Beckman Instruments, Inc.

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Winston Lowe

Winston H Lowe

Michael L Bell

Derek G Petch

Luis R Ramirez, Jr

Thomas L Johnson

Trung Thanh Tu

Sal Castiglia

Kenneth Kishi

In a centrifuge rotor assembly, a self-retaining rotor lid which is designed to stay on the rotor even when the lid is not tied down or secured to the rotor. The lid has a lip formed on an outer edge of the major side of the lid that faces the open end of the rotor body. The height of the lip is such that the lip extends beyond the edge of the open end of the rotor body. The lip has a diameter that is nominally smaller than the diameter of the open end of the rotor body, thus establishing a clearance therebetween. The clearance allows easy engagement of the lid to the rotor body, but is small enough to prevent the lid from tilting, which keeps the lid on the rotor even when the lid is not secured during centrifugation.

Self-retaining rotor lid

A spring having a helical body with opposed ends and two flexible safety cables each of which is coupled to one of said opposed ends, with the two flexible cables extending in opposite directions pass the center of the helical body, terminating in an attachment thereto. The helical body includes a plurality of coils with one end of each of the cables being coupled to one of the plurality of coils. The attachment includes an elliptically shaped journal through which one of the plurality of coils passes, thereby pivotally attaching the cable thereto. In one embodiment, a threaded boss is disposed at each end of the helical body. The threaded boss has a plurality of recesses, each of which is adapted to receive on of the plurality of coils. In this fashion, the threaded boss threadably engages the helical body.

Spring breakage safety system

A rotor lid assembly for a rotor body comprises a lid portion having a centrally depending shank. A bore formed through the shank receives a tie-down stem having a diameter smaller than the bore. A piston-like portion disposed along the stem contacts a periphery of the bore. A venting channel is formed along the shank to allow fluidic flow to and from the bore. The piston portion occludes such flow when the stem is in a first position and permits fluid flow when the stem is in a second position. In one embodiment the lid assembly comprises a lid member and a safety knob, each having a central neck portion and a bore formed therethrough with the neck portion of the knob received in the bore of the lid. A venting channel is formed through both neck portions. A tie-down stem is received in the bore of the knob. The rotor lid assembly provides venting of the rotor body when a negative pressure is created within a chamber of the rotor body and provides a safe venting direction when a positive pressure develops in the rotor chamber so venting can occur without risk to an operator.

Rotor lid tie-down and vacuum venting system

A centrifuge having a housing defining a chamber features a containment system with a decelerator to reduce the kinetic energy of debris traveling from the chamber toward the housing. The chamber includes an opening, and a lid is pivotally mounted to the housing to selectively cover the opening. The decelerator includes a first annular member extending from a periphery of the opening inwardly toward the chamber, terminating in a downwardly extending angled region, as well as a second annular member extending downwardly in spaced relation with respect to the housing, forming a gap therebetween. The second annular member, the first annular member and the annular gap define a trap adapted to preventing debris from impinging upon the gasket and the lid. An annular baffle extends downwardly from the lid and is adapted to seat proximate to the trap upon the lid being positioned to cover the opening.

Centrifuge containment system

A solid mass rotor for centrifuges of the type supporting sample containers in cells which are radially positioned apertures in the rotor body features a cross-sectional shape which is relieved by a plurality of apertures, a first subset of which defines cells and a second subset of which defines relief zones. The solid mass of the rotor disposed between the cells and the relief zones defines a plurality of spokes extending from a radially central spin axis. The relief zones reduce the mass and overall moment of inertia of the rotor, while maintaining the strength and high speed capability associated with solid mass rotors.

Centrifuge with inertial mass relief

A swinging bucket centrifuge rotor having free-floating trunnion pins with each pair of trunnion pins having an interlocking mechanism disposed therebetween. The rotor includes a yoke having an axis of rotation, a plurality of spaced arms extending radially outward from the axis of rotation, each of which terminates in a bulwark. The bulwark includes a pair of intersecting bores, each of which extends along an axis lying in a plane spreading transverse to the axis of rotation. Each of the trunnion pins has a lengthwise axis and is disposed in one of the pair of intersecting bores. The trunnion pins include trunnion and coupling portions. The coupling portion has a surface. The interlocking mechanism includes a recess formed into the surface of the coupling portion and a coupling pin. The recess of each of trunnion pin of the pair of trunnion pins is superimposed upon the recess of the remaining trunnion pin, forming a chamber. The coupling pin is disposed within the chamber and is adapted to rest within the recess of each of the pair of trunnion pins, thereby preventing translational motion of each of said pair of trunnion pins in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Centrifuge rotor with free-floating interlocking trunnion pins

A variable inclination centrifugation or rotor assembly and a method for rapid separations. The samples, such as whole blood, are centrifuged within pivoting tube holders while in a first position wherein the longitudinal axes of the tube holders are substantially parallel to a central axis of rotation. As rotation continues, the tube holders are inclined in a radial direction by controlled adjustment of the tube holders toward a second position wherein the axes of the tube holders and the rotation axis are substantially perpendicular. The first embodiment of the assembly employs a worm gear to incline the samples and allows for inclination and rotation of the samples to be controlled independently. The second and third embodiments employ a spring-loaded linkage system and a governor mass and three-arm linkage system, respectively, for inclination. These are activated by the rotational speed of the samples. The assemblies of the present invention may be utilized within standard centrifuges, and may be removed from the centrifuge, as for sterilization.

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Winston H Lowe