International Business Machines Corporation

Victor Robert Kruger

Robert Melroy Kellogg

Alfred P Mulzet

An improved centrifuge assembly comprising a channeled rotor assembly and a ring-like fluid container disposed in the channel, whereby the centrifugal separation effects in the fluid container are determined by the geometry of the channel in the rotor. The fluid container is preferably formed from semirigid plastic material in the form of a tube having a rectangular cross section and is considered a disposable item to be discarded after a single use. The rotor assembly preferably includes a removable filler piece or center piece formed from a single piece of material, such as rigid plastic, as by molding, dimensioned to form, with the wall of the centrifuge bowl, a circular channel having dimensions appropriate to receive the semirigid container, which is suitably bent and placed in the channel. Fluid connections are provided from each end of the container to an axially located multichannel rotating seal. The connections lie in a plurality of radial slots in the filler piece. Alternatively the entire assembly may be molded as a single entity, with a suitable channel and fluid line grooves being cast therein.

Centrifuge assembly

A centrifuge structure for automatically separating a plurality of aliquot samples of blood plasma for testing from an initial sample of whole blood. A centrifuge bowl is provided with a bottom surface sloping upwardly and outwardly and joined to a vertical circular outer wall. A plurality of radially extending vertical septa or partitions divide the outer portion of the bowl into a plurality of radially extending chambers. Each of these chambers is provided with an exit port in the bottom surface. Whole blood placed in the bowl is forced radially outward by the centrifugal action of the bowl when rotated, and separates into different fractions. The selected fractions are moved to the vicinity of the exit ports by selectively changing the rotational velocity of the centrifuge and are then valved to other containers by opening valves connected to the exit ports.

Blood fraction extracting centrifuge

A fluid container particularly useful in a centrifuge system for separating the various fractions in blood. The container comprises two circular sheets of flexible material, having central openings therein. The outer peripheral edges are sealed together, as well as annular-like portions extending outwardly from the central opening. Concentric-like inner and outer annular-like channels are thus formed at the outer peripheral portion of the assembly. Radial arcuate portions are sealed off, thereby providing interrupted annular-like channels. At a first end of the inner annular-like channels, an inlet tube is provided, extending outwardly from the central opening and communicating with the first end of the inner annular-like channel. At the outlet or second end of the inner annular-like channel, there is provided a radially extending inter-channel connector, which comprises a sealed off portion extending between the adjacent ends of the inner and outer annular-like channels. Also at this outlet end of the inner channel, a radially enlarged region is provided, acting as a first collecting chamber, into which an outlet tube is sealed, extending from the inner opening. A second collection chamber is provided at the outlet end of the outer annular-like channel. A plurality of outlet tubes extend radially outward from the center of the bag to open within the second collection chamber at different radial distances. Through these outlet tubes, selected separated portions of the fluid are withdrawn from the bag.

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Apalachin, NY, United States of America

Victor Robert Kruger