Patent ID: 8227750

Claim:
A liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry sample analysis system comprising in combination: at least one liquid chromatography column adapted to elute a sample into separate constituents; a high voltage interface to convert sample constituents into ions; a mass spectrometer having an inlet for ions from said high voltage interface; said mass spectrometer adapted to maintain sub-atmospheric pressure therein and adapted to evaluate the mass-charge characteristics of ions in the sample; said high voltage interface including a spray needle with a base and a tip, said base in fluid communication with an outlet of said liquid chromatography column for acceptance of a liquid flow, said tip closer to said mass spectrometer inlet than said base; said needle tip located within a chamber upstream of said mass spectrometer inlet and substantially aligned along a common central axis with said mass spectrometer inlet; said chamber being adapted to be substantially sealed to the mass spectrometer inlet and having a pressure greater than said pressure within said mass spectrometer, such that flow is induced from said chamber into said inlet of said mass spectrometer; and at least one gas flow inlet into said chamber, said at least one gas flow inlet adapted to introduce gas into said chamber at least partially circumferentially relative to said central axis of said needle tip and said mass spectrometer inlet to help desolvate and focus the ions into the mass spectrometer inlet.