Rotor with elastic diaphragm defining a liquid separating chamber of varying volume

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system having means for spinning the rotor, the rotor comprising:

• a boundary wall, the boundary wall being substantially rigid, substantially imperforate, and defining at least one conduit therethrough, the wall held and spun by the spinning means;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm mounted on the boundary wall so as to spin with the boundary wall and so that the diaphragm and the boundary wall define a chamber of varying volume;
• and
• outlet-control means, wherein the conduit is in fluid communication with the chamber and wherein the boundary wall includes an interior surface adjacent the chamber and the outlet control means includes channels on the interior surface of the boundary wall.

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system having means for spinning the rotor, the rotor comprising:

• a rigid mounting member adapted to be held and spun about an axis of rotation by the spinning means;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm mounted on the rigid mounting member so as to spin with the rigid mounting member, the diaphragm defining a chamber of varying volume, wherein the rigid mounting member defines a conduit in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the diaphragm is substantially adjacent to the rigid mounting member when the diaphragm is in an unstretched state, and wherein the diaphragm in the unstretched state and the rigid mounting member have outer diameters and the outer diameter of the rigid mounting member is proximate to the outer diameter of the diaphragm;
• and
• outlet-control means for controlling the flow of liquid out of the chamber into the conduit.

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system having means for spinning the rotor, the rotor comprising:

• a rigid mounting member for being held and spun about an axis of rotation by the spinning means;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm mounted on the rigid mounting member so as to spin with the rigid mounting member, the diaphragm defining a chamber of varying volume, wherein the rigid mounting member defines a conduit in fluid communication with the chamber;
• and
• outlet-control means for controlling the flow of liquid out of the chamber into the conduit, wherein the rigid mounting member includes an interior surface adjacent the chamber and the outlet-control means includes channel walls on the interior surface, the channel walls defining a channel from a point in the chamber to a point in fluid communication with the conduit, the channel walls being spaced close enough to each other so as to prevent the diaphragm from blocking the channel.

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system having means for spinning the rotor, the rotor comprising:

• a rigid mounting member adapted to be held and spun about an axis of rotation by the spinning means;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm mounted on the rigid mounting member so as to spin with the rigid mounting member, the diaphragm defining a chamber of varying volume, wherein the diaphragm is substantially adjacent to the rigid mounting member when the diaphragm is in an unstretched state and wherein the diaphragm in the unstretched state and the rigid mounting member have outer diameters and the outer diameter of the rigid mounting member is proximate to the outer diameter of the diaphragm;
• and
• a conduit in fluid communication with the chamber and defined by the rigid mounting member.

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system, the rotor comprising:

• a rigid member adapted to be held and spun about an axis of rotation;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm mounted on the rigid mounting member so as to spin with the rigid mounting member, the diaphragm defining a chamber of varying volume, wherein the rigid mounting member defines a conduit in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the diaphragm is substantially adjacent to the rigid member when the diaphragm is in an unstretched state and wherein the diaphragm in the unstretched state and the rigid member have outer diameters and the outer diameter of the rigid member is proximate to the outer diameter of the diaphragm;
• and
• outlet-control means for maintaining an open channel to the conduit for fluid at a given radius in the chamber.

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system, the rotor comprising:

• a rigid member adapted to be held and spun about an axis of rotation;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm mounted on the rigid member, the diaphragm defining a chamber of varying volume, wherein the rigid member defines a conduit in fluid communication with the chamber, wherein the diaphragm is substantially adjacent to the rigid member when the diaphragm is in an unstretched state and wherein the diaphragm in the unstretched state and the rigid member have outer diameters and the outer diameter of the rigid member is proximate to the outer diameter of the diaphragm;
• and
• a passageway through which liquid may flow out of the chamber into the conduit.

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system having means for spinning the rotor, the rotor comprising:

• a fixed portion including a conduit assembly;
• a rigid mounting member, rotatably mounted around the fixed portion and the rotor's axis of rotation, the mounting member capable of being held and spun by the spinning means;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm mounted to the rigid mounting member, so that the diaphragm rotates with the rigid mounting member, the diaphragm defining a chamber of varying volume;
• a rotary seal located around the rotor's axis of rotation, the rotary seal providing a seal between the rigid mounting member and the fixed portion;
• and
• an interior wall fixedly mounted to the rigid mounting member and located between the fixed portion and the diaphragm, so that the interior wall rotates in fixed relation to the rigid mounting member.

A rotor for use in a centrifuge system, the rotor comprising:

• a substantially rigid and substantially imperforate wall having an interior side and an exterior side;
• an elastic, stretchable and resilient diaphragm attached to the wall, the diaphragm defining a chamber of varying volume, wherein the interior side of the wall is adjacent the chamber and the exterior side of the wall faces away from the chamber, and wherein the wall defines a conduit in fluid communication with the chamber;
• and
• a passageway located on the interior side of the wall and through which liquid may flow out of the chamber to the conduit.