Sample collection thermal desorber

Abstract

A thermal desorption apparatus is configured to detect a substance of interest in a sample, the apparatus comprising: a wand configured to support a swab and a detector comprising an analyser arranged to detect a substance of interest, wherein the wand is configured to couple to the detector such that thermal desorption of a sample from the swab provides a part of the sample to the analyser.

1 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A sample collection wand for a thermal desorption apparatus, the sample collection wand comprising:
 a wand body arranged to enable manipulation of the wand;   a swab support coupled to the wand body; and   thermal insulation disposed between the swab support and the wand body so heat provided to a collected sample is thermally insulated from the wand body;   wherein the swab support is movable relative to the wand from a heating position in which the thermal insulation is provided by a spacing between the wand body and the swab support, to a sample collection position in which the spacing is reduced relative to the heating position; and   wherein in the sample collection position and the heating position the swab support is attached to the wand body.   
     
     
         32 . The sample collection wand of  claim 31 , wherein the swab support is flexible between the sample collection position and the heating position, the swab support being held spaced apart from the wand in the heating position and pressed against the wand in the sample collection position to furnish additional mechanical support to the swab. 
     
     
         33 . The sample collection wand of  claim 32 , wherein the swab support is configured to tend to restore the spacing between swab support and the wand after being pressed against the wand in the sample collection position. 
     
     
         34 . The sample collection wand of  claim 33 , wherein the swab support is resilient. 
     
     
         35 . The sample collection wand of  claim 31 , further comprising a heater. 
     
     
         36 . The sample collection wand of  claim 31 , wherein the swab support comprises a resilient laminar strip, the resilient laminar strip comprising a heater arranged to heat the swab support for thermal desorption of a sample. 
     
     
         37 . The sample collection wand of claim of  claim 36 , wherein the heater comprises an electrically conducting resistive heating element, and at least one layer of an electrically insulating material arranged to electrically insulate a surface of the swab support from the heating element. 
     
     
         38 . The sample collection wand of  claim 36 , wherein the swab support comprises first and second couplings configured to enable the swab support to be mechanically coupled to first and second couplings of a thermal desorption and sample collection wand, wherein at least one of the couplings is arranged to provide electrical coupling to the heater. 
     
     
         39 . The sample collection wand of  claim 31 , further comprising a thermally reflective surface arranged to reflect heat to the swab support. 
     
     
         40 . A thermal desorption apparatus, configured to detect a substance of interest in a sample, the apparatus comprising:
 a wand configured to support a swab, the wand comprising:
 a wand body arranged to enable manipulation of the wand; 
 a swab support coupled to the wand body; and 
 thermal insulation disposed between the swab support and the wand body so heat provided to a collected sample is thermally insulated from the wand body; 
 wherein the swab support is movable relative to the wand from a heating position in which the thermal insulation is provided by a spacing between the wand body and the swab support, to a sample collection position in which the spacing is reduced relative to the heating position, wherein in the sample collection position and the heating position the swab support is attached to the wand body; and, 
   a detector comprising an analyser arranged to detect a substance of interest;   wherein the wand is configured to couple to the detector such that thermal desorption of the collected sample from the swab provides a part of the collected sample to the analyser.   
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the wand further comprises a heater for heating the collected sample. 
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the wand further comprises an electrical coupling for coupling electrical power to the heater, the electrical coupling being arranged to electrically couple with the detector when the wand is coupled to the detector. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the wand comprises an electrical contact configured to engage the electrical coupling, the electrical contact being disposed on an internal portion of a housing for the detector that forms a port to receive at least a portion of the wand. 
     
     
         44 . A wand for collecting a substance of interest from an article comprising:
 a swab support disposed substantially on an end of a wand body, the swab support being configured to at least partially flex for sample collection;   a sleeve configured to engage at least a portion of the wand body to secure a swab to the swab support.   
     
     
         45 . The wand of  claim 44 , wherein the swab support comprises a heater that is operable to heat at least a portion of a sample present on the swab. 
     
     
         46 . The wand of  claim 44 , wherein the wand is configured to capture the swab onto the swab support without physical manipulation of the swab by a user. 
     
     
         47 . The wand of  claim 44 , further comprising a securing mechanism for securing the sleeve to the wand body. 
     
     
         48 . The wand of  claim 44 , wherein the wand is configured to permit thermal desorption of a sample collected on the swab without disassembly or removal of the swab from the wand.