Analytical Instruments, Assemblies, and Methods

Abstract

Person-portable mass analysis instrumentation configured to perform nultidimensional mass analysis is provided. Mass analysis instrumentation can include a housing encompassing components of the instrumentation with the housing of the instrumentation defining a space having a volume of equal to or less than about 100,000 cm 3 . Instrument assemblies are also provided that can include a housing coupled to an instrument component isolation assembly, wherein the component isolation assembly is isolated from an environment exterior to the housing. Exemplary instrument assemblies can include at least first and second components configured to provide analysis with a housing of the instrument at least partially encompassing the first and second components and the first component being rigidly affixed to the housing. An isolation assembly can also be provided that is rigidly affixed to the second component with the isolation assembly being isolated from received inputs of the housing.

1 . A person-portable mass analysis instrument configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis.  
     
     
         2 . The instrument of  claim 1  wherein the multidimensional mass analysis comprises sequential mass spectrometry analyses.  
     
     
         3 . The instrument of  claim 1  further comprising a sample inlet component coupled to a mass analysis component, the sample inlet component being configured to receive a sample for analysis and prepare the sample for mass analysis by the mass analysis component, wherein the mass analysis component is configured to perform the multidimensional mass analysis.  
     
     
         4 . The instrument of  claim 3  further comprising a process circuitry component coupled to one or both of the sample inlet component and the mass analysis component, wherein the process circuitry component is configured to one or more of acquire data, store data, and manipulate acquired data generated by one or both of the sample inlet component and the mass analysis component.  
     
     
         5 . The instrument of  claim 4  wherein the process circuitry is configured to be accessed from remote process and storage circuitry.  
     
     
         6 . The instrument of  claim 3  wherein the sample inlet component is configured to be coupled to a plurality of sampling components.  
     
     
         7 . The instrument of  claim 6  wherein one or more of the sampling components are modular.  
     
     
         8 . The instrument of  claim 3  wherein the sample inlet component is configured to be coupled to a plurality of analyte modification components.  
     
     
         9 . The instrument of  claim 8  wherein one or more of the analyte modification components are modular.  
     
     
         10 . The instrument of  claim 3  further comprising: 
 a housing encompassing at least the mass analysis component; and    an isolator coupled to the housing and at least one component within the housing.    
     
     
         11 . The instrument of  claim 10  wherein the isolator is configured to isolate the one component from one or more of shock, vibration, electronic, and thermal inputs received by the housing.  
     
     
         12 . The instrument of  claim 3  wherein the mass analysis component is configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis without gas chromatography.  
     
     
         13 . A mass analysis instrument comprising: 
 a mass analysis component coupled to a sample preparation component, the sample preparation component being configured to receive a sample for analysis and expose the sample to a composition;    a consumables-generation component coupled to the sample preparation component, the consumables-generation component being configured to generate the composition; and    a housing coupled to one or more of the mass analysis component, the sample preparation component, and the consumables-generation component, the housing defining a space encompassing the instrument, wherein the composition is generated by the consumables-generation component from within the space.    
     
     
         14 . The instrument of  claim 13  wherein: 
 the sample preparation component is configured to perform chromatography, the chromatography partitioning a portion of the sample into a mobile phase; and    the composition comprises the mobile phase.    
     
     
         15 . The instrument of  claim 14  wherein the chromatography comprises gas chromatography and the composition is a gas.  
     
     
         16 . The instrument of  claim 15  wherein the composition comprises nitrogen.  
     
     
         17 . The instrument of  claim 13  wherein the mass analysis component is configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis.  
     
     
         18 . The instrument of  claim 17  wherein the mass analysis component comprises a cylindrical ion trap.  
     
     
         19 . The instrument of  claim 13  further comprising a process and control component coupled to at least the mass analysis component, the process and control component being configured to provide mass analysis parameters to the mass analysis component, wherein the mass analysis parameters comprise waveforms.  
     
     
         20 . A mass analysis instrument comprising a housing encompassing components of the instrument, the components comprising a processing and control component, a sample inlet component, a sample preparation component, a mass analysis component, and a detection component, wherein the housing defines a space having a volume of equal to or less than about 100,000 cm 3 .  
     
     
         21 . The instrument of  claim 20  wherein the sample inlet component is coupled to the sample preparation component, the sample inlet component being configured to receive a sample and provide the sample to the sample preparation component, wherein the sample inlet component comprises a syringe port.  
     
     
         22 . The instrument of  claim 20  wherein the sample inlet component is coupled to the sample preparation component, the sample preparation component being configured to receive a sample from the sample inlet component, wherein the sample preparation component is configured to perform gas chromatography.  
     
     
         23 . The instrument of  claim 20  wherein the sample inlet component is coupled to the mass analysis component, the mass analysis component being configured to receive a sample from the sample inlet component, wherein the mass analysis component is configured to perform multidimensional mass analysis.  
     
     
         24 . The instrument of  claim 23  wherein the mass analysis component is coupled to the processing and control component, the processing and control component being configured to provide mass analysis parameters to the mass analysis component.  
     
     
         25 . The instrument of  claim 24  wherein the mass analysis parameters include waveforms.  
     
     
         26 . The instrument of  claim 25  wherein the mass analysis component comprises a cylindrical ion trap.  
     
     
         27 . The instrument of  claim 20  wherein the mass analysis component is coupled to the detection component, the detection component being configured to receive ionized analytes from the mass analysis component, wherein the detection component comprises an electron multiplier.  
     
     
         28 . An instrument assembly comprising a housing coupled to an instrument component isolation assembly, wherein the component isolation assembly is isolated from an environment exterior to the housing.  
     
     
         29 . The assembly of  claim 28  further comprising at least one instrument component coupled to the instrument component isolation assembly, the at least one component being within a space defined by the housing.  
     
     
         30 . The assembly of  claim 29  wherein the at least one component comprises a pump assembly.  
     
     
         31 . The assembly of  claim 28  wherein the instrument component isolation assembly comprises a frame defining a space within the housing.  
     
     
         32 . The assembly of  claim 31  further comprising at least one instrument component, the instrument component residing within the space.  
     
     
         33 . The assembly of  claim 32  wherein the instrument component is coupled to the instrument isolation assembly.  
     
     
         34 . The assembly of  claim 31  wherein the frame comprises a platform and further comprising a plurality of isolators, each of the isolators having one end coupled to the platform and another end coupled to the housing.  
     
     
         35 . The assembly of  claim 34  wherein at least one of the isolators is configured to isolate the platform from one or more of shock, vibration, electronic, and thermal inputs received by the housing.  
     
     
         36 . The assembly of  claim 34  wherein at least four isolators are coupled to the platform.  
     
     
         37 . The assembly of  claim 34  wherein the frame of the component isolation assembly further comprises at least two sidewalls extending from the platform, the sidewalls having isolators coupled thereto, each isolator having one end coupled to a sidewall and another end coupled to the housing.  
     
     
         38 . The assembly of  claim 37  wherein a mass analysis component resides within the space.  
     
     
         39 . The assembly of  claim 38  wherein the mass analysis component comprises a pump assembly.  
     
     
         40 . The assembly of  claim 31  wherein the frame comprises a platform and at least two sidewalls extending vertically from the platform, each of the sidewalls being individually coupled to the housing by an isolator.  
     
     
         41 . An instrument assembly comprising: 
 at least two instrument components configured to provide analysis, the two components comprising a first component and a second component;    an instrument housing at least partially encompassing the first and second components, wherein the first component is rigidly affixed to the instrument housing; and    an instrument component isolation assembly rigidly affixed to the second component, the isolation assembly being isolated from received inputs of the housing.    
     
     
         42 . The assembly of  claim 41  wherein the two components are mass analysis instrument components.  
     
     
         43 . The assembly of  claim 42  wherein the first component is a processing and control component and the second component is a pump assembly.  
     
     
         44 . The assembly of  claim 43  wherein the pump assembly comprises a turbomolecular pump.  
     
     
         45 . The assembly of  claim 42  wherein the first component is a sample inlet component and the second component is a mass analysis component.  
     
     
         46 . The assembly of  claim 45  wherein the sample inlet component comprises a capillary membrane inlet.  
     
     
         47 . The assembly of  claim 45  wherein the mass analysis component comprises a cylindrical ion trap.  
     
     
         48 . The assembly of  claim 45  wherein the first component is flexibly coupled to the second component.  
     
     
         49 . The assembly of  claim 42  wherein the first component is a processing and control component and the second component comprises a mass analysis component, the mass analysis component being coupled to the processing and control component.  
     
     
         50 . The assembly of  claim 49  wherein the processing and control component is configured to provide mass analysis parameters to the mass analysis component.  
     
     
         51 . The assembly of  claim 50  wherein the mass analysis parameters comprise waveforms.  
     
     
         52 . An analytical instrument comprising: 
 an instrument housing encompassing at least two analytical components, a first component and a second component, wherein the first component is rigidly affixed to the housing; and    an instrument isolation assembly shock-mounted to the housing, the instrument isolation assembly being rigidly affixed to the second component.    
     
     
         53 . The instrument of  claim 52  wherein: 
 the instrument housing comprises a floor; and    the instrument isolation assembly comprises a base shocked mounted to the floor of the instrument housing.    
     
     
         54 . The instrument of  claim 53  wherein: 
 the instrument housing comprises housing-sidewalls extending vertically from the floor; and    the instrument isolation assembly comprises assembly-sidewalls extending vertically from the base, the assembly-sidewalls being shock mounted to the housing-sidewalls.    
     
     
         55 . The instrument of  claim 54  wherein the second component is rigidly affixed to the assembly-sidewalls.  
     
     
         56 . The instrument of  claim 55  wherein the first component comprises a processing and control component and the second component comprises a mass analysis component.  
     
     
         57 . The instrument of  claim 56  wherein the processing and control component is coupled to the mass analysis component, the processing and control component being configured to provide mass analysis parameters to the mass analysis component.  
     
     
         58 . The instrument of  claim 56  wherein the mass analysis component comprises a cylindrical ion trap.  
     
     
         59 . The instrument of  claim 52  wherein the shock-mount comprises a wire rope isolator.