Centrifuge cup

Abstract

The invention relates to a centrifuge cup, which has a container and a cover. The cover has a lever including a guide element in each case on opposing edge areas thereof. The guide elements are able to be introduced into an associated guide path of the container by pivoting the lever. The guide elements are implemented in such a way that in a closed state of the cover with the container, a clamping force (F) having vertical force component (F.sub.y) and horizontal force component (F.sub.x) is provided at a contact point or a contact line of the guide elements with the particular associated guide path.

Claims

1. A centrifuge cup, comprising: a container having a side wall including an outer surface, a central axis and a cover having a lever, the lever having a rotational axis and a guide element on opposing edge areas, the guide elements being able to be introduced into an associated guide path formed in the side wall of the container by pivoting the lever, wherein the guide path comprises a groove extending inwardly from the outer surface and into the side wall of the container in a direction toward the central axis so as not to protrude outward of the outer surface of the container, wherein the guide elements are implemented so that, in a closed state of the cover with the container, a clamping force (F) having vertical force component (F.sub.y) and horizontal force component (F.sub.x) is provided at a contact point or a contact line of the guide elements with the associated guide path, wherein the guide elements extend radially inward toward each other, and further wherein the container has a constant cross-sectional width along a height of the side wall of the container.

2. The centrifuge cup according to claim 1, wherein the rotational axis of the lever is situated in a central plane of the container.

3. The centrifuge cup according to claim 1, wherein the guide elements are situated in a central plane of the container in the closed state of the cover.

4. The centrifuge cup according to claim 1, wherein the cover has at least one positioning element which may be inserted in at least one recess of the container.

5. The centrifuge cup according to claim 1, wherein the cover or the container has a catch cam which can be engaged with the lever.

6. The centrifuge cup according to claim 1, wherein the lever is provided with a spacer cam, which can be positioned in relation to the container so that the lever and the cover connected thereto are situated at a predetermined distance relative to the container.

7. The centrifuge cup according to claim 1, wherein the cover at least partially has a concavely implemented surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of schematic drawings. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a centrifuge cup in a side view according to a first embodiment, the lever being situated in a first position;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view in the area of the transition between cover and container in the first embodiment of the centrifuge cup;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the relative positions of the centrifuge cup and the rotational axis of the cover lever;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of the centrifuge cup in a side view according to a second embodiment, the lever being situated in a second position; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of the centrifuge cup in a side view according to a third embodiment, the lever being situated in a third position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) According to FIG. 1, the centrifuge cup 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention has a container 2 and a cover 3. The cover 3 has a lever 4 which is used so that the cover 3 can be closed with the container 2. It is to be noted that the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a centrifuge cup implemented as round, although a centrifuge cup implemented as rectangular may also be provided with the closure explained hereafter. The lever 4 has a guide element 6 in each case on opposing sides and/or edge areas which may be introduced into a guide path 5 of the container 2 by pivoting the lever 4 (see FIG. 2).

(8) The centrifuge cup 1 is provided with guide elements 6, which are implemented as essentially conical in cross-section. The geometry may be derived from a right circular cone (in cross-section as a so-called dovetail) or an oblique circular cone (see FIG. 2). The conical guide element 6 is shaped in such a way that an undercut is achieved with the guide path 5, which is also implemented as a conical groove. The guide path 5 thus forms a buttress. At the contact line 51 between guide path and guide element, a clamping force or contact pressure force F acts, which has a horizontal component F.sub.x and a vertical component F.sub.y. The vertical component F.sub.y is directed downward and causes the cover 3 and/or the seal 11 to be pressed against the container 2. A horizontal component F.sub.x is oriented in the direction toward the central axis of the lever 4, which acts on the guide element 6 oriented in the direction toward the central axis of the lever 4. Because these force conditions exist on both sides of the lever, the lever and thus the cover is oriented in a central position relative to the container 2 during the closing procedure. The guide element 6, instead of the conical geometry, may also have a similar geometry in cross-section, which may form a buttress with a correspondingly implemented guide path. The contact line 51 may thus run linearly, curved inward (concave), or curved outward (convex).

(9) FIG. 3 schematically shows a perspective view of the container 2 and an associated central plane 7 of the container 2. The central plane 7 runs through the line of symmetry 71 of the container 2. The rotational axis 8 of the lever 4, which is shown in FIG. 3 in a closure position, runs in this central plane 7. In this way, the cover 3 may be put on the container 2 in a 0 position or a 180 position. Therefore, only one lever and also only one guide path is needed in each case on one container side, in order to close the cover 3 with the container 2.

(10) The location of the lever 4 shown in FIG. 3 is also recognizable in a side view in FIG. 4. In the event of a displacement of the lever 4 from the first position shown in FIG. 1 into a second position shown in FIG. 4, not only the guide elements 6 engage with the associated guide paths 5. In addition, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a catch cam 9 is attached on the cover 3, which slightly brakes the displacement of the lever 4 into the second position. The lever 4, made of a sufficiently elastic plastic, must be elongated somewhat upon the displacement from the first position into the second position, in order to overcome the resistance occurring upon passing the catch cam 9. An operator may perceive this resistance and thus recognizes that after overcoming the catch cam 9, the lever 4 has reached a secure second position and/or a closure position. In addition, as an aid for the pre-positioning, a positioning element 15 may be attached on the cover 3, which engages in a recess 16 on the container and contributes to avoiding slipping during the closing procedure.

(11) Upon pivoting of the lever 4 from the second position into the first position, it may occur that the lever 3 does not move away from the container 2. Causes for this could be, for example, a partial vacuum in the container 2 or a stuck seal 11 of the cover 3. In order to reliably remove the cover 3 from the container 2, in a further embodiment, the lever has a spacer cam 10, which engages with a contact face 12 of the container 2 when the lever 4 is displaced from the first position into a third position (see FIG. 5). The lever 4 may strike a stop 13 shortly thereafter, so that the lever is positioned in a rest location. The spacer cam 10 causes positive guiding of the cover 3, so that the cover 3 moves away from the container 2.

(12) The operation of the lever may be made easier if the cover 3 has a concave surface 14. The ball of a hand may be placed in this concave surface, so that the lever 4 may be displaced in the direction of the closure position using the fingers. The concave surface 14 is implemented as ergonomic so that the operation of the lever and/or the centrifuge cup is made easier.