Rotary centrifuge seal
AssigneeHaemonetics Corporation
InventorAllen Latham, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved rotary centrifuge seal is disclosed of the type formed from a rotatable ring member (40) and a non-rotatable ring member (42) having a sealing face of each in contact to provide a dynamic seal between rotatable and stationary centrifuge elements. This improved seal is provided with means for entrapping solid particulate matter generated at areas of contact (44) and means for directing entrapped particles back to the area of contact where they are ingested. This prevents contamination of fluid being processed in the centrifuge with such solid particles, which is particularly important in blood-processing centrifuges.
Claims17
In a rotary centrifuge seal having a lower rotatable ring member and an upper non-rotatable ring member, each of said ring members having a sealing surface thereon to provide a dynamic seal between rotatable elements of a fluid-processing centrifuge and stationary elements of said centrifuge at an area of contact between the sealing surfaces of said ring members:
- the improvement comprising providing means for entrapping solid particulate matter generated at the area of contact between said ring members and means for directing entrapped solid particulate matter back to the area of contact between said ring members for ingestion therebetween whereby solid particulate matter generated at the area of contact during operation of said centrifuge is prevented from contaminating fluids processed in the centrifuge.
A rotary seal for use in a centrifuge for processing liquids and having rotatable elements including a rotatable bowl, stationary elements, means to admit liquid to said rotatable bowl and means for withdrawing processed liquid, said rotary seal comprising, in combination:
- a. a rotatable ring member attached to rotatable elements in said fluid-processing centrifuge, said rotatable ring member having a flat sealing surface thereon;
- b. a non-rotatable ring member attached to a stationary element of said centrifuge and positioned above said rotatable ring member, said non-rotatable ring member having a flat sealing surface thereon and being positioned so that there is an area of contact between the sealing surfaces of said rotatable and said non-rotatable ring members, said area of contact establishing a dynamic seal;
- c. means for entrapping solid particles generated at said area of contact during operation of the centrifuge;
- and,
- d. means for directing entrapped solid particles to said area of contact for ingestion.
In a blood processing centrifuge having rotatable elements including a rotatable bowl, stationary elements, means to admit blood to said rotatable bowl and means for withdrawing blood components from said bowl, a rotary seal including a rotatable ring member attached to a rotatable element of said blood centrifuge and positioned beneath a non-rotatable ring member attached to a stationary element of said blood centrifuge, and a resilient diaphragm extending between said non-rotatable ring member and a fixed element of said centrifuge:
- the improvement comprising additionally including means for providing breakaway torque between said rotatable and non-rotatable ring members without significant concomitant buildup of torque on said resilient diaphragm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.