Apparatus for magnetic separation featuring external magnetic means
AssigneeImmunicon Corporation
InventorsPaul A. Liberti, Brian P. Feeley, Dhanesh I. Gohel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic separator for separating magnetic particles from a non-magnetic test medium is disclosed herein. The magnetic separator includes a non-magnetic container having a peripheral wall with an internal surface area for receiving the test medium, and magnetic means for generating a magnetic field gradient within the container in which the magetic field is stronger in the test medium along the internal surface area of the peripheral wall than in the medium most distant from the wall.
Claims18
A magnetic separator for separating magnetic particles from a non-magnetic test medium in which said magnetic particles are suspended, the separator comprising:
- (a) a non-magnetic container having a peripheral wall with an internal surface area for receiving said test medium;
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- (b) magnetic means for generating a magnetic field gradient within said container, in which the magnetic field is stronger in the test medium along said internal surface area of said wall than in said test medium most distant from said wall and is operative upon said magnetic particles within said test medium to attract said magnetic particles toward said surface area and cause such particles to be adhered to said area, said magnetic means comprising a plurality of north magnetic poles and a plurality of south magnetic poles positioned alternately around an exterior surface of said peripheral wall of said container and defining a receptacle for said container, said container being removably mounted in said receptacle.
A magnetic separator useful for separating magnetic particles from a non-magnetic test medium in which said particles are suspended, said separator comprising:
- (a) a plurality of non-magnetic containers, having peripheral walls with internal surface area for receiving said test medium;
- (b) a non-magnetic carrier for said plurality of containers, said carrier including a base, said base being generally planar and having an outer edge with means for engaging said containers adjacent to said outer edge of said carrier;
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- (c) magnetic means surrounding said carrier for generating a magnetic field gradient that is operative upon magnetic particles within said test medium in each container to attract said particles toward said internal surface area closest to said magnetic means, thereby causing such particles to be adhered to said surface without substantial entrapment of interfering substances.
A magnetic separator useful for separating magnetic particles from a non-magnetic test medium in which said particles are suspended, said separator comprising:
- (a) a non-magnetic container having a peripheral wall forming an internal surface area and an inner cross-sectional space inside the container, an inlet port at one end dimensioned to cause the test medium to flow into the inner cross-sectional space, and an outlet port in said container at the end opposite said one end for discharging said non-magnetic test medium;
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- (b) magnetic means external to said container and capable of applying a magnetic field transverse to said peripheral wall thereby to generate a magnetic field gradient in the test medium within said container, in which the magnetic field is stronger in said test medium along said internal surface area of said wall than in the test medium in a central portion of the cross-sectional space, and operative upon said magnetic particles to attract said particles toward said surface area and cause such particles to be adhered to said area, said magnetic means comprising a plurality of north magnetic poles and a plurality of south magnetic poles positioned alternately around an external surface of said peripheral wall of said container;
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- (c) said container being removably mounted to said magnetic means to permit removal of said magnetic field and said magnetic field gradient and discharge of said magnetic particles from said internal surface area by gravitational force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.