Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Beckman Instruments, Inc.

Patrick Q Moore

Melvin Dorin

Christopher L Stewart

Robert G Coffey

Stephen E Little

Winston H H Lowe

Terence T Lung

Dean A Hanquist

Shahla Sheikholeslam

TenLin S Tsai

An adapter for use with a centrifuge. Features of the adapter allow for less friction during extraction of the adapter and separation efficiency by preventing disturbances to the separated materials. In addition, the adapter includes features that support the walls of a sample container and prevent force from damaging the sample container during a centrifuge separation procedure.

Centrifuge adapter

A removable conformal liner for a centrifuge container is described. The liner has a flexible or semi-rigid body with an opening for introducing a sample. When the liner is inserted into an internal cavity of a centrifuge container, the body of the liner conforms to the interior cavity. The liner body may be made of a material that is sufficiently resilient to allow a reversible deformation of the body by folding, twisting, collapsing, rolling, or pleating.

Removable conformal liners for centrifuge containers

A centrifuge labware includes a container and a removable, non-threaded lid. The container has a top opening which is at least about 90% of the cross-sectional area of the container.

Large mouth centrifuge labware

A centrifuge container transport rack designed with symmetrical opposing sides located over a central pivot. The pivot enables the rack to be utilized in the balancing of centrifuge containers.

Centrifuge container rack with balancing feature

A removable conformal liner for a centrifuge container is described. The liner has a flexible or semi-rigid body with an opening for introducing a sample. When the liner is inserted into an internal cavity of a centrifuge container, the body of the liner conforms to the interior cavity. The liner body may be made of a material that is sufficiently resilient to allow a reversible deformation of the body by folding, twisting, collapsing, rolling, or pleating. Also disclosed is a centrifuge container assembly, including a container suitable for centrifuging and a removable liner with a flexible or semi-rigid body placed into the container. The centrifuge container assembly of this invention may also have retaining-means for retaining the liner in a fixed position within the container. Also provided by the present invention is a method for separating solids from suspensions by centrifugation. In this method, the removable conformal an liner of the present invention with a flexible or semi-rigid body is placed into a centrifuge container. Once inside the container, the liner body conforms to the shape of the interior cavity of the container. The step of placing the liner may include deforming the liner body to reduce its dimension, and fitting the deformed liner through the container opening. The method may further include a step of immobilizing the liner with retaining-means. When centrifugation is completed, the liner is removed from the container with the pelleted solids contained in the liner. The pelleted solids on the liner may be either harvested or discarded.

A removable adapter for a centrifuge container is described. The adapter has an opening on top, an exterior surface and an interior surface. The exterior surface of the adapter body completely conforms to the bottom portion of the centrifuge container cavity. The interior surface of the adapter body has an internal sidewall and a bottom with a pellet well. The pellet well extends downwardly, toward the exterior surface. Also, an assembly is disclosed, including the adapter of the present invention with a pellet well and a liner, conforming to the interior surface of the adapter, once inside the adapter. Also provided by the present invention is a method for separating solids from suspensions by centrifugation. In this method, the removable adapter with a pellet well of the present invention is placed into a centrifuge container. Then, the suspension is placed into the centrifuge container. When centrifugation is completed, the pellet is removed from the pellet well. The method may include an additional step of placing a liner into the adapter prior to the placing the suspension into the centrifuge container.

Internal adapter with a pellet well for a centrifuge container

A capping and sealing assembly for a sample-holding centrifuge container which features a self-sealing lid that forms a fluid-tight seal in an opening of the canister with a predetermined amount of force, with the force being dependent upon the centrifugal load to which the capping assembly is subjected. The lid includes a cover portion and a peripheral member surrounding the cover portion and extending transverse thereto. The lid is disposed within an open end of the container, with the peripheral member having a frusto-conical surface that faces the container's wall. A gasket is disposed about the frusto-conical surface, forming a fluid-tight and air-tight seal with the cylindrical wall of the canister. The gasket is received in a channel formed into the frusto-conical surface. A region of the channel includes a vent slot to facilitate removal of the container from the canister. A plurality of arcuate ribs extend across the cover portion, between opposed areas of the peripheral member. Each of the ribs are adapted to flex, under centrifugal force, expanding the opposed areas outwardly. In this manner, the sealing force between the peripheral member and the wall is increased.

Centrifugally loaded self-sealing integral one-piece cap/closure

A hands-free gripping device which holds generally cylindrical containers, particularly labware, securely and prevents the container from turning while either opening or closing it. The gripping device features internal deformable ribbing, which secures the container by canting slightly when the container is turned thereby wedging the container in place. This action resists rotation in either direction, making a single device practical for both opening and closing. The device can be mounted on any flat surface and acts as a 'third hand' to allow the user to use both hands or to use a single hand to grasp securely the closure being removed or secured from the container. The gripping device facilitates assembly or disassembly of labware devices needing application of torque.

Hands-free gripping device for containers

A labware adapter having a tubular body with upper and lower spaced apart annular collars, serving to guide the adapter into a rotor bore, while at the same time defining a fluid reservoir between the two collars and the inside wall of the rotor. The upper collar has peripheral indentations through which fluid can pass for ingress into the reservoir in the event of sample leakage from the internal portion of the adapter. The lower collar has a vent channel for allowing fluid to move past the collar, for example on insertion of the adapter into a rotor bore. The indentations, vent channel and reservoir all provide mass relief for the adapter, lowering the overall moment of inertia for the adapter, compared to one fitting into the same bore with a smooth tubular shape. The tubular body has an annular ridge above the upper annular collar defining seal glands so that a cylindrical cap can be fit over the ridge in sealed relation with the tubular body. The cap is threadless and is pressed over elastomer seals in the seal glands. Centrifugal loading of the cap onto the tubular body enhances sealing action.

Self-seating self-sealing labware adapter

A cap assembly for use with a centrifuge container includes a stopper (plug) member to provide a fluid-tight seal of an open end of the container. The stopper member includes a channel therethrough. A lid receives the combination of a stopper fitted into the open end of the container. Depending portions on the underside of the lid press upon the stopper to ensure a reliable seal of the container. In addition, the depending portions are adapted to close off an opening of the channel when the lid and stopper are assembled. Removal of the lid opens the channel allowing air to flow into the container, and in this way any vacuum that develops in the container during a centrifugation run is released by such action.

Cap/closure having a venting mechanism for use with centrifuge containers

A capping and sealing assembly for a sample-holding centrifuge container which features a self-sealing lid that forms a fluid-tight seal in an opening of the canister with a predetermined amount of force, with the force being dependent upon the centrifugal load to which the capping assembly is subjected. The lid includes a cover portion and a peripheral member surrounding the cover portion and extending transverse thereto. The lid is disposed within an open end of the container, with the peripheral member having a frusto-conical surface that faces the container's wall. A gasket is disposed about the frusto-conical surface, forming a fluid-tight and air-tight seal with the cylindrical wall. A plurality of arcuate ribs extend across the cover portion, between opposed areas of the peripheral member. Each of the ribs are adapted to flex, under centrifugal force, expanding the opposed areas outwardly. In this manner, the sealing force between the peripheral member and the wall is increased.

A centrifuge rotor with a body having a spin axis and a plurality of bores formed therein, each of which is adapted to support a centrifuge container. The rotor includes a load reducing feature to decrease the loading between the rotor body and the centrifuge container, during centrifugation. The load reducing feature includes separating a portion of an annular shoulder of a centrifuge container from the rotor body. The portion of the annular shoulder that is separated is disposed between the spin axis and the bore associated with the centrifuge container.

Growing community of inventors

Gilroy, CA, United States of America

Patrick Q Moore