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US 5,851,170 AGranted
Centrifuge with cam selectable rotational angles and method for unloading same
AssigneeDade Behring Inc.
InventorGary Wayne Howell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A centrifuge and method of operation as a fixed angle or swinging angle centrifuge. A pair of cams cooperate with the centrifuge drive shaft to engage and maintain the buckets at a fixed angle. Tubes are automatically unloaded by moving a bracket away from the lower end of a bucket so that the tube drops from the bucket. When the cams are disengaged from the buckets, the buckets are allowed to swing freely.
Claims9
A centrifuge having a selectable angle bucket type rotor, the rotor having upper and lower faces, the centrifuge comprising:
- a drive shaft having an axis, the shaft adapted for mounting and rotating the rotor;
- drive means for rotating said drive shaft;
- at least one bucket adapted to carry a tube, the bucket being pivotably mounted on the periphery of the rotor;
- upper and lower cams adjacent the respective upper and lower faces of the rotor and linked to move in unison,
- the lower cam having at least one peripheral drive protuberance;
- and,
- the upper cam having at least one peripheral restraining protuberance;
- so that the drive and restraining protuberances engage said at least one bucket whereby the bucket is pivoted at a fixed angle with respect to the axis of the shaft when the rotor is rotated by said drive means in a first direction relative to the cams through a predetermined angular distance.
5 more elements
A centrifuge having a selectable angle bucket type rotor, the centrifuge comprising:
- a drive shaft having an axis, the shaft adapted for mounting and rotating the rotor;
- drive means for rotating said drive shaft;
- at least one bucket having an open lower end and adapted to carry a tube, the bucket being pivotably mounted on the periphery of the rotor and able to swing upwardly and outwardly during operation of the centrifuge;
- a pivoting bracket that covers the lower end of the bucket and retains the tube therein;
- an activated member for engaging and restraining the bracket;
- so that the bracket moves away from the lower end of the bucket when said activated member engages the bracket and when the rotor is rotated in a first direction by the drive means, thereby allowing the tube to drop from the bucket.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.