Blood cell separator
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
InventorsTheodor Kolobow, Yoichiro Ito
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A centrifugal blood component separator with a spiral helically inclined rotor chamber. The apparatus uses continuous blood flow-through without rotating seals. At the lower end of the helical rotor chamber there are terminals for blood input and packed red blood cell output, whereas at the higher end there is a terminal for plasma. Intermediate outlet terminals may be provided for white blood cells and platelets.
Claims28
A flow-through blood centrifuge apparatus comprising a vertically-mounted centrifugal bowl member mounted on a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl member about said axis, a rotor chamber disposed substantially concentrically in said bowl member, blood inlet conduit means communicatively connected to said rotor chamber near the periphery thereof for admitting whole blood into said chamber, outlet conduit means, and means to communicatively connect said outlet conduit means to the rotor chamber at a level to collect a selected blood component during a flow-through procedure, wherein said rotor chamber is of substantially helical form having an upper end and a lower end, wherein said chamber is provided at its lower end with an enlargement defining an enclosure, wherein said outlet conduit means includes a flexible tube communicatively connected to the lower portion of said enclosure for collecting red blood cells, and wherein said apparatus includes a flexible tube communicatively connected to the upper end of the chamber for collecting plasma.
A flow-through blood centrifuge apparatus comprising a vertically-mounted centrifugal bowl member mounted on a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl member about said axis, a rotor chamber disposed substantially concentrically in said bowl member, blood inlet conduit means communicatively connected to said rotor chamber near the periphery thereof for admitting whole blood into said chamber, outlet conduit means, and means to communicatively connect said outlet conduit means to the rotor chamber at a level to collect a selected blood component during a flow-through procedure, and wherein said rotor chamber is of substantially helical form and is provided at an intermediate portion with an upstanding obstruction, and wherein said outlet conduit means includes a flexible conduit communicatively connected to the chamber upwardly adjacent to said obstruction for collecting white blood cells and platelets.
A flow-through blood centrifuge apparatus comprising a vertically-mounted centrifugal bowl member mounted on a vertical axis, means for rotating said bowl member about said vertical axis, a rotor chamber disposed substantially concentrically in said bowl member, blood inlet conduit means communicatively connected to said rotor chamber near the periphery thereof for admitting whole blood into said chamber, outlet conduit means, and means to communicatively connect said outlet conduit means to the rotor chamber at a level to collect a selected blood component during a flow-through procedure;
- wherein said chamber is of substantialy helical form having an upper end and a lower end and is provided at its lower end with means defining an upwardly enlarged enclosure, wherein said inlet conduit means comprises a first flexible conduit communicatively connected to the upper portion of said enclosure, and wherein said outlet conduit means comprises a second flexible conduit communicatively connected to the lower portion of said enclosure for collecting red blood cells.
A flow-through centrifuge apparatus comprising a bowl member mounted on a vertical axis;
- means for rotating said bowl member about said axis, a tubular rotor chamber of substantially helical form disposed substantially concentrically in said bowl member, said tubular chamber having a first end, a second end and a radial extent;
- first outlet conduit means communicatively coupled to said tubular rotor chamber at a first given radial distance from said axis for removing a heavy fraction during flowthrough procedure;
- second outlet conduit means communicatively coupled to said tubular rotor chamber at a second given radial distance for removing a light fraction during flow-through procedure;
- and inlet conduit means communicatively connected to said tubular rotor chamber for admitting material to be separated into said tubular chamber, at a third given radial distance from said axis intermediate said first radial distance and said second radial distance;
- whereby during flow-through procedure, the heavier phase of the material supplied via the inlet conduit means travels along the tubular rotor chamber, toward said first end and the lighter phase of the material travels along the tubular rotor chamber toward said second end, the heavier and lighter phases forming an interface within the tubular rotor chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.