Tube holder arrangement for blood centrifuge
US5409443A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 6, 1993 |
| Grant date | Apr 25, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 6, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB04B5/0414
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A centrifuge (10) for spinning blood sample tubes (14) has a conical rotor head (17) rotated within a cavity defined by an upwardly open annular trough (39) and a domed lid (50). The tubes (14) are inserted into transparent plastic tube holders (48). The holder top ends (60) are funnel-shaped to capture spillage and enable manual gripping. The trough has oppositely sloping walls (40, 41) and holder bottom ends (59) are exposed for ready viewing below the head bottom edge. A reader station (15) includes a pointer (80) with a lens (86) that has hairlines (87) for aligning the pointer over the spin tube (14a) to enter data on the red cell/plasma interface. The lines (87) are spaced to match the diagonal appearance of the interface. An interlock assembly includes a solenoid operated shuttle arm (108) that blocks movement of a pin (95) out of a bore (94) in a lid tab (92), unless motor (23) is deenergized.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.