Centrifuge having a seal mechanism

A centrifuge comprising:

• a rotor having a sample storage chamber configured to store a sample;
• a rotor rotation chamber in which the rotor is provided;
• a driving unit configured to rotate the rotor;
• a first tube which has one end connected to the sample storage chamber, and has a first passageway and a second passageway, the first passageway configured to fill a density gradient liquid and the sample in the sample storage chamber and configured to collect the sample in the sample storage chamber, and the second passageway configured to fill a liquid configured to push out the sample in the sample storage chamber to the first passageway;
• a first seal member which is connected to another end of the first tube, and has a first opening and a second opening configured to communicate with the first passageway and the second passageway, respectively;
• a second seal member which is so arranged as to face the first seal member, and has a third opening and a fourth opening which face the first opening of the first seal member and the second opening thereof, respectively;
• a second tube which has a third passageway having one end connected to the second seal member and configured to communicate with the third opening, and a fourth passageway configured to communicate with the fourth opening;
• and
• a joining/separating member configured to join and separate the first seal member and the second seal member;
• wherein as the first seal member and the second seal member are joined together by the joining/separating member, the first passageway and the first opening become configured to communicate with the third opening and the third passageway, and the second passageway and the second opening become configured to communicate with the fourth opening and the fourth passageway, so that the sample storage chamber of the rotor becomes accessible through the third passageway and the fourth passageway;
• wherein as the first seal member and the second seal member are separated from each other by the joining/separating member, the first passageway and the first opening are separated from the third opening and the third passageway, and the second passageway and the second opening are separated from the fourth opening and the fourth passageway;
• wherein the joining/separating member includes:
• a first supporting member arranged over the rotor, and rotatably supporting the first tube;
• and
• a second supporting member configured to movably support the second tube in a direction toward the first tube and in a direction apart from the first tube;
• and
• an operation member;
• wherein the second seal member is configured to move in accordance with a manipulation of the operation member, and is configured to abut and slide the first seal member which is configured to rotate along with rotation of the rotor;
• wherein the first supporting member includes:
• a bearing which is arranged over the rotor, and is configured to rotatably support the first tube;
• and
• a bearing supporting member formed in a cylindrical shape, and having an internal face configured to support the bearing;
• and
• wherein the second supporting member comprises:
• a cylindrical sleeve which has one end connected to the bearing supporting member, and has another end provided with a threaded face,
• a tube fixing member which is formed in a cylindrical shape, has an internal face fixing the second tube, has one end slidably fitted to an internal face of the sleeve, and has another end provided with a larger-diameter part, and
• an elastic member arranged between the sleeve and the larger-diameter part of the tube fixing member, and configured to move the tube fixing member toward a direction apart from the first tube;
• and
• wherein the operation member is formed in a cylindrical shape, has one end provided with a threaded face corresponding to the threaded face of the sleeve, and has another end provided with an abutment part which abuts another end of the tube fixing member.