GB2233584A

GB2233584A - Air tight centrifuge incorporating tube carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2233584A
Application number: GB8915201A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Anthony Kerby
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-07-01
Filing date: 1989-07-01
Publication date: 1991-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2009-07-01
Also published as: GB8915201D0; GB2233584B

Abstract

An airtight rotor which incorporates a tube carrier (7) for supporting a number of tubes (12) which are required to be centrifuged. The rotor comprises upper (2) and lower (1) members which together form an airtight space sealed (5). The tube carrier (7) is detachable from the rotor lower member (1). The rotor could be made of transparent material to view any breakage or spillage of contents. The tube carrier (7) can be provided with radial slots which would allow the tubes (12) to swing out when rotating at speed. The tube carrier (7) also provides for identification to each tube (12) in the form of a patch for writing on. The rotor could be in the form where in a number of tube carriers (7) can be stacked, each sealing to each other. The top of the stack is sealed by upper member (2). <IMAGE>

Description

AIR TIGHT ROTOR INCORPORATING FLEXIBLE TUBE CARRIER This invention relates to an airtight centrifuge rotor incorporating a flexible tube carrier.

Centrifuge rotors are typically a means of supporting a number of tubes which have to be centrifuged. Due to the high centrifugal forces exerted on the tubes there is the risk that the tube may break or leak and the contents escape. At the high centrifuge speeds the escaped contents can form into a fine mist which can escape into the atmosphere. This is most unsatisfactory especially when working with virus infected blood samples.

Centrifuge rotors which catch spillage from leaking tubes are well known, however, they are not airtight sealable and when stationary expose the escaped contents to the atmosphere. They are also not transparent and thus a leaky tube is not detected until it is removed from the rotor.

Centrifuge rotors also require tubes to be inserted individually into the rotor and then individually removed after centrifuging. This requires careful attention by the user not to get sample tubes mixed up, especialy when large numbers of tubes have to be centrifuged.

According to the present invention there is provided a rotor in the form of an airtight container comprising a lower member, an upper member, means of sealing the upper member to the lower member and the tube carrier.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 shows a vertical section through the rotor when stationary.

Fig 2 shows a vertical section through the rotor when rotating at speed, showing the tubes flying out at an angle to the vertical due to centrifugal force.

Fig 3 shows a plan view of the tube carrier.

Fig 4 shows a plan view of an alternative tube carrier where the tubes are held in a horizontal position.

Fig 5 shows a vertical section through an alternative tube carrier as in Fig 4 showing how a number of tube carriers can be stacked, incorporating an integral sealing arrangement between each tube carrier.

Fig 6 shows a plan view of an alternative tube carrier for long thin tubes.

Fig 7 shows a vertical section through the tube carrier as in Fig 6, showing one of the segments bent downwards to expose the end of one of the thin tubes for ease of handling.

Referring to the drawing as shown in Fig 1 the rotor comprises a lower memberland an upper member 2. These are conveniently formed from plastic which is transparent or semi-transparent to enable the contents to be visible.

These members could be made from other suitable materials which are not transparent eg. aluminium, 'carbon fibre.

The lower member 1 is provided with a means for mounting upon a shaft 10 substantially coaxial with the shaft 10. This means can be in the form of a bush 11 which can be formed as an integral part of lower member 1.

Alternatively, the bush 11 could be separate and bolted or otherwise to the lower member 1 and into which shaft 10 is mounted. Shaft 10 is driven by a suitable means eg. electric motor either directly or indirectly.

The upper member 2 is provided with a means for attaching to the lower member 1. This means could be in the form of a screw thread 3 which is formed in upper member 2 and bush 11. When the upper member 2 is attached to the lower member 1, means is provided for creating an airtight seal between upper member 2 and lowermember 1. This means could be in the form of '0' rings 5 and 6.

The shape of upper member 2 and lower member 1 is such that when the rotor is rotating at speed, centrifugal forces causes the upper member 2 and lower member 1 to compress together onto '0' ring 5 and thus tightening the seal as shown in Fig 2.

The rotor also comprises a tube carrier 7 which is a means of holding a number of tubes 12 which are required to be centrifuged. The tube carrier 7 comprises a flat disc with a number of apertures 8 symmetrically disposed radially about the axis of the tube carrier. The apertures 8 are provided to contain tubes 12. Alternatively the tubes could be made as an integral part of the tube carrier 7. At the centre of tube carrier 7 is a means for locating onto lower member 1. This means could be in the form of a bush 9 which is formed as an integral part of the tube carrier 7.

Alternatively, the bush 9 could be separate and bolted or otherwise to the tube carrier 7.

The tube carrier 7 is conveniently made from a flexible material such that when rotating at speed, centrifugal forces cause the tubes 12 to swing out at an angle to the vertical as shown in Fig 2. It is especially preferred for the tube carrier 7 to contain a number of radial slots 15 cut between each aperture 8 as shown in Fig 3. Alternatively, there could be a number of apertures 8 between each slot 15. This assists in the flexing of the tube carrier allowing the tubes 12 to swing out when rotating at speed.

The tube carrier 7 can incorporate a means of identification to each aperture 8 in the form of a patch for writing on 13,with pen or pencil, adjacent to each aperture 8.

Fig 4. shows an alternative version of the tube carrier 7 where the tubes 12 are mounted horizontally onto the tube carrier 7 with the axes of the tubes radiating from the centre of the tube carrier 7.

A variation on Fig 1. is shown in Fig 5. wherein a number of tube carriers 7 as shown in Fig 4. are stacked together. Each tube carrier 7 incorporates a means of attaching to another tube carrier 7. This means could be in the form of a screw thread 3 on the bush 9 locating in a screw thread on the underside of another tube carrier 7.

Each tube carrier 7 could incorporate a perimeter wall 14 which could seal against the underside of another tube carrier 7 stacked on top. The seal could be in the form of '0' rings 5 and 6.

An upper member 2 is attached to the top tube carrier 7 of the stack by screw thread 3 or otherwise. A seal between upper member 2 and the top tube carrier 7 is provided by means of '0' rings 5 and 6 or otherwise.

Another variation of the tube carrier as shown in Fig 4. is shown in Fig 6. A tube carrier7is provided with a means of supporting a number of long thin tubes 12 radially disposed around the centre of the tube carrier 7. Between the tubes 12 there are cut in the tube carrier 7 a number of radial slots 15. The tube carrier 7 is made of a suitable material that allows each segment of the tube carrier 7 between the radial slots 15 to be bent away from the main plane of the tube carrier 7, thus assisting in the assembly or retrival of tube 12 from its support in the tube carrier 7, as shown in Fig 7.

Claims

1 A sealable rotor in the form of an airtight container comprising a lower member, an upper member, means of sealing the upper member to the lower member and a tube carrier.

2 A sealable rotor as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the upper member is made of a transparent material.

3 A sealable rotor as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the lower member is made of a transparent material.

4 A sealable rotor as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the form of the rotor i.e. the upper member and lower member are shaped so that they compressed together and tighten the seal between them as they are exposed to centrifugal forces.

5 A sealable rotor as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein there is a patch suitable for writing on for identification purposes.

6 A tube carrier made of a flexible material which allows the tubes to swing out at an angle to the vertical when rotating at speed.

7 A tube carrier made of a flexible material and incorporating radial slots to allow the tubes to swing out at anan;e to the vertical when rotating at speed.

8 A tube carrier in the form of a disc and a means of securing tubes in a horizontal position and also incorporating radial slots between each tube or groups of tubes.

9 A tube carrier as claimed in Claim 6 or 7 or 8 wherein adjacent to each tube position there is a patch suitable for writing on.