Technical area

The invention regards generally a system and a method for collection of volatile traces and presentation of same. More particularly, the invention regards a container comprising a filter and a method for presenting volatile traces in the filter for analysis by a detector such as a canine, in a suitable environment. Prior art

From 1990, a system called MEDDS (Mechem Explosives and Drugs

Detection System) was developed by Mechem, a South African demining company.

This system was essentially a survey methodology based on the use of dogs to detect landmines or explosives remnants of war. The system consisted of sampling air over a filter system contained in a sampling tube. After sampling, the filter is removed from this sampling tube and stored in a separate container. For analysis, the filter is removed from the storage container and placed in a presentation rack. A dog trained to detect explosives is then used as a detector.

This system has been described generically as REST: Remote Explosive Scent Tracing and has been published by the Geneva International Centre for

Humanitarian Demining in 2000. It is still in use by Mechem for demining purposes.

The system is also an accepted method for the screening of air cargo, and is used in this manner by DiagNose, a company based in France that offers detection services in a number of countries. In the UK the system has been renamed

"RASCargO" (Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction) and is in use there for cargo screening by a number of service providers.

From prior art it is known that animals such as dogs or other species of animals have a remarkable sense of smell, especially in comparison with humans.

Dogs are used to find well packaged drugs hidden deep inside trucks based on volatiles that are emitted from within the packaging. They are used to track down people based on volatile traces they leave behind. Dogs trained to detect paper money are used to combat illegal trade at border crossings. Other interesting applications of dogs is the detection of fungi in buildings and orchards, landmine detection, and detection of particular bacteria.

Other animals that are used for their sense of smell are pigs and rats. Pigs have been trained to detect truffles, a mushroom species that grows under the ground and is therefore difficult to locate. Rats are used as a model animal for studying the sense of olfaction, and are also used for a number of detection purposes such as landmines and tuberculosis detection.

The patent document US4389372A describes a container adapted to sampling, storage and presenting a fluid for analysis. A problem with this invention is that it is not separable in to parts to reveal a filter comprising the fluid. Because of this, it is not prepared for convenient use with dogs as testers in a suitable environment and requires more careful handling at the analysis stage.

The patent document US2004/0083826A1 presents a method for testing, but does not comprise a step of removing a container comprising a housing comprising fluid to be tested. Accordingly, this invention also requires careful handling at the analysis stage.

The patent document DE10050863A presents another solution, but does not present a solution for removing a container comprising a housing comprising fluid to be tested. Accordingly, this invention also requires careful handling at the analysis stage.

Problems with prior art

The main problem with the prior art is the necessary handling of the filters in the process of sampling and presentation to the dogs. Each handling activity is an opportunity for contamination, for accidental mix-ups, and for loss of target volatiles. Current systems require handling when putting the filter in the sampling tube, when removing the filter from the sampling tube, placing it in a storage cartridge, removing it from the storage, and putting it into the presentation system for the dog. Dogs are very sensitive to handling cues. Gloves are no barrier to contamination, and the sampling itself is not conducted in a sterile laboratory environment but usually outdoors or in storage locations. Summary of the invention

One example of this invention is a container having a filter for sampling, storing and presenting of fluid, comprising odorant, for analyzing, and further having a housing surrounded by the container and surrounding the filter in order to protect the housing from being contaminated by an external environment.

Alternatively the invention further comprising an input opening for letting fluid in from outside the container and an output opening for evacuating fluid from the container.

Alternatively the invention further comprising means for closing an input opening and means for closing an output opening of the container.

Alternatively the invention further comprising the housing being separable in two housing parts, the second housing part containing the filter, the first side of the filter being recessed more than 2 mm below the rim of the lover part of the housing.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is a method having the steps of

directing an inlet comprising an input opening of a first part of a container to a volume to be sampled, the inlet fluidwise connected to an input opening of a first part of a housing; to a filter; to a second part of a housing; to an output opening of the second part of the housing; and further to an output opening of the second part of the container to a volume of fluid; evacuating a volume of fluid from the output opening of the second part of the container, thereby enclosing a volume of fluid inside the container collected from said inlet ; and closing the input opening and the output opening of the container.

Another preferred embodiment of the invention is a method for presenting fluid stored in a container having a filter by including the steps of removing a container; removing a first part of a housing; and arranging a second part of the housing comprising the filter comprising odorant to be tested, on a test station for testing with a nose of an animal. Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 illustrates a cross section of the container;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the container; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a carousel for canine testing seen from above.

Detailed description of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a container and a method for use in sampling, storage and presentation of revealed below with reference to accompanying drawings.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of one preferred embodiment of the invention. In the description related to this figure, the references to 'input' and to 'output' refer to the initial use of the invention, sampling of odorants. Correspondingly, when the invention is used further, in presentation of odorants for testing, the flow of fluid is the opposite. The reference to 'input' is still referring to the same part as before, even if it is used as an output in this case.

Fig. 2 shows a container 1 that has a second part 5 and a first part 6 that have integrated threads. The threads are used as a means for tight assembling of these two parts 5, 6. Other ways of tight assembling could be used as alternatives for these parts 5, 6, such as an elastic snap on rim, not shown.

The second part 5 of the container 1 comprises an input opening 9. The first part 6 comprises an output opening 10.

On the inside of this container 1 , 5, 6, is a housing 3, 4. The second part 3 and the first part 4 of this housing 3, 4 are prepared for tight assembly by assembling means such as integrated threads or similar. The second part 3 of the housing comprises an input opening. The first part 4 comprises an output opening. Finally, a filter element 2 is adapted for positioning inside this housing 3, 4.

When assembling the container 1 , the filter element 2 is first positioned inside the second part 3 of the housing and is tightly adapted to the inside of the second part 3. The second 3 and the first part 4 are then assembled together resulting in an air-tight housing with a first input opening and a second output opening. After the filter element is positioned, the second 5 and the first 6 part of the container are assembled surrounding the housing. The second parts 3, 5 and the first parts 4, 6 are designed so that when assembled, there is fluid connection between the input opening 9 of the first part 6 of the container, through the first opening of the first part 4 of the housing, through the filter from one side to the opposite side, further through the second opening of the second part 3 of the housing and still further through the output opening 10 of the second part 5 of the container. This defines a path for moving fluid. Preferably this fluid path does not have fluid openings leading out of this path, i.e. transverse this fluid path. The indication of first and second here relates to the drawing. When in use, the container may have any orientation at any time.

The different parts of the container are made so that said fluid openings are sealed when assembling the container 1 . This may be done by using controlled pressure and flexibility in the materials involved or alternatively by adding suitable gaskets, not shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a cross section of the container 1 being assembled. The container 1 is also equipped with lids 1 1 , 12 covering said two openings 9, 10 for sealing the container 1 . Lids 1 1 , 12 may be made from similar materials as the container itself. Fastening of the lids 1 1 , 12 may be done by press fit, snap, screw on or otherwise.

A container 1 assembled as in Fig. 1 and sealed with lids 1 1 , 12 is a product that may be stored. The materials used for such a container must be more or less neutral and that does not release odorant that may disturb an odorant that is to be tested. Important is also that the materials used does involve the risk of migrating odorant inwards or outwards. Some plastic materials are available that are suited for such use. Other suitable materials are glass or metal.

The filter is adapted to what is to be sampled, and may have different qualities depending on many parameters, depending on the target odorant and the detector.

A system utilizing the container 1 , comprising the housing 3, 4 the filter 2 and lids 1 1 , 12 will now be described.

A container 1 is assembled as in Fig. 1 . To prepare for sampling, the lids 1 1 , 12 of the container 1 are removed. Input opening 9 of the container is presented to a volume comprising the odorant that is to be sampled. This may be done directly, or often with one end of a tube connected to the input opening 9 and stretching further with its other end to the actual position beside or inside the volume to be sampled. A suction device is connected to the output opening 10 of the container 1 . The suction device may be a pump with under-pressure, either manual, electrical or driven by other means and may be controlled. The control parameters may be the flow, pressure or sucked volume. When fluid comprising odorants is to be sampled, a sample is sucked from volume to be sampled and is guided through the filter 2 in which a sample of odorants is to remain. Tubes or other guides used to direct the flow are then removed and the container is sealed with lids 1 1 , 12. The container 1 is then often marked with relevant information. Sealing may also involve using tape with an adhesive and adding a signature that may restrict manipulation and improve supervising the odorant sample.

After the sample is taken and sealed within the container, the container can be handled in a normal hostile environment and handled without a particularly high standard of hygiene. Acceptable temperature range during transport and storage will depend upon materials used, the resulting container as well as the filter and odorant sampled. Usable lifetime may in addition be limited by the integral temperature over time.

When the odorants sampled are to be tested, this should be done in a controlled environment. When the odorants are expected to be on the border of being detectable, the container comprising the lids can be cleaned from possible disturbing odorant on the outside of the container in order to improve detectability.

The first part 6 and the second part 5 of the container 1 and the first part 4 of the housing are removed and the second part 3 of the housing comprising the filter 2 is arranged at a test station in a position that makes the filter accessible for the nose of a dog. The lid 12 is preferably left in place during the testing phase. The filter 2 is preferably recessed at least 2 mm below the upper rim of the second part 3 of the housing in order to prevent the nose from touching the surface of the filter and contaminating it.

The arranging of the test station 8 is often done with more than one test station 8 on a carousel 7 for improving efficiency. A carousel 7 is an arrangement where test stations 8 are positioned at equidistant intervals along a peripheral of a circle. One way of arranging a carousel is illustrated in Fig. 3. The dog is trained so that it by itself moves between the different positions of the test stations 8.

After the actual testing process has been prepared, a dog trained for this is allowed to enter the room the test is performed in and to approach the first test station 8. The dog will then sniff at the rim of the second part 3 of the housing close to a surface of the filter 2 possibly containing odorant to be searched for. When and if the dog recognizes an odorant it is trained for by sniffing it out, it alerts its handler, e.g. just by sitting down or otherwise.

A carousel 7 can also be used as an arrangement for making blind tests in which relative positions of specific filters are unknown to handler and dog. In this way and also by using different dogs to perform the tests, the quality of tests can be significantly improved. With a carousel there is no beginning and no end and the dog will not be prone to making assumptions.

The number of test stations 8 in one carousel 7 can be any number. In Fig. 3 there are 6 stations indicated, but the number may be less than 6 or considerably more just dependent on practical use, dog behavior and experience.

An alternative to arranging test stations 8 in a carousel 7 is to use a linear lineup of test stations 8 in a row, not shown in the drawings.

By using housings 3, 4 in standard sizes, the above described preferred recession of the filter 2 may vary with the properties of the target odorants.

Quite important to the field of obtaining reliable test results is the selection and training of the dogs.

One alternative design of the container 1 of this invention is to use a layer of plastic acting as the container 1 encapsulation outside the housing 3, 4 and the filter 2. Such a layer can be applied by shrink wrapping or otherwise. It is then possible to reduce cost of production of the container. The container 1 may then be produced as a sealed product, comprising assembled second and first parts 5, 6 of a housing with filter. When the container 1 is arranged in this way, the container 1 does not comprise first and second parts. The layer of plastic is left in place in the sampling phase and the storage phase of the use of the container 1 . When the container is to be prepared to be used for testing of the sampled odorant, said layer of plastic is stripped off instead of unscrewing first 6 and second parts 5 of a container 1 as described in previous example. After this, the first part 4 of the housing is removed and the second part 3 of the housing comprising the filter is arranged at the test station 8.

An alternative to sealing the assembled container with lids is to have valves at the input opening 9 and/or the output opening 10 of the container 1 and/or the housing 3, 4. Such valve openings may be opened by a physical connection of a tube and/or a suction device as explained previously. Removal of same can then result in closing a valve.

Reference list

1 Container

2 Filter

3 Housing, second part

4 Housing, first part

5 Container, second part

6 Container, first part

7 Carousel

8 Test station

9 Input opening

10 Output opening

1 1 Lid for input opening

12 Lid for output opening