Beckman Instruments, Inc.

Mark J Cowell

Thomas D Sharples

A sealed bowl rotor having a transparent lid for easy visual checking of rotor contents. The lid has sealing means that automatically creates a seal which prevents the escape of liquid samples from within the rotor when the lid is placed on the rotor. The rotor design prevents the application of any possible hydraulic loading on the transparent lid. The installing/removing mechanism on the lid provides the capability for removal of the lid after the centrifugation run without disturbing the contents of the samples within the rotor.

Aerosol resistant bowl rotor

A centrifuge tube holder designed for use in a centrifuge rotor to hold a plurality of small volume tubes in such a manner that, when the centrifuge rotor is at rest, the tubes will be oriented at an inclined angle, but will assume essentially a horizontal orientation when the centrifuge rotor is operating. The holder provides improved collar support for the centrifuge tube during centrifugation and also provides for the inclusion of a tube pivot point in the plate to enhance the proper movement of the tube from its at-rest position to the correct support position during operational speeds of the centrifuge rotor.

Swinging tube holder

A centrifuge tube holder which not only provides support for the tubes in a vertical orientation when placed on a workbench, but also horizontal and radial support when the tubes are placed in a centrifuge rotor. The tube holder has at least two sections which are pivotally connected to allow for upright or vertical orientation of the tubes when placed on a workbench. The two sections can be pivotally oriented with respect to each other to place the tubes horizontally in a centrifuge rotor at different radial angles with respect to each other with reference to the spin axis of the rotor. The holder also incorporates means for securely holding the tubes within the holder while they are being transported, so that the holder can be inverted without the escape of the tubes. On the other hand, the biasing or securing means for the tubes in the holder is eliminated when the holder is at rest on the workbench to permit convenient and easy insertion or removal of the centrifuge tubes. The tube holders act in conjunction with a spacer within the rotor bowl to not only provide the proper placement of the centrifuge tube holders during centrifugation, but also permit extraction of the holders from the rotor bowl to remove essentially all obstructions within the rotor bowl for easier cleaning after a centrifugation run.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Mark J Cowell