EP0035829B1 - Capuchon de support et pièce d'espacement pour tubes centrifuges - Google Patents

Capuchon de support et pièce d'espacement pour tubes centrifuges Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0035829B1
EP0035829B1 EP81300470A EP81300470A EP0035829B1 EP 0035829 B1 EP0035829 B1 EP 0035829B1 EP 81300470 A EP81300470 A EP 81300470A EP 81300470 A EP81300470 A EP 81300470A EP 0035829 B1 EP0035829 B1 EP 0035829B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tube
spacer
bore
cap
plug
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP81300470A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0035829A1 (fr
Inventor
Steven John Chulay
Steven Thomas Nielsen
Francis David Richards
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Beckman Coulter Inc
Original Assignee
Beckman Instruments Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/122,214 external-priority patent/US4290550A/en
Priority claimed from US06/122,324 external-priority patent/US4304356A/en
Application filed by Beckman Instruments Inc filed Critical Beckman Instruments Inc
Publication of EP0035829A1 publication Critical patent/EP0035829A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0035829B1 publication Critical patent/EP0035829B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B5/00—Other centrifuges
    • B04B5/04—Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers
    • B04B5/0407—Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers for liquids contained in receptacles
    • B04B5/0414—Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers for liquids contained in receptacles comprising test tubes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B04—CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS OR MACHINES FOR CARRYING-OUT PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES
    • B04B—CENTRIFUGES
    • B04B5/00—Other centrifuges
    • B04B5/04—Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers
    • B04B5/0407—Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers for liquids contained in receptacles
    • B04B2005/0435—Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers for liquids contained in receptacles with adapters for centrifuge tubes or bags

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the centrifuge field, and particularly to the sample retaining means used in the bores, or cavities, of a centrifuge rotor.
  • the present invention appears to have its primary advantages in conjunction with the use of "Quick Seal” sample-containing tubes, which are tubes having their cover areas formed integrally with their bodies, and sealed by fusion of a nipple, or neck, after it has been used for insertion of the fluid sample.
  • Such tubes have proved to be highly advantageous, as compared with earlier open-top tubes, which had to be sealed with separate caps and which, therefore, had serious sealing problems.
  • a threaded plug that screws into a counterbore in the top of the rotor body.
  • a threaded plug may have direct engagement with the top of the tube, or there may be a small cap inserted between the plug and the tube primarily for the purpose of partially insulating the tube from turning forces created while the plug is being screwed into, or out of, the rotor. If a smaller amount of fluid is to be centrifuged, it is highly desirable to use a smaller tube, in order to minimize the amount of air remaining in the sealed tube.
  • the upward force acting on a cap is manifestly lower in a rotor having a non-vertical bore than it is in a vertical bore rotor.
  • the cap in a non-vertical bore rotor, the cap can be "floate,4" over a tube and the weight of the cap and centrifugal force relied upon to keep the cap in supporting engagement with the top of the tube. Because such a cap is floating it will firmly engage the top of the tube regardless of the distance between the tube top and the upper end of the rotor cavity, or bore, which contains the tube.
  • the cap must be so designed as to be structurally self-sufficient in avoiding permanent deformation by the powerful centrifugal and hydraulic forces generated in the centrifuge.
  • the tube supporting function of the caps subjects them to extreme stresses which cause them to deform into substantially oval or elliptical shapes, and to take a set in the deformed shapes, rendering the caps difficult to extract from the rotor cavities, and useless for subsequent centrifuge operations.
  • the invention is concerned with a centrifuge rotor assembly in accordance with the pre-characterising part of claim 1; such prior art assemblies are exemplified by GB-A-2 021 982.
  • the invention meets the problems of such prior art, discussed above, by the features defined in the characterising portion of claim 1.
  • each of the identically shaped modular spacers is so designed that its lower surface will engage either the top of a tube or the top of another spacer, and its upper surface will engage either the lower surface of another spacer or a retaining structure secured in a counterbore at the top of the rotor.
  • the lower surface of each spacer has a concave centre portion adapted to fit the convex centre portion of the upper surface of the tube
  • the upper surface of each spacer has a convex centre portion adapted to fit the concave centre portion of the lower surface of a substantially identical cap.
  • the present invention thus makes possible use of a plurality of sample-containing tubes of different sizes, which are alternately available for use depending on the amount of fluid material to be enclosed in each tube.
  • the available tubes are of different effective lengths, each tube length differing from the others by a predetermined standard distance.
  • a plurality of substantially identical spacers are provided, each of which has an effective length equal to the predetermined standard difference in tube sizes, thereby permitting the use of whatever number of spacers is required to fill the bore.
  • the center portion of the tube upper surface is essentially dome-shaped, and the floating cap has in its lower surface a concave recess which engages and substantially conforms to the dome-shaped surface of the tube.
  • the cap has an annular axially extending peripheral portion which resists deformation of the cap and provides an annular end surface against which the peripheral area of the tube is pressed during centrifugation.
  • a centrifuge rotor 10 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores, or cavities, 12 each adapted to retain a fluid sample during centrifugation.
  • the bores 12 are vertically oriented, and are parallel to the spin axis 14 of the rotor.
  • the hydraulic pressures developed during centrifugation have an upward component which must be resisted by a closure member secured in the rotor body.
  • a counterbore 16 is provided at the top of bore 12, having internal threads to engage a threaded plug 20 which closes the top of the bore.
  • a single sample-containing tube 22 is inserted in the bore 12.
  • This is a "full-length” tube, which conveniently may have a length of three and one-half inches (one inch is approximately 2.54 centimetres). Obviously other lengths may be chosen, but the specific dimension is stated in order to assist in explaining the inventive concept.
  • the tube 22 is a "Quick Seal" tube of the type discussed above. Its cover, . or top, portion 24 is formed integrally with its body portion 26 by a suitable process, such as blow-molding.
  • a projection, or nipple, 28 formed initially as a tube-like extension through which the fluid sample is inserted into the tube, and then hermetically sealed by a suitable process, such as heat fusion.
  • a substantially spherical upper surface of the tube is desirable from a purely functional standpoint, in that it causes minimum interference with the reorienting fluid which is being centrifuged.
  • the upper surface 24 of the tube is formed on a radius substantially longer than the radius of bore 12, with the result that the tube top does not have a truly spherical shape.
  • One advantage of the structure shown in Figure 1 is that it reduces the overall length of the tube, and thereby reduces the depth of the cavity in the member which engages the top of the tube.
  • a separate cap member 30 is provided between the top of the tube and the threaded plug 20.
  • Cap 30 has a lower concave surface 32 which engages the top 24 of the tube, and at its center has an axially extending hole 34 which accommodates the nipple 28 on the tube.
  • cap 30 engages the lower surface of plug 20, and, as shown, a recess 36 may be provided in the plug to receive a corresponding boss provided on the cap.
  • the plug 20 and cap 30 could be combined into a single element, but their separation into two elements is preferable because it tends to avoid twisting tube 22 in the bore when the threaded plug 20 is screwed into and out of the bore.
  • a tube is used which is substantially smaller (i.e. of shorter length) than the tube in Figure 1.
  • the purpose of using smaller tubes is to match the tube size more closely to the amount of liquid to be centrifuged. If a user prefers to centrifuge a smaller amount of fluid than the full-size tube is designed for, having access to smaller tubes is highly desirable. This is true primarily because it is undesirable to include a significant amount of air in a sealed tube.
  • the hydraulic pressure developed during centrifuging causes a large upward force which is opposed by the threaded plug 20 secured in the top of the bore.
  • the space between the top of the tube and the plug 20 must be filled by a suitable spacer which resists the upwardly acting hydraulic pressure.
  • a spacer is particularly vital where the tube is one of the "Quick Seal” types, which is a thin-walled vessel subject to bursting, or rupturing, unless it is adequately supported by contact with a cap or spacer engaging its upper surface.
  • a modular, or universal, spacer which can be used in combination with any of several standard tube sizes, each of which differs in length from the next tube size by an amount equal to the effective length of the modular spacer.
  • a useful size selection comprises tubes of 1-1/2" length, 2-1/2" length, and 3-1/2" length. This permits a modular spacer to be used which has an effective length of 1 inch. Then the 3-1/2 inch tube Will be used without a spacer, as shown in Figure 1. The next shorter tube, which is 2-1/2 inches long, will be used with a single 1 inch spacer in the same bore length having the same threaded plug. And the shortest tube, which is 1-1/2 inches long, will be used with two 1 inch spacers, which engage one another and convey the vertical force to the threaded plug.
  • Each modular spacer in Figures 2-5 is indicated by the numeral 40.
  • Each such spacer is substantially identical with all the others, and it is so shaped that its lower surface 42 has a central concave portion which conforms to the central convex portion of the top of the tube, while its upper surface 44 has a central convex portion which is similar in shape to the central convex portion of the top of the tube, thereby causing the top of the spacer to fit the lower surface of another modular spacer, if one is required.
  • the tube 22A in Figure 2 is one inch shorter than the tube 22 in Figure 1, and a single spacer 40 is located in Figure 2 between the top of tube 22A and the cap 30, which in turn engages threaded plug 20.
  • the lower surface 42 of space 40 engages and substantially conforms to the upper surface of the tube 22A, in order to provide adequate structural support therefor.
  • the specific shape of the modular spacer 40 and of tube 22A will be discussed in more detail below.
  • the center portion of upper surface 44 of spacer 40 preferably conforms to the center of cap 30 (i.e., they are formed along substantially identical radii), but conformity of shape between spacer 40 and cap 30 over a wider area is not required, since the spacer is structurally stiff enough that it does not need a larger area of engagement with cap 30.
  • Spacer 40 will normally be formed of a non- scoring plastic material; threaded plug 20 will generally be metallic; and cap 30 may be either metallic or plastic.
  • the tube 22B in Figure 3 is two inches shorter than the tube 22B in Figure 1, and therefore two spacers 40 are located in Figure 3 between the top of tube 22B and the cap 30.
  • each has a lower surface which substantially conforms to the top of the tube, and each has an upper surface designed to conform substantially to the lower surface of an identical spacer.
  • Figure 4 shows the use of modular spacer 40 in conjunction with a Quick Seal tube 22C which is located in an obliquely oriented rotor bore, i.e., a bore which inclines toward the spin axis.
  • the spacer 40 will float, i.e., it will not require a retaining plug, because the centrifugal forces and frictional forces retain the spacer in engagement with the tube.
  • the same spacer shape is not required when the spacer floats, it is much simpler to provide support for the tube top in an oblique bore by using the same modular spacer as the one provided for use in vertical bore rotors.
  • a single spacer structure can be used for tube-top- supporting purposes whenever such support is required.
  • the structure of the modular supporting spacer 40 in accordance with the invention is shown substantially enlarged in Figure 5.
  • the concave portion of the lower surface of the cap or spacer should not extend out to its periphery because of structural weaknesses encountered in such a design.
  • the spacer should have an annular skirt 46 which is sufficiently thick in cross-section throughout its length to resist deformation during centrifugation. As shown, the annular skirt 46 terminates in a substantially flat annular surface 48, against which the upper peripheral edge of the tube will be pressed during centrifugation.
  • skirt 46 necessitates changing (in the manner disclosed herein) the top of the tube which conforms to the inner end of the cap, except that the tube contours are so curved as to avoid any sharp changes in the shape encountered by the gradient as it moves during centrifugation.
  • each spacer 40 can be varied without departing from the present invention.
  • the preferred shape is detailed in Figure 5.
  • the spherical center portion 50 of lower surface 42 is formed as an arc on a radius centered at 51; and the center portion 52 of upper surface 44 is formed as an arc on an equal radius centered at 53.
  • the annular portion 54 of lower surface 42 adjoining center portion 50 is formed as arcs on much shorter radii centered at 55A and 55B; and the annular portion 56 of upper surface 44 adjoining center portion 52 is formed as arcs on equal radii centered at 57A and 57B.
  • each of the arcuate surfaces 54 and 56 it is convenient to reverse the shape of the curve by forming an arcuate portion on radii centered on the other side of the formed surface from the centers of the radii described previously.
  • the annular portion 58 of lower surface 42 near the periphery thereof is formed as arcs on radii centered at 59A and 59B; and these arcs extend to the inner edge of the flat annular surface 48.
  • the annular portion 60 of upper surface 44 near the periphery thereof is formed as arcs on radii centered at 61A and 61B; and these arcs, for reasons of manufacturing economy, preferably extend all the way to the outer cylindrical wall 62 of the spacer.
  • the need for a flat annular surface does not exist at the upper end of the spacer; and the small gap which therefore remains between two mating spacers does not detract from the structural strength of the spacer-to-spacer engagement.

Landscapes

  • Centrifugal Separators (AREA)

Claims (7)

1. Ensemble formant rotor centrifuge comprenant un rotor (10) ayant un alésage cylindrique (12) pour recevoir un récipient d'échantillon et un moyen de support (20, 30, 40) pour supporter l'extrémité supérieure du récipient d'échantillon pour empêcher une déformation de celui-ci par des forces produites durant la centrifugation, comprenant un tube cylindrique fermé (22) ayant son extrémité supérieure configurée en une partie centrale en forme de dôme; caractérisé en ce que ladite partie centrale en forme de dôme est élevée au-dessus d'un épaulement annulaire arrondi; ledit moyen de support comprenant une pièce d'espacement (40) disposée dans ledit alésage (12) en haut dudit tube (22); ladite pièce d'espacement (40) ayant dans son extrémité inférieure en évidement (50) en forme de dôme entouré par une jupe annulaire (46) s'étendant axialement se terminant en une surface annulaire (48) sensiblement plane configurée pour engager et supporter l'extrémité supérieure dudit tube (22) pendant la centrifugation.
2. Ensemble selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que l'alésage (12) est disposé en un angle par rapport à la verticale de sorte que la force centrifuge produite pendant la centrifugation comprend une composante vers le bas agissant sur la pièce d'espacement précitée (40).
3. Ensemble selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caractérisé en ce que la surface annulaire (48) sensiblement plane précitée impartit une zone de section transversale suffisante à l'extrémité de la jupe s'étendant axialement précitée (46) pour résister à la déformation de celle-ci pendant la centrifugation.
4. Ensemble selon l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que le moyen de support précité comprend un bouchon (20) engageant par filetage l'extrémité supérieure de l'alésage précité (12) et un moyen formant capuchon (30) disposé adjacent au dessous dudit bouchon (20) et servant comme extension axiale sensiblement non en rotation dudit bouchon (20); la pièce d'espacement (40) précitée étant interposée entre ledit bouchon (20) et le tube (22) précité.
5. Ensemble selon l'une des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que l'extrémité supérieure de la pièce d'espacement (40) précitée est configurée pour avoir une partie centrale (52) en forme de dôme élevée au-dessus d'un épaulement annulaire arrondi (60) et adaptée pour épouser un évidement (50) en forme de dôme dans l'extrémité inférieure d'une pièce d'espacement (40) sensiblement identique.
6. Ensemble selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend au moins une autre pièce d'espacement (40) pour produire au moins deux pièces d'espacement identiques en assemblage empilé.
7. Ensemble selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que chaque pièce d'espacement (40) a une longueur "X", l'alésage (12) précité a une profondeur correspondant à un multiple de "X", et le tube (22) précité a une longueur correspondant à un multiple plus petit que "X", de sorte que la longueur combinée du tube (22) et des pièces d'espacement (40) est égale à la profondeur de l'alésage (12) sous le capuchon (30).
EP81300470A 1980-02-19 1981-02-04 Capuchon de support et pièce d'espacement pour tubes centrifuges Expired EP0035829B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/122,214 US4290550A (en) 1980-02-19 1980-02-19 Modular supporting cap and spacer for centrifuge tubes
US06/122,324 US4304356A (en) 1980-02-19 1980-02-19 Supporting cap for sealed centrifuge tube
US122214 1993-09-17
US122324 1998-07-24

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0035829A1 EP0035829A1 (fr) 1981-09-16
EP0035829B1 true EP0035829B1 (fr) 1985-05-15

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EP81300470A Expired EP0035829B1 (fr) 1980-02-19 1981-02-04 Capuchon de support et pièce d'espacement pour tubes centrifuges

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EP (1) EP0035829B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3170457D1 (fr)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3071316A (en) * 1959-05-19 1963-01-01 Lourdes Instr Corp Bottle support and cap assembly for centrifuge
US3672564A (en) * 1964-05-13 1972-06-27 Baxter Laboratories Inc Rotary fluid seal and distribution means for centrifuges

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2021982B (en) * 1978-06-05 1982-12-22 Beckman Instruments Inc Integral one piece centrifuge tube

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3071316A (en) * 1959-05-19 1963-01-01 Lourdes Instr Corp Bottle support and cap assembly for centrifuge
US3672564A (en) * 1964-05-13 1972-06-27 Baxter Laboratories Inc Rotary fluid seal and distribution means for centrifuges

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0035829A1 (fr) 1981-09-16
DE3170457D1 (en) 1985-06-20

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