Rotor-protected evacuation port for centrifugal separation
US5415616A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 7, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 16, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 7, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2035/00495
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A device for centrifugally separating a sample includes a housing which defines an enclosed chamber from which gas is evacuated via an evacuation port protected by a spinning rotor. The evacuation port is preferably located proximate to the axis of rotation of the rotor and within the interior of the rotor. A drive shaft connects the rotor to a motor positioned outside of the chamber. An annular sleeve having an inside diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft extends coaxially along the drive shaft into the chamber. The outlet of the gap between the drive shaft and the annular sleeve defines the evacuation port. A hub is fixed to the upper end of the drive shaft and includes a downwardly depending skirt that has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the annular sleeve. Gas evacuation from the chamber is initially in an upward direction along the gap between the hub skirt and the sleeve and in a downward direction from the evacuation port to a vacuum pump. Preferably, the vacuum pump is also joined to the drive motor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.