Centrifuge rotor having seal

Abstract

A centrifuge rotor for sample vessels includes a seal between a lower part and a cover. The seal comprises a gasket, which is arranged in a first groove. The first groove is arranged on one of the elements constituted by the cover and the lower part. The first groove, in relation to the axis of rotation of the centrifuge rotor, is open axially toward the other of the elements constituted by the cover and the lower part.

Claims

1. A centrifuge rotor, comprising a lower part and a cover, wherein sample vessels can be arranged in the centrifuge rotor, the sample vessels being secured against removal in a closed state of the centrifuge rotor, wherein, in the closed state of the centrifuge rotor, an interior space is formed between the lower part and the cover, wherein, between the lower part and the cover, there is a seal that seals the interior space in a fluid-tight manner with respect to the surroundings of the centrifuge rotor, wherein the seal has a gasket that is arranged in a first groove, wherein the first groove is arranged on one of the elements of cover and lower part, wherein the first groove is formed to be axially open with respect to an axis of rotation of the centrifuge rotor towards the other of the elements of cover and lower part, wherein the other of the elements of cover and lower part has a first section extending axially towards the one of the elements of cover and lower part, which in the closed state, extends into the first groove, wherein the gasket has a radially extending base and an axially extending leg arranged on the radially extending base, wherein the other of the elements of cover and lower part in the closed state rests on the leg.

2. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the leg becomes thicker towards the base.

3. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 2, wherein the leg is formed to be conical on at least one side having a conicity in the range of 2°-10°.

4. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 2, wherein the leg is formed to be conical on at least one side having a conicity in the range of 4°-8°.

5. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 2, wherein the leg is formed to be conical on at least one side having a conicity of 6°.

6. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the lower part below the gasket has a section that runs radially outwards in a direction away from the cover.

7. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the lower part below the gasket has a section that runs radially outwards in an inclined manner in a direction away from the cover.

8. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the lower part has a channel arranged below and radially outwardly of the gasket.

9. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the other of the elements of cover and lower part has a second groove that opens axially towards the one of the elements of cover and lower part and that interacts with the first groove in the closed state.

10. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 9, wherein the first section radially delimits the second groove to the inside.

11. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the first groove has a radially inner first boundary and a radially outer second boundary.

12. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 11, wherein the first boundary and the second boundary are formed as projections.

13. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 11, wherein the first boundary extends towards the lower part axially deeper than the second boundary.

14. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 11, wherein the first section of the lower part in the closed state is covered by the first boundary.

15. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the centrifuge rotor is a bowl-shaped centrifuge rotor.

16. The centrifuge rotor according to claim 1, wherein the centrifuge rotor is a fixed-angle rotor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a centrifuge rotor in accordance with a first preferred configuration in a lateral sectional view.

(2) FIG. 2 shows the centrifuge rotor according to FIG. 1 in a detailed view.

(3) FIG. 3 shows the sealing element used in the centrifuge rotor according to FIG. 1 in a sectional view.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a centrifuge with the centrifuge rotor according to FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a centrifuge rotor in accordance with a second preferred configuration.

(6) FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the centrifuge rotor in accordance with a third preferred configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows that the centrifuge rotor 10 has a lower part 12 and a cover 14. In principle, the centrifuge rotor 10 is made of a metal, preferably a metal containing aluminum.

(8) In the lower part 12, there are bores 16 for receiving sample vessels (not shown). In addition, the lower part 12 has a shaft support 18 for receiving a drive shaft of a suitable laboratory centrifuge 100 (for example, the 5430 R laboratory centrifuge from Eppendorf®, not shown) (see FIG. 4).

(9) In addition, the lower part 12 has first locking means 20 known to the specialist, for example, from the FA-45-48-11 fixed-angle rotor from Eppendorf®, which also include a rotor nut 22 with which the centrifuge rotor 10 is fastened to the drive shaft.

(10) The cover 14 in turn has second locking means 24 known to the specialist, for example, from the FA-45-48-11 fixed-angle rotor from Eppendorf®, with an actuating element 26, with which a user (not shown) can place the cover 14 on the lower part 12 and lock the second 24 with the first locking means 20. In addition, the actuating element can be used to turn the rotor nut 22 on the lower part 12 even in the closed state of the cover 14, by which the centrifuge rotor 10 can be attached to the drive shaft or detached from it even in the closed state, thus inserting it into the centrifuge or removing it from the centrifuge.

(11) The second locking element 24 with the actuating element 26 is connected to the actual cover body 28 in a sealed manner, such that, in the closed state of the centrifuge rotor, no fluid can escape at this point from an interior space 30 formed between the cover 14 and the lower part 12.

(12) In order to catch any fluid that may arise (not shown), a channel 32 is arranged in the lower part 12, specifically below and radially further out with respect to an axis of rotation R of the centrifuge rotor 10 than the seal 34 between the lower part 12 and the cover 14. As a result, such fluid is always diverted away from the seal 34 into the channel 32.

(13) FIG. 2 shows the seal 34 in an enlarged detailed view of the area Z from FIG. 1.

(14) It can be seen that the cover 14 has a radially extending wall area 40, from which a first projection 42 and a second projection 44 extend axially downwards towards the lower part 12. The two projections 42, 44 are the lateral boundaries 42, 44 of a first groove 46 opening axially downwards between them towards the lower part 12.

(15) Furthermore, it can be seen that the lower part 12 has a vertically (i.e., axially) extending wall area 48, from which a hook-like projection 50 extends radially inwards into the interior space 30. A second groove 54 is formed by the upper wall section 52 of the wall area 48 and the projection 50, which second groove opens axially upwards towards the cover 14.

(16) It can also be seen that the length of the upper wall section 52 corresponds to the length of the second projection 44 and that the length of the first projection 42 is formed in such a manner that, in the closed state of the cover 14, the hook-like projection 50 is covered by the first projection 42 on the lower part 12.

(17) Below the second groove 54, the hook-like projection 50 is connected to the wall area 48 via a deflector 56 running outwards and downwards in an inclined manner. Any fluid that may accumulate is thus diverted away from the seal 34 into the channel 32. In this connection, the transition from the axial wall area 40 to the first projection 42 could also be formed to be inclined (not shown) in order to improve fluid drainage.

(18) In the first groove 46, the sealing element 60, which consists of a rubber material, is pressed in. It can be seen in particular in connection with FIG. 3 that the sealing element 60 has a radially extending base 62 and an axially extending leg 64 arranged thereon. For uncomplicated pressing into the first groove 46, the sealing element 60 has two chamfers 66 at the base 62.

(19) The thickness of the leg 64 tapers away from the base 62. Thereby, the base has such a thickness that the hook-like projection 50 rests on the base 62 before the second projection 44 rests on the second groove 54.

(20) The tapering of the leg 62 provides a conicity of the sealing element 60, which presses the hook-like projection 50 more strongly against the leg 62 of the sealing element 60, the stronger the cover 14 is pressed against the lower part 12. The conicity lies preferably in the 2°-10° range and particularly amounts to 6°.

(21) In addition, the interlocking first groove 46 and second groove 54 in conjunction with the abutment of the hook-like projection 50 on the leg 62 ensure that a secure centering of the cover 14 on the lower part 12 is effected.

(22) This makes it very easy to place the cover 14 on the lower part 12. In addition, the seal 34 is always and permanently fluid-tight, because, through the conicity of the leg 62, the secure abutment of the hook-like projection 50 on the leg 62 is secured, even with dimensional tolerances.

(23) The fact that the first groove 46 opens axially downwards prevents the gasket 60 from escaping from the first groove 46 due to centrifugation. In addition, centrifugation only increases the sealing effect between the leg 62 and the hook-like projection 50.

(24) There is no warping of the seal even during the closing or opening of the cover 14 on the lower part 12 or during centrifuging, by which there is no risk of damage even when the sealing element 60 is dry.

(25) Finally, the closing process is enormously facilitated by the conicity.

(26) FIG. 4 shows the centrifuge 100 with the centrifuge rotor 10. It can be seen that the laboratory centrifuge 100 has, in the usual manner, a housing 102 with a lockable cover 104, wherein, in the interior, corresponding drive means in the form of an electric motor, control means and cooling means are used (not shown).

(27) FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first preferred embodiment of the centrifuge rotor 10, whereas FIG. 5 shows a second preferred embodiment of the centrifuge rotor 200, wherein only the detailed view of the seal 202 is specifically shown here. All other elements essentially conform to the first preferred embodiment of the centrifuge rotor 10 according to FIGS. 1 to 4.

(28) It can be seen that, here, the cover 204 with a slightly larger radius is formed such that the cover 204 clasps the lower part 206, while, in FIG. 2, it can be seen that the lower part 12 clasps the cover 14 there.

(29) More precisely, the first section 208 is arranged here on the cover 204, and such first section 208 engages in the first groove 210, which is arranged with gasket 212 on the lower part 206. The first groove 210 here is thus formed to open axially towards the cover 204. In reverse, the second groove 211 is formed on the cover 204 and the first section 208 delimits the second groove 211 radially inwards, while the second groove 211 is delimited outwards by the circumferential collar 213.

(30) Moreover, with this arrangement, the seal 202 is highly secure, but the first preferred arrangement according to FIGS. 1 to 4 is still somewhat more advantageous, since, with the variant according to FIG. 5, the fluid that arises can possibly come to lie on the gasket 212 between the first section 208 and the inner boundary 214 of the first groove 210, such that, after an opening of the cover 204, the first groove 210 with the gasket 212 should be cleaned, which would not be necessary with the first preferred arrangement 10, since fluid arising there cannot arrive into the second groove 54.

(31) In addition, it can be seen that the gasket 212 is formed to be identical to gasket 60 according to FIG. 2, wherein it is arranged to be easy to rotate by 180° with respect to the centrifuge rotor 10.

(32) FIG. 6 shows a third preferred embodiment of the centrifuge rotor 300, wherein only the detailed view of the seal 302 is specifically shown here. All other elements essentially conform to the first preferred arrangement of the centrifuge rotor 10 according to FIGS. 1 to 4.

(33) The centrifuge rotor according to FIG. 6 only differs from the arrangement according to FIG. 5 in that no external circumferential collar (213 in FIG. 5) is provided; instead, the cover 304 is delimited by the first section 306, which in turn engages in the first groove 308 on the lower part 310 and acts against the gasket 312.

(34) It has become clear from the above illustration that, with the present invention, the seal 34, 202 between the lower part 12, 206 and the cover 14, 204 of the centrifuge rotor 10, 200 has been considerably improved. Thereby, the seal 34, 202 is more effective and more durable than previously used seals. It also facilitates the opening and closing process.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(35) 10 First preferred arrangement of the centrifuge rotor in accordance with the invention 12 Lower part of the centrifuge rotor 10 14 Cover of the centrifuge rotor 10 16 Bores for receiving sample vessels 18 Shaft support for receiving a drive shaft 20 First locking device on the lower part 12 22 Rotor nut 24 Second locking device of the cover 14 26 Actuating element of the second locking device 28 Cover body 30 Interior space between the lower part 12 and the cover 14 32 Channel in the lower part 12 34 Seal between the lower part 12 and the cover 14 40 Radially extending wall area of the cover 14 42 First projection of the cover 14, first boundary 44 Second projection of the cover 14, second boundary 46 First groove on the cover 14 48 Axially extending wall area of the lower part 12 50 Hook-like projection, first section 52 Upper wall section of the wall area 48 54 Second groove on the lower part 12 56 Deflector 60 Sealing element, gasket 62 Base of the sealing element 60 64 Leg of the sealing element 60 66 Chamfers at the base 62 100 Laboratory centrifuge 102 Housing 104 Cover 200 Second preferred arrangement of the centrifuge rotor in accordance with the invention 202 Seal 204 Cover 206 Lower part 208 First section, inner boundary of the second groove 211 210 First groove 211 Second groove 212 Gasket 213 Circumferential collar 214 Inner boundary of the first groove 210 300 Third preferred arrangement of the centrifuge rotor in accordance with the invention 302 Seal 304 Cover 306 First section 308 First groove 310 Lower part 312 Gasket R Axis of rotation Z Detailed section in FIG. 1