Centrifugal liquid processing apparatus

Apparatus for use in conjunction with a flexible communication conduit for maintaining communication with terminal means under centrifugation, comprising, in combination:

• a stationary base;
• a rotor drive assembly rotatably mounted to said base for rotation along a predetermined axis;
• a rotor assembly, including terminal means, said rotor assembly being rotatably mounted to said rotor drive assembly for rotation with respect thereto along said axis by means including a support shaft journaled to said drive assembly, said support shaft including a central axially-extending aperture;
• a rotor drive pulley locked for rotation with said rotor assembly;
• support means for supporting said communication conduit above said rotor assembly along said axis;
• guide means including a guide member on said rotor drive assembly for guiding the communication conduit from said support means through said axially-extending aperture to said terminal means, said guide means rotatably coupling said conduit to said rotor drive assembly with respect to said axis;
• said rotor drive assembly being rotatably mounted to said base by means of a support shaft axially-aligned with said axis of rotation;
• drive means for rotating said rotor assembly and said rotor drive assembly in like directions with a speed ratio of 2:1 to maintain communication without completely twisting said conduit, said drive means including a stationary pulley carried by said base, planetary drive means carried on said rotor drive assembly and coupled to said stationary pulley and said rotor drive pulley for driving said rotor assembly, said planetary drive means including a drive belt operatively engaged at one end to said stationary pulley and at its other end to said rotor drive pulley, and belt guide means comprising a pair of guide pulleys rotatably mounted on said rotor drive assembly for causing said drive belt to orbit with said rotor drive assembly about said predetermined axis of rotation.