System for automated separation of fluid components

An automated blood centrifuge system, comprising:

• a centrifuge including a rotatable sample reservoir for containing a sample of blood, the centrifuge including at least one inlet port providing an inlet path for the blood sample to the reservoir and at least one outlet port providing an outlet path for separated components of the blood sample from the reservoir, wherein the centrifuge includes a drive assembly adapted for rotating portions of the centrifuge to impart a rotation rate to the sample reservoir to separate the components into radially-located belts about a central axis of the sample reservoir;
• input means for injecting the blood sample into the blood reservoir;
• output means for applying suction to an outlet port to remove the separated components in a belt adjacent the outlet port from the sample reservoir;
• a controller in communication with the drive assembly configured to transmit control signals to the drive assembly to selectively rotate the centrifuge at the rotation rate;
• a blood sensor positioned relative to the outlet port of the sample reservoir to sense the separated components in the region adjacent the outlet port and in response to transmit a feedback signal to the controller;
• and
• wherein the controller is communicatively linked to the input means and the output means and is configured to transmit control signals to the input means and the output means based on the feedback signal from the blood sensor.

A fluid sample separation system for automatically controlling separation and collection of components in a fluid sample, comprising:

• a centrifuge including a sample reservoir having at least one inlet port for receiving the fluid sample and at least one outlet port for removing separated components in the fluid sample;
• a centrifuge drive assembly mechanically linked with the centrifuge to rotate the sample reservoir of the centrifuge at a rotation rate to separate the components of differing densities in radially positioned regions;
• a controller in communication with the centrifuge drive assembly adapted to transmit control signals to the centrifuge to selectively operate the centrifuge drive assembly;
• an inlet pump fluidly connected to the inlet port of the sample reservoir;
• an outlet pump in fluid communication with the outlet port operable to apply a suction force to remove the separated components in the region adjacent the outlet port from the sample reservoir;
• and
• a sensor assembly configured for sensing separation of components in the fluid sample, wherein the sensor assembly transmits signals based on the separation sensing to the controller and further wherein the controller is adapted to send control signals to operate the inlet pump and the outlet pump, based on the transmitted sensor assembly signals, to selectively operate to remove select ones of the separated components.