Electrospray Emitter Positioning Using Image-Based Inlet Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mass spectrometry techniques face challenges in maintaining optimal emitter position consistency, leading to variations in sensitivity, efficiency, and reproducibility due to factors like emitter positioning accuracy and environmental conditions.

Innovation Solution

An automated positioning system that uses image data to adjust the emitter's position relative to the mass spectrometer inlet to an optimum position, optimizing signal intensity and stability by generating ion intensity maps and classifying ions to exclude contaminant signals.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual emitter positioning is used, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and positioning accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemitter positioning accuracyVSAvoidpositioning system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with an automated image-based positioning system. The system captures images of the emitter and inlet, processes these images computationally to determine positions, and automatically adjusts the emitter position based on image analysis results, eliminating the need for manual mechanical adjustment while improving positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates visual copies (images) of the physical emitter and inlet components. By capturing and analyzing images of these components, the system can determine their positions and orientations without direct physical measurement, enabling automated positioning while reducing the complexity of physical measurement and adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If automated image-based positioning is implemented, then positioning accuracy and reproducibility improve, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning consistencyVSAvoidpositioning system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback loop where the system continuously captures images of the emitter and inlet, analyzes their positions, and adjusts the emitter positioning based on the image analysis results. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures consistent and reproducible positioning while the automated nature of the process handles the complexity internally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If precise emitter positioning is maintained, then signal intensity and sensitivity improve, but time required for positioning adjustments increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal intensityVSAvoidpositioning adjustment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary positioning actions by capturing images and calculating the optimal emitter position before actual analysis begins. The system pre-adjusts the emitter to the correct position based on image analysis, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual adjustments during the analytical process and ensuring optimal signal intensity from the start.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20240404815A1Automatic positioning of an electrospray ionization emitter

Publication Date: 2024.12.05 THERMO FINNIGAN LLC

AI summary

A position control system may obtain image data representative of one or more images that depict an inlet of a mass spectrometer and an emitter positioned near the inlet and adjust, based on the image data, a position of the emitter relative to the inlet to an optimum position that is at or near a reference position relative to the inlet.