Patent ID: 7259370

Claim:
A coupled analyte separation and spectrometry device comprising: (a) an analyte separation instrument comprising an instrument outlet port through which separated analyte samples exit the instrument; (b) a sample dispensing probe for dispensing analyte samples onto a substrate, the sample dispensing probe comprising a probe inlet port for accepting analyte samples; (c) a chamber disposed between the analyte separation instrument and the sample dispensing probe, the chamber comprising a first chamber inlet port in fluid communication with the instrument outlet port, a second chamber inlet port, and a chamber outlet port connected to the probe inlet port, wherein the second chamber inlet port is in fluid communication with a source of matrix solution, and further wherein the chamber serves as a mixing chamber for the analyte sample from the analyte separation instrument and the matrix solution; and (d) a chamber probe adaptor comprising a chamber connector adapted to connect to the chamber and a probe connector adapted to connect to the sample dispensing probe; wherein the chamber probe adaptor comprises a sleeve that defines an internal cavity adapted to hold the chamber, and further wherein the chamber probe adaptor holds the chamber outlet port and the probe inlet port in a fixed spatial relationship.