Patent ID: 9377445
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: G01N,H01J

Claim Text:
1. An ionization method using an ionization unit having a sample holder configured to hold a sample, an ionization unit drive unit configured to drive the ionization unit, a power supply configured to apply a voltage to the ionization unit, and a sample suction tube, the method comprising the steps of: joining the ionization unit to the tube; sucking the sample from a sample container into a sample holder of the ionization unit to hold the sample; moving the ionization unit holding the sample to a detecting unit using the ionization unit drive unit; and separating the ionization unit and the tube and applying a voltage to the ionization unit using the power supply to ionize the sample by electrostatically spraying the sample from the sample holder, wherein the ionization is performed upon opening of one end of the sample holder by the separation of the ionization unit from the tube thereby allowing the sample to drop from the sample holder from another open end of the sample holder due to the force of gravity.