Patent ID: 7067323

Claim:
A system for nondestructive automated headspace analysis comprising: A) a container conveyor comprising: a pre-inspection region, an inspection region and a post-inspection region; a plurality of first housings configured to house a respective plurality of generally optically transparent sealed test containers each configured to contain a gas to be measured; and at least one second housing configured to house a respective at least one sealed reference container containing a reference gas, said container conveyor configured to: 1) convey, along a movement path, said plurality of first housings such that a respective of the plurality of generally optically transparent sealed test containers are conveyed through said pre-inspection region, said inspection region and said post-inspection region; and 2) convey, along the movement path, said at least one second housing such that a respective at least one sealed reference container is conveyed through said inspection region; and B) a sensor located in said inspection region and comprising: 1) a laser source configured to emit a laser beam for absorption in the gas to be measured and the reference gas, said laser source further configured to emit the laser beam such that the laser beam intersects with the movement path; 2) a beam detector configured to detect the laser beam; and 3) a zone configured to accept the plurality of test containers and the at least one reference container conveyed by said container conveyor, said zone located between said detector and said laser source; wherein said container conveyor is further configured to alternatingly convey at least one first housing of said plurality of first housings and said at least one second housing such that a respective at least one sealed test container of the plurality of sealed test containers and the at least one sealed reference container are alternatingly conveyed through said zone.