Swinging carrier centrifuge rotor

Abstract

A rotor having a plurality of swinging carriers designed to receive specimen samples for subjection to centrifugation. The carriers are pivotally mounted to a rotor frame in such a manner that the generally flat support faces of each of the carriers assumes a parallel orientation with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor during operational speeds of the rotor. When the rotor is not operating, the support surfaces of each of the carriers assumes the perpendicular or acute angle orientation with respect to the rotational axis of the rotor. In order to overcome any resistive frictional forces which may be generated at the interface between the rotor frame and the pivoting carrier, the pivot axis of the carrier is shifted from the central or center of gravity plane of the carrier to ensure that the support surface of the carrier will positively assume its proper parallel orientation with the rotor spin axis. Means are incorporated into the carrier or the rotor to limit the swinging effect of the offset pivot axis of the carrier, so that the support face will not go beyond its parallel orientation with the spin axis. The present rotor device incorporates a holding means to maintain the support base of the carrier at an acute angle to the rotational axis of the rotor when the rotor is at rest.