An apparatus for manipulating particles includes: a rotor rotatable at a speed about an axis, the rotor having an outer periphery and front and rear opposite sides; at least one chamber (50) mounted on the rotor, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet; an umbilical assembly rotatable about the axis; and a drive mechanism configured to rotate the umbilical assembly at about one-half the speed of the rotor. The umbilical assembly includes: a curvilinear guide tube (125) connecting to a drum at the rear side of the rotor; a flexible conduit (130) residing in the guide tube; and first and second elongate passageways (135) for each chamber extending through the conduit, wherein the first passageway is in fluid communication with the inlet of a respective chamber and the second passageway is in fluid communication with the outlet of the respective chamber. The passageways are held in a spaced-apart relationship relative to one another.

Fluid separation chambers are provided with a central hub, with generally annular low-G and high-G walls extending about the hub to define therebetween a separation channel. A plurality of radial walls extend from the hub to the channel to define an inlet passage, two outlet passages, and a terminal wall separating an upstream end of the separation channel from a downstream end of the channel. The radius of the high-G wall is greater at the downstream end of the separation channel than at the upstream end, which may include the radius gradually increasing along a tapered section of the high-G wall. The tapered section may extend from the upstream end of the separation channel to the downstream end of the channel or along a smaller length of the channel. The radius of the low-G wall may similarly increase from the upstream end of the separation channel to the downstream end.

An apheresis system includes a chamber configured to receive a centrifuge assembly and a moving loop holder. The moving loop holder includes a loop holder that has a loop connection that is configured to interact with a flexible loop received by the centrifuge assembly. The moving loop holder is configured to move between a first position and a second position, where in the first position, the moving loop holder is a first distance from the centrifuge assembly, and in the second position, the moving loop holder is a second distance from the centrifuge assembly. The centrifuge assembly is prevented from moving from an operating state to a loading state when the moving loop holder is in the first position, and the centrifuge assembly is allowed to move from the operating state to the loading state when the moving loop holder is in the second position.

A fluid separation device includes a centrifuge in which a fluid is separated into at least two components, with an interface therebetween. At least a portion of one of the separated fluid components is removed from the centrifuge and flows through a vessel. Light is reflected off of the separated fluid component in the vessel and received and analyzed to determine its main wavelength. If the main wavelength is higher than a maximum value, a target location of the interface is changed. If the main wavelength is less than the maximum value, then the location of the interface is compared to the target location. When the interface is sufficiently close to the target location, the optical density of the separated fluid component in the vessel is compared to a minimum value. If the optical density is less than the minimum value, the target location of the interface is changed.

A flying leads assembly includes a flying lead having an inner layer which forms a liquid passage and an outer layer which acts as a sacrificial layer in use, thereby allowing integrity of the passage to be maintained for a long period of time. A further layer is provided intermediate the inner and outer layers which can be used to provide support to the assembly. The flying lead assembly, or a number of assemblies, are then located in a guide with lubricant material.

A centrifuge rotor assembly includes a chamber assembly, a bearing support, and a counterweight that is substantially diametrically opposed to the bearing support with respect to the chamber assembly. The chamber assembly receives a processing chamber of a fluid circuit, while the bearing support receives a portion of an umbilicus that is fluidly connected to the processing chamber. The bearing support and counterweight are rotated about a central axis of the chamber assembly by an electric drive of the centrifuge rotor assembly, with the bearing support and counterweight remaining substantially diametrically opposed to each other with respect to the chamber assembly while being rotated about the central axis. The electric drive may rotate the bearing support and counterweight at a plurality of different speeds, with the counterweight automatically moving with respect to the bearing support between radially innermost and radially outermost positions to balance the centrifuge rotor assembly.

An apparatus for manipulating particles includes: a rotor rotatable at a speed about an axis, the rotor having an outer periphery and front and rear opposite sides; at least one chamber mounted on the rotor, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet; an umbilical assembly rotatable about the axis; and a drive mechanism configured to rotate the umbilical assembly at about one-half the speed of the rotor. The umbilical assembly includes: a curvilinear guide tube connecting to a drum at the rear side of the rotor; a flexible conduit residing in the guide tube; and first and second elongate passageways for each chamber extending through the conduit, wherein the first passageway is in fluid communication with the inlet of a respective chamber and the second passageway is in fluid communication with the outlet of the respective chamber. The passageways are held in a spaced-apart relationship relative to one another.

A fluid separation device includes a centrifuge in which a fluid is separated into at least two components, with an interface therebetween. At least a portion of one of the separated fluid components is removed from the centrifuge and flows through a vessel. Light is reflected off of the separated fluid component in the vessel and received and analyzed to determine its main wavelength. If the main wavelength is higher than a maximum value, a target location of the interface is changed. If the main wavelength is less than the maximum value, then the location of the interface is compared to the target location. When the interface is sufficiently close to the target location, the optical density of the separated fluid component in the vessel is compared to a minimum value. If the optical density is less than the minimum value, the target location of the interface is changed.

A flying leads assembly includes a flying lead having an inner layer which forms a liquid passage and an outer layer which acts as a sacrificial layer in use, thereby allowing integrity of the passage to be maintained for a long period of time. A further layer is provided intermediate the inner and outer layers which can be used to provide support to the assembly. The flying lead assembly, or a number of assemblies, are then located in a guide with lubricant material.

The current disclosure presents embodiments directed to, among others, a support and/or clamp (60) for receiving a cylindrical element (e.g., a bearing (90)), which can include a base (62), a pair of opposed receiving members (64) projecting from the base (62) and spaced apart from one other to establish a receiving area (66) configured with a size and shape to removably receive at least one of a circular, cylindrical and spherical object therein, and at least one of a detent (24) and magnet (40) arranged within at least a portion of the receiving area (66), the detent (24) and/or magnet (40) configured to at least one of temporarily retain the object within the receiving area (66) and establish a sound associated with the receiving of the object.