Centrifuge sleep mode control

• US 20030199378A1
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kendro Laboratory Products LP (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Saviano, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 7,407,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 494/11
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 13/00 Control arrangements specially designed for centrifuges; Programme control of centrifuges control arrangements for feed, charge, or discharge B04B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 15/02 for cooling, heating, or heat insulating

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for setting energy saver sleep modes for use in a centrifuge systems. The centrifuge system contains an energy saver touch screen control which can be either manually set or automatically set to turn the centrifuge on or off at predetermined times. This allows the centrifuge system to be readily available to a user, resulting in lower wear and tear being placed on the major systems of the centrifuge and waste less energy.

Claims

1. A separation device, comprising:

a centrifuge having system components; and

a controller that activates and/or deactivates a sleep mode of the system components.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sleep mode activation and/or deactivation is enabled manually.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the sleep mode activation and/or deactivation is enabled automatically.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the sleep mode is enabled and/or disabled based upon a specific time and/or date.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the system components of the centrifuge operate at low power when the sleep mode is enabled.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the system components include at least one of:

a drive motor;

a refrigeration compresser; and

a refrigeration condensor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said controller includes a computer system operated by a software protocol.

8. The device of claim 6, further comprising:

a computer touch screen coupled to said computer system, said screen implementing said software protocol to enable and/or disable said sleep mode.

9. A separation system, comprising:

a centrifuge having system components; and

means for controlling activation and/or deactivation of a sleep mode of the system components.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for manually activating and/or deactivating the sleep mode.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for automatically activating and/or deactivating the sleep mode.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sleep mode is enabled and/or disabled based upon a specific time and/or date.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for controlling comprises:

a computer system operated by software protocol to manage the sleep mode.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for interfacing with said means for controlling.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for interfacing comprises:

a computer touch screen.

16. A method of regulating power consumption in a separation device having system components comprising:

regulating the power consumption of said system components by coupling a controller to said system components; and

activating said controller to enable and/or disable a sleep mode of the centrifuge to regulate the power consumption of said system components.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the regulating step is operated by the controller having a computer hardware system operated by a software protocol.

18. The method of claim 16, where the activating step includes operating a user interface of said controller.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller comprises a computer hardware system operated by a software protocol.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said user interface comprises a computer touch screen.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

programming the computer touch screen to permit said software protocol to enable and/or disable the sleep mode of the centrifuge.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sleep mode is enabled and/or disabled based upon a specific time and/or date.