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:
Nov. 29, 2005
Filed:
Oct. 14, 2003
James G. Small, Tucson, AZ (US);
Jon N. Leonard, Tucson, AZ (US);
James G. Small, Tucson, AZ (US);
Jon N. Leonard, Tucson, AZ (US);
Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US);
Abstract
A particle mass spectrometer includes a supersonic flow expansion nozzle, and a source of a gas having particles entrained therein. The source is in gas-flow communication with an inlet of the expansion nozzle. The particle mass spectrometer further includes a vacuum chamber in gas-flow communication with an outlet of the expansion nozzle, wherein the vacuum chamber has a sufficient vacuum that a gas flow through the expansion nozzle is supersonic, and a microphone having an active element and an output signal responsive to a movement of the active element. The active element is disposed within the vacuum chamber and is positioned so that particles that flow from the outlet of the expansion nozzle impact upon the active element. The output signal of the active element of the microphone is a measure of the masses of the entrained particles.