Patent ID: 8686353

Claim:
A mass spectrometer operative to receive a liquid sample and analyze physical properties thereof, said mass spectrometer having an ionization source, a mass analyzer, and a detector, comprising: (A) an inlet port communicating with the ionization source through which the sample is introduced for analysis; (B) a first fluid pathway in communication with the inlet port and having a first construction, said first fluid pathway adapted to receive and transfer the sample to the inlet port in a first time period; (C) a second fluid pathway in communication with the inlet port and having a second construction that is different than the first construction, said second fluid pathway adapted to receive and transfer the sample to the inlet port in a second time period that is greater than the first time period; (D) a first fluid splitter in communication with said first and second fluid pathways and located upstream from the inlet port, said first fluid splitter adapted to divide the sample into a first sample portion and a second sample portion such that said first sample portion is transferred to the inlet port via said first pathway and said second sample portion is transferred to the inlet port via said second pathway; and (E) a second fluid splitter located downstream from said first fluid splitter and interconnecting the first and second fluid pathways such that said first and second sample portions are received by the inlet port via a common fluid pathway.