Temperature-controlled Centrifuge
AssigneeEppendorf AG
InventorHeiko MÜLLER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centrifuge (10) and a method for preventing the ignition of combustible tempering media in centrifuges (10) after a crash of the centrifuge rotor are presented. Ignition is prevented by the release of a protective gas in the event of a crash. More precisely, the released protective gas forms a flow that displaces the oxygen, distributes the escaping tempering medium and fundamentally changes the momentary ratio of the concentration of oxygen to tempering medium in such a manner that no ignition can take place either inside or outside the centrifuge (10). This means that combustible tempering media can also be used without safety concerns within the scope of controlling the temperature of centrifuges (10).
Claims19
-15. (canceled)
A centrifuge (10), comprising:
- a centrifuge container (16) in which a centrifuge rotor (20, 20′) can be accommodated;
- a motor (18) for driving the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′);
- temperature control means (24, 42, 44) for controlling the temperature of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′);
- and
- a housing (12) in which the centrifuge container (16), the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) and the motor (18) are accommodated,
- wherein the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) comprise a combustible temperature control medium that is guided in a temperature control medium line (24), and
- wherein the centrifuge (10) comprises a protective gas and is adapted to release the protective gas in the event of a crash of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′).
A method for preventing ignition of combustible tempering media in centrifuges (10) after a crash of a centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), wherein the centrifuge (10) comprises
- a centrifuge container (16), in which a centrifuge rotor (20, 20′) can be accommodated,
- a motor (18) for driving the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′),
- temperature control means (24, 42, 44) for controlling the temperature of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′) and
- a housing (12) in which the centrifuge container (16), the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′), the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) and the motor (18) are accommodated, and
- wherein the temperature control means (24, 42, 44) comprises a combustible temperature control medium that is guided in a temperature control medium line (24), the method comprising:
- releasing a protective gas in the event of a crash of the centrifuge rotor (20, 20′).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.