Support device for a sample material container for centrifugation

Abstract

The invention relates to a support device (14) for supporting a bag (20) containing material to be centrifuged in a centrifuge receptacle (12), said support device (14) comprising a resiliently elastic panel (16) whichwhen bentwill generate a restoring force, said panel (16) being of a material and a size which will allow it to be bent elastically at least to such an extent that its two ends will contact one another.

Claims

1. A support device (14) in combination with a container (20) of sample material and a centrifuge receptacle, said container of sample material being a bag, said bag resides within said centrifuge receptacle (12), comprising: said support device is a resiliently flexible panel residing entirely within said centrifuge receptacle; said centrifuge receptacle includes a bottom; said resiliently flexible panel (16) has a first support portion completely within the centrifuge receptacle and said resiliently flexible panel has a second bracing portion completely within the centrifuge receptacle; said resiliently flexible panel generating a restoring force when said first support portion of said resiliently flexible panel and said second bracing portion of said resiliently flexible panel are bent about a bending axis, said bending axis being parallel to said bottom of said centrifuge receptacle; and, said restoring force urges said first support portion of said panel into engagement with said bag of sample material and said second bracing portion of said panel into engagement with said centrifuge receptacle thus securing said bag in said centrifuge receptacle for centrifugation.

2. The support device (14) in combination with a container (20) of sample material and a centrifuge receptacle, said container of sample material being a bag, said bag resides within said centrifuge receptacle (12) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: said bag of sample material includes an upper end and a lower end; and, said bending axis of said resiliently flexible panel is located at said upper end of said bag of sample material effectively preventing formation of folds in said bag of sample material.

3. The support device (14) in combination with a container (20) of sample material and a centrifuge receptacle, said container of sample material being a bag, said bag resides within said centrifuge receptacle (12) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: said first support portion of said resiliently flexible panel and said second bracing portion of said resiliently flexible panel define a bending angle of between 0 and 90 between them when bent about said bending axis.

4. The support device (14) in combination with a container (20) of sample material and a centrifuge receptacle, said container of sample material being a bag, said bag resides within said centrifuge receptacle (12) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: said bag of sample material has a height; said first support portion of said panel engages the height of said bag of sample material.

5. The support device (14) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resiliently flexible panel (16) includes a handling element on said first end of said resiliently flexible panel.

6. The support device (14) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resiliently flexible panel (16) is constructed of silicone plastic.

7. The support device (14) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resiliently flexible panel (16) is of a thickness of between 0.5 cm and 2 cm.

8. The support device (14) as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resiliently flexible panel (16) is at least 20 cm in length.

9. The support device (14) as set forth in claim 5 wherein said handling element is formed as a tab (18).

10. The support device (14) as set forth in claim 9 wherein said tab (18) is resiliently flexible.

11. The support device (14) as set forth in claim 9 wherein said tab (18) has a width between 1 cm and 2 cm and a thickness of about 1 mm.

12. A centrifuge receptacle assembly (10), comprising: a centrifuge receptacle (12); said centrifuge receptacle includes a width; said centrifuge receptacle includes a height; at least one support device (14) resides completely within said centrifuge receptacle; said at least one support device (14) supports a container (20) of sample material to be centrifuged within said centrifuge receptacle (12); said at least one support device is a resiliently flexible panel (16); said resiliently flexible panel (16) has a first support portion and said resiliently flexible panel has a second bracing portion; said resiliently flexible panel generating a restoring force when said first support portion of said resiliently flexible panel and said second bracing portion of said resiliently flexible panel are bent about a bending axis, said bending axis being parallel to said bottom of said centrifuge receptacle; said restoring force urges said first support portion of said panel into engagement with said container of sample material and said second bracing portion of said panel into engagement with said centrifuge receptacle thus securing said container in said centrifuge receptacle for centrifugation.

13. The support device (14) in combination with a container (20) of sample material and a centrifuge receptacle, said container of sample material being a bag, said bag resides within said centrifuge receptacle (12) as claimed in claim 12, further comprising: said container of sample material has a height; said first support portion of said panel engages said height of said bag.

Description

(1) Throughout the description, claims and drawings, those terms and associated reference signs are used as are listed in the List of Reference Signs below. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a view of a centrifuge receptacle assembly;

(3) FIG. 2 is a view of a vertically inserted support device;

(4) FIG. 3 is a top view of the centrifuge receptacle;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support device according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 5a is a schematic sectional view of centrifuge receptacles each being provided with two support devices according to the invention, and

(7) FIG. 5b a schematic sectional view of centrifuge receptacles each being provided with two support devices according to the invention.

(8) FIG. 1 is a view of a centrifuge receptacle assembly 10 comprising a centrifuge receptacle 12 and a support device 14. The support device 14 additionally comprises a resiliently flexible panel 16 as well as a resiliently flexible tab 18 integrally formed on one of its ends.

(9) The view of FIG. 1 is a centrifuge receptacle assembly 10 in which a blood bag 20 placed in a centrifuge receptacle 12 can be supported by a support device 14 which has been vertically inserted into the centrifuge receptacle 12. The support device 14 comprises a resiliently flexible silicone panel 16 whose length has been selected to be twice the height of the centrifuge receptacle 12. Mounted on the upper end of the silicone plate 16 is a tab 18 made of plastic. The blood bag 20 and the support device 14 have been inserted into the centrifuge receptacle in such a way that the blood bag 20 is located between the silicone panel 16 and the inner wall of the centrifuge receptacle 12.

(10) The view of FIG. 2 illustrates a next step in which the vertically inserted support device 14, which extends in parallel next to the blood bag 20, is bent about a bending axis A. The bending axis A divides the silicone panel 16 into a support portion 16a and a bracing portion 16b. The bracing portion 16b presses against the wall of the centrifuge receptacle 12 which faces away from the blood bag 20, thus bracing in particular the upper portion of the blood bag 20 which is thus pressed against the centrifuge receptacle wall on the side of the blood bag. Owing to the resiliently flexible design of the silicone panel 16, pressure will be exerted on the entire blood bag 20. However, the largest pressing force will be exerted in the area of the bending axis A. This ensures that above all the connections of the blood bag will be firmly held in position in the upper area of the centrifuge receptacle 12.

(11) Moreover, this view shows the resiliently flexible tab 18. The resiliently flexible design of the tab 18 ensures that the latter will not be pressed down toward the bottom of the container during centrifugation, but will still be readily accessible after centrifugation. As can clearly be seen in the view of FIG. 2, the pressing region is approximately at the level of the bending axis A which thus fixes the connections of the blood bag 20 in place above the edge of the container. The pressure created by the restoring force will suffice to support this blood bag 20 even under the influence of the centrifugal forces.

(12) FIG. 3 is a top view of the centrifuge receptacle 12 with the blood bag 20 clamped in place and the support device 14 inserted therein, in which the position of the bending axis A of panel 16 can be seen particularly well.

(13) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support device 14 according to the invention, comprising a resiliently elastic panel 16 as well as a resiliently elastic tab 18. The panel 16 is made of silicone, whereas the tab 18 is made of a thin strip of polyethylene or polyurethane.

(14) FIG. 5a is a schematic sectional view of two centrifuge receptacles each filled with a blood bag 20 which is clamped between two panels 16 each. These panels 16 are disposed such that they have their support portions 16a each abutting on the blood bag 20 and their bracing portions 16b each being supported on the centrifuge receptacle wall.

(15) FIG. 5b is a schematic sectional view of two centrifuge receptacles each filled with a blood bag 20. This blood bag 20 is supported by two panels 16 in such a way that a first panel 16 has its support portion 16a resting on the blood bag 20, whereas its bracing portion 16b presses against the support portion 16a of a second panel. The bracing portion 16b of this second panel 16 will in turn brace itself again the centrifuge receptacle wall. Use of the support device of the present invention will thus allow different expansions of sample material containers to be adapted to different sizes of centrifuge receptacles in a flexible manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(16) 10 centrifuge receptacle assembly

(17) 12 centrifuge receptacle

(18) 14 support device

(19) 16 silicone panel

(20) 16a support portion

(21) 16b bracing portion

(22) 18 tab

(23) 20 blood bag

(24) A bending axis