JPH0380954A - centrifugal separator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a centrifugal separator, and particularly to a centrifugal separator that also has a stirring function.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In analytical tests of various substances in clinical tests and separation of, for example, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) in genetic manipulation, mixing and centrifugation of sample substances and reagents are repeatedly performed in test tubes called centrifuge tubes. The conventional and common method for such operations is to mix reagents into a centrifuge tube containing a sample, stir to react uniformly, and then separate the reaction products by centrifugation several times. Repeated. In particular, in genetic engineering, there are cases where it is required to perform a series of these operations automatically, and it is necessary to go through the steps of each operation, such as applying one centrifuge tube to a stirring device and then to a centrifugal separator. Therefore, if stirring and centrifugation can be performed in one device, the operation of transferring the centrifuge tube from the stirring device to the centrifugal separator can be omitted, and the efficiency of the series of operations can be improved, especially in the process of automation. This is advantageous because it allows the omission of . As one such device, Utility Model Application No. 59-19352
The centrifugal stirring device disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7 can be mentioned. This device repeatedly rotates and stops the rotor that holds the centrifuge tube, and when it rotates, the lower end of the centrifuge tube is swung outward in the radial direction by centrifugal force, and the lower end of the swung out centrifuge tube is stopped by the rotor. The centrifuge tube is swung back inward in the radial direction, and the lower end of the centrifuge tube collides with the backing plate using the return motion, and the content of the centrifuge tube is stirred by the impact caused by the collision. It is clear that this device functions as a centrifugal separator if the rotor is rotated continuously, and is considered to be an example of a centrifugal separator equipped with the stirring function provided by the present invention.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention 8] However, the major feature of the stirring function in the above-mentioned prior art is that the centrifuge tube collides with the backing plate, and the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the rotor is utilized. The centrifugal force is used to swing the centrifuge tube back (to swing it up and down), and the centrifugal force is not intended to affect the contents inside the centrifuge tube. In such a configuration, agitation with a considerable impact or agitation with impact will be performed. For example, in order to perform agitation and mixing in the pre-process of DNA separation,
It is unsuitable because DNA is very fragile to mechanical shock. In this way, even if the same stirring and mixing is performed, the intensity should be selected depending on the physical properties of the specimen. The present invention was created in view of the above-mentioned technical problems in stirring and centrifugation, and to effectively solve the problems. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to integrate a centrifugal separator and a stirring device by utilizing centrifugal force for stirring, and to provide a stirring function with low impact suitable for stirring delicate substances that are easily damaged by impact. An object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator.

[Means to solve the problem]

The centrifugal separator according to the present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, and is configured as follows in order to achieve the object. That is, the centrifuge tube holding means includes a rotating body having a centrifuge tube holding means on its periphery, and an intermittent rotation driving means for repeatedly stopping the rotation of the rotating body at each desired rotation angle, and the centrifuge tube holding means controls the rotation of the rotating body. The centrifuge tube has a swing support shaft in the tangential direction to the direction, and is configured to allow free pendulum movement of the centrifuge tube both in and out of the radial direction of the rotating body.

[Effect]

In the centrifugal separator according to the present invention, the centrifuge tube makes a free and smooth pendulum movement as a result of the intermittent rotation of the rotating body. That is, when the rotating body rotates, the lower end of the centrifuge tube is swung outward in the radial direction due to centrifugal force, and when it stops, the centrifugal force disappears and a free pendulum movement occurs. Further, when the rotating body starts rotating and when braking is applied to stop the rotation, inertial force acts on the contents in the centrifuge tube. The alternating action of this pendulum motion and inertial force generates a swirling flow in the contents within the centrifuge tube. The detailed process will be explained step by step with reference to FIG. In this part of the explanation, the direction of rotation of the rotating body is assumed to be forward in the centrifuge tube. When the rotating body starts rotating (5th
a), the contents of the centrifuge tube 2 are subjected to an inertial force I in the counter-rotational direction (arrow R in the figure indicates the direction of rotation of the rotating body), causing a backward flow within the centrifuge tube 2. Subsequently, during rotation, centrifugal force CF is applied, and the centrifuge tube 2 is swung outward (in the direction of the arrow out), and the contents generate a flow f from the rear outward (
Figure 5b). After that, when braking is applied to stop the rotation of the rotating body, the contents receive an inertia force I due to the braking, thereby causing a flow f from the outside toward the front (fifth
c). When the rotating body stops, the centrifugal force disappears, and the centrifuge tube 2
As the contents are swung back inward in the radial direction of the rotating body (in the direction of the arrow in), the contents generate a flow f from the front toward the inside in the centrifuge tube 2 due to the restoring force RF (Fig. 5d). Thereafter, when the rotating body starts rotating again, the contents are subjected to an inertial force I in the counter-rotational direction, and a flow f is generated from the inside toward the rear within the centrifuge tube 2 (FIG. 5e). By periodically repeating these processes, a swirling flow C of the contents inside the centrifuge tube 2 is created.
(Fig. 5r), and the swirling flow can perform a stirring action with less impact. Of course, if the rotating body is rotated continuously, it will function as a centrifugal separator.

【Example】

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a centrifugal separator according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a centrifuge tube is attached to a rotor in this embodiment. The centrifugal separation attachment of this embodiment includes a disk-shaped rotor 1 as a rotating body, and the peripheral edge portion at each center angle 90' is cut radially. A box-shaped packet 3 containing four centrifuge tubes 2 arranged in a row is pivotally supported in the cut portion so as to be freely swingable. The shaft supporting the packet 3 is connected to the rotor 1 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
It is constituted by a bottle member 4 provided protrudingly from the side surface of the cut portion, and on the other hand, vertical grooves 5 into which the bottle member 4 fits are formed on both side surfaces of the packet 3. When pivotally supporting the packet 3 by this bin member 4,
The direction of the axis is tangential to the rotation of the rotor 1, and therefore the direction in which the packet 3 swings is in the radial direction of the rotor 1. The rotating shaft 11 of the rotor 1 is directly connected to the output shaft of a motor 6 disposed directly below the rotor 1, and the motor 6 is mounted on a base 7 supported by a vibration isolating mechanism. The anti-vibration mechanism is a combination of an elliptical rubber ring 8 and a coil spring 9, each of which is mounted on a mount 10 at three locations, on which a mounting plate 7 is fixed so as to be placed. It is composed of Using a centrifugal separator configured as described above, DNA
When performing agitation operation for a liquid containing a reagent mixed with a sample containing
The motor 6 is rotated, for example, by alternately rotating and stopping at intervals of 30' to 50° and periodically repeating the rotation. This intermittent rotation and the accompanying pendulum movement of the packet 3 cause a swirling flow in the liquid inside the centrifuge tube 2. The swirling flow can be adjusted to be a smooth flow with less impact by appropriately selecting the cycle and acceleration of rotation and stop of the motor 6 in relation to the amount of liquid content and drying, etc. The stirring action of the flow allows the specimen and reagent to be mixed evenly and without damaging the DNA. motor 6
The rotation speed may be about 70 rpm. After sufficient stirring and mixing, centrifugal separation is performed by continuously operating the motor 6 in the set state.

【Effect of the invention】

As is clear from the above description, the present invention provides the following excellent effects. That is, since one device can serve as both a centrifugal separator and a stirring device, processing efficiency can be improved by omitting the step of moving the centrifuge tube in a process in which stirring and centrifugation are performed as a series of operations. This makes it possible to achieve gentle stirring with little impact, making it easy to automate a series of operations, especially for DNA separation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the centrifugal separator of this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a centrifugation tube is attached to the rotor in this embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a state in which a centrifuge tube is attached to a rotor in this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a side view of the packet shown in FIG. 3, showing an example of a pivoting state, and FIG. be. 1... Rotor as a rotating body, 2... Centrifuge tube, 3...
... Packet as centrifuge tube holding means, 4. Bin member as swinging support shaft, 6. Motor as intermittent rotation driving means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1), a rotating body (
1); and an intermittent rotation driving means (6) for repeatedly stopping the rotation of the rotating body (1) at every desired rotation angle, and the centrifuge tube holding means (3) is configured to rotate the rotating body (1). The centrifuge tube (2) has a swing support shaft (4) in the tangential direction to the rotation direction of the centrifuge tube (2), and the centrifuge tube (2)
) A centrifugal separator characterized by allowing free pendulum movement.