Centrifuge equipped with a balancing mechanism and method of balancing such a centrifuge
AssigneeMacoPharma
InventorsJean-Claude Letourneur, Philippe Le Guyader, Franck Boucard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a centrifuge with a balancing mechanism and method of balancing such a centrifuge. The centrifuge includes a vertical shaft driven in rotation by a motor, and a mechanism for balancing the parts integral with said vertical shaft. The mechanism includes a plate integral with the vertical shaft, at least one compensating mass freely displacing on the plate, the mass being designed to limit the imbalance of parts integral with the vertical shaft, and a mechanism for blocking the compensating mass, the blocking mechanism being designed to immobilize the compensating mass on the plate when the rotation speed exceeds a determined value.
Claims17
A centrifuge comprising:
- a vertical shaft comprising parts integral with the vertical shaft, the vertical shaft driven in rotation by a motor;
- a control module comprising a tachometric probe for controlling a rotation speed of the vertical shaft;
- and
- a mechanism for balancing the parts integral with the vertical shaft, the mechanism comprising:
- a base plate integral with the vertical shaft,
- a separation plate integral with the vertical shaft,
- at least a lower compensating mass and an upper compensating mass, both freely displacing on the base plate and the separation plate, respectively, when the rotation speed of the vertical shaft is below a determined value, the lower and upper compensating masses being designed to limit any imbalance of the parts integral with the vertical shaft;
- and
- a mechanism for blocking the compensating mass by immobilizing the lower and upper compensating masses on the base plate and the separation plate respectively when the rotation speed of the vertical shaft exceeds a determined value.
A method of balancing a centrifuge comprising:
- driving a vertical shaft of the centrifuge in rotation by a motor at a rotation speed;
- controlling the rotation speed of the vertical shaft by a control module comprising a tachometric probe;
- blocking at least a first compensating mass positioned on a first horizontal plate integral with the vertical shaft when the rotation speed of the vertical shaft exceeds a determined value;
- blocking a second compensating mass positioned on a second horizontal plate at a second determined speed, wherein the second determined speed is greater in value than the first determined speed;
- and
- limiting an imbalance of parts integral with the vertical shaft using the at least one compensating mass.
A centrifuge system, the system comprising:
- a centrifuge comprising:
- a vertical shaft comprising parts integral with the vertical shaft, the vertical shaft driven in rotation by a motor;
- a control module comprising a tachometric probe for controlling a rotation speed of the vertical shaft;
- and
- a mechanism for balancing the parts integral with the vertical shaft, the mechanism comprising:
- a first horizontal plate integral with the vertical shaft and associated with a first spring,
- a second horizontal plate associated with a second spring, wherein the first spring has a lower spring constant than the second spring;
- at least a first compensating mass freely displacing on the first horizontal plate and a second compensating mass freely displacing on the second horizontal plate, the first and second compensating masses being designed to limit any imbalance of the parts integral with the vertical shaft;
- and
- a mechanism for blocking the compensating mass by immobilizing the compensating mass on the first horizontal plate when the rotation speed of the vertical shaft exceeds a determined value,
- the centrifuge operable to be balanced by:
- driving the vertical shaft in rotation by a motor at a rotation speed;
- blocking the first compensating mass at a first determined speed by lowering the second horizontal plate while compressing the first spring;
- and
- blocking the second compensating mass at a second determined speed by lowering a third horizontal plate while compressing the second spring, wherein the second determined speed is greater in value than the first determined speed;
- and
- limiting an imbalance of parts integral with the vertical shaft using the at least first and second compensating masses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.