A centrifugal separation container which is revolved around a rotation axis, includes: a separation part which includes a distal region which is disposed on a distal side than a liquid-to-be-treated supply port and a proximal region which is disposed on a proximal side than the liquid-to-be-treated supply port, with respect to the rotation axis, and in which a liquid-to-be-treated discharge port is provided in the proximal region; and a recovery part which is disposed on a distal side than the distal region with respect to the rotation axis, communicates with a distal end portion of the distal region through a communication path, and is filled with a recovery liquid for dispersing dispersoids that are to be centrifuged in a liquid to be treated.

A blood collection tube for physically separating the plasma and red blood cell fractions of a centrifuged sample is described. The blood collection tube has an elastomeric sleeve with rigid tube segments at both ends. Following blood collection and centrifugation, the elastomeric sleeve may be twisted to constrict its inner diameter and physically separate the two fractions. The blood collection tube may be secured in this position with a pin and a clamp, and further with an adhesive tape with pH paper. This enables blood samples to be transferred over long distances to a central lab facility without spoiling.

The invention relates to a centrifuge (10) for automatic loading, having a drive shaft (44), which is driven in a rotatable manner about a rotor axis (42), having a rotor (46), which is releasably coupled for conjoint rotation to the drive shaft (44) and has mounts for containers for media to be centrifuged, having a housing (12) with lateral outer walls (14, 16, 18, 20) delimiting the centrifuge (10) and with a ceiling (22), wherein at least one outer wall (14) has a sideways directed side opening (28) for loading the rotor (46) as required, and having a safety vessel (50) with at least one partially enclosing protective wall (34), which is adapted at least to the shape of the adjacent outer wall (14) with side opening (28) such that said protective wall closes off the side opening (28).

A blood separation system is provided that includes a blood separation device that includes a centrifugal separator and a spinning membrane separator drive unit incorporated into a common case and a fluid flow circuit having both a separation chamber configured to be mounted in the centrifugal separator of the blood separation device and a spinning membrane separator configured to be received in the spinning membrane separator drive unit. In an exemplary procedure, the system is used to collect concentrated platelets and/or concentrated platelets and plasma, and to further permit harvesting of the mononuclear cells from the centrifugal separator at the conclusion of platelet collection, and transfer of the mononuclear cells to the spinning membrane separator.

A centrifuge is configured to provide integrated separation of blood components such that the separated products remain spinning within the centrifuge during the separation process. The centrifuge includes a disposable configured to separate the blood components such that the separated products remain within the disposable while the centrifuge is spinning; an integrated sensor system capable of determining a composition of the separated products within the disposable while the centrifuge is spinning; a chamber having a non-circular section that is configured to be deliberately un-balanced when the centrifuge chamber is empty; and the disposable includes valves that rotate with the centrifuge chamber.

A rotor assembly includes a rotor plate to rotate around a first axis, a bucket attached to the rotor plate and to rotate around a second axis, and a stop plate to rotate around the first axis between an open position and a closed position. When in the closed position, the stop plate engages the bucket to fix an angular position of the bucket relative to a plane of rotation of the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly further includes a housing for a sensor array component, the housing disposed in the bucket and including a solution inlet, a solution outlet, a transfer basin, a solution retainer disposed between the solution outlet and the transfer basin, and a collection reservoir in fluid communication with the transfer basin. The solution inlet and the solution outlet to engage ports of a flow cell of a sensor array.

Embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for ensuring that mechanisms that are used to position components of an apheresis machine are not broken as a result of rotation of a centrifuge. In embodiments, a safety mechanism is provided that contacts components of the centrifuge and pushes them into a position to ensure that they do not break when the centrifuge is operated at high rpm.

A fixed-angle rotor for centrifuges includes stiffening ribs on the lower side of its rotor body. Its rotational energy is comparatively low during operation even at high speeds, whereby safety is noticeably increased without the need for a reinforced armored vessel in the centrifuge that is equipped therewith. At the same time, the drive power required to drive the fixed-angle rotor remains low. The fixed-angle rotor also withstands extreme loads over a long period of time. In addition, the fixed-angle rotor can be manufactured cost-effectively, because no additional components are required; rather, the stiffening ribs can also be manufactured during the manufacture of the rotor body. Finally, very thin rotor shells can also be used, which improves the temperature control of the samples, because the fixed-angle rotor has very good structural stability, especially in the main load directions.

A rotating seal-type liquid testing apparatus includes a lower cup component, an upper cup body, a top cover and a testing element. The lower cup component includes a lower cup body, a high liquid baffle, a low liquid baffle and a water-absorbing sealing plug. The low liquid baffle and the high liquid baffle divide a bottom of an inner cavity of the lower cup body into a reaction region and a cut-off region. An edge of a bottom surface of the inner cavity of the lower cup body is provided with a vent hole, and the vent hole is positioned in the cut-off region. The upper cup body is disposed in the lower cup body, a bottom surface of an inner cavity of the upper cup body is provided with a liquid outlet, and the liquid outlet is connected to the reaction region in the lower cup body.

Embodiments are directed to methods and apparatuses for ensuring that mechanisms that are used to position components of an apheresis machine are not broken as a result of rotation of a centrifuge. In embodiments, a safety mechanism is provided that contacts components of the centrifuge and pushes them into a position to ensure that they do not break when the centrifuge is operated at high rpm.