The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 28, 1993
Filed:
Sep. 30, 1991
Stanley L Kaufman, New Brighton, MN (US);
Fahimeh Zarrin, St. Paul, MN (US);
Frank Dorman, Minneapolis, MN (US);
TSI Incorporated, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
An electrospray nebulizer generates an aerosol comprised of submicrometer droplets substantially uniform in size. A liquid sample is supplied at a controlled rate to a capillary needle of the nebulizer, and droplets are formed due to an electrical field in the region about the needle discharge. The tendency of the droplets to disintegrate due to Coulomb forces is counteracted by sources of ionizing radiation within the nebulizer. The ions reduce the charge in each droplet while solvent evaporation reduces the diameter of the droplet. To further ensure against Coulomb disintegration, a controlled air sheath is introduced to the nebulizer for transporting droplets more rapidly downstream. Optionally, solvent vapor can be introduced into the air flow to reduce the rate of solvent evaporation within the nebulizer, and ions can be added to the air flow upstream of the needle discharge.