US 12,092,555 B2
Apparatus for dynamically varying extraction distance between extraction volume and sample surface
Benjamin Staal, Belgrade, MT (US); Stijn Van Malderen, Lokeren (BE); and James Barbula, Livingston, MT (US)
Assigned to TELEDYNE INSTRUMENTS, INC., Thousand Oaks, CA (US)
Filed by Teledyne Instruments, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 25, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/452,039.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/690,139, filed on Jun. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0391056 A1, Dec. 26, 2019
Int. Cl. G01N 1/40 (2006.01); G01N 1/04 (2006.01); G01N 35/10 (2006.01); G01N 35/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 1/04 (2013.01) [G01N 35/1095 (2013.01); G01N 2001/045 (2013.01); G01N 35/00693 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for dynamically varying an extraction distance between an extraction volume and a sample surface, the apparatus comprising:
a motor;
a height adjustable stage having a threaded exterior surface;
a spur gear surrounding the height adjustable stage, the spur gear having external teeth and internal threads,
wherein the internal threads are mechanically coupled to the threaded exterior surface, and
wherein the spur gear is mechanically coupled to the motor;
a probe assembly comprising a collection cell, wherein the probe assembly is operably coupled to the height adjustable stage;
a processor coupled to the motor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing machine executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
actuate the motor to move the probe assembly by a combination of the motor, the spur gear, and the height adjustable stage.