ROTOR OF A DUAL CENTRIFUGE

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotor (10) of a dual centrifuge which can be rotated about a drive axis (A) in a centrifuge, which rotor comprises at least two rotary units (26) that are arranged symmetrically to one another and have a bearing (32) and a rotary head (30) which is connected to the bearing (32) and which is mounted in the bearing (32) so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis (R1, R2), which rotary head (30) can be driven about the rotational axis (R1, R2) relative to the rotor by another rotary mechanism (46) of the centrifuge and has a rotary head receiving unit (80) for at least one sample container or at least one sample container receptacle (100, 110), with the rotational axis (R1, R2) of the rotary head (30) being inclined relative to the drive axis (A) of the rotor, the rotary head receiving unit (80) being designed to receive an elongated sample container receptacle (100, 110) or an elongated sample container, and the longitudinal axis of the sample container receptacle (100, 110) introduced into the rotary head receiving unit (80) or the longitudinal axis of the sample container introduced into the rotary head receiving unit (80) extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation (R1, R2) of the rotary head (30) or being oriented at an angle ranging between more than 0 and less than 90 relative to the axis of rotation. According to the invention, at least one connection region (52) is provided to which at least one damping mass (54) can be selectively attached either in a releasable manner or, by means of a fixing element, in a permanent manner for operation.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. Dual centrifuge rotor (10), comprising: a drive axis (A); said rotor (10) can be rotated about said drive axis (A) in a centrifuge; said rotor (10) comprises at least two rotary units (26) that are arranged symmetrically to one another and each have a bearing (32) and a rotary head (30) connected to said bearing (32); said rotary head is mounted in said bearing (32) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (R1, R2); said rotary head (30) can be driven about said axis of rotation (R1, R2) relative to said rotor by another rotary mechanism (46) of said centrifuge; a rotary head receiving unit (80) for at least one sample container or at least one sample container receptacle (100, 110); said axis of rotation (R1, R2) of said rotary head (30) being aligned so as to be inclined relative to said drive axis (A) of said rotor; said rotary head receiving unit (80) receives an elongated sample container receptacle (100, 110) or an elongated sample container; a longitudinal axis of said sample container receptacle (100, 110) introduced into said rotary head receiving unit (80) or said longitudinal axis of said sample container introduced into said rotary head receiving unit (80) being oriented perpendicular to said axis of rotation (R1, R2) of said rotary head (30) or at an angle ranging between more than 0 and less than 90 relative to said axis of rotation; at least one connection region (52) is provided to which at least one damping mass (54) can be selectively attached either in a releasable manner or, by means of a fixing element, in a permanent manner for operation.

22. Dual centrifuge rotor (10), comprising: a drive axis (A); said rotor (10) can be rotated about said drive axis (A) in a centrifuge; said rotor (10) comprises two rotary units (26) that are arranged symmetrically to one another and each have a bearing (32) and a rotary head (30) connected to said bearing (32); said rotary head is mounted in said bearing (32) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (R1, R2); said rotary head (30) can be driven about said axis of rotation (R1, R2) relative to said rotor by another rotary mechanism (46) of said centrifuge; a rotary head receiving unit (80) for at least one sample container or at least one sample container receptacle (100, 110); said axis of rotation (R1, R2) of said rotary head (30) being aligned so as to be inclined relative to said drive axis (A) of said rotor; said rotary head receiving unit (80) receives an elongated sample container receptacle (100, 110) or an elongated sample container; a longitudinal axis of said sample container receptacle (100, 110) introduced into said rotary head receiving unit (80) or said longitudinal axis of said sample container introduced into said rotary head receiving unit (80) being oriented perpendicular to said axis of rotation (R1, R2) of said rotary head (30) or at an angle ranging between more than 0 and less than 90 relative to said axis of rotation; and, said two rotary units (26) are identical, said rotary units (26) are identically oriented relative to said axis of drive axis of rotation (A) at a zero position (N), with each said rotary head receiving unit (80) being identically arranged and oriented in said rotary unit (26), said rotary units (26) in operation move in synchronization with said rotary head receiving units (80), said sample container receptacles (100, 110) and/or said sample containers, such that at least one connection region (52) is provided to which at least one damping mass (54) can be selectively attached either in a releasable manner or, by means of a fixing element, in a permanent manner for operation.

23. Rotor according to claim 21, further comprising: at least one damping mass (54) is attached to said rotor at said connection region (52) thereof.

24. Rotor according to claim 23, further comprising: plural mass elements (54) in said connection region (54).

25. Rotor according to claim 23, further comprising: a set of mass elements of different weights is provided, from which a single damping mass (54) of a predetermined weight or plural equal or unequal damping masses (54) of predetermined weights is/are formed as required.

26. Rotor according to claim 23, further comprising: a set of damping masses (54) of different weights and/or identical weights, one of said damping masses (54) is mounted in said connection region (52) or plural damping masses (54) are mounted in connection regions (52).

27. Rotor according to claim 21, further comprising: said at least one sample container receptacle (100, 110) or one sample container can be arranged in said rotary head receiving unit (80), and that said damping masses (54) can be determined as a function of a total mass consisting of said sample container loaded with samples introduced into a sample container receptacle (100, 110) and a sample container receptacle, and/or as a function of a total mass consisting of said sample container loaded with samples and the mass of the rotary unit (26).

28. Rotor according to claim 27, further comprising: the sum(s) of the damping mass (54) or damping masses (54) mounted on said rotor is/are formed at a ratio of at least 0.5 to 1, relative to the total mass which consists of the mass of the sample loads, said sample containers, said sample container receptacles (100, 110), said rotary head receiving unit (80) and said rotary unit (26).

29. Rotor according to claim 21, further comprising: said additional rotary mechanism (46) includes a first gear stationary relative to the motor shaft and a second gear which is connected to said rotary head (30), said motor shaft driving said rotor and driving said second gear through said rotary movement of said rotor relative to said stationary first gear, and, said second gear is operatively connected to said first gear.

30. Rotor according to claim 29, further comprising: plural rotary units (26); transmission of said rotary movement from said first gear to a second gear and thus to said rotary head (30) of said rotary unit (26) such that all rotary heads (30) of said rotary units (26) have a gear with identically shaped teeth and thus perform the same angular movement.

31. Rotor according to one of claim 29, further comprising: said rotary heads (30) and therefore said rotary head receiving units (80) have a zero position (N) relative to said rotor; and, intersection points of the radial line perpendicular to said axis of rotation (R1, R2) of said rotary heads (30) through the zero position (N) are formed with a radially extending line perpendicular to said drive axis (A) of said rotor and all said intersection points lie on a circle which extends around said drive axis (A).

32. Rotor according to claim 31, further comprising: said rotary head receiving units (80) and said sample containers directly or indirectly introduced therein are all identically oriented relative to said rotor at said zero positions (N) of said rotary heads (30), and, a lid of each of said sample container is disposed radially outwardly relative to said rotor.

33. Rotor according to claim 29, further comprising: the sum of the teeth of the engaging second gears of said rotary heads (30) is an integer multiple of the number of teeth of said first gear.

34. Rotor according to claim 29, further comprising: a transmitting gear is connected between said first gear and said second gear, said transmitting gears being of identical shape.

35. Rotor according to claim 29, further comprising: the zero position (N) of said rotary head (30) is optically marked.

36. Rotor according to claim 29, further comprising: a first bore (68) at the zero position (N) in said rotary head; said bore extends through said second gear and, at said zero position (N), is aligned with an associated second bore in said rotor head; and, a pin (70, 74) at said zero position (N) of said rotary unit (26) introduced into said first bore (68) and said second bore, thus securing said rotary unit (26) at said zero position (N) against being rotated out of said zero position (N).

37. Rotor according to claim 36, further comprising: a connecting clip (76) interconnects said pins (74) associated with said bores (68) to form a clip (72); positions of said pins (74) relative to one another correspond to the positions of said bores (68) assume relative to one another when said rotary heads (30) are at the zero positions (N).

38. Rotor according to claim 36, further comprising: said pin (70) and/or the clip (72) includes a blocking means (78) which latter prevents the centrifuge lid from being closed once said pin (70) or said clip (72) have been inserted.

39. Rotor according to claim 31, further comprising: the zero position has a maximum clearance of 2.5 in the direction of rotation.

40. Rotor according to claim 21, further comprising: said rotary heads (30) are coupled to each other via another rotary mechanism (46) such that said rotary heads (30) of different rotary units (26) are always at a fixed position relative to one another.

Description

[0034] Throughout the description, the claims and the drawings those terms and associated reference signs are used as are listed in the List of Reference Signs below. In the drawings,

[0035] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotor according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a top view of the rotor of FIG. 1;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a lateral sectional view of the rotor of FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom view of an embodiment according to the invention of a rotary unit;

[0039] FIG. 4a is a view of the pin according to the invention;

[0040] FIG. 5 is a top view of the rotary unit illustrated in FIG. 4;

[0041] FIG. 6 is a view of a clip according to the invention;

[0042] FIG. 7 a perspective view of an embodiment according to the invention of a rotary head receiving unit;

[0043] FIG. 8a a perspective view of an embodiment according to the invention of a sample container receptacle which can be disposed in the rotary head receiving unit illustrated in FIG. 7, and

[0044] FIG. 8b a perspective view of another embodiment according to the invention of a sample container receptacle which can be disposed in the rotary head receiving unit illustrated in FIG. 7.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rotor according to the invention 10 as part of a symmetric centrifuge with two rotary units 26 for use in a dual centrifuge not illustrated in the figures. FIG. 2 is a top view and FIG. 3 is a lateral sectional view, resp., of the rotor illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0046] The rotor 10 has a rotor head 12 of a rotationally symmetric basic shape which defines an envelope. The rotor head 12 is provided with a bottom 14 and a wall 18 that extends upwards and surrounds the bottom 14. A drive axis A extends perpendicular into the center 16 of the rotor head 12. A drive shaft not shown in the drawings has its free end extending through the rotor head 12 via an aperture 20 in the bottom 14, which aperture 20 is concentric with the drive axis A. Above the aperture 20, a receiving tube 22 is integrally formed with the bottom 14, which tube 22 serves to center and vertically fix the rotor head 12 in position on the drive shaft.

[0047] The wall 18 has a vertical portion 18a and a portion 18b that inclines downwards in the direction of the drive axis. Two apertures 24 are provided that are disposed opposite each other relative to the drive axis A, which apertures 24 partially extend through the vertical portion 18a of the wall 18 and the inclined portion 18b of the wall 18. A rotary unit 26 each is mounted in each rotary unit 26.

[0048] The rotary units 26 each have an axis of rotation R1, R2 and are oriented by way of the apertures 24 in such a way that the axes of rotation R1 and R2 intersect the drive axis A at an acute angle above the rotor 10. Furthermore, the free ends of the rotary units 26 facing away from the drive axis A, i.e. the housings 28 described in the following, see FIG. 4, protrude from the envelope in the area of the inclined portion 18b of the wall 18.

[0049] Each rotary unit 26 has a largely rotationally symmetric outer contour and comprises a rotatably mounted rotary head 30, see FIG. 3, for supporting a rotary head receiving unit 80 with a sample container receptacle 100, 110 inserted therein, which latter contains sample containers for samples to be centrifuged, and a housing 28 with a bearing 32 for the rotary head 30, which bearing 32 is in turn engaged by a bearing shaft of the rotary head 30, which bearing shaft (not shown for reasons of clarity) is disposed on the side of the rotary head 30 which faces the housing 28.

[0050] The rotary head 30 has an outer wall 34 which is mounted concentrically with the rotational axis R1, R2. The housing 28 is provided with a wall 38 that is concentric with the rotational axis R1, R2. The diameter of the rotary head 30 is larger than that of the housing 28 which results in the formation of a shoulder 36 between the outer wall 34 of the rotary head 30 and the wall 38 of the housing 28, with the rotary unit 26 partially engaging in the associated aperture 24 via this shoulder 36, see FIG. 1.

[0051] The dimensions of the housing 28 have been adapted to the respective associated areas of the apertures 24. For ensuring that the housing 28 and the rotor head 12 are non-rotatably mounted, a groove is provided in the housing 28 parallel to the axis of rotation R1, R2 and a projection associated with said groove is provided on the rotary head 12. Both the groove and the projection have been omitted from the drawings for reasons of clarity. Moreover, the groove and the projection can also be disposed the other way round. Furthermore, it is also possible to choose a polygonal design for the housing 28 instead of a cylindrical shape so as to mount a housing in a rotary head in a non-rotatable manner.

[0052] As seen in FIG. 1, the side of the rotary head 30 which is remote from the housing 28 is furthermore closed by a closure lid 40 which is disposed concentrically with the rotational axes R1, R2. Equally concentrically mounted on the closure lid 40 is a closure knob 42 which serves as a handle for unlocking the closure lid 40 by means of a rotary movement and taking it off or for putting the closure lid 40 on the rotary head 30 and locking it in place by means of a rotary movement in a direction opposite to the locking direction.

[0053] A circumferential projection 44 is provided on the outer wall 34 adjacent to the shoulder 36, as seen e.g. in FIG. 4, which projection 44 fixes a gearing 46 concentrically relative to the axes of rotation R1, R2, which gearing 46 is non-rotatably connected to the outer wall 34. For transmitting the rotary movement of the rotary heads 30 about the axes of rotation R1, R2 of the rotary units 26, a central gear (omitted from the figures for reasons of clarity) is provided below the rotor head 12, which central gear is nonrotatably connected to the rotatable rotor head 12, e.g. by means of a screwed connection to a motor housing (not shown in the figures). A transmitting gear can be provided between said gearing 46 and said central gear so as to achieve different gear ratios. The transmission of rotary movements in such a manner is well known and has already been described in the prior art, for which reason no further explanations are necessary here.

[0054] The ratio of the main rotation (rotation of the rotor 10) to the reverse rotation (rotation of the rotary head 30) is defined by the gear ratio between the gear 46 and the central gear (not shown) and, if necessary, an additional transmitting gear. Once the rotor head 12 has been removed, the transmitting gear (not shown) and the central gear can be easily exchanged. This allows the speed ratio to be changed in a simple manner by adapting the respective diameters of the gear (not shown) and the central gear.

[0055] On the side of the housing 28 which is remote from the rotary head 30, cooling ribs 50 are provided. The cooling ribs 42 are aligned perpendicular to the direction of rotation of the rotor head 12.

[0056] The side of the wall 18 which faces the center 16 of the rotor head 12 is formed as a connection region 52 on which two disk-shaped damping masses 54 are disposed opposite each other relative to the center 16 of the rotor head 12. The damping masses 54 are provided to reduce the adverse effects of imbalances which may occur during operation, in particular in the rotary units 26.

[0057] FIG. 4 is a perspective bottom view of the rotary unit 26 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 with the closure lid 40 removed. This view clearly shows the arrangement in particular of the projection 44 and the gearing 46 on the outer wall of the rotary head 30 as well as of the cooling ribs 50 on the side of the housing 28 which faces away from the rotary head 30.

[0058] FIG. 5 is a top view of the rotary unit 26 illustrated in FIG. 4. A bottom 60 which has a circular area and a center 62, and an inner wall 58 provided on the periphery of said bottom 60 and extending concentrically with the outer wall 34 of the rotary head 30 delimit a receiving area 56 which is open towards the top and adapted to receive a rotary head receiving unit 80 described below with reference to FIG. 7.

[0059] In the bottom 60, ten uniformly spaced bores are provided on a circular line K2 extending around the center 62 for reasons of clarity, which bores are used for riveting the rotary head 30 to the housing 28 to form a structural unit.

[0060] On another circular line K2 which likewise extends around the center 62, eight uniformly spaced recesses 66 are provided. When the rotary head receiving unit 80 as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 7 is inserted, the recesses 66 serve to accommodate wedges, pins or the like provided on the rotary head receiving unit 80 as guiding means and for improving the safety of the connection. A lateral guide (not shown) for which an associated counter-guide is provided on the outer wall ensures that the rotary head receiving unit 80 can be mounted in the rotary unit in a single orientation only.

[0061] Furthermore, adjacent to the inner wall 58, a bore 68 is provided in the bottom 60. As can also be seen in FIG. 4, this bore 68 extends completely through the bottom 60 and serves to accommodate a pin 70 as shown in FIG. 4a. At the same time, the bore 68 indicates a zero position N of the rotary unit 26 which can be used to align the rotary unit 26 in such a way that it moves in synchronization with other rotary units 26 disposed in the rotor head 12. Diametrically opposite said bore 68 another bore may be provided for the sake of symmetry, thus compensating for any imbalance caused by the bore 68.

[0062] At the end of the pin 70 there is a ball-shaped grip 71 and the length of the pin is dimensioned such that it extends through the bore 68 and that its free end will engage in a bore provided in the rotor head 12, which latter bore has been omitted from the drawings for reasons of clarity. This fixes the rotary unit 26 at the zero position N. Moreover, the pin can be dimensioned such that it will prevent closing of a centrifuge lid.

[0063] FIG. 6 shows a clip 72 which can be used to fix two rotary units 26 at their respective zero position N at the same time. A pin 74 each is provided on either free end of the clip 72. The two pins 74 are of the same length as the pin 70 and are spaced from each other via a resiliently elastic connecting clip 76 and are arranged at an angle from each other such that they can be introduced simultaneously into two bores 68 of two rotary heads 30. The resiliently elastic design of the connecting clip 76 allows minor changes of the distance and the setting angle as may be required for insertion and removal of the pins 74.

[0064] At the center of the connecting clip 76 a ball-shaped grip 78 is provided. This grip 78 first of all facilitates handling of the clip 72 and secondly, in the inserted condition of the clip 72, the grip 78 will be positioned so as to prevent complete closure of a centrifuge lid.

[0065] FIG. 7 is a view of an embodiment of a rotary head receiving unit 80 which can be mounted in the receiving area 56 of the rotary head 30 so as to support the sample container receptacles 100 and 110 exemplarily shown in FIGS. 8a and 8b safely therein. The outer circumference of the rotary head receiving unit 80 has been adapted to the receiving area 56.

[0066] The rotary head receiving unit 80 has a safety wall 82 and a bottom 84. An inner contour 86 of the safety wall 82 and the bottom 84 delimit a cross-shaped receiving space 88 which is open towards the top. Two rectangular legs 88a and 88b of the receiving space 88 are disposed perpendicular to each other, with the base area each of the first leg 86a and of the second leg 86b being identical and corresponding to the base area of the sample container receptacles 100, 110 illustrated in FIGS. 8a and 8b, resp.

[0067] The first leg 88a serves to accommodate the sample container receptacle 100. For this purpose, a recess 90 is provided in the safety wall 82 at either end of the leg 88a, which two recesses 90 are arranged diametrically to one another relative to the leg 88a. The recesses 90 serve to reliably clamp the sample container receptacle 100 with the centrifuge tubes inserted therein in the rotary head receiving unit 80, as will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 8a.

[0068] The second leg 88b serves to receive the sample container receptacle 110. For this purpose, one recess 92 is provided in the safety wall 82 at one end of the leg 88b and two recesses 94 are provided in the safety wall 82 at the second end of the leg 88b. The recesses 92, 94 are used to safely clamp the sample container receptacle 110 in the rotary head receiving unit 80, as will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 8b.

[0069] FIG. 8a is a view of a first sample container receptacle 100 according to the invention, which, as described with reference to FIG. 7, is adapted to be received in the first leg 88a of the rotary head receiving unit 80.

[0070] The sample container receiving area 100 has an aperture 104 each in two front faces 102, which aperture 104 will accommodate and vertically support therein a centrifuge tube as a sample container, which centrifuge tube has been omitted from the drawing for reasons of clarity. On either front face 102 an end of a centrifuge tube (lid side) protruding from the respective aperture 104 engages in an associated recess 90 in the safety wall 82. This clamps the sample container receptacle 100 in position in the rotary head receiving unit 80.

[0071] FIG. 8b is a view of a second sample container receptacle 110 which is adapted to be received in the second leg 88b of the rotary head receiving unit 80.

[0072] In FIG. 8b, on its front face 112 facing the observer, the sample container receptacle 110 has an aperture 114, and on its front face 112 facing away from the observer, it has two apertures 114. These apertures 114 can be used to receive and vertically support centrifuge tubes therein, which tubes have been omitted from this figure for reasons of clarity. Similar to the solution illustrated in FIG. 8a, here, too, the ends of a centrifuge tube which protrude from the respective aperture 114 on either front face 112 engage in an associated recess 92, 94 in the safety wall 82. This clamps the sample container receptacle 110 in position in the rotary head receiving unit 80.

[0073] The rotary head receiving unit 80 and the sample container receptacles 100 and 110 were chosen as an example, since arranging elongated sample container receptacles with sample containers perpendicular to the axis of rotation R1, R2 of the rotary unit 26 entails a high risk of causing imbalances, for which reason attaching a damping mass is considered particularly advantageous. However, there are numerous other examples of how sample container receptacles for sample containers can be mounted in a different manner, also mounting the sample container directly in the rotary head receiving unit.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0074] 10 rotor [0075] 12 rotor head [0076] 14 bottom [0077] 16 center [0078] 18 wall [0079] 18a vertical portion [0080] 18b inclined portion [0081] 20 aperture [0082] 22 receiving tube [0083] 24 aperture [0084] 26 rotary unit [0085] 28 housing [0086] 30 rotary head [0087] 32 bearing [0088] 34 outer wall [0089] 36 shoulder [0090] 38 wall [0091] 40 closure lid [0092] 42 closure knob [0093] 44 projection [0094] 46 gearing [0095] 50 cooling ribs [0096] 52 connection region [0097] 54 damping masses [0098] 56 receiving area [0099] 58 inner wall [0100] 60 bottom [0101] 62 center [0102] 64 bores [0103] 66 recesses [0104] 68 bore [0105] 70 pin [0106] 71 grip [0107] 72 clip [0108] 74 pins [0109] 76 connecting clip [0110] 78 grip [0111] 80 rotary head receiving unit [0112] 82 safety wall [0113] 84 bottom [0114] 86 inner contour [0115] 88 receiving space [0116] 88a first leg [0117] 88b second leg [0118] 90 recess [0119] 92 recess [0120] 94 recess [0121] 100 sample container receptacle [0122] 102 front face [0123] 104 aperture [0124] 110 sample container receptacle [0125] 112 front face [0126] 114 aperture [0127] A drive axis [0128] R1, R2 axes of rotation [0129] K1 circular line [0130] K2 circular line [0131] N zero position