Sample heater assembly and method of use thereof

US7036388B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army · US

Inventors

• James A. Genovese · Forest Hill, US
• Mark S. DiBeradino · Baltimore, US
• Lester D Strauch, III · Bel Air, US
• Mark S. Schlein · Edgewood, US
• Emory W. Sarver · Havre de Grace, US
• Arthur Stuempfle · Edgewood, US
• Dennis J. Reutter · Aberdeen, US
• Richard S. Simak · Edgewood, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 4, 2003
• Grant date: May 2, 2006
• Expiry date: Dec 4, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/25875
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A sample heater assembly which permits the detection of low volatility agents by existing chemical agent detectors is described. Existing chemical agent detectors often lack the capability to accurately detect low volatility agents, such as the chemical warfare agent VX. The sample heater assembly provides this capability by heating low volatility agents to vaporization and interfacing with the existing chemical agent detector. The sample heater assembly comprises a sample containment reservoir for holding the low volatility agent sample, which can be attached to the chemical agent detector, and a heating element which attaches to the sample containment reservoir for heating the sample.