Rotary plate and bowl clamp for blood centrifuge
AssigneeMedtronic Electromedics, Inc.
InventorsHenry Meresz, Wayne P. Griffin, Clark M. Hill, Richard Matt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for securing a blood separator bowl in an autotransfusion machine includes a split ring or collar adapted to grip an enlarged cap on the base of the bowl and a clamp assembly for moving the collar between retracted and expanded positions. In the retracted position, the clamp assembly includes both an overcenter lock system for securing the collar in the retracted position and a backup auxiliary lock in the event of failure. The system further provides for centering the separator bowl on its axis of rotation to prevent undue vibration.
Claims17
A system for securing an object of substantially circular cross-section to a rotating plate wherein said object includes a cap around a lower perimeter of larger diameter than the remainder of the object, comprising in combination a split ring collar operatively secured to said rotating plate, said collar being of substantially circular configuration and having two spaced ends and a radially inwardly opening channel adapted to releasably receive said cap, said collar having enough flexibility to be retracted by moving said ends into closely adjacent relationship to reduce the effective circumference of the collar and thereby grip the cap of said object, and a clamp assembly including a lock mounted on said rotating plate, said clamp assembly being operatively connected to said ends of the split collar and being operative to selectively retract said collar to secure said object to said rotating plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.