Rotary centrifuge having pivoting buckets for holding samples
AssigneeBeckman Coulter, Inc.
InventorsDavid Hayward, Hanzel Lawas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bucket is capable of holding a sample container in a rotary centrifuge. The bucket has a receptacle to receive the sample container and a trunnion joined to the bucket. The trunnion has a plurality of cutouts that each define a flexible span that is sufficiently thin to flex under application of a centrifugal force generated by the rotary centrifuge, and pivot pins to that allows the bucket to pivot under the application of the centrifugal force. The receptacle has an open end having an internal surface with a tapering groove and a self-seating cap having pegs sized to fit in the tapering groove.
Claims33
A bucket capable of holding a sample container in a rotary centrifuge, the bucket comprising:
- (a) a receptacle to receive the sample container;
- and
- (b) a trunnion joined to the receptacle, the trunnion comprising:
- (i) a plurality of cutouts that each define a flexible span;
- and
- (ii) pivot pins to allow the bucket to pivot under the application of a centrifugal force generated by the rotary centrifuge.
A bucket capable of holding a sample container in a rotary centrifuge, the rotary centrifuge comprising an external seat, and the bucket comprising:
- (a) a receptacle to receive the sample container, the receptacle comprising a seating surface;
- and
- (b) a trunnion joined to the receptacle, the trunnion comprising:
- (i) a plurality of cutouts that each define a flexible span that is sufficiently flexible to flex under application of a centrifugal force generated by the rotary centrifuge to allow the seating surface of the receptacle to seat against the external seat of the rotary centrifuge whereby the centrifugal force applied on the pivot pins may be reduced;
- and
- (ii) pivot pins to allow the bucket to pivot under the application of the centrifugal force.
A bucket capable of holding a sample container in a rotary centrifuge, the bucket comprising:
- (a) a receptacle to receive the sample container, the receptacle comprising an open end having an internal surface with a groove, the groove having an opening, an end, and a width that decreases in size from the opening to the end;
- (b) a cap capable of closing the open end of the receptacle, the cap comprising pegs that are sized to fit in the groove;
- and
- (c) a trunnion comprising a pair of pivot pins to allow the bucket to pivot under the application of a centrifugal force generated by the rotary centrifuge.
A bucket capable of holding a sample container in a rotary centrifuge, the bucket comprising:
- (a) a receptacle to receive the sample container, the receptacle comprising an open end having an internal surface with a groove therein, the groove having an opening, an end, and a width that decreases from the opening to the end;
- (b) a cap capable of closing the open end of the receptacle, the cap comprising pegs that are sized to fit in the groove;
- and
- (c) a trunnion comprising:
- (i) a plurality of cutouts that each define a flexible span that is sufficiently thin to flex under application of a centrifugal force generated by the rotary centrifuge;
- and
- (ii) a pair of pivot pins to allow the bucket to pivot under the application of the centrifugal force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.