Patent ID: 9176028
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for sampling a surface, comprising a sampling probe comprising a housing and a socket, and a rolling sampling sphere engaged in the socket, the housing having a sampling fluid supply conduit and a sampling fluid exhaust conduit, the sampling fluid supply conduit supplying sampling fluid to the sampling sphere, the sampling fluid exhaust conduit having an inlet opening for receiving sampling fluid carried from the surface by the sampling sphere, the inlet opening being spaced from the sampling sphere, the space providing a direct fluid flow path between the supply conduit, the sampling sphere, and the inlet opening, and further comprising at least one pump for continuously moving sampling fluid through the sampling fluid supply conduit to the sampling sphere and through the sampling fluid exhaust conduit, a portion of the fluid moving out of the housing with the sampling sphere to contact the surface and a portion of the fluid flowing through the direct fluid flow path, whereby fluid flowing through the direct fluid flow path will remove sample from the rolling sampling sphere and carry the sample to the exhaust conduit inlet opening.