US2011304845A1PendingUtilityA1

Particle measurement systems and methods

41
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Dec 21, 2007Filed: Aug 26, 2011Published: Dec 15, 2011
Est. expiryDec 21, 2027(~1.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Paul T. Steele
G01N 2021/4709G01N 21/47G01N 2015/1493G01N 15/1459G01N 2015/145G01N 21/645G01N 2015/1027
41
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Claims

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment includes generating light fringes using a light source; directing a particle through the light fringes; detecting light scattered by the particle as the particle passes through the light fringes using at least one light detector; and determining at least one property of the particle. A system according to one embodiment includes a light source for generating light fringes; a sampling mechanism for directing particles through the light fringes; and at least one light detector for detecting light scattered by each of the particles as the particles pass through the light fringes

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method, comprising:
 generating light fringes using a light source;   directing a particle through the light fringes;   detecting light scattered by the particle as the particle passes through the light fringes using at least one light detector; and   determining at least one property of the particle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the particle is a biological hazard based on the at least one property. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particle is one of several test aerosols directed through the light fringes, and further comprising reporting at least one of a size and fluorescence distribution for the test aerosols. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed continuously on multiple particles for detecting bioaerosols. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein multiple properties are determined for each of the particles having a size in a respirable size range, wherein the properties include a correlated size, correlated fluorescence, and correlated effective density. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a handheld device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of filter testing. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of air cleaner testing. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of indoor air-quality monitoring. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of a drug delivery study. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of an atmospheric study. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of ambient air monitoring. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of test aerosol characterization. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed as part of powder sizing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the property of the particle is selected from a group consisting of a velocity of the particle, a physical size of the particle, an aerodynamic size of the particle, a trajectory of the particle, a fluorescence of the particle, and a density of the particle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein at least three of the properties are measured simultaneously on a single particle and uniquely associated with that particle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising discerning separate particles passing through the light fringes at the same time at different velocities. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light detector includes a fluorescence detector. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particle passes through the light fringes in air. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particle passes through the light fringes in a vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particles passes through the light fringes in a liquid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particle passes through the light fringes in a transparent solid. 
     
     
         23 . A system, comprising:
 a light source for generating light fringes;   a sampling mechanism for directing particles through the light fringes; and   at least one light detector for detecting light scattered by each of the particles as the particles pass through the light fringes   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the system is a bioaerosol mass spectrometry system. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising instrumentation for performing bioaerosol mass spectrometry on the particle. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the system is a handheld device. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising hardware for determining whether the particle is a biological hazard based on the at least one property. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the particle passes through the light fringes in air. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the particle passes through the light fringes in a vacuum chamber. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the particles passes through the light fringes in a liquid. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the particle passes through the light fringes in a transparent solid. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the property of the particle is selected from a group consisting of a velocity of the particle, a physical size of the particle, an aerodynamic size of the particle, a trajectory of the particle, a fluorescence of the particle, and a density of the particle. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein at least three of the properties are measured simultaneously on a single particle and uniquely associated with that particle.

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