Centrifuge adapter

An adapter for supporting a flexible container, and contents of said flexible container, in a cylindrical cavity of a centrifuge carrier, said adapter being of a size that can be received in said cavity and comprising a first section and a second section both comprised of a flexible material, said first section being diametrically opposed to said second section so as to enclose said flexible container in an interior region substantially bounded by an inner surface of said wall, a hinge fastened to said first section and said second section, and a latch that adjustably interconnects said first section and said second section together, wherein said first section has a first curvature and a concave shape and said second section has a second curvature which is lower than said first curvature, said first section being concave with regard to the flexible container, and one of said first section and said second section includes a plurality of openings in which said latch can be received.

A centrifuge comprising a rotor, carrier members pivotally supported on said rotor, said carrier members each including an internal cylindrical cavity, and adapters for supporting flexible containers in said carriers, each said adapter being of a size that can be received in said cavity and comprising a wall formed of a flexible material, wherein an interior surface of said wall substantially bounds a crescent-shaped interior region that can receive said flexible container.

A method of thawing frozen contents of a flexible container using a centrifuge which comprises a rotatable rotor and carriers pivotally supported on said rotor, comprising the steps of contacting the flexible container with an inner, flexible wall of an adapter that substantially bounds an interior crescent-shaped region, inserting said adapter into a cylindrical cavity of one of said carriers and rotating said rotor while said flexible container is contacted by said adapter so as to thaw said frozen contents in an ordered manner that maintains a dynamic balance of the centrifuge.