IP Library Granted Patent US 12665181
Granted Patent B2
US 12665181 · App. 18/686,152 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Ionizer

Inventors: Keisuke Iso (Kyoto, JP); Yuki Tanaka (Kyoto, JP); Fumihiko Hirata (Kyoto, JP); Shingo Fujioka (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
H01J49/167G01N30/7266H01J49/044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12665181
App. No.
18/686,152
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ionizer disposed in an ionization chamber separated from an analysis chamber by a partition provided with an ion introduction port, the ionizer including: an electrospray ionization probe 111 configured to charge and nebulize a liquid sample as charged droplets, the electrospray ionization probe being disposed such that a nebulization axis is orthogonal to a central axis of the ion introduction port; and a heated gas supply mechanism configured to blow a heated gas to a position between a tip of the electrospray ionization probe and an intersection point X of the nebulization axis and the central axis, where the position is separated from the tip by a predetermined distance or more.

Claims (14)

1 . An ionizer disposed in an ionization chamber separated from an analysis chamber by a partition provided with an ion introduction port, the ionizer comprising:

an ion introduction tube provided in the partition, an inlet of the ion introduction tube being the ion introduction port;

a heating member provided in the partition and configured to heat the ion introduction tube;

an electrospray ionization probe configured to charge and nebulize a liquid sample as charged droplets, the electrospray ionization probe being disposed such that a nebulization axis is orthogonal to a central axis of the ion introduction port; and

a heated gas supply mechanism configured to blow a heated gas, from a predetermined direction, to a position between a tip of the electrospray ionization probe and an intersection point of the nebulization axis and the central axis, the position being separated from the tip by a predetermined distance or more,

wherein the predetermined direction and the predetermined distance are set such that the heated gas does not reach the electrospray ionization probe, and

wherein the heated gas supply mechanism is arranged such that a central axis of a blowing direction of the heated gas passes through the heating member without passing through a portion of the ion introduction tube exposed to the ionization chamber.

2 . The ionizer according to claim 1 , wherein

the central axis of the ion introduction port is a horizontal axis, and

the tip of the electrospray ionization probe is disposed above the ion introduction port, and the charged droplets are nebulized downward from the tip.

3 . The ionizer according to claim 1 , wherein an angle formed by the nebulization axis and a blowing direction of the heated gas is 60 degrees or more and 80 degrees or less.

4 . The ionizer according to claim 1 , wherein a distance from the tip of the electrospray ionization probe to an intersection of the nebulization axis and a blowing direction of the heated gas is 2.5 mm or more and 10 mm or less.

5 . The ionizer according to claim 1 , wherein

the ion introduction tube is a desolvation tube.