Attachment and release apparatus and method
AssigneeKendro Laboratory Products, LP
InventorRaymond Gary Potter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An attachment and release apparatus for attaching a rotor to a centrifuge drive assembly and for attaching a cover to the rotor. The apparatus includes a knob, a cover wherein the knob has a plunger disposed therein. The apparatus also includes an adapter having detents and a drive spindle having detents. In addition, the apparatus has at least one adapter moveable element retained within a passage located on the knob and least one drive spindle moveable element retained within an additional passage located on the knob. The apparatus also includes a biasing element disposed around one end of the plunger.
Claims19
A method for attaching and releasing a rotor to a centrifuge drive assembly and attaching and releasing a cover to a rotor, comprising:
- biasing a plunger in a first direction to a start position, wherein said plunger is disposed within a knob and has a first groove and a second groove, wherein the knob comprises at least one adapter moveable element and at least one drive spindle moveable element;
- actuating the plunger in an opposite, second direction to a fully actuated position;
- displacing the at least one drive spindle moveable element to at least partially enter the second groove of the plunger;
- displacing the at least one adapter moveable element to at least partially enter the second groove of the plunger;
- and
- inserting the knob into an adapter comprising a first detent and drive spindle assembly comprising a second dent.
A method for attaching and releasing a rotor to a centrifuge drive assembly and attaching and releasing a cover to a rotor, comprising:
- biasing a plunger in a first direction to a start position, wherein said plunger is disposed within a knob and has a first groove and a second groove, wherein the knob comprises at least one adapter moveable element and at least one drive spindle moveable element;
- actuating the plunger in an opposite, second direction to a fully actuated position;
- displacing the at least one drive spindle moveable element to at least partially enter the second groove of the plunger;
- displacing the at least one adapter moveable element to at least partially enter the second groove of the plunger;
- and
- inserting the knob into an adapter and drive spindle assembly.
An attachment and release method for use with a centrifuge including a rotor and rotor attachment ring, comprising:
- disposing a cover around a knob comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion includes a first passage and said second portion includes a second passage;
- releasably connecting an adapter to the rotor attachment ring, said adapter comprising a first detent and oriented to receive said knob;
- orienting a drive spindle including a second detent, to receive the rotor;
- slidably disposing a plunger comprising a longitudinal axis, within said knob, said plunger comprising a first groove at a first axial location thereof and including a second groove at a second axial location thereof;
- retaining a first adapter moveable element within said first passage so that said adapter moveable element is moveable between an attached position and a released position, wherein said adapter moveable element at least partially enters said first detent and contacts said plunger when said adapter moveable element is in the attached position;
- retaining a first drive spindle moveable element within said second passage so that said drive spindle moveable element is moveable between an attached position and a released position, wherein said drive spindle moveable element at least partially enters said second detent and contacts said plunger when said drive spindle moveable element is in the attached position;
- and
- disposing a biasing element within said knob and contacts said plunger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.