Patents by Inventor Mark E. Hardman

Mark E. Hardman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11056330
    Abstract: An electrospray ion source comprises: a needle capillary comprising a spray tip end and an opposite end; a nebulizing gas channel parallel to the needle capillary; an auxiliary gas channel parallel to the needle capillary; a heater parallel to a length of the auxiliary gas channel; a thermally conductive heat transfer member parallel to a length of the needle capillary and disposed between the needle capillary and the heater, said heat transfer member having a first end adjacent to the spray tip end of the needle capillary and a second end opposite to the first end; and a cooled heat sink member in thermal contact with the second end of the heat transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: THERMO FINNIGAN LLC
    Inventors: Oleg Silivra, Mark E. Hardman
  • Publication number: 20200203141
    Abstract: An electrospray ion source comprises: a needle capillary comprising a spray tip end and an opposite end; a nebulizing gas channel parallel to the needle capillary; an auxiliary gas channel parallel to the needle capillary; a heater parallel to a length of the auxiliary gas channel; a thermally conductive heat transfer member parallel to a length of the needle capillary and disposed between the needle capillary and the heater, said heat transfer member having a first end adjacent to the spray tip end of the needle capillary and a second end opposite to the first end; and a cooled heat sink member in thermal contact with the second end of the heat transfer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Oleg SILIVRA, Mark E. HARDMAN
  • Patent number: 8692190
    Abstract: A system for analyzing ions comprises: an ion source; a FAIMS cell comprising: (a) a gas inlet; (b) an outer electrode having a generally concave inner surface and comprising: (i) an ion inlet operable to receive the ions from the ion source and a carrier gas from the gas inlet; and (ii) an ion outlet; and (c) an inner electrode having a conduit therethrough and having a generally convex outer surface disposed in a spaced-apart and facing arrangement relative to the inner surface of the outer electrode defining at least one annular on separation region therebetween; and a mass analyzer for mass analyzing ions transmitted by the FAIMS cell through the ion outlet, wherein the inner electrode is moveable between a first position and a second position, the first and second positions facilitating movement of the ions through the at least one annular ion separation region and the conduit, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Belford, Jean-Jacques Dunyach, Mark E. Hardman
  • Publication number: 20120181424
    Abstract: A system for analyzing ions comprises: an ion source; a FAIMS cell comprising: (a) a gas inlet; (h) an outer electrode having a generally concave inner surface and comprising: (i) an ion inlet operable to receive the ions from the ion source and a carrier gas from the gas inlet; and (ii) an ion outlet; and (c) an inner electrode having a conduit therethrough and having a generally convex outer surface disposed in a spaced-apart and facing arrangement relative to the inner surface of the outer electrode defining at least one annular on separation region therebetween; and a mass analyzer for mass analyzing ions transmitted by the FAIMS cell through the ion outlet, wherein the inner electrode is moveable between a first position and a second position, the first and second positions facilitating movement of the ions through the at least one annular ion separation region and the conduit, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: Michael W. BELFORD, Jean-Jacques DUNYACH, Mark E. HARDMAN
  • Patent number: 8158932
    Abstract: A system for analyzing ions comprises: an ion source; a FAIMS cell comprising: (a) a gas inlet; (b) an outer electrode having a generally concave inner surface and comprising: (i) an ion inlet operable to receive the ions from the ion source and a carrier gas from the gas inlet; and (ii) an ion outlet; and (c) an inner electrode having a conduit therethrough and having a generally convex outer surface that is disposed in a spaced-apart and facing arrangement relative to the inner surface of the outer electrode for defining an ion separation region therebetween; and a mass analyzer for mass analyzing ions transmitted by the FAIMS cell through the ion outlet, wherein the inner electrode is moveable between a first position and a second position, the first position facilitating movement of the ions through the ion separation region, the second position facilitating movement of the ions through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Belford, Jean-Jacques Dunyach, Mark E. Hardman
  • Publication number: 20110253890
    Abstract: A system for analyzing ions comprises: an ion source; a FAIMS cell comprising: (a) a gas inlet; (b) an outer electrode having a generally concave inner surface and comprising: (i) an ion inlet operable to receive the ions from the ion source and a carrier gas from the gas inlet; and (ii) an ion outlet; and (c) an inner electrode having a conduit therethrough and having a generally convex outer surface that is disposed in a spaced-apart and facing arrangement relative to the inner surface of the outer electrode for defining an ion separation region therebetween; and a mass analyzer for mass analyzing ions transmitted by the FAIMS cell through the ion outlet, wherein the inner electrode is moveable between a first position and a second position, the first position facilitating movement of the ions through the ion separation region, the second position facilitating movement of the ions through the conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Michael W. BELFORD, Jean-Jacques Dunyach, Mark E. Hardman
  • Patent number: 7425699
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer 10 comprises an ion source 12 which generates nebulized ions which enter an ion cooler 20 via an ion source block 16. Ions within a window of m/z of interest are extracted via a quadrupole mass filter 24 and passed to a linear trap 30. Ions are trapped in a potential well in the linear trap 30 and are bunched at the bottom of the potential well adjacent an exit segment 50. Ions are gated out of the linear trap 30 into an electrostatic ion trap 130 and are detected by a secondary electron multiplier 10. By bunching the ions in the linear trap 30 prior to ejection, and by focussing the ions in time of flight (TOF) upon the entrance of the electrostatic trap 130, the ions arrive at the electrostatic trap 130 as a convolution of short, energetic packets of similar m/z. Such packets are particularly suited to an electrostatic trap because the FWHM of each packet's TOF distribution is less than the period of oscillation of those ions in the electrostatic trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Makarov, Mark E Hardman, Jae C. Schwartz, Michael W. Senko
  • Patent number: 7265344
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer 10 comprises an ion source 12 which generates nebulized ions which enter an ion cooler 20 via an ion source block 16. Ions within a window of m/z of interest are extracted via a quadrupole mass filter 24 and passed to a linear trap 30. Ions are trapped in a potential well in the linear trap 30 and are bunched at the bottom of the potential well adjacent an exit segment 50. Ions are gated out of the linear trap 30 into an electrostatic ion trap 130 and are detected by a secondary electron multiplier 10. By bunching the ions in the linear trap 30 prior to ejection, and by focussing the ions in time of flight (TOF) upon the entrance of the electrostatic trap 130, the ions arrive at the electrostatic trap 130 as a convolution of short, energetic packets of similar m/z. Such packets are particularly suited to an electrostatic trap because the FWHM of each packet's TOF distribution is less than the period of oscillation of those ions in the electrostatic trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Makarov, Mark E Hardman, Jae C. Schwartz, Michael W. Senko
  • Patent number: 7109475
    Abstract: Disclosed are a time-of-flight mass spectrometer and signal processing electronics. The signal processing electronics include a plurality of time-to-digital converters configured to receive signal pulses from the same detector anode within the time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The signal processing electronics are further configured to differentiate, and compensate for, those signal pulses caused by the detection of more than one ion. Differentiation and compensation are achieved by using the time-to-digital converters to detect the leading and trailing edges of a signal pulse. The time difference between the detection of the leading edge and detection of the trailing edge is indicative of whether or not the signal pulse was generated by the detection of more than one ion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Mark E. Hardman, Lee Earley, Adrian Land
  • Patent number: 6998609
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer 10 comprises an ion source 12 which generates nebulized ions which enter an ion cooler 20 via an ion source block 16. Ions within a window of m/z of interest are extracted via a quadrupole mass filter 24 and passed to a linear trap 30. Ions are trapped in a potential well in the linear trap 30 and are bunched at the bottom of the potential well adjacent an exit segment 50. Ions are gated out of the linear trap 30 into an electrostatic ion trap 130 and are detected by a secondary electron multiplier 10. By bunching the ions in the linear trap 30 prior to ejection, and by focussing the ions in time of flight (TOF) upon the entrance of the electrostatic trap 130, the ions arrive at the electrostatic trap 130 as a convolution of short, energetic packets of similar m/z. Such packets are particularly suited to an electrostatic trap because the FWHM of each packet's TOF distribution is less than the period of oscillation of those ions in the electrostatic trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Makarov, Mark E. Hardman
  • Patent number: 6995364
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer 10 comprises an ion source 12 which generates nebulized ions which enter an ion cooler 20 via an ion source block 16. Ions within a window of m/z of interest are extracted via a quadrupole mass filter 24 and passed to a linear trap 30. Ions are trapped in a potential well in the linear trap 30 and are bunched at the bottom of the potential well adjacent an exit segment 50. Ions are gated out of the linear trap 30 into an electrostatic ion trap 130 and are detected by a secondary electron multiplier 10. By bunching the ions in the linear trap 30 prior to ejection, and by focussing the ions in time of flight (TOF) upon the entrance of the electrostatic trap 130, the ions arrive at the electrostatic trap 130 as a convolution of short, energetic packets of similar m/z. Such packets are particularly suited to an electrostatic trap because the FWHM of each packet's TOF distribution is less than the period of oscillation of those ions in the electrostatic trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Makarov, Mark E Hardman, Jae C. Schwartz, Michael W. Senko
  • Patent number: 6872938
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer 10 comprises an ion source 12 which generates nebulized ions which enter an ion cooler 20 via an ion source block 16. Ions within a window of m/z of interest are extracted via a quadrupole mass filter 24 and passed to a linear trap 30. Ions are trapped in a potential well in the linear trap 30 and are bunched at the bottom of the potential well adjacent an exit segment 50. Ions are gated out of the linear trap 30 into an electrostatic ion trap 130 and are detected by a secondary electron multiplier 10. By bunching the ions in the linear trap 30 prior to ejection, and by focussing the ions in time of flight (TOF) upon the entrance of the electrostatic trap 130, the ions arrive at the electrostatic trap 130 as a convolution of short, energetic packets of similar m/z. Such packets are particularly suited to an electrostatic trap because the FWHM of each packet's TOF distribution is less than the period of oscillation of those ions in the electrostatic trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Thermo Finnigan LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Makarov, Mark E. Hardman, Jae C. Schwartz, Michael W. Senko
  • Publication number: 20040108450
    Abstract: A mass spectrometer 10 comprises an ion source 12 which generates nebulized ions which enter an ion cooler 20 via an ion source block 16. Ions within a window of m/z of interest are extracted via a quadrupole mass filter 24 and passed to a linear trap 30. Ions are trapped in a potential well in the linear trap 30 and are bunched at the bottom of the potential well adjacent an exit segment 50. Ions are gated out of the linear trap 30 into an electrostatic ion trap 130 and are detected by a secondary electron multiplier 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventors: Alexander Makarov, Mark E Hardman, Jae C. Schwartz, Michael W. Senko