Centrifuge Processing Device and Method

Abstract

A coaxially assembled material processing assembly configured for engagement with a centrifuge device. The assembly includes a basket having a sidewall and endwall with openings communicating therethrough. The coaxially assembled assembly is positionable within a solid-walled central housing to form a material holding gap between the basket sidewall and central housing. Unwanted processed material sized larger than the openings in the basket are held therein while desired material is moved to the gap between the basket and solid wall of the central housing.

Claims

1. A centrifuge processing apparatus comprising: a central housing, said central housing having a housing opening communicating with a housing interior cavity, said housing interior cavity defined by a housing sidewall of said central housing extending to a housing endwall; said housing sidewall and said housing endwall both being formed of solid material; a housing flange engaged to said housing sidewall at a position surrounding said housing opening; a basket, said basket having a basket opening communicating with a basket interior cavity, said basket interior cavity defined by a basket sidewall which extends to a basket endwall; said basket sidewall having openings communicating therethrough, said openings being substantially equal in size; a basket flange engaged to said basket sidewall at a position surrounding said basket opening; said central housing positionable within said basket interior cavity in a coaxial alignment therewith to form a processing assembly; said processing assembly having a first gap area formed between said housing sidewall and said basket sidewall, said first gap for holding material being processed therein; said processing assembly insertable into a container cavity of a housing container, said container cavity defined by a housing container sidewall, said housing container configured for insertion into a centrifuge; positioning of said processing assembly within said container cavity forming a second gap between said basket sidewall and said housing container sidewall; and said second gap defining a reservoir for processed material which communicates through said openings during operation of said centrifuge, whereby said processed material is separable from said material to be processed.

2. The centrifuge processing apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: an annular recessed area formed into said basket flange; and said housing flange positionable into said recessed area, whereby said central housing is held in said coaxial alignment with said basket by said housing flange positioned within said recessed area.

3. The centrifuge processing apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: said housing flange having a circumferential edge thereof which is substantially equal to a circumferential edge of said basket flange; a ledge surrounding an opening communicating with said container cavity; said ledge extending from a circumferential interior surface of said housing container sidewall; and said circumferential interior surface having a circumference thereof which is substantially equal to a circumference of said circumferential edge of said basket flange.

4. The centrifuge processing apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: said basket being one from a kit of individual baskets; and each of said individual baskets in said kit having openings therein which are of a differing substantially equal size.

5. The centrifuge processing apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: said basket being one from a kit of individual baskets; and each of said individual baskets in said kit having openings therein which are of a differing substantially equal size.

6. The centrifuge processing apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising: said basket being one from a kit of individual baskets; and each of said individual baskets in said kit having openings therein which are of a differing substantially equal size.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

[0031] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, illustrate some, but not the only or exclusive examples of embodiments and/or features of the disclosed material processing assembly system for positioning within housing containers mounted in centrifuges herein. It is intended that the embodiments and figures herein are to be considered illustrative of the centrifuge container system invention shown and described system herein, rather than limiting.

In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1 depicts a front perspective view of the coaxially assembled components of the device herein showing the solid walled central housing having a diameter defined by a solid housing sidewall allowing for coaxial positioning thereof within a basket interior cavity of the depicted basket.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an example of the device as in FIG. 1 but depicting the different sizes in which the central housing with the solid sidewall can be coaxially positioned within the basket interior cavity defined by the basket sidewall

[0034] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view showing the central housing having a solid sidewall sized for coaxial positioning within the basket interior cavity surrounded by the basket sidewall to form the material processing assembly which is coaxially positioned in a removable mount within the interior chamber of a housing container for a centrifuge.

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view through the coaxially aligned components of the material processing assembly in its mount within the interior chamber of the housing container and depicting the material holding area between the basket sidewall surrounding the solid central housing sidewall and the secondary holding area between the bottom wall of the central housing and the bottom wall of the basket.

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a plurality of baskets where each has substantially equal sized openings formed in the basket sidewall which are sized in diameter to pass differing first portions of material being processed therethrough while blocking passage of remainder material which is left in the material holding gap.

[0037] FIG. 6 depicts a view of one type of conventional centrifuge having recesses formed into a rotor thereof which are configured to securely hold the housing container housing therein.

[0038] Other aspects of the present container system for material processing in a centrifuge shall be more readily understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the following detailed description, neither of which should be considered limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0039] In this description, the directional prepositions of up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device as it is oriented and appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only; they are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

[0040] Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-6, wherein similar components are identified by like reference numerals, there can be seen in FIG. 1, a front perspective view of the coaxially assembled components of the material processing assembly device 10 and system herein which is shown in assembled form in FIG. 4.

[0041] The components of the device 10 are shown disassembled in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 1, a central housing 12 is formed with a solid housing sidewall 14 which surrounds a housing interior cavity 16. The housing sidewall 14, at a lower end, is engaged with a housing bottom wall 27 (FIG. 4) which is also of solid construction in the same manner as the housing sidewall 14. At a top end of the housing sidewall 14 is defined an opening to the housing interior cavity 16. Also, at the top end of the housing sidewall 14 is positioned a housing flange 15 which extends from the housing sidewall 14 in a direction away from the formed housing opening 23 which it surrounds. This construction is preferred in all modes of the device 10.

[0042] Also shown is the basket 17 which, as noted, is preferably formed of a metal, such as stainless steel. The basket 17 has a basket sidewall 18. The basket sidewall 18 surrounds and defines a basket interior cavity 20. Communicating through the basket sidewall 18 are a plurality of openings 22 which communicate with the basket interior cavity 20. A basket bottom wall 24 (FIG. 4) is positioned at the bottom of the basket interior cavity 20 and at the lower end of the basket sidewall 18. The basket bottom wall 24 may also have a plurality of openings 22 formed therein which communicate with the basket interior cavity 20.

[0043] The basket 17 has a basket opening 21 formed at a top end of the basket sidewall 18 opposite the basket bottom wall 24. This basket opening 21 communicates with the basket interior cavity 20. Also positioned in an engagement to the top of the basket sidewall 18 surrounding the basket opening 21 is a basket flange 25. The basket flange 25 extends from the basket sidewall 18 in a direction away from the basket opening 21 which communicates with the basket interior cavity 20.

[0044] In all modes of the device 10 system herein, the housing sidewall 14 defines an exterior circumference of the central housing 12. This circumference of the body of the central housing 12, in all modes of the device 10 and system herein, is configured to allow positioning of the central housing 12 within the basket interior cavity 20 in a coaxial engagement therein rendering the central housing 12 in a concentric removable engagement with the basket 17. Consequently, a center axis of the central housing 12 running through the central housing interior cavity 18 substantially aligns with the center axis of the basket 17 running through the basket interior cavity 20.

[0045] Also shown in FIGS. 1-2 are a housing container 26 which has a housing cavity 28. The housing container 26 may be included as part of the device 10 and system herein, or, the material processing assembly, which is formed by the coaxially engaging central housing 12 and basket 17, can be provided for operative engagement within existing housing containers 26 which are employed with existing centrifuges 30 (FIG. 6). By operative engagement is meant that the assembled material processing assembly formed by the central housing 12 positioned within the basket 17 is held in a removable engagement within the housing container housing cavity 28, wherein they are coaxially aligned therein with each other.

[0046] In FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the device 10 herein and the manner of engagement of the material processing assembly formed by the central housing 12 engaged within the basket interior cavity 20 of the basket 17. In a first step forming a processing assembly, the central housing 12 is positioned into the basket interior cavity 20 through the open end of the basket 17 which is surrounded by the basket flange 25. During this formation of the material processing assembly, the housing flange 15 will contact against the basket flange 25 and when inserted into the housing cavity 28 of the housing container 26. Pressure from the engagement of the lid 38 into the opening 40 of the housing container 26 will hold impart pressure to the housing flange 15 against the basket flange 25 to hold the central housing 12 in a coaxial or concentric positioning within the basket interior cavity 20 with the housing sidewall 14 positioned across a gap from the basket sidewall 18, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0047] This concentric positioning can be held by this pressure or in a number of ways however in a particularly preferred manner which experimentation has shown to be much more stable, the exterior circumference 32 of the housing flange 15 is formed substantially equal to the exterior circumference 34 of the basket flange 25. A ledge 36 formed into the open end of the housing container 26 will have a sidewall 37 surface having a substantially equal circumference whereby the surface of that sidewall contacts both the exterior circumference 34 of both the basket flange 25 and the exterior circumference 32 of the housing flange 15. This contact was shown in experimentation to be superior in holding the central housing 12 coaxially aligned within the basket interior cavity 20 with the axes of both substantially coaxially aligned.

[0048] Alternatively, a recessed area 29 in the basket flange 25 can be formed to allow the housing flange 15 to settle therein with the housing axis of the central housing 16 aligned with the basket axis running through the basket interior cavity 20. Pressure from the lid 38 when operatively engaged into the opening 40 will hold the housing flange 15 within the recessed area 29, and maintain the coaxial positioning. As noted the lid 38 engagement may be with mating connectors such as threads on the lid 38 and opening 40 or frictional engagement or other engagements which will be maintained during use.

[0049] Once the material processing assembly formed by the central housing 12 positioned concentrically within the basket 17 is formed, it is inserted into the interior of the housing cavity 28 of the housing container 26. A lid 38 is engaged to the opening 40 which, once engaged, as in FIG. 4, will hold the processing assembly operatively positioned within the housing cavity 28 of the housing container 26. The lid 38 may have threads to engage with mating threads in the opening 40, or may have a frictional engagement therein, or may have other removable connections therebetween.

[0050] As noted, shown in FIG. 4, is the device 10 herein showing a sectional view which depicts the material processing assembly formed by the engaged central housing 12 positioned within the basket interior cavity 20. In the concentric positioning material, a first gap 42 is formed between the housing sidewall 14 and the basket sidewall 18. This first gap 42 may extend around to the area between the bottom wall 27 of the central housing 12 and the basket bottom wall 24 depending on the overall length of the housing sidewall 14 relative to that of the basket sidewall 18. This first gap 42 provides an area for positioning of material to be processed by the material processing assembly during rotation of the centrifuge.

[0051] In FIG. 4 is also shown a second gap 44 which provides a reservoir or catch area for processed material from the material to be processed, which communicates from the first gap 42 area through the openings 22 and into the second gap 44. This second gap 44 is defined by the area between the basket sidewall 18 and the interior surface 46 defining the housing container housing cavity 28. The material being processed is such that it has particles of the processed material portion thereof sized to communicate through the diameter of the openings 22 of the size chosen by the user, while leaving a remaining portion of the material being processed within the first gap 42. As noted, the user will choose the basket 17 having openings 22 therein of a diameter which will allow passage of the processed material therethrough, while preventing the remaining portion of the material being processed from such communication and keeping it within the first gap 42 area.

[0052] The width or size of the first gap 42, which is the distance between the housing sidewall 14 and the basket sidewall 18, may vary. Such is accomplished by varying one or both of the circumference of the housing sidewall 14 surrounding the housing interior cavity 16 and the circumference of the basket sidewall 18 surrounding the basket interior cavity 20.

[0053] Where provided as a kit of baskets 17, as in FIG. 5, the size of the openings 20, shown as D1, is the largest opening, D2 a smaller opening than D1, and D3 a smaller opening then D2, may vary to allow the user to choose the diameter of the openings 20 needed to process a material of choice and pass the processed material portion to the second gap 44. In such a kit, the circumferential distance around the basket sidewall 18 may vary also along with the size of the openings, to render the first gap 42 smaller or the second gap 44 larger.

[0054] Finally, shown in FIG. 6, is a depiction of a housing container 26 having the material processing assembly formed by the engaged central housing 12 coaxially positioned within the basket interior cavity 20 of a basket 17, being located into a centrifuge 30 for processing. Subsequent to the employment of the centrifuge 30, the housing container 26 may be removed, and the material processing assembly may be removed therefrom, and the processed material will remain within the interior of the housing container housing cavity 28 for removal by the user.

[0055] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the centrifuge engageable material precessing invention have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.