CA2488049A1 - Systems and methods for residue collection - Google Patents

Systems and methods for residue collection Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2488049A1
CA2488049A1 CA002488049A CA2488049A CA2488049A1 CA 2488049 A1 CA2488049 A1 CA 2488049A1 CA 002488049 A CA002488049 A CA 002488049A CA 2488049 A CA2488049 A CA 2488049A CA 2488049 A1 CA2488049 A1 CA 2488049A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
residue
collection system
residue collection
mail
air
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002488049A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2488049C (en
Inventor
James J. Strohmeyer
William Blumfelder
John Tehan
Dennis Osterhorn
Joseph Matteoni
William J. Nelgner
Brian Lybarger
David Schenken
James Wagy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
DRS Sustainment Systems Inc
Original Assignee
Engineered Support Systems, Inc.
James J. Strohmeyer
William Blumfelder
John Tehan
Dennis Osterhorn
Joseph Matteoni
William J. Nelgner
Brian Lybarger
David Schenken
James Wagy
Drs Sustainment Systems, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Engineered Support Systems, Inc., James J. Strohmeyer, William Blumfelder, John Tehan, Dennis Osterhorn, Joseph Matteoni, William J. Nelgner, Brian Lybarger, David Schenken, James Wagy, Drs Sustainment Systems, Inc. filed Critical Engineered Support Systems, Inc.
Publication of CA2488049A1 publication Critical patent/CA2488049A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2488049C publication Critical patent/CA2488049C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
    • G01N1/2202—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C1/00—Measures preceding sorting according to destination
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
    • G01N1/2202—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling
    • G01N1/2214—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling by sorption
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
    • G01N1/24—Suction devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N2001/022—Devices for withdrawing samples sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N2001/022—Devices for withdrawing samples sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents
    • G01N2001/025—Devices for withdrawing samples sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents postal items
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N1/00—Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation
    • G01N1/02—Devices for withdrawing samples
    • G01N1/22—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state
    • G01N1/2202—Devices for withdrawing samples in the gaseous state involving separation of sample components during sampling
    • G01N2001/222—Other features
    • G01N2001/2223—Other features aerosol sampling devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for the detection of substances (particularly particulate substances) within mail pieces, specifically letters and other "flats" of mail. In particular, the systems and methods are for the detection of residues of Chemical or Biological Warfare Agents (CBWAs) which may be present within the mail pieces. The system is principally designed to be included as part of Dual Pass Rough Cull System (DPRCS) for the collection and detection of the residue when the contaminated mail piece first enters a mail facility and before it is intermingled with other mail pieces.

Claims (25)

1. a residue collection system comprising:
an aerosol chamber including:
an internal area;
an intake plenum, said intake plenum being capable of collecting air from said internal area; and a set of pinch rollers, said pinch rollers being capable of compressing a mail piece located within said internal area;
wherein said mail piece can be directed into said pinch rollers, said pinch rollers compressing said mail piece so as to force out some internal air from within said mail piece into said internal area, said internal air including a residue of a substance present in said mail piece;
wherein said intake plenum can take in at least a portion of said internal air including said residue from said internal area; and wherein said intake plenum can supply said internal air including said residue to a detection system capable of detecting said residue.
2. The residue collection system of claim 1 further comprising:
a segregation component arranged prior to said aerosol chamber in a mail stream, said segregation component serving to provide said mail piece to said aerosol chamber.
3. The residue collection system of claim 2 wherein said segregation component includes a cull conveyor.
4. The residue collection system of claim 3 wherein said segregation component includes a delayering conveyor.
5. The residue collection system of claim 4 wherein said delayering conveyor is located after said cull conveyor.
6. The residue collection system of claim 5 wherein said delayering conveyor utilizes velocity differential separation relative to said cull conveyor.
7. The residue collection system of claim 5 wherein said delayering conveyor utilizes gravity separation.
8. The residue collection system of claim 2 wherein said segregation component includes a delayering conveyor.
9. The residue collection system of claim 8 wherein said delayering conveyor utilizes gravity separation.
10. The residue collection system of claim 1 wherein said residue is indicative of a Chemical or Biological Warfare Agent (CBWA) being present in said mail piece.
11. The residue collection system of claim 1 wherein said residue collection system is part of a Dual Pass Rough Cull System (DPRCS).
12. The residue collection system of claim 1 wherein said set of pinch rollers comprises a pair of pinch rollers where one of said pinch rollers is a drive pinch roller and one is an idler pinch roller.
13. The residue collection system of claim 12 wherein said idler pinch roller is spring-mounted.
14. The residue collection system of claim 1 wherein said air passes through a cyclonic separator system before reaching said detector.
15. The residue collection system of claim 1 wherein said mail piece is a letter.
16. The residue collection system of claim 1 wherein said mail piece is a flat.
17. A method for collecting residues from mail pieces comprising:
arranging mail pieces so as to place the mail pieces in a generally singular layer;
providing said mail pieces to a chamber;

within said chamber, flowing air over said mail pieces so as to lift a residue from the exterior of at least one of said mail pieces; and transporting said air and said residue to a detector capable of detecting the presence of said residue.
18. The residue collection system of claim 17 wherein said residue is indicative of a Chemical or Biological Warfare Agent (CBWA) being present in said mail pieces.
19. The residue collection system of claim 17 wherein said method is performed within a Dual Pass Rough Cull System (DPRCS).
20. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of arranging is at least partially performed by a cull conveyor.
21. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of arranging is at least partially performed by a delayering conveyor.
22. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of flowing, said air also lifts a residue from the interior of said at least one mail piece.
23. The method of claim 17 wherein said at least one mail piece comprises a letter.
24. The method of claim 17 wherein said at least one mail piece comprises a flat.
25. A residue collection system comprising:
a cull conveyor means for creating a mail stream having a first depth;
a delayering conveyor means, for reducing the depth of said mail stream to a second stream of generally single item depth;
aerosol chamber means capable of taking in said second stream, said aerosol chamber means passing air across said second stream to collect residues from said second stream by aerosolizing said residue in said air; and an air sampling system means, capable of transporting said air from said aerosol chamber means to a detector means, said detector means capable of detecting said residue.
CA2488049A 2002-05-31 2003-05-30 Systems and methods for residue collection Expired - Fee Related CA2488049C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US38500402P 2002-05-31 2002-05-31
US60/385,004 2002-05-31
PCT/US2003/017100 WO2003101632A1 (en) 2002-05-31 2003-05-30 Systems and methods for residue collection

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2488049A1 true CA2488049A1 (en) 2003-12-11
CA2488049C CA2488049C (en) 2011-09-20

Family

ID=29712120

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2488049A Expired - Fee Related CA2488049C (en) 2002-05-31 2003-05-30 Systems and methods for residue collection

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (5) US6941794B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1509340A1 (en)
AU (1) AU2003238837A1 (en)
CA (1) CA2488049C (en)
MX (1) MXPA04011852A (en)
WO (1) WO2003101632A1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
MXPA04011852A (en) 2005-07-05
US20070089542A1 (en) 2007-04-26
EP1509340A1 (en) 2005-03-02
WO2003101632A1 (en) 2003-12-11
US20080087109A1 (en) 2008-04-17
AU2003238837A1 (en) 2003-12-19
US7316152B2 (en) 2008-01-08
US7114369B2 (en) 2006-10-03
US6941794B2 (en) 2005-09-13
US7073371B2 (en) 2006-07-11
US7503204B2 (en) 2009-03-17
US20050199039A1 (en) 2005-09-15
US20040255701A1 (en) 2004-12-23
US20050257602A1 (en) 2005-11-24
CA2488049C (en) 2011-09-20

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Legal Events

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EEER Examination request
MKLA Lapsed

Effective date: 20160530