Beckman Instruments, Inc.

David W Cheng

Steven J Chulay

Victor P Burolla

Hugh O Brown

David Q Dong

A centrifuge rotor overspeed protection system which can operate with rotors of at least two speed ranges. A set of coding elements are provided on the rotors coded to represent the actual maximum safe speed rating of the rotor. An additional set of coding elements coded to correspond to the maximum speed in the lower speed range are also provided such that the rotor can be operated at the maximum speed possible in a prior art centrifuge designed for operation in the lower speed range. The detection circuit for the coding elements automatically adjusts the detection threshold depending on the average values of the sensor output peaks corresponding to the codes.

Variable threshold setting for rotor identification in centrifuges

Tachometer and rotor identification system for centrifuges

Coding of maximum operating speed on centrifuge rotors and detection

A vial holder for a septum closed vial is disclosed which vial holder enables automated vial insertion to and withdrawal from puncturing hypodermics for the removal of contents or the communication of electrodes to liquids within the sealed vial. The vial--a commercial item of manufacture--includes a cylindrical glass body closed at the bottom and terminating upwardly at a narrowed neck to an opening. The opening accommodates both a septum and a septum retaining cap. A vial holder having an inside vial containing cavity with inside dimension complementary to the outside dimension of the vial is disclosed. This vial holder is formed from elastic material such as semirigid commercially available plastics and is vertically slotted from an open top at least partially to and towards the bottom of the holder. The vial holder is provided at the open top with inwardly extending fingers which register to the outside of the narrow neck of the septum sealed vial. These inwardly extending fingers form together an annulus that traps the vial in the holder at the narrow neck portion of the vial. The bottom of the vial holder is provided with a narrow shaft terminating at a depending boss.

Vial holder

In a centrifuge rotor with defined and discrete sample receiving cells, an improvement to the fastening of a lid on top of the rotor by a bolt for preserving gas pressure on sample is provided. The rotor is of the type having a rotor body and rotor adaptor for attachment to a drive hub. Typically, a male control surface on the drive hub mates with a corresponding female mating surface on the rotor adaptor. The mating surfaces include paired opposed pins on the rotor adaptor received in grooves on the drive hub. A central aperture along the spin axis of the rotor is provided through the rotor body. This aperture is provided for viewing the rotor coupling at the pins to the grooves in the drive hub as well as providing a path through which a bolt can attach a lid on the top of the rotor to the drive hub with the rotor compressed therebetween the lid and drive hub, a sample preserving atmosphere may be maintained in the rotor during centrifugation. The invention comprises cantilevering a bushing from the lid down to the vicinity of the drive hub within the central aperture of the rotor body.

Lid retention apparatus for coverage centrifuge rotors

A breakaway base for use with an ultracentrifuge rotor wherein the base is designed to fracture when the rotor is above a specified speed so that the rotor will disengage from the drive spindle of the centrifuge. The base has cutout areas to establish a high stress region that is designed to fracture above a specified rotor speed. The cutout areas are designed to receive lugs projecting from the bottom of the rotor. The cutout areas have slotted ledges through which fastening bolts connect to the lugs on the rotor. The fracture of the base in the high stress region in conjunction with the slotted ledges will result in the base fracturing into two parts which will cause rotor disengagement from the drive spindle of the centrifuge and prevent the rotor from spinning at a greater speed.

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Union City, CA, United States of America

David W Cheng