Shuttle for an NMR MAS rotor
A transport device for transporting an NMR sample to the probe head ( 16 ) of an NMR spectrometer by means of a transport system ( 12 ) is characterized in that the transport device comprises a shuttle ( 15 ) adapted for use with a transport system. The transport system is structured to transport an HR-NMR sample spinner or an NMR MAS rotor ( 5 ). The shuttle includes a locking device for the NMR MAS rotor, the locking device being formed such that the NMR MAS rotor is released by unlocking the locking device and can be transferred to and received by the NMR MAS probe head. It is therefore possible to rapidly change from NMR spectroscopy of liquids to NMR spectroscopy of solids, and vice versa, simply by exchanging the probe head, without converting the transport system.
1. An NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectrometer for analysis of a liquid sample disposed within a sample spinner having a spinner outer diameter and for analysis of a solid sample disposed within an MAS (magic angle spinning) rotor having a rotor outer diameter which is less than the spinner outer diameter, the spectrometer comprising:
a magnet having a tubular bore;
a probe head disposed within said tubular bore of said magnet;
a transport system disposed within said tubular bore, said transport system having a longitudinal inner volume structured to accept the sample spinner having the liquid sample;
a shuttle movably disposed within said longitudinal inner volume of said transport system, said shuttle having a shuttle outer diameter which is substantially equal to the spinner outer diameter, said shuttle also having an inner bore structured to accept the MAS rotor in a displaceable manner, wherein said shuttle further comprises a locking device configured to fix the MAS rotor within said inner bore of said shuttle and to release the MAS rotor for transfer into said probe head.
2. The NMR spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein said locking device is formed in such a manner that manual loading and removal of the MAS rotor is possible by manually actuating said locking device.
3. The NMR spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein said locking device comprises a control slide which is displaceable in a longitudinal axis and transport axis of the shuttle when said shuttle abuts with said probe head, wherein said locking device comprises one locking element actuated transversely thereto via a slotted control guide of said control slide.
4. The NMR spectrometer of claim 3 , wherein said locking element holding the MAS rotor is spherical.
5. The NMR spectrometer of claim 3 , wherein said locking element holding the MAS rotor can be moved to a side by the MAS rotor due to gravity-loading thereof after unlocking by linearly displacing a tappet.
6. The NMR spectrometer of claim 3 , further comprising an additional device for recognizing, from outside, if said shuttle is loaded with the MAS rotor.
7. A method for transporting an MAS rotor to and from a probe head in the NMR spectrometer of claim 1 , wherein the MAS rotor is transported into the shuttle via one or more gas flows and the shuttle is also transported via one or more gas flows.