Patent ID: 8586943
Filing Date: 2013-11-19
Classification: G01N,H01J

Abstract:
1. An assembly for cooling one or more samples prior to or during laser ablation (LA)-inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-mass spectrometry (MS) comprising: a rectangular metallic housing comprising a front face, a top face, a bottom face and three side faces, wherein the housing encases one or more thermal barrier inserts and thermal conducting plugs; a circular groove fabricated by drilling on the top face of the housing, wherein the circular groove is an O-ring groove and is fabricated with a specified inner and outer diameter and is also centered at a specified distance from the front face of the housing and the side faces of the housing; a first hole drilled on the top face of the housing, wherein the first hole is centered on the top face of the housing and traverses half the height of the housing; a second hole drilled on the front face of the housing, wherein the second hole is centered on the front face of the housing and traverses along a length of the housing and is orthogonal to the first hole; a first thermal barrier insert of a specified length and diameter, wherein the first thermal barrier insert comprises a first insert hole centered from a rear side of the first thermal barrier insert and a second insert hole orthogonal to the first insert hole on a side of the first thermal barrier insert, wherein the first thermal barrier insert is placed inside the second hole drilled on the front face of the housing; a second thermal barrier insert of a specified length, wherein the second thermal barrier insert comprises a semi-circular cut centered along a base of the second thermal barrier insert, wherein the second thermal barrier insert comprises a hole of a specified diameter traversing an entire length of the second thermal barrier insert, wherein the second thermal barrier insert is placed inside the first hole drilled on the top face of the housing; a first thermal conducting plug of a specified outer diameter and length, wherein the first thermal conducting plug comprises a first hole and a second hole on a top or bottom surface of the first thermal conducting plug, wherein the first hole and the second hole have a specified diameter and depth and are separated from each other by a specified distance, wherein a third hole is drilled along a length of the first thermal conducting plug orthogonal to the first hole and the second hole, wherein the third hole is capped by soldering a copper plug, wherein the first and the second holes comprise copper tubing silver soldered in place, wherein the first thermal conducting plug is inserted into the first thermal barrier insert; a second thermal conducting plug mimicking a shape of the second thermal barrier insert; wherein the second thermal conducting plug is inserted into the second thermal barrier insert; and one or more holes on the front face of the housing for inserting a platinum resistive temperature device (RTD), a thermocouple, a temperature sensor, resistance temperature detectors or any other temperature monitoring device or a similar device for monitoring a temperature of the assembly.