Abstract
The present invention relates to a centrifuge container for a centrifuge rotor, with a base body comprising an opening, a vessel bottom and a longitudinal axis, the opening and the vessel bottom being situated opposite each other and the base body extending with its overall length between the opening and the vessel bottom, and the centrifuge container comprising, along the overall length of the base body, a first section extending from the opening and a second section extending to the vessel bottom, the centrifuge container comprising structure non-detachably connected to the container for reducing the flow resistance, the structure being provided exclusively in the region of the second section.
Claims
1. A centrifuge container for a centrifuge rotor, comprising: a base body having an opening and a vessel bottom, the opening and the vessel bottom being situated opposite each other and the base body having an overall length extending between the opening and the vessel bottom, the centrifuge container comprising, along the overall length of the base body, a first section extending from the opening and a second section extending to the vessel bottom, wherein the centrifuge container comprises, non-detachably connected thereto, means for the reduction of flow resistance, the means being provided exclusively in the region of the second section on a side of the centrifuge container that is in a direction of rotation of the centrifuge container when the centrifuge container is arranged in the centrifuge rotor.
2. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the means is a changing cross-sectional area of the centrifuge container, such that the cross-sectional area of the centrifuge container perpendicular to a longitudinal axis narrows to a greater extent in the second section than in the first section in the direction of rotation (r) of the centrifuge rotor (1).
3. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the means has a semi-oval or wedge-shaped cross-section in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the centrifuge container.
4. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the means is configured as a fin radially protruding away from the longitudinal axis of the base body and tapering in the outward direction.
5. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the means is configured so as to extend continuously over the entire second section to the vessel bottom.
6. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the second section comprises at least 10% of the overall length of the base body.
7. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the means are provided opposite each other on the centrifuge container.
8. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the means is formed integrally with the centrifuge container.
9. A set comprising at least one centrifuge container according to claim 1 and a centrifuge rotor with through openings completely penetrating said rotor for accommodating the at least one centrifuge container, bearings being arranged for the at least one centrifuge container in the region of the through openings, and the at least one centrifuge container at least partially protruding with its second section from the centrifuge rotor when the centrifuge container is mounted in the centrifuge rotor.
10. The set according to claim 9, wherein the size of the through openings in the radial direction relative to the rotation axis (R) of the centrifuge rotor corresponds at least to the greatest extension of the second section of the centrifuge container transversely to its longitudinal axis, so that the second section of the centrifuge container can be guided through the through openings.
11. The set according to claim 10, wherein the bearings in the region of the through openings of the centrifuge rotor and the at least one centrifuge container are configured such that the centrifuge container inserted into the through opening can be mounted in one of the bearings of the centrifuge rotor after rotation by 90 about its longitudinal axis.
12. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the second section comprises at least 15% of the overall length of the base body.
13. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the second section comprises at least between 15% and 30% of the overall length of the base body.
14. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the second section comprises at least between 15% and 50% of the overall length of the base body.
15. The centrifuge container according to claim 1, wherein the centrifuge container comprises an injection-molded part.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the schematic figures:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a centrifuge container configured as a swinging container;
(3) FIG. 2 shows a centrifuge container configured as fixed angle container;
(4) FIG. 3 shows a centrifuge rotor;
(5) FIG. 4 shows a centrifuge rotor in mixed operation;
(6) FIG. 5 shows a centrifuge rotor in operation with swinging containers;
(7) FIG. 6 shows a centrifuge rotor in operation with fixed angle containers;
(8) FIG. 7 shows a very simplified top view of an insertion opening of the centrifuge rotor with a centrifuge container guided therethrough but not yet mounted on the centrifuge rotor; and
(9) FIG. 8 shows a very simplified top view of an insertion opening of a centrifuge rotor and a centrifuge container mounted on the centrifuge rotor.
(10) Throughout the figures, like components are designated by like reference numerals. Repeating components are not designated separately in each figure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(11) FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a centrifuge container 2, 3. The centrifuge containers 2, 3 respectively comprise a base body 21, 31 with an opening 20, 30 for receiving a sample vessel and a vessel bottom 22, 32. The centrifuge container 2, 3 extends with its overall length 202, 302 from the opening 20, 30 to the vessel bottom 22, 32. The overall length 202, 302 is divided into a first section 200, 300 located on the side of the opening 20, 30 and a second section 201, 301 extending from the first section 200, 300 to the vessel bottom 22, 32. In the present case, the second section 201, 301 accounts for about a third of the overall length 202, 302 of the centrifuge containers 2, 3. The overall length 202, 302 of the centrifuge containers 2, 3 extends parallel to the respective longitudinal axis 25, 35 of the centrifuge containers 2, 3.
(12) An associated centrifuge rotor 1 is illustrated in FIG. 3. The centrifuge rotor 1 and at least one centrifuge container 2, 3 constitute a set according to the present invention. The centrifuge rotor 1 comprises a rotor base body 10 and is configured for rotation about the rotation axis R in the direction of rotation r. The rotor base body 10 comprises a receptacle side 16, a drive side 17 and a lateral surface 18. The centrifuge rotor 1 is placed on a drive head of a centrifuge motor (not illustrated) during operation of a laboratory centrifuge. The rotor base body 10 comprises through openings 11 on the receptacle side 16 for receiving the centrifuge containers 2, 3. The through openings 11 completely penetrate through the rotor base body 10 and form openings 19 in the lateral surface 18 and on the drive side 17 of the rotor base body 10. During the centrifuge run, the centrifuge containers 2, 3 protrude from the openings 19, as will be described below. Further details of the centrifuge rotor are described in German Patent Application No. DE 10 2015 005 195.4, to which reference is again made hereby.
(13) The centrifuge containers 2, 3 are inserted into insertion openings 110 of the through openings 11 from the receptacle side and are then mounted on the centrifuge rotor 1. To that end, bearings in the form of rotary bearings 12 and fixed bearings 13 are provided on the centrifuge rotor 1 or on the rotor base body 10, respectively. Centrifuge container 2 of FIG. 1 is configured as a swinging container. It comprises trunnions 23 by means of which it can be mounted in the rotary bearing 12 of the base body 10. In a set 4, comprising a centrifuge rotor 1 and at least one centrifuge container 2, 3 as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rotary bearing 12 and the trunnions 23 together form a rotary joint 40 enabling the centrifuge container 2 to swing out into a swung-out position during the centrifuge run. In the swung-out position, the longitudinal axis 25 of centrifuge container 2 is oriented at an angle relative to a parallel P to the rotation axis R of centrifuge rotor 1. Here, the swing angle is nearly 90, for example, between 85 and 89.
(14) According to FIG. 2, centrifuge container 3 is configured as a fixed angle container. It comprises trunnions 33 configured to fill the rotary bearing 12 of the centrifuge rotor 1. Furthermore, the centrifuge container 3 comprises a collar 36 which is configured complementary to the fixed bearing 13 and may rest against said bearing. The collar 36 prevents the centrifuge container 3 from swinging during a centrifuge run and defines a fixed angle , which is enclosed by the longitudinal axis 35 of the centrifuge container 3 and a parallel P to the rotation axis R of the centrifuge rotor 1. Said fixed angle is not changed during the centrifuge run, but remains constant. The angle is preferably 60 maximum and particularly between 25 and 50. As an alternative, the collar 36 of the centrifuge container 3 may also be configured as a detachable adapter 37, by means of which a swinging type centrifuge container 2 can be converted to a centrifuge container 3 of the fixed angle type.
(15) The means 24, 34 according to the present invention for reducing the flow resistance are arranged in the second section 201, 301 of the centrifuge containers 2, 3. In the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the means 24, 34 are configured to extend over the entire second section 201, 301 to the vessel bottom 22, 32 and have a fin shape. They are protrusions on the centrifuge containers 2, 3, tapering in the radial direction away from the longitudinal axis 25, 35 of centrifuge containers 2, 3. As result, the means 24, 34 form a wedge at the lateral surfaces of which the airflow is divided and guided past the centrifuge containers 2, 3. By this division of the airflow, the flow resistance or the air friction of centrifuge containers 2, 3 is significantly reduced during the centrifuge run. The fins are formed in a solid manner and integrally with the centrifuge containers 2, 3. Preferably, the manufacturing of the centrifuge container equipped with the fins is effected by means of injection molding, for example, from fiber-reinforced polypropylene. The centrifuge containers 2, 3 comprise a conventional cylindrical inner space, in which conventional sample vessels can be supported.
(16) As can be taken from FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, in each case two opposite means 24, 34 are formed on the centrifuge containers 2, 3 in and against the direction of rotation r. In contrast to the first section 200, 300, said means 24, 34 protrude laterally beyond the base body of the centrifuge container 2, 3 such that said containerexcept for the mounting devices 23, 33, 36 in the opening-sided regionhas its greatest extension transversely to the longitudinal axis 25, 35 in the second section. However, in contrast to means 24, 34, the mounting devices do not need to be guided through the openings 11 in the rotor. If the through openings 11 in the rotor were enlarged in the circumferential direction such that it would be possible to insert the centrifuge containers 2, 3 through the openings with the means 24, 34 orientated in the direction of rotation r, the width of openings 11 would have to be increased in the circumferential direction on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the mounting devices 23, 33, 36 would have to be widened laterally. This would result in that less through openings 11 and therefore less centrifuge containers would fit in the rotor and/or in that the rotor would lose stability in the case that the openings 11 were arranged too close next to one another, which in turn would increase the risk of rupture. According to the present invention, said problem is solved in that the greatest extension of the through openings 11 of the centrifuge rotor 1, i.e., the extension required for passing through the means 24, 34, is oriented in the radial direction when viewed from the rotation axis R of the centrifuge rotor 1. This allows for the width of through openings 11 in the circumferential direction of the rotor to remain identical to the width that would be required for centrifuge containers which do not comprise the means 24, 34. As a result, neither capacity nor safety are impaired on the rotor per se, nor is there a need to enlarge the mounting devices of the centrifuge containers, which would be disadvantageous with respect to operation and costs of the same.
(17) For the centrifuge containers 2, 3 having the means 24, 34, this means that they are guided through the through openings 11 in a different orientation than the one they will be positioned in during the centrifuge run. Specifically, after guiding through the second section equipped with fins, the centrifuge containers 2, 3 have to be rotated before they can be mounted on the rotor. This process is schematically illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a top view of an insert opening 110 in which the vessel bottom sided end of a centrifuge container 2, 3 is being inserted. The centrifuge container is merely represented by a line representing the width of its free end facing away from the mounting devices 23, 33, 36. Accordingly, the length of the line corresponds to the width in the region of the second section of the centrifuge container comprising the fins 24, 34. The point 25, 35 represents the longitudinal axis of the centrifuge container. In order to be able to introduce the centrifuge container into the insert opening 110, it is initially rotated such that its greatest width extension on its vessel bottom sided end is oriented in the radial direction when viewed from the rotation axis R of the centrifuge rotor 1. In this orientation, the centrifuge container 2, 3 is inserted into the through opening 11 until the second section 201, 301 of the centrifuge container 2, 3 completely projects beyond the rotor base body 10 of the centrifuge rotor 1 on the drive side 17. Then, the centrifuge container 2, 3 is rotated by 90 about its longitudinal axis 25, 35, as illustrated in FIG. 8. As a result, the means 24, 34 are orientated in the direction of rotation r. In this orientation, the means 24, 34 protrude laterally beyond the circumference of the insertion opening 11, which is indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 8. In said position, the trunnions 23 are also aligned with the rotary bearing 12 or the trunnions 33 and the collar 36 are aligned with the fixed bearing 13 of the centrifuge rotor 1, so that the centrifuge container can be mounted on the rotor. The removal of a centrifuge container 2, 3 after a centrifuge run is effected in the same way as the mounting process, however in reverse order.
(18) The present invention unites a reduction in flow resistance of the centrifuge containers 2, 3 and a space-saving configuration of the centrifuge rotor 1 in an advantageous manner without reducing the operating safety or capacity, increasing production and operating costs or impairing the handling.
(19) While the present invention has been illustrated by description of various embodiments and while those embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of Applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such details. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The present invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of Applicants' invention.
