William J Mcgann

US Patent:

6642513, Nov 4, 2003

Filed:

Oct 1, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/411455

Inventors:

Anthony Jenkins - North Reading MA
William J. McGann - Raynham MA
Joseph Napoli - Wyndham NH
Kevin Perry - Dracut MA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H01J 4900

US Classification:

250288, 250281, 23864, 2386312, 23 232

Abstract:

Sample traps or wipes are provided for a detection system for detecting contraband materials. The sample trap is formed from an open weave glass fabric coated with a thin layer of Teflon and roughened to cut through the surface of Teflon and to break some of the glass fibers. Alternatively, the sample trap is non-woven felt fabric made of high temperature polyamide fiber. The sample traps are used in a detector, such as an ion trap mobility spectrometer. The detector includes a desorber which feeds dry air from a manifold above and below the sample trap through a series of holes along the mouth of the desorber. The dry air passes through the trap and purges out unwanted atmospheric constituents that could otherwise affect the performance of the detector. The purged air passes to the outside atmosphere, thus creating a dry curtain at the entry to the desorber.

US Patent:

6708572, Mar 23, 2004

Filed:

Dec 20, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/033874

Inventors:

Anthony Jenkins - North Reading MA
William J. McGann - Raynham MA
Kevin J. Perry - Pelham NH

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 122

US Classification:

7386433, 73 2804, 7386321

Abstract:

A portal trace detection apparatus is provided for detecting minute particles of interest, such as traces of narcotics, explosives and other contraband. The apparatus includes a portal through which a human suspect will pass. A detection apparatus is disposed at least partly in the ceiling of the portal, and hence above the human subject in the portal. Particles of interest will be entrained in the human thermal plume that exists in the boundary layer of air adjacent the suspect, and will flow upwardly from the suspect to the detection apparatus in the ceiling of the portal. The portal includes a plurality of vertically aligned arrays of air jets. The air jets are fired sequentially from bottom to top to produce short bursts of air sufficient to disturb the clothing of the suspect and to dislodge particles of interest from the clothing. The dislodged particles of interest are entrained in the air in the human thermal plume and are transported upwardly to the detector.

US Patent:

6765198, Jul 20, 2004

Filed:

Mar 20, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/103601

Inventors:

Anthony Jenkins - North Reading MA
William J. McGann - Raynham MA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H01J 4940

US Classification:

250287, 250282, 250288, 250286, 250379, 250382

Abstract:

An ion trap mobility spectrometer is provided. The ion trap mobility spectrometer employs algorithms to simultaneously detect and analyze both positive and negative plasmagrams. Selectivity is improved by detecting the presence of peaks in both spectra and setting logic filters which require the presence or absence of certain peaks in both spectra. Selectivity is improved by looking for two peaks in the two spectra.

US Patent:

6815670, Nov 9, 2004

Filed:

Sep 8, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/657223

Inventors:

Anthony Jenkins - North Reading MA
William J. McGann - Raynham MA
Joseph D. Napoli - Windham NH
Kevin J. Perry - Pelham NH

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 0000

US Classification:

250286, 250288, 250287, 250282, 7386312, 7386323, 7386434

Abstract:

A detector requires a stream of dry air for transporting particles to the detector. The detector then operates to determine whether the dry air has transported any particles of interest. Continuous operation of the detector is permitted by providing first and second dryers that can be operated alternately for drying air that is to be directed to the detector. The dryer that is not being operated is recharged. Air is directed alternately between the first and second dryer to ensure that neither dryer is operated after reaching saturation.

US Patent:

6831273, Dec 14, 2004

Filed:

Jul 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/628753

Inventors:

Anthony Jenkins - North Reading MA
William J. McGann - Raynham MA

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

H01J 4940

US Classification:

250287, 250282

Abstract:

An apparatus is provided for detecting whether substances of interest are present in a sample of air. The apparatus includes a detector, such as an ion trap mobility spectrometer. The detector is operated at a high drift voltage and then is switched to a low drift voltage. Spectra are collected at the high and low field strengths and are compared with standard spectra at those strengths to determine whether materials of interest are present.

US Patent:

6840122, Jan 11, 2005

Filed:

Feb 6, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/774004

Inventors:

Anthony Jenkins - North Reading MA, US
William J. McGann - Raynham MA, US
Kevin J. Perry - Pelham NH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 108

US Classification:

7386433

Abstract:

A portal trace detection apparatus is provided for detecting minute particles of interest, such as traces of narcotics, explosives and other contraband. The apparatus includes a portal through which a human suspect will pass. A detection apparatus is disposed at least partly in the ceiling of the portal, and hence above the human subject in the portal. Particles of interest will be entrained in the human thermal plume that exists in the boundary layer of air adjacent the suspect, and will flow upwardly from the suspect to the detection apparatus in the ceiling of the portal. The portal includes a plurality of vertically aligned arrays of air jets. The air jets are fired sequentially from bottom to top to produce short bursts of air sufficient to disturb the clothing of the suspect and to dislodge particles of interest from the clothing. The dislodged particles of interest are entrained in the air in the human thermal plume and are transported upwardly to the detector.

US Patent:

7133129, Nov 7, 2006

Filed:

Jul 29, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/901823

Inventors:

Yuan-Hsiang Lee - Winchester MA, US
William Joseph McGann - Raynham MA, US
Kenneth Arthur Ribeiro - North Reading MA, US
Tao Deng - Clifton Park NY, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01J 3/44
G01N 21/65

US Classification:

356301

Abstract:

A cargo inspection apparatus for the inspection of an analyte carried by a medium is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing having an inlet allowing for entry of the medium and an outlet allowing for exit of the medium, and an adsorber disposed within the housing in fluid communication with the medium flow from the inlet to the outlet, the adsorber includes a substrate having disposed thereon a nanoparticle film. The nanoparticle film has nanoparticles having an average particle size of equal to or less than about 500 nanometers.

US Patent:

7141786, Nov 28, 2006

Filed:

Sep 8, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/936112

Inventors:

William J. McGann - Raynham MA, US
Kenneth Ribeiro - North Reading MA, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

G01N 1/00

US Classification:

250287, 250288, 7386312, 73 3107, 7386411, 422 88, 422 99

Abstract:

An apparatus is provided for identifying trace amounts of substances of interest in an air flow. The apparatus includes an inlet for receiving the air flow and an outlet for exhausting major portions of the air flow. The outlet is offset from the inlet. A porous impactor is disposed in alignment with the inlet and is impacted by particles entrained in the air flow. The porous impactor is heated sufficiently to vaporize particles impinging thereon. A detector communicates with the porous impactor and is operative for identifying substances of interest in the vaporized particles.