A seal assembly for providing a seal between a first zone and a second zone includes a rotatable sealing member including a first sealing ring, a stationary sealing member including a second sealing ring and a device for bringing the first and second sealing rings into engagement with each other. The first and second sealing rings are arranged so that a double contact seal having at least one chamber arranged at a radial plane is formed upon engagement between the first and second sealing rings. The seal assembly further includes at least one fluid connection to the chamber. A centrifugal separator includes such a seal assembly.

A seal assembly for providing a seal between a first zone and a second zone includes a rotatable sealing member including a first sealing ring, a stationary sealing member including a second sealing ring and a device for bringing the first and second sealing rings into engagement with each other. The first and second sealing rings are arranged so that a double contact seal having at least one chamber arranged at a radial plane is formed upon engagement between the first and second sealing rings. The seal assembly further includes at least one fluid connection to the chamber. A centrifugal separator includes such a seal assembly.

An attachment fitting is attached inside a rotor hole. The attachment fitting is made up of a main body, first and second pieces disposed in a piece placement hole formed in the main body so as to pass therethrough in a direction orthogonal to a rotation central axis of a rotor, a leaf spring including two arm portions, and a retainer that is mounted on the main body and puts a base of the leaf spring between the retainer and the main body. The first and second pieces have grooves into which the arm portions of the leaf spring are inserted. When the rotor rotates, the first and second pieces protrude from the piece placement hole by the centrifugal force against the spring force of the leaf spring and make contact with a rotor coupling portion of a shaft.

An attachment fitting is attached inside a rotor hole. The attachment fitting is made up of a main body, first and second pieces disposed in a piece placement hole formed in the main body so as to pass therethrough in a direction orthogonal to a rotation central axis of a rotor, a leaf spring including two arm portions, and a retainer that is mounted on the main body and puts a base of the leaf spring between the retainer and the main body. The first and second pieces have grooves into which the arm portions of the leaf spring are inserted. When the rotor rotates, the first and second pieces protrude from the piece placement hole by the centrifugal force against the spring force of the leaf spring and make contact with a rotor coupling portion of a shaft.

A centrifugal field-flow fractionation device capable of improving analysis performance and shortening analysis time is provided. A first channel 111 communicating with a channel member is formed on a rotational shaft 11 that rotates together with a rotor. A second channel 644 communicating with the first channel 111 is formed on a fixing portion 60 fixed in a state of facing the rotational shaft 11 along a rotational axis L. A mechanical seal 66 having a pair of seal rings 661 and 662 that come into contact with each other and a biasing member 663 is provided to attach one seal ring 661 to the rotational shaft 11 and the other seal ring 662 to the fixing portion 60. The biasing member 663 biases the pair of seal rings 661 and 662 in a direction in which the pair of seal rings come in contact with each other. Since the rotational shaft 11 can be rotated at a high speed and the liquid sample can be fed at a high pressure, the analysis performance can be improved and the analysis time can be shortened.

A centrifugal field-flow fractionation device capable of improving analysis performance and shortening analysis time is provided. A first channel 111 communicating with a channel member is formed on a rotational shaft 11 that rotates together with a rotor. A second channel 644 communicating with the first channel 111 is formed on a fixing portion 60 fixed in a state of facing the rotational shaft 11 along a rotational axis L. A mechanical seal 66 having a pair of seal rings 661 and 662 that come into contact with each other and a biasing member 663 is provided to attach one seal ring 661 to the rotational shaft 11 and the other seal ring 662 to the fixing portion 60. The biasing member 663 biases the pair of seal rings 661 and 662 in a direction in which the pair of seal rings come in contact with each other. Since the rotational shaft 11 can be rotated at a high speed and the liquid sample can be fed at a high pressure, the analysis performance can be improved and the analysis time can be shortened.

An autotransfusion system for separating fluid constituents includes a centrifuge housing and a rotatable driving member mounted within the centrifuge housing. The rotatable driving member is configured to receive therein and rotationally engage any one of a plurality of centrifuge bowls with different heights. In some embodiments, the centrifuge bowl is integrated with a fluid line organizer to provide for easy and efficient organization of a plurality of different fluid lines incorporated into the autotransfusion system. In some embodiments, the centrifuge bowl and fluid line organizer are easily and efficiently coupled to the centrifuge housing for autotransfusion processing. After autotransfusion processing, the centrifuge bowl and fluid line organizer are easily and efficiently decoupled from the centrifuge housing and discarded.

An autotransfusion system for separating fluid constituents includes a centrifuge housing and a rotatable driving member mounted within the centrifuge housing. The rotatable driving member is configured to receive therein and rotationally engage any one of a plurality of centrifuge bowls with different heights. In some embodiments, the centrifuge bowl is integrated with a fluid line organizer to provide for easy and efficient organization of a plurality of different fluid lines incorporated into the autotransfusion system. In some embodiments, the centrifuge bowl and fluid line organizer are easily and efficiently coupled to the centrifuge housing for autotransfusion processing. After autotransfusion processing, the centrifuge bowl and fluid line organizer are easily and efficiently decoupled from the centrifuge housing and discarded.

A rotor 10 of a centrifuge 100 having a rotor axis R, a receiving space 18 for samples to be centrifuged, a lid 40 which limits the receiving space 18 at the top, which is concentrically mounted relative to the rotor and which has, on its side remote from the receiving space 18, a handle 44 for carrying the rotor and the lid 40, and a locking mechanism of lid 40 and rotor, which mechanism is mounted in a support 52, 54 in the lid 40, said locking mechanism 50, 34b comprising a locking element 50 adapted to be movable between a locking position and an unlocking position and which has an actuating member 56 and a latching element 58, with the actuating member 56 and the latching element 58 being axially spaced from each other relative to the rotor axis R. The invention is characterized in that the locking element 50 is formed by a tilt lever which has the actuating member 56 mounted on its upper end and the latching element 58 mounted on its lower end, with its pivot axis being aligned perpendicular to the rotor axis R.

A rotor 10 of a centrifuge 100 having a rotor axis R, a receiving space 18 for samples to be centrifuged, a lid 40 which limits the receiving space 18 at the top, which is concentrically mounted relative to the rotor and which has, on its side remote from the receiving space 18, a handle 44 for carrying the rotor and the lid 40, and a locking mechanism of lid 40 and rotor, which mechanism is mounted in a support 52, 54 in the lid 40, said locking mechanism 50, 34b comprising a locking element 50 adapted to be movable between a locking position and an unlocking position and which has an actuating member 56 and a latching element 58, with the actuating member 56 and the latching element 58 being axially spaced from each other relative to the rotor axis R. The invention is characterized in that the locking element 50 is formed by a tilt lever which has the actuating member 56 mounted on its upper end and the latching element 58 mounted on its lower end, with its pivot axis being aligned perpendicular to the rotor axis R.