Sampling Devices

Abstract

A sampling device for obtaining a material sample from a surface is provided. The sampling device comprises a housing (4) defining a cavity (6) for forming an at least semi-enclosed space adjacent a surface; an extraction conduit in communication with the cavity for extracting a material sample from the surface; an input interface arranged to receive light from a first direction (A); and an optical subsystem. The optical subsystem is located at least partially within the housing and is arranged to direct light from the input interface to be output through the cavity in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction (A), to ablate a material sample from the surface.

Claims

1. A sampling device for obtaining a material sample from a surface, the sampling device comprising: a housing defining a cavity for forming an at least semi-enclosed space adjacent a surface; an extraction conduit in communication with the cavity for extracting a material sample from the surface; an input interface arranged to receive light from a first direction; and an optical subsystem located at least partially within the housing and arranged to direct light from the input interface to be output through the cavity in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, to ablate a material sample from the surface.

2. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical subsystem is removable from the housing.

3. (canceled)

4. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a window which at least partially defines the cavity and through which the optical subsystem is arranged to direct light in the second direction.

5. (canceled)

6. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extraction conduit is arranged to connect to an extraction subsystem that extends from the sampling device in a direction parallel to the first direction.

7. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cavity is provided in a sampling side of the housing that is arranged to be put in contact with a surface to be sampled.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. A sampling device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sampling side comprises a curved surface.

12. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one proximity sensor arranged to sense the a proximity of the sampling device to a surface to be sampled.

13. (canceled)

14. A sampling device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the proximity sensor(s) is at least partially enclosed by the housing.

15. A sampling device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the proximity sensor(s) is removable from the housing.

16. A sampling device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the proximity sensor(s) and the optical subsystem are mounted in or to a common removable frame or cartridge.

17. A sampling device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the sampling device is arranged to output a signal containing information on the proximity of the sampling device to a surface to be sampled or the an orientation of the sampling device relative to the surface to be sampled.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. A sampling device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a height along an axis parallel to the second direction of six inches (i.e. approximately 15 cm) or less.

21. A sampling system comprising: a light source; an extraction subsystem; and a sampling device as claimed claim 1, wherein the light source is arranged to deliver light to the input interface, and the extraction subsystem is arranged to extract a material sample of a surface adjacent the sampling device via the extraction conduit.

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. A sampling system as claimed in claim 21, comprising an optical fibre coupled to the input interface and arranged to deliver light from the light source to the input interface.

25. A sampling system as claimed in claim 21, wherein the extraction subsystem comprises a flexible extraction tube connected to the extraction conduit of the sampling device, the extraction tube extending from the extraction conduit parallel to the first direction.

26. (canceled)

27. A sampling system as claimed in claim 24 to 26, comprising flexible tubing arranged to isolate the input interface and at least a portion of the optical fibre from an environment surrounding the sampling device.

28. A sampling system as claimed in claim 27, comprising a manipulation device coupled to the optical fibre and arranged to facilitate manipulation of the optical fibre through the flexible tubing.

29. A method of obtaining a material sample from a surface comprising: providing light in a first direction to an input interface of a sampling device; directing light from the input interface towards a surface in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction and normal to the surface; ablating the surface with the light to produce a sample; and extracting the sample from the surface.

30. A method of obtaining a material sample from a surface as claimed in claim 29, comprising isolating the input interface and at least a portion of an optical fibre from an environment surrounding the sampling device using flexible tubing; and then coupling the isolated optical fibre to the input interface of the sampling device.

31. A method of obtaining a material sample from a surface as claimed in claim 30, wherein coupling the isolated optical fibre to the input interface comprises manipulating the optical fibre through the flexible tubing.

32. (canceled)

Description

[0060] One non-limiting embodiment will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

[0061] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a sampling system according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0062] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the sampling device of the system of FIG. 1 in more detail;

[0063] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a method of coupling an optical fibre to a sampling device; and

[0064] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the sampling device of the system of FIG. 1.

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a sampling system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The sampling system 100 comprises a sampling device 2 (described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3), a light source 104 (e.g. an IR laser), an indicator device 106 and an extraction subsystem 108. The light source 104 is connected to the sampling device 2 via an optical fibre 110. The indicator device 106 is connected to the sampling device 2 via a data cable 112. The extraction subsystem 108 is connected to the sampling device via an extraction tube 114.

[0066] The extraction subsystem 108 comprises a pump 120 and a sample container 122. When operational, the pump 120 creates a region of low pressure in the sample container that draws air from the extraction tube 114 into the sample container 122. In use, the light source 104, indicator device 106 and extraction subsystem 108 may be positioned away from the sampling device 2 (e.g., positioned approximately 15 m away from the sampling device 2), to mitigate contamination of the light source 104, the indicator device 106 or the extraction subsystem 108..

[0067] The sampling system 2 is arranged to obtain a material sample of a surface to be sampled 116, which in this case comprises the inner wall of a six-inch (approximately 150 mm) diameter pipe 118.

[0068] The indicator device 106 comprises four red/green LEDs 124. As explained in more detail below, the colour of the LEDs 124 may indicate to a user of the system 100 when the sampling device 2 is in the correct position and orientation to take a sample of the surface 116.

[0069] The sampling device 2 (as shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3) comprises a housing 4 defining a cavity 6 on a sampling side thereof, an extraction conduit 8 extending from the cavity 6 to an extraction interface 10, an input interface 12, an optical subsystem 14 and a plurality of proximity sensors 16 (e.g. capacitive proximity sensors) connected to a data interface 17 (e.g. an RJ45 socket).

[0070] The housing 4 comprises an interface side 18 on which the input interface 12 and the extraction interface 10 are located, and a sampling side 20 in which the cavity 6 is provided. The housing 4 comprises a window 21 that partially defines the cavity 6 and separates the optical subsystem 14 from the cavity 6. The window 21, together with the rest of the housing 4 entirely encloses the optical subsystem 14 and isolates it from the environment surrounding the sampling device 2.

[0071] The input interface 12 and the data interface 17, along with at least part of the optical fibre 110 and the data cable 112 are enclosed by flexible tubing 126 (e.g. lay-flat tubing) that extends from the interface side 18 of the housing 4

[0072] The optical fibre 110 is coupled to the input interface 12 to provide light from the light source 104 into the sampling device 2 from a first direction A. The optical subsystem 14 comprises a mirror 15 and one or more lenses (not shown) which direct the light from the input interface 12 to be output through the cavity 6 in a second direction B that is perpendicular to the first direction A. The optical subsystem 14 is arranged to focus the light onto the surface 116 to ablate a material sample from the surface 116.

[0073] In use, the sampling device 2 is positioned with the sampling side 20 adjacent the surface to be sampled 116 (i.e. the interior wall of the pipe 118), such that the cavity 6 and the surface 116 form an enclosed space. FIG. 3 shows how the sampling side 20 comprises a convex curved surface that matches the curve of the pipe wall 116. This means that when the sampling device 2 is properly orientated (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), the space adjacent the surface 116 formed by the cavity 6 is effectively enclosed and the second direction B is normal to the surface 116.

[0074] The extraction tube 114 is connected to the extraction interface 10 of the sampling device, such that when the vacuum pump 120 is operational, the ablated material sample is drawn from the surface 116, through the extraction conduit 8, along the extraction tube 114 and into the sample container 122, where it is retained.

[0075] The proximity sensors 16 are arranged to sense the proximity of points on the sampling side 20 of the housing 4 to the surface 116. The proximity sensors 16 output the sensed proximities via the data interface 17. The data cable 112 is connected to the data interface 17. Each LED 124 of the indicator device 106 corresponds to a different proximity sensor 16. When a proximity measured by a proximity sensor 16 and output to the indicator device 106 via the data cable 112 is less than a predetermined threshold (e.g. less than 2 mm), the corresponding LED 124 turns green. When a proximity is greater than the threshold, the corresponding LED 124 turns red. Thus, when all the LEDs 124 are green, the user of the sampling system 100 can be confident that the sampling device 2 is in the optimal orientation to take a sample (i.e. flush against the surface 116 with the direction B normal to the surface 116). The sampling device 2 may also be arranged to prevent automatically light being output through the cavity 6 unless the proximity sensors 16 indicate that the sampling device 2 is in an acceptable position/orientation (i.e. performing a safety interlock function).

[0076] As shown schematically in FIG. 6, the sampling device 2 comprises a removable cartridge 19 to which the optical subsystem 14, the input interface 12, the proximity sensors 16 and the data interface 17 are mounted. The cartridge 19 and the components mounted thereto are removable from the housing 4, to allow the housing 4 to be replaced quickly and easily (e.g. where the housing 4 may have been contaminated through contact with the surface 116). A user may remove the cartridge 19 (along with the components attached thereto) from the housing 4 in a single step, and subsequently install them into a new (e.g. uncontaminated) housing. This allows a user to conveniently re-use multiple components of the sampling device 2 (e.g. more expensive components) several times in different housings.

[0077] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a method for coupling the optical fibre 110 to the sampling device 2. The flexible tubing 126 is positioned over the input interface 12 to isolate it from the environment surrounding the sampling device 2. The flexible tubing 126 extends from a protruding shroud 5 of the housing 4. Either before or after this, the optical fibre 110 is introduced into the flexible tubing at a point away from the sampling device 2 (i.e. away from any potential contaminated material).

[0078] The optical fibre 110 is then pushed along the flexible tubing 126 towards the sampling device 2. The flexible tubing 126 isolates the input interface 12 and at least a portion of the optical fibre 110 from the environment surrounding the sampling device throughout this process.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 5, the optical fibre 110 is then manipulated by a user, from the outside of the flexible tubing 126, to couple the optical fibre 110 to the input interface 12. A manipulation tool 128 may be coupled to the optical fibre 110 to aid this. The manipulation tool 128 comprises an oversized spanner tool that makes manipulating the optical fibre 110 through the flexible tubing 126 easier. For instance, a user may have to rotate the optical fibre 110 or an end fitting thereof through 90 degrees to couple it to the input interface 12 (e.g. to engage a bayonet fitting) and it may be easier to rotate the larger manipulation tool 128 than the small optical fibre 110 through the flexible tubing 126. The manipulation tool 128 may also facilitate the manipulation of parts of the optical fibre 110 (e.g. a bayonet fitting thereof) that are obscured within the protruding shroud 5 of the housing 4. The manipulation tool 128 may be moveable relative to the optical fibre 110 (e.g. it may be free to move along and/or rotate around the optical fibre 110, for instance when it is not being used to manipulate parts of the optical fibre 110).

[0080] While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims. As mentioned above, the sampling device may be used for obtaining samples from various different materials, including asbestos-containing materials. radioactive materials, and other potentially hazardous materials, even though different material samples may subsequently be analysed differently.