Flow-through centrifuge
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
InventorYoichiro Ito
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow-through centrifuge free of rotating seals. The centrifuge includes a frame having three spaced apart horizontal plates which carry a central bowl, a countershaft and a tube-supporting hollow shaft. A motor is arranged to drive the frame at an angular velocity of .omega.. The countershaft is driven by a stationary pulley on the motor and drives the bowl at an angular velocity of 2.omega.. The motion of the countershaft is also transferred to the tube-supporting hollow shaft by a pulley coupling having a ratio which effects rotation of the hollow shaft, with respect to the frame, at an angular velocity of -.omega..
Claims13
A flow-through centrifuge having a central axis of rotation and comprising a centrifuge bowl rotatable about said central axis;
- at least one inlet tube and at least one flexible outlet tube, one end of each of said tubes being connected to said bowl and being rotatable therewith for providing fluid communication therewith;
- a bundle forming a partial loop and composed of said tubes extending radially outwardly from the vicinity of said central axis, along a path radially displaced from said central axis and thence to a point along said central axis;
- means for nonrotatably securing said tubes constituting said bundle at said point;
- and means for simultaneously rotating said bundle about said central axis at a velocity of .omega., said bowl about said central axis at a velocity of 2.omega. and said bundle about its own axis at a velocity of -.omega., whereby the centrifuge can operate free of rotating seals and without twisting the inlet and outlet tubes.
A flow-through centrifuge having a stationary motor housing and a central axis of rotation and comprising a centrifuge bowl supported above said housing rotatable about said central axis;
- at least one inlet tube and at least one flexible outlet tube, one end of each of said tubes being connected to said bowl and being rotatable therewith for providing fluid communication therewith;
- a bundle forming a partial loop and composed of said tubes extending radially outwardly from the vicinity of said central axis beneath said bowl and above said housing, along a path radially displaced from said central axis, and thence to a point along said central axis above said bowl;
- means for nonrotatably securing said tubes constituting said bundle at said point;
- and means for simultaneously rotating said bundle about said central axis at a velocity of w, and said bowl about said central axis at a velocity of 2w.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.