Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.

Kenichi Tetsu

Hiroyuki Takahashi

Masaharu Aizawa

Katsunori Akatsu

Yoshinori Tobita

Yukiyoshi Maehara

Masahiro Inaniwa

Yoshitaka Niinai

Toshiyuki Suzuki

A centrifugal separator includes a rotator part that separates a liquid sample and has a rotor and a drive part. The rotor receives a liquid sample therein and rotates to separate the liquid sample. The drive part drives the rotor to rotate. A controller part controls operations of the rotator part which is mounted in a rotator casing. A controller casing which is separate from the rotator casing mounts the controller part, and the controller part is connected via a drive wire to the drive part in the rotator part. The rotor casing is disposed at a clean room, the controller casing is disposed outside the clean room, and the drive wire passes through a wall of the clean room via an air-tight sealing mechanism.

Centrifugal separator with isolated rotor part

A centrifugal separator includes a rotator part, a controller part, and a first control panel. The rotator part has a rotor for separating components in a liquid sample, and a drive shaft for driving the rotor to rotate. The controller part controls operations of the rotator part. The first control panel is provided with a first operating part for setting operating conditions of the rotator part including the desired rotating speed of the rotor and the desired operation period of time of the rotor, and a first display unit for displaying the operating conditions and status of the rotator part. A second control panel having the same functions as the first control panel is provided in a location separate from the controller part. Hence, a user can check the operating status of the centrifugal separator and set and modify operating conditions for the centrifugal separator not only by using the first control panel but also by using the second control panel.

Centrifugal separator with first and second control panels

A centrifuge includes a rotor, and a motor for rotating the rotor. At least three identification elements provided on the rotor are arranged along a circumference of a circle whose center coincides with an axis of rotation of the rotor. An angular interval between prescribed two of the at least three identification elements indicates a maximum allowable rotational speed of the rotor. One or more of the at least three identification elements indicates a type of the rotor. A sensor operates for detecting the at least three identification elements during rotation of the rotor. The angular interval between the prescribed two of the at least three identification elements is measured in response to an output signal from the sensor to detect the maximum allowable rotational speed of the rotor. The type of the rotor is detected in response to the output signal from the sensor.

Centrifuge with rotor having identification elements arranged along the circumference of a circle whose center coincides with the rotor's axis of rotation

Each of the rotors has a plurality of identification marks arranged on a circumference defined by the rotation axis on a surface thereof with angular intervals which are determined for each of the different rotors. The identification marks are detected with an identification mark detector such as a magnet detector. The rotational speed of the rotation axis is detected. The angular intervals are detected to identify the attached rotor. The rotating speeds are measured from the pulses at first detection of one of the identification marks and second detection of the one of identification marks after one rotation of the rotation axis. The time intervals of the identification marks between the first and second detection are measured. The angular intervals are calculated by integrating the measured rotating speeds with the time intervals, respectively.

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Hitachinaka, Japan

Kenichi Tetsu