Patent ID: 7491548
Filing Date: 2009-02-17
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A particle collecting and transferring system for collecting particles that may be contaminants in the air in a container at a first operations stage and transferring the collected particles to a test cartridge at a second operations stage, said system comprising: a collection assembly having a filter chamber, a first passageway extended from the filter chamber, the first passageway having a first coupler, and a second passageway extended from the filter chamber, the second passageway having a second coupler; and a liquid providing device connectable to the collection assembly, wherein at the first stage, the first coupler is used to operatively connect the filter chamber to the container so as to draw at least part of the air in the container through the first passageway, the filter chamber and then the second passageway for collecting in the filter chamber the particles in the air, and at the second stage, the second coupler is used to operatively connect the filter chamber to the liquid providing device so as to allow the liquid providing device to provide a liquid to the filter chamber through the second passageway for hydrating in the filter chamber the collected particles, and the first coupler is used to operatively connect the filter chamber to the test cartridge so as to transfer at least part of the liquid in the filter chamber containing the hydrated particles through the first passageway to the test cartridge, wherein the liquid in the filter chamber is agitated in said hydrating, said system further comprising, a plurality of beads disposed in the filter chamber for said agitating.