Air sampling system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air sampling system for collecting samples intended for the measurement of suspended matter. The system is capable of taking air samples in different types of environments and situations, as well as simultaneously taking air samples at different heights. The system comprises at least one sampling unit for capturing air samples that consists of a case having an outer surface that defines an outer cross section. The inside of the case contains a cyclonic vacuum that suctions the atmospheric air, forcing it to pass through a filtering cassette that can be assembled in a filter holder that can be coupled to the case. The system further comprises a set of adapters that have different configurations and are interchangeable and combinable with each other, the adapters having a tubular body with an inner surface that can be coupled to the outer surface of the case. The set of adapters allows at least one sampling unit to be coupled to different support or transport means, which allow them to operate in different situations such as being suspended in the air in a stationary manner, being suspended in the air in a movable manner by means of a drone, being supported on a flat surface or being coupled to a fixed support, such as a tripod, as well as being coupled to a movable support, such as a land vehicle. The air sampling system further comprises a common coupling mechanism between said adapters and the at least one sampling unit in order to secure and guide their assembly to each other.

Description

[0001]AIR SAMPLING SYSTEM DESCRIPTIVE SPECIFICATION The present invention is inserted in the technical field of air quality monitoring. More specifically, it relates to a versatile air sampling system for measuring microbes or suspended particles, which allows air sampling in different environments and situations, and at different heights simultaneously. DESCRIPTION OF THE STATE OF THE ART Atmospheric aerosols are common substances in the atmosphere, and many pollutants exist in this form or mixed in the form of atmospheric aerosols. Atmospheric polluting particles not only cause serious air pollution in the city, but also people who live in an environment with a high concentration of these particles for a long time easily suffer from respiratory diseases. It is of particular concern that poor air conditions not only occur outdoors or in large spaces, but alsoThese pollutants are produced indoors; these pollutants have been introduced indoors from outdoors or originate from indoor sources. In general, air pollutants can include particulate matter as well as bioaerosols with airborne microorganisms, known as biological pollutants, which include infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, or allergens such as pollen. The problem of particulate air pollutants has attracted the attention of researchers interested in improving the quality of life. However, to solve these problems, it is first necessary to know the quantity and type of pollutants present in the air, and methods and devices that allow sampling of atmospheric aerosols play a key role in this. Air pollution observations typically use near-surface monitoring stations for point observations.fixed, which can reflect the variation in soil pollutant concentration levels at a given spatial location over time, but due to the limited scarcity of the site, it does not reflect the continuous spatial variation in atmospheric pollutant concentrations. In addition, traditional ground monitoring stations are also unable to know the vertical distribution characteristics of pollutants. Therefore, it is possible to see in the state of the art, numerous developments aimed at carrying out air sampling for different circumstances, mainly with the use of an air sampler, which is an important piece of equipment for air quality control. It is mainly used to collect particles suspended in the air and capture them on a filter or membrane, where the sampler normally comprises mechanical means to force the air through said filter. An example of these samplers can be seendescribed in document US6514721B2 published on 02 / 04 / 2003, entitled “Air sampler for pathogens and psychrometrics”, which describes an air sampling device and method for collecting airborne pathogens and psychrometric data from ambient or remote air samples, in which the sample volume is electronically controlled. By using an internal fan in a housing containing a growth medium, air particles are caused to impact the surface of the growth medium / inhibitor contained in a pathogen plate, thus depositing pathogenic microorganisms in the medium. The growth medium / inhibitor can be solid, liquid, gel or a mixture thereof. For the implementation of samplers in outdoor spaces and at different heights, in the state of the art it is possible to see that the use of unmanned aerial vehicles is widely adopted as a solution to make a sampler able to reacheverywhere, especially in spaces where a person cannot reach and to take samples at different heights. For example, document US11619570B1 published on 04 / 04 / 2023, entitled “Filter-based air sampler capable of integration into small unmanned aerial vehicles,” describes a filter-based air sampler that may include a filter assembly having as component parts: an open-faced air inlet component, a filter, and a filter holder having a central support grid. The filter assembly may be attached to the housing of a fan, such as a centrifugal fan, and the support grid of the filter holder may be located above the air inlet of the fan. The sampler is fixedly attached to the top of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Another similar solution is seen in document CN112644709A published on 04 / 13 / 2021, entitled “Unmanned aerial vehicle for collectinggases”, comprising a vehicle box, a vacuum pump, a frame, a vacuum reservoir, a one-way valve and a pressure sensor; the vacuum pump is permanently connected to the vehicle box, the frame is connected to the vehicle box and a gas inlet is formed in the frame; the vacuum reservoir is arranged in the frame and connected to the gas inlet through a gas inlet pipe; the vacuum pump and a microprocessor are electrically connected to a power supply arranged in the vehicle body. The problem that these solutions reveal has to do, firstly, with the fixed arrangement of the sampler components to the aerial vehicle, limiting its application only to said vehicle; which, although it allows wide movement in the air and at the same time allows the sampler to be placed on the ground, the means that facilitate both conditions are present in the vehicle and not in the sampler, thereforeThere is independence between the sampler and the device that carries it. Another problem is the direct attachment of the sampler to the aerial vehicle, where the counterproductive effect of the air propelled by the vehicle's own blades is already known, which can affect the accuracy of the samples. As a solution to this, equipment has been developed that allows the sampler to be moved away from the aerial vehicle, with the provision of a cable that suspends the sampler. An example of this can be seen in document CN109911229A published on June 21, 2019, entitled "Unmanned aerial vehicle for environmental monitoring." By installing the gas monitoring module, the unmanned aerial vehicle can be used to monitor gas emissions in a specific area. Since the unmanned aerial vehicle is in an elevated position, a great advantage is achieved in monitoring exhaust gases. The gas monitoring module isprovided with a sling winding disc to keep a monitoring instrument at an appropriate distance from the main body of the UAV, thus preventing the UAV's blades from disturbing the airflow and affecting a monitoring result. The problem with these solutions is that, like samplers fixed to an aerial vehicle, they lack the versatility to be able to apply the sampler in other circumstances, such as positioning it fixedly at a certain point. Furthermore, these types of solutions do not allow optimal capture of simultaneous samples at different heights, but only allow successive samples to be taken as the vehicle moves up or down, or as the rope winding mechanism raises or lowers the sampler, so samples at different heights are not captured simultaneously. On the other hand, there are also sampling devices designed toSampling in closed or controlled spaces, for example, pharmaceutical companies can use samplers to analyze the air in clean rooms and monitor the microbes present in the air. In these cases, samplers carried manually by a person or that can be left on a surface are used. Examples of these solutions can be seen in the content of document US6565638B1 published on 05 / 20 / 2003, entitled "Portable Airborne Bacteria Sampler," which shows a sampling device that has a housing with an external handle for holding it; as well as in the content of document US10732081B2 published on 08 / 04 / 2020, entitled "Portable Air Sampler," which also includes a housing with a handle for holding the device and moving it manually. Since the need for analyzing atmospheric pollutants is not limited only to capturing samples in outdoor spaces that cover large areasin motion, for which the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle is ideal, but there is also the need to take air samples in more specific spaces or under special conditions, such as taking samples statically, at a single specific point or at a single special height, as well as being able to take samples in a route at ground level and not only at high heights, it happens that the existing solutions in the state of the art lack versatility and in order to have all these possibilities, the procedure becomes more expensive by having to count separately, with each of the available equipment that serve for certain situations, given that a manual portable sampler is not useful for taking samples outdoors suspended in the air; while a sampler associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle is unnecessarily expensive and cumbersome if what you want is to take air samples in a confined space and in astatic. The above leads to the conclusion that there is a need for a versatile solution that allows a sampler to be applied in different situations, different environments and at different heights simultaneously with the same equipment. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an air sampling system for collecting samples for the measurement of suspended material, where the air sampling system is versatile, capable of taking air samples in different types of environments and situations, as well as capable of taking air samples at different heights simultaneously. This air sampling system is applicable, among other things, for monitoring urban air quality, monitoring industrial emissions, monitoring air in residential areas, on highways, urban roads, closed areas or for research on air quality in general. One of the objectives of theThe present invention is to provide an air sampling system that is versatile, allowing air samples to be taken at different spatial positions, such as under static conditions, to obtain air samples at a single specific point, or under moving conditions, to obtain air samples over a larger area. Another objective of the present invention is to provide an air sampling system that allows samples to be taken at different heights simultaneously. Yet another additional objective of the present invention is to provide an air sampling system that allows the use of inputs already available on the market, such as the use of membrane filter holders, as filter cassettes. The present invention relates to an air sampling system for collecting samples for the measurement of suspended material, where the sampling system is capable of taking air samples in different types of environments and situations; such asLikewise, it is capable of taking air samples at different heights simultaneously. It comprises at least one sampling unit for capturing air samples, which has a housing comprising an outer surface defining an outer cross-section; where the housing carries inside a cyclonic vacuum cleaner that sucks atmospheric air, to force it through a filter cassette mountable in a filter holder attachable to the housing; the system also comprises a set of adapters that have different configurations, are interchangeable and combinable with each other, and have a tubular body with an inner surface attachable to the outer surface of the housing of said at least one sampling unit; the set of adapters allows said at least one sampling unit to be coupled to different support or transport means, which allow it to operate in different situations, such as being suspended in the air in a mannerstatic; be suspended in the air in a mobile manner through an unmanned aerial vehicle; be supported on a flat surface or be coupled to a fixed support, such as a tripod, as well as be coupled to a mobile support, such as a land vehicle; the air sampling system further comprises a common coupling mechanism between said adapters and the at least one sampling unit, to secure and guide the assembly relative to each other. Said at least one sampling unit, as already mentioned, is formed by a housing having an outer surface defining an outer cross section; it comprises an inner cavity extending between a front opening, coverable with a removable filter holder, through which the air enters and is filtered, and a closed rear wall having a series of ventilation openings for evacuation of the already filtered air. The housing may comprise any aerodynamic shape that facilitates the movement of the unit bythe air without resistance or easily destabilizing; preferably, although not limited to this configuration, the housing can be of a straight cylindrical shape. In other embodiments, the housing can be of a flattened spheroidal shape, a conical shape or any other aerodynamic volume. The front opening of the housing comprises a coupling mechanism for the filter holder; said coupling mechanism can preferably consist of an inner section of said front opening populated with a threaded surface complementary to a threaded surface also present in the filter holder; other possible alternatives, although not limited to them, can include couplings such as press-fitting the filter holder into the front opening or an axial insertion mechanism combined with a perimeter lock. The objective of this mechanism is that the filter holder can be firmly coupled to the housing when an air sample is to be taken, but that, at the same time, allows asafe decoupling to remove the filter holder and take the sample for analysis. The internal cavity of the housing that forms the sampling unit houses the functional components that allow or facilitate the capture of air samples; said components include an air induction component, formed by the aforementioned cyclonic vacuum cleaner, which is associated with a respective motor, and is located immediately after the filter holder, so that when operating it directly generates air suction from the outside to the inside of the housing, to force its passage through the filter holder. It also includes a rechargeable battery pack to allow the autonomy of the air aspirating component; together with a control board and a remote switch actuator that allows the remote on / off of the vacuum cleaner motor, so that it can be activated only once the sampling unit is positioned in the target location where it iswants to take air samples. It also incorporates an evacuation chamber for the already filtered air, located at the rear of the cavity, associated with the series of openings present in the rear wall of the housing through which the filtered air exits to the outside of the housing. The filter holder of the invention is designed to house commercially available filter cassettes, preferably, but not limited to, cassettes with filter membranes, intended for the quantification and differentiation, among others, of microorganisms present in the air, such as microbes or viruses. The filter material may vary and be intended not only for the capture of microorganisms, but also for the quantification of suspended particulate matter, gases, spores, pollen, dust, among others. Normally these cassettes are in the shape of a Petri dish, with an interior cavity where the filter membrane is placed on an air-permeable rear wall and comprisea front cover in the form of a filter mesh to prevent the aspiration of insects, garbage or larger material that is not of interest to the sampling process. The perimeter edge of the cassette lid comprises radial flat projections that are used for coupling it to sampling equipment; they also have a pair of projections on their mantle that are used to couple a safety seal ring. An example of this type of filters can be found on the market, for example, under the Sartorius brand, mainly as disposable gelatin units for air samplers. The filter holder of the invention comprises an outer cylindrical portion with an outer diameter coinciding with the front opening of the housing and is coupled to it by means of the removable coupling mechanism, preferably formed by a threaded outer surface that fits with the threaded inner surface of the housing. Concentric to said outer cylindrical portion, it comprises ainner cylindrical portion whose rear end is coupled to the cyclonic vacuum cleaner, while its front end is closed by a central circle with a central perforation that communicates with the interior of the housing, specifically with the cyclonic vacuum cleaner. From said central circle, a truncated conical portion projects forward, reducing the passage area through which the air sucked from the vacuum cleaner flows and increasing the flow rate, thus ensuring the passage of outside air through the filter membrane and the capture of the material of interest. The filter holder comprises an annular front face with a central slit which, in turn, comprises a contour with perimeter fitting means to couple the radial flat projections of the filter cassette. Thus, the filter holder is capable of receiving and securing the filter cassette in its central slit, so that once the sampling unit is activated and the cyclonic vacuum cleaner begins toWhen the vacuum cleaner operates, it generates air suction into the casing, forcing the passage of external fluid through the filter membrane of the cassette to capture the material of interest in said membrane. The other essential component of the present invention, as mentioned at the beginning, is the set of interchangeable and combinable adapters, which allow said at least one sampling unit to be used in various conditions or environments, such as being used individually or in a group of sampling units connected to each other; being used in a suspended position in the air, whether as a single sampling unit or more than one unit grouped together hanging from one another; as well as being positioned on a flat surface or coupled to a static element, such as a tripod, or a mobile element, such as a land vehicle. This set of interchangeable and combinable adapters comprises a bodytubular body with an inner surface coupleable to the outer surface of the housing of said at least one sampling unit; for its part, the inner surface of each of the adapters of the adapter set defines an inner cavity with a cross-section that has a shape and size matching the shape and size of the outer cross-section of the housing, which allows coupling between the adapters and the housing. Obviously, if in an embodiment of the invention, the shape of the housing is preferably cylindrical, its cross-section is circular; then, the shape of the cross-section of said adapters, and more specifically, of the inner cavity of the tubular body, is also circular. Said set of adapters comprises at least one upper fastening adapter, which has an outer surface provided with at least one upper radial projection located in an upper area of ​​the tubular body, and wheresaid at least one radial projection comprises at least one through perforation. Said at least one through perforation allows the coupling of some type of flexible joining element, such as ropes, cables, chains, straps or any element with an equivalent functionality; where these joining elements may have connectors that facilitate their coupling in the aforementioned through perforations, such as a carabiner, a quick snap connector, adjustable buckles or similar connectors. This type of upper fastening adapter, which is part of the set of adapters of the present invention, by comprising at least one radial projection located in its upper part, where cables or similar elements can be coupled, has the purpose of allowing the sampling unit to be suspended in the air in a hanging manner, either by hanging it from a static element, as well as suspending it from a mobile element, such as, for example, an aerial vehiclemanned drone (DRONE) that allows the sampling unit to be moved through elevated areas or areas that are difficult for a person to access. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper fastening adapter comprises two upper radial projections arranged equidistant from each other, such that the upper fastening of the sampling unit with ropes or similar elements occurs from both radial projections, improving the stability of the unit by reducing the pendulum effect. The set of adapters also comprises at least one lower support adapter, which comprises an outer surface provided with a flat wall oriented horizontally and located in a lower area of ​​the tubular body. Preferably, said flat wall is arranged tangent to the tubular body and its purpose is to allow the sampling unit to be placed on a surface without losing stability, especially if the body of the housing is cylindrical orrounded; thus, this type of adapter allows the sampling unit to be supported, for example, on a table, on the floor, on a roof or in similar places. The set of adapters further comprises at least one double fastening adapter, which comprises an outer surface provided with at least one upper radial projection located in an upper area of ​​the tubular body, and at least one lower radial projection located in a lower area of ​​the tubular body; where said radial projections comprise at least one through perforation. In a preferred embodiment, this adapter for double fastening is provided with two upper radial projections, and two lower radial projections. This type of double fastening adapter allows the simultaneous use of more than one sampling unit, hanging one from the other. Specifically, the upper radial projections of a first sampling unit allow coupling of joining elements suchsuch as cables, ropes or the like, which in turn can be attached to a fixed support or an unmanned aerial vehicle (DRONE); meanwhile, the lower radial projections of the same double-fastening adapter allow the coupling of other ropes from which a second sampling unit is hung, in order to take air samples at different heights, simultaneously. In still other applications of the invention, the system can be configured for the use of more than two sampling units, each with double-fastening adapters that allow suspension connection between the sampling units. The set of adapters further comprises at least one multiple adapter, which comprises an outer surface provided with at least one upper radial projection located in an upper area of ​​the tubular body, and provided with a horizontally oriented flat wall located in a lower area of ​​the tubular body; where said upper radial projectionscomprise at least one through-hole. In a preferred embodiment, this multiple adapter is provided with two upper radial projections arranged equidistant from each other. This type of multiple adapter allows for simultaneous upper and lower support with a single adapter, particularly useful for smaller sampling units. The set of adapters also comprises at least one perimeter coupling adapter, which comprises an outer surface provided with at least one clamp located radially to the tubular body. This type of adapter allows the sampling unit to be mounted to a linear bar-type element or a profile, such as, for example, the handlebar of a bicycle that would allow air samples to be taken at the height of a person on a cycle path; or a luggage bar on the roof of a car, to take air samples on a specific route; as well as, it could be coupled to abar present in a canister for taking air samples on the surface of a body of water. The set of adapters also comprises at least one axial coupling adapter, which comprises an outer surface provided with at least one cylindrical projection located radially to the tubular body; where said cylindrical projection comprises a central recess with a threaded surface. This type of adapter for axial coupling allows a sampling unit to be positioned on a vertical support, such as, for example, the stem of a tripod, so that the unit can be stably positioned at a specific point of interest. Optionally, this projection may also have a radial fastening bolt that secures the coupling. Eventually, a sampling unit could also be coupled, by means of the axial coupling adapter or the perimeter coupling adapter, to a handle that allows the unit to be carried manually so that it can be moved by a person, for example,within a room or confined space. The radial projections of the adapters may be formed by flat projections with a through perforation acting as a fastening lug. In a preferred embodiment, each of said radial projections is formed by two walls arranged at an angle to each other. As previously mentioned, the radial projections of the different adapters that form part of the set of adapters of the present invention comprise at least one through perforation that allows the attachment of flexible joining elements, such as cables, ropes or chains that allow the suspension of the sampling unit(s). These perforations may be circular, rectangular, oval, elliptical or any other similar shape. Another essential component of the present invention is the common coupling mechanism between the adapters and the at least one sampling unit; this mechanism comprises at least one slotlocking arranged on the outer surface of the housing; and at least one locking projection arranged on the inner surface of the tubular body of each of the adapters. Said locking slot and said locking projection comprise a cross-section of matching shape and dimensions, so that the locking projection can fit within the locking slot. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said at least one locking slot extends longitudinally, between the front opening and the rear wall of the outer surface of the housing; while said at least one locking projection extends transversely, across the width of the tubular body of each adapter. This common coupling mechanism makes it possible, on the one hand, to guide the insertion of the adapters in an axial direction of the housing, by fitting the locking projections within the locking slots; on the other hand, the location of the locking slots in the housing predeterminesthe perimeter position of the adapters; meanwhile, once the adapters are inserted into the housing, this common coupling mechanism blocks any possible perimeter movement of the adapters, thus ensuring a correct position and alignment of the radial projections between adapters, as well as ensuring that the flat walls of the lower support adapters are conveniently positioned to support the housing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer surface of the housing comprises two locking slots, located diametrically opposite each other; while the inner surface of the adapters comprises two locking projections, located diametrically opposite each other and coinciding with the location of the housing's locking slots. Optionally, some adapters that are part of the invention may contemplate a cutout in their tubular body to adapt around some component of the unit.sampler that protrudes from the housing. The present invention allows for different configurations of the sampling system according to the intended application or depending on the area and conditions of the place where air samples are to be taken. Conveniently, each of the different configurations may comprise at least two lower support adapters, each located at the ends of the sampling unit housing, to provide it with two flat support points on which the housing can rest. These different configurations are permitted because the adapters are interchangeable and combinable with each other, as they all have the same cross-section that coincides with the cross-section of the housing, while what varies among them is the external shape, offering various modes of fastening, coupling and support. The previous description demonstrates the advantages of the present inventionrepresents with respect to the solutions of the prior art, since the present air sampling system is a versatile system that allows different configurations from a single housing shape, allowing its application in various situations or environments with the simple combination of the adapters. These different configurations give the system the advantage of being able to operate with one or more sampling units simultaneously, hanging from each other and at the same time, this group of units can be held or transported simultaneously, for example, through a single unmanned aerial vehicle and be able to take samples at different heights simultaneously. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES A detailed description of the invention will be carried out in conjunction with the figures that are an integral part of this presentation, where: Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an example of application of the present air sampling system. Figure 2 shows a view inCross-section of the coupling between a sampling unit and an adapter. Figure 3 shows a profile view of a top-clamp adapter. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an example of application of the top-clamp adapter. Figure 5 shows a profile view of a bottom-support adapter. Figure 6 shows a perspective view of an example of application of the bottom-support adapter. Figure 7 shows a profile view of a double-clamp adapter. Figure 8 shows a perspective view of an example of application of the double-clamp adapter. Figure 9 shows a profile view of a multiple-clamp adapter. Figure 10 shows a perspective view of an example of application of the multiple-clamp adapter. Figure 11 shows a profile view of a perimeter coupling adapter. Figure 12 shows a perspective view of an example of application of the perimeter coupling adapter. Figure 13 shows a perspective view of another14 shows a profile view of an axial coupling adapter. 15 shows a perspective view of an exemplary application of the axial coupling adapter. 16 shows an exploded isometric view of a sampling unit. 17 shows a sectional view of the filter holder of the sampling unit. 18 shows an isometric view of a housing with an exemplary embodiment of the common coupling mechanism. 19 shows an isometric view of an adapter with an exemplary embodiment of the common coupling mechanism. 20 shows an exemplary application of the air sampling system according to its use with an unmanned aerial vehicle. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a simplified representation of several illustrative features of the basic principles of the invention. Specific design features, including,For example, the specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes of the various illustrated components will be determined in part by the particular intended application and environment of use. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate different embodiments of the air sampling system. These embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention; however, the implementation of the invention is not limited to said embodiments only. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate upon reading this specification and viewing these drawings that various modifications and variations may be made thereto while maintaining the same inventive concept. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the air sampling system (1) comprises at least one sampling unit (10)for capturing air samples; a set of adapters (20) having different shapes from each other, which are interchangeable and also combinable with each other, coupled to said at least one sampling unit (10); and a common coupling mechanism (30) between the set of adapters (20) and the at least one sampling unit (10) to secure and guide the assembly relative to each other. As can be best seen in FIG. 2 , the sampling unit (10) comprises a housing (101) with an outer surface (102) defining an outer cross section; meanwhile, the adapters (20) comprise a tubular body (201) with an inner surface (202) coupled to the outer surface (102) of the housing (101); the inner surface (202) of each of the adapters (20) defines an inner space (203) with a cross section that has a shape and size matching the shape and size of the cross section defined by the outer surface (102) of the housing (101).In relation to the common coupling mechanism (30) between the adapters (20) and the at least one sampling unit (10), this comprises at least one locking groove (31) arranged on the outer surface (102) of the housing (101), and comprises at least one blocking projection (32) arranged on the inner surface (202) of the tubular body (201) of the adapters (20); the locking groove (31) and the blocking projection (32) each comprise a cross section of shape and dimensions matching each other. As seen in more detail in FIG. 3, said set of adapters comprises at least one upper clamping adapter (21), which consists of an outer surface (211) provided with at least one upper radial projection (212) located in an upper area (213) of the tubular body (201), and where said at least one radial projection comprises at least one through hole (214). In an example of application of the invention, shown in FIG. 4, this type ofupper support adapter (21), comprising at least one upper radial projection (212) with through holes (214) for coupling connecting elements (E) such as chains, has the purpose of allowing the sampling unit (10) to be suspended in the air in a hanging manner, such as, for example, from a static element (F), such as a strut or a post. As can be seen in more detail in FIG. 5, the set of adapters comprises at least one lower support adapter (22), which comprises an outer surface (221) provided with a flat wall (222) oriented horizontally and located in a lower area (223) of the tubular body (201). In an application example of the invention, shown in FIG. 6, this type of lower support adapter (22), comprising a flat wall (222), allows the sampling unit (10) to be placed on a surface without losing stability, such as, for example, on a table (G), on thefloor, on a roof or in similar places. As seen in more detail in FIG. 7, said set of adapters comprises at least one double fastening adapter (23), comprising an outer surface (231) provided with at least one upper radial projection (232) located in an upper zone (233) of the tubular body (201), and at least one lower radial projection (234) located in a lower zone (235) of the tubular body (201); where said upper radial projections (232) and lower radial projections (234) comprise at least one through perforation (236). In an application example of the invention, shown in FIG. 8, this type of double clamping adapter (23), comprising upper radial projections (232) and lower radial projections (234), both with through holes (236) to couple connecting elements (E) to them, such as cables, has the purpose of allowing the simultaneous use of more than one sampling unit (10),hanging from one another. Specifically, the upper radial projections (232) of a first sampling unit (10') allow the coupling of connecting elements (E), which in turn can be attached to a fixed support or an unmanned aerial vehicle (not illustrated); meanwhile, the lower radial projections (234) of the same double fastening adapter (23) allow the coupling of second cables (E) from which a second sampling unit (10'') is hung, in order to take air samples at different heights, simultaneously. As seen in more detail in FIG. 9, the set of adapters comprises at least one multiple adapter (24), comprising an outer surface (241) provided with at least one upper radial projection (242) located in an upper area (243) of the tubular body (201), and provided with a flat wall (244) oriented horizontally and located in a lower area (245) of the tubular body (201); where said radial projectionsupper (242) comprise at least one through hole (246). As exemplified in FIG. 10, this type of multiple adapter (24) allows an upper fastening with the upper radial projections (242) and the lower support with the lower flat wall (244), simultaneously with the same adapter, particularly useful for smaller sampling units (10). As seen in more detail in FIG. 11, said set of adapters comprises at least one perimeter coupling adapter (25), which comprises an outer surface (251) provided with a clamp (252) located radially to the tubular body (201). In an application example of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 12, this type of perimeter coupling adapter (25) allows the sampling unit (10) to be mounted to a linear element (H) of bar or profile type, such as, for example, the handlebar of a bicycle, which would allow air samples to be taken at the height of aperson on a cycle path, or mounting the sampling unit (10) to a luggage bar on the roof of a car, to take air samples on a given route, as illustrated in FIG. 13. As seen in more detail in FIG. 14, said set of adapters comprises at least one axial coupling adapter (26), comprising an outer surface (261) provided with at least one cylindrical shoulder (262) located radially to the tubular body (201); where said cylindrical shoulder (262) comprises a central recess (263) with a threaded surface and a lateral pressure bolt (264). In an application example of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 15, this type of axial coupling adapter (26) allows a sampling unit (10) to be positioned on a vertical support (J), such as the stem of a tripod, so that the sampling unit (10) can be positioned in a stable manner at a given point of interest. As mentioned earlier,previously, and as illustrated in FIG. 16, the sampling unit (10) comprises a housing (101) having an interior cavity (103) extending between a front opening (104), coverable with a removable filter holder (105), and a rear wall (106) having a series of ventilation openings (107) for evacuation of already filtered air. In one embodiment of the invention, the interior cavity (103) of the housing (101) houses inside it the functional components that facilitate the capture of air samples; said components (not illustrated) include a cyclonic vacuum cleaner associated with its respective motor, which is located immediately after the filter holder structure (105); it also comprises a rechargeable battery pack, a control board, a remote switch actuator and a chamber for evacuating already filtered air, located in the rear part of the interior cavity (103), associated with the series of ventilation openings (107)present in the rear wall (106) of the housing (101) through which the filtered air is evacuated. The front opening (104) of the housing (101) comprises a coupling mechanism for the filter holder (105), which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises an inner section populated with a threaded surface (108) complementary to an also threaded outer surface (109) of the present filter holder (105). As seen in the same FIG. 16, together with FIG. 17, the aforementioned filter holder (105) is designed to house filter cassettes (A) of a type available on the market; the filter holder (105) comprises an outer cylindrical portion (110) with the threaded outer surface (109) that fits with the threaded inner surface (108) of the housing (101). Concentrically to said outer cylindrical portion (110) it comprises an inner cylindrical portion (111) whose rear end (112) is coupled to the cyclonic vacuum cleaner, while its front end (113) is coupled to the cyclonic vacuum cleaner.It is closed by a central circle (114) with a central perforation (115) that communicates with the interior of the housing (101). From said central circle (114) a portion of conical trunk shape (116) projects forward that reduces the passage area through which the air flows and increases the flow speed, thus ensuring the passage of outside air through a filter membrane contained in the filter cassette (A). The filter holder (105) comprises an annular front face (117) with a central slit (118) which, in turn, comprises a contour with perimeter fitting means (119) to couple radial flat projections (B) of the filter cassette (A). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as exemplified in FIG. 18 in conjunction with FIG. 19, the common coupling mechanism (30) between the housing (101) and the adapters of the adapter set (20), comprises at least one locking slot (31) that extends longitudinally on the outer surface.(102) of the housing (101); while said at least one blocking projection (32) extends transversely, across the width of the tubular body (201) of each adapter of the adapter set (20). An example of application of the present air sampling system (1), shown in FIG. 20, teaches a configuration of the system suitable for allowing two sampling units (10', 10'') to be suspended from an unmanned aerial vehicle (D); the upper radial projections (232) of double fastening adapters (23) of a first sampling unit (10') allow it to be coupled, through connecting elements (E), to an unmanned aerial vehicle (D); Meanwhile, the lower radial projections (234) of the same double clamping adapter (23) allow it to be coupled to second cables (E), which, in turn, are coupled to the upper radial projections (212) of upper clamping adapters (21) mounted on a second sampling unit (10''). ThisAn exemplary configuration of the invention allows the air sampling system, through both sampling units (10', 10''), to take samples at different heights, simultaneously. Additionally, both sampling units (10', 10'') comprise two lower support adapters (22) that allow them to rest on a surface when the units are on the ground.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Air sampling system (1), which allows air sampling in different environments and situations, and at different heights simultaneously; CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises at least one sampling unit (10) for capturing air samples, which comprises a housing (101) with an outer surface (102) defining an outer cross section of the housing (101); a set of adapters (20) that can be interchanged and combined with each other, which comprise a tubular body (201) with an inner surface (202) coupled to the outer surface (102) of the housing (101) of said at least one sampling unit (10), where the adapters of the set of adapters have different shapes from each other; and a coupling mechanism (30) common between said adapters (20) and the at least one sampling unit (10).

2. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner surface (202) of each of the adapters of the adapter set (20) defines an inner space (203) of cross section that has a shape and size coinciding with the shape and size of the outer cross section of the housing (101).

3. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said adapter set (20) comprises at least one upper fastening adapter (21), which comprises an outer surface (211) provided with at least one upper radial projection (212) located in an upper zone (213) of the tubular body (201), and where said at least one upper radial projection (212) comprises at least one through perforation (214).

4. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said set of adapters (20) comprises at least one lower support adapter (22), comprising an outer surface (221) provided with a flat wall (222) oriented horizontally and located in a lower area (223) of the tubular body (201).

5. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said set of adapters (20) comprises at least one double support adapter (23), comprising an outer surface (231) provided with at least one upper radial projection (232) located in an upper area (233) of the tubular body (201), and at least one lower radial projection (234) located in a lower area (235) of the tubular body (201); wherein said upper (232) and lower (234) radial projections comprise at least one through perforation (236).6 Air sampling system (1), according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said set of adapters (20) comprises at least one multiple adapter (24), which comprises an outer surface (241) provided with at least one upper radial projection (242) located in a zone 1.

7. Air sampling system (1), according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said set of adapters (20) comprises at least one perimeter coupling adapter (25), which comprises an outer surface (251) provided with at least one clamp (252) located radially to the tubular body (201).

8. Air sampling system (1), according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said set of adapters (20) comprises at least one axial coupling adapter (26), which comprises an outer surface (261) provided with at least one cylindrical projection (262) located radially to the tubular body (201); where said cylindrical projection (262) comprises a central recess (263) with a threaded surface.

9. Air sampling system (1), according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the common coupling mechanism (30) between the adapters (20) and the at least one sampling unit (10), comprises at least one locking slot (31) arranged on the outer surface (102) of the housing (101); and comprises at least one blocking projection (32) arranged on the inner surface (202) of the tubular body (201) of the adapters (20).

10. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that said at least one locking slot (31) and said at least one blocking projection (32) each comprise a cross-section of matching shape and dimensions.

11. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that said at least one locking slot (31) extends longitudinally on the outer surface (102) of the housing (101); and said at least one blocking projection (32) extends transversely, across the width of the tubular body (201) of each adapter (20).

12. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said sampling unit (10) comprises an interior cavity (103) extending between a front opening (104) of the housing (101) and a rear wall (106), where the front opening (104) receives a removable filter holder (105) on a threaded surface (108), and the rear wall (106) comprises a series of ventilation openings (107).

13. Air sampling system (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the filter holder (105) comprises an exterior cylindrical portion (110) with a threaded exterior surface (109) 2. coinciding with the threaded surface (108) of the housing (101); a portion of a truncated conical shape (116); a central perforation (115), and an annular front face (117) with a contour with perimeter fitting means (119) to fit a filter cassette.

14. Air sampling system (1), according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the sampling unit (10) comprises inside its housing (101) a cyclonic vacuum cleaner associated with a respective motor, a rechargeable battery pack, a filtered air evacuation chamber and a control board associated with a remote actuator switch. 3

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