APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SAMPLING

摘要

2057888 9014587 PCTABS00002 The system operates by inducing a sample to flow into an outer chamber (22) and excluding the sample from an inner chamber (18) having an inner chamber orifice (11) located within the outer chamber by inducing a first pressure zone in the inner chamber such that a substantially discrete interface between the first pressure zone and sample is formed at the inner chamber orifice; reducing the first pressure zone to induce the sample to flow through the inner chamber orifice into and through the inner chamber such that the first pressure zone-sample interface is substantially undisturbed when the first pressure zone-sample interface (30) moves therethrough; inducing the sample to flow from the inner chamber into an inner tube (10) having an inner tube orifice within the inner chamber which forms a pathway (12) to a detector (13); inducing a second pressure zone in the inner chamber such that a second substantially discrete interface (31) is formed.