures surfaces having edges, the edges abutting one another in the closed position. In a second aspect of the invention, there is drive member 12 for contacting a drive part 11 of a closure part 5, the drive part 11 being located close to the pivot 9.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for reducing coherent noise in measurements of repetitive analog signal waveforms by digital signal averagers. Coherent noise is repetitive and synchronous with the signal waveform and is therefore undiminished by conventional signal averaging techniques. A major source of coherent noise is the repetitive voltage transitions that occur within the digital signal averager itself. The apparatus and methods of the present invention introduce a known and variable phase offset during the signal averaging process between the signal waveform being measured and the internally generated coherent noise, thereby allowing such coherent noise to be averaged, and therefore reduced, during the signal averaging process. Consequently, the apparatus and methods of the present invention allow greater signal-to-noise ratio and signal dynamic range than with the prior art.

Abstract: An improved sample introduction probe is disclosed for the production of ions from liquid sample solutions in an electrospray ion source. Nebulization of a liquid sample emerging from the end of an inner flow tube is pneumatically assisted by gas flowing from the end of an outer gas flow tube essentially coaxial with the inner sample flow tube. The disclosed probe provides for adjustment of the relative axial positions of the ends of the liquid and gas flow tubes without degrading the precise concentricity between the inner and outer tubes. Additionally, the terminal portion of the outer gas flow tube may be fabricated either from a conductive or dielectric material, thereby allowing the pneumatic nebulization and electrospray processes to be optimized separately and independently. Hence, the disclosed invention provides a pneumatically-assisted electrospray probe with improved mechanical and operational stability, reliability, reproducibility, and ease of use compared to prior art probes.

Abstract: A particle detection system is configured and operated as two or more separate and completely independent detection systems. The detection systems may be of the same or different design, may be operated in the same or different modes, and may be operated with the same or different operating parameters. Each detection system may record signals simultaneously, or alternately; the measurements obtained from each of the detection systems may either be combined into a single unified data set, or recorded separately. Means are provided to direct particles to impinge on one of the detectors or any of the other detectors. Alternatively, a population of particles can be dispersed in a manner that allows a population of particles to be distributed among two or more detectors simultaneously.

Abstract: A candle and base combination with a decorative light element is provided. The candle body preferably has a first substantially opaque section and a second at least partially translucent section, and at least one hollow portion formed in the second section. The base body has at least one protrusion fittable into the hollow portion. The wick projects from the first section of the candle body. A light emitting device is disposed in one of the base body or the main candle body in the second section, the light emitting device having associated therewith a magnetic switch closable in the presence of a magnetic field. A magnet is disposed in the other of the base body or the main candle body in the second section. When the main candle body is placed on the base body and the magnet is aligned with the magnetic switch, the light emitting device is activated.

Abstract: Charged droplet spray is formed from a solution with all or a portion of the charged droplet spray current generated from reduction or oxidation (redox) reactions occurring on surfaces removed from the first or sample solution flow path. In one embodiment of the invention, two solution flow channels are separated by a semipermeable membrane. A first or sample solution flowing through the first solution flow channel exchanges cation or anion charged species through the semipermeable membrane with a second solution or gas flowing through the second flow channel. Charge exchange is driven by the electric field applied at the charged droplet sprayer sample solution outlet. Redox reactions occur at an electrode surface in contact with the second solution. The invention increases the control and range of the Electrospray ionization process during ES/MS operation.

Abstract: In a linear guide device including: a rail having on either side surface thereof a track recess with a track surface formed thereon; a rail cover covering a rail upper surface of the rail; a saddle-like slider moving linearly on the rail; and a rolling member circulating through a connection path provided in the slider and adapted to roll on the track surface of the rail, the rail cover is equipped with a side edge portion having an engagement portion, an upper track surface serving as an engagement surface is provided in a lower portion of an upper side surface of the rail, the engagement surface being a slope gradually diminishing in the rail width direction downwardly from the upper side surface, and an engagement portion of the rail cover is engaged with the engagement surface, whereby it is possible to achieve an increase in the speed of the rail grinding work for allowing engagement of the rail cover covering the rail upper surface of the liner guide device.

Abstract: A method/apparatus for multiplexing plural ion beams to a mass spectrometer. At least two ion sources are provided with means of transporting the ions from the ion sources to separate two-dimensional ion traps. Each ion trap is used for storage and transmission of the ions and operates between the ion sources and the mass analyzer. Each ion trap has a set of equally spaced, parallel multipole rods, as well as entrance and exit sections into which and from which ions enter and exit the trap, respectively. For each ion trap, the entrance section is placed in a region where background gas pressure is at viscous flow. The pressure at the exit section drops to molecular flow pressure regimes without a break in the structure of the ion trap. Each trap alternately stores and transmits ions by way of a fast voltage switch applied to the ion trap exit lens.

Abstract: Multipole ion guides configured with one or more segments and positioned in a higher pressure vacuum region, are operated in mass to charge selection and ion fragmentation modes. Individual multipole ion guides are mounted in a linear assembly with no electrodes configured in between each multipole ion guide. At least a portion of each multipole ion guide mounted in a linear assembly resides in a vacuum region with higher background pressure. At least one ion guide can be configured to extend continuously from one vacuum stage into another. Individual sets of RF, +/?DC and secular frequency voltage supplies provide potentials to the rods of each multipole ion guide allowing the operation of ion transmission, ion trapping, mass to charge selection and ion fragmentation functions independently in each ion guide.

Abstract: Although an Ag—CdO-based material has excellent electric properties such as deposition resistance, arc resistance and low contact resistance, which are required for an electric contact, the discharge standard provision in Japan, EC Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and the like have been directed toward disuse of Cd, as already known. Thus, the present invention is characterized in that after an atmosphere in a pressured oxidation furnace is replaced with oxygen, the temperature of an internal-oxidative Ag alloy prepared under a condition of a cold roll rate of 50 to 95% is gradually raised from a temperature of 200° C. or less in a pressured oxygen atmosphere with an oxygen pressure of 5 to 50 kg/cm2 and internal oxidation processing is performed with an upper limit temperature of 700° C.

Abstract: A multipole ion guide which begins in one pumping stage and extends continuously into one or more subsequent pumping stages has been incorporated into an atmospheric pressure ion source mass spectrometer system. Ions delivered into vacuum from an Electrospray, Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization or Inductively Coupled Plasma ion source are guided and focused into a mass analyzer with high efficiency using the multipole ion guide. The background pressure over a portion of the multipole ion guide length is high enough to cause kinetic energy cooling of ions traversing the ion guide length due to ion collisions with neutral background gas molecules. This ion kinetic energy cooling lowers energy spread of ions traversing the multipole ion guide length. The multipole ion guide DC offset potential can be used to adjust the mean ion energy and the ion guide an and qn values can be set to reduce or expand the range of ion mass to charge which will be transmitted through the ion guide.