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:
Dec. 07, 1993
Filed:
Mar. 22, 1993
David P Rounbehler, Bedford, MA (US);
David P Lieb, Lexington, MA (US);
Thermedics Inc., Woburn, MA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for selective, high speed detection of vapors of specific gas-chromatographically-separable compounds. In the disclosed method separate analyses are performed on two portions of a gas sample formed by flash-heating trapped vapors to successively higher temperatures while flowing hydrogen carrier gas over coatings in/on which the vapors are held. Within a total time interval of about twenty seconds 1) two sample portions are formed, 2) each portion is rapidly separated in two series-connected, high speed, temperature-programmed gas chromatographs, and 3) specific compounds are identified by detection of NO gas formed during an oxidative pyrolysis of each separated portion. One application of the described method and apparatus is the rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of nitrogen-containing compounds such as the drugs methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin.