Centrifuge adapter

• US 20040209755A1
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Beckman Coulter Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Stewart, Christopher L., Moore, Patrick Q., Tsai, TenLin S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,118,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 494/20
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 2005/0435 with adapters for centrifuge tubes or bags
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/0414 comprising test tubes
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/08 Flask, bottle or test tube
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/10 by centrifugation centrifuges in general B04B; Cyclones cyclones in general B04C

Abstract

An adapter for use with a centrifuge. Features of the adapter allow for less friction during extraction of the adapter and separation efficiency by preventing disturbances to the separated materials. In addition, the adapter includes features that support the walls of a sample container and prevent force from damaging the sample container during a centrifuge separation procedure.

Claims

1. An adapter for use with a centrifuge, the adapter comprising:

a first section of said adapter having a first recessed area;

a second section of said adapter having a second recessed area;

a hinge connecting said first section and said second section such that said first recessed area and said second recessed area form a pocket having an open top and a closed bottom and having pocket walls, said pocket shaped to receive a centrifuge container; and

a plurality of ribs in said pocket extending from proximate to the open top of the pocket to proximate to the bottom of said pocket, said ribs providing support to sides of a container inserted into said pocket during a centrifugal rotation of the adapter and container.

2. The adapter of claim 1, further including a plurality of through holes extending through each of said first section and said second section of said adapter.

3. The adapter of claim 1, further including an orientation indicia on said adapter.

4. The adapter of claim 3, wherein said orientation indices indicates proper insertion orientation of the container into the pocket.

5. The adapter of claim 1, wherein said hinge includes a notch on a bottom of the adapter, the notch reducing the thickness of the hinge.

6. The adapter of claim 1, wherein said hinge includes a relief at a location where the first section and the second section meet.

7. The adapter of claim 1, further including at least one recessed groove within said pocket, said groove positioned within the pocket such that a portion of said sample container is retained within said groove, whereby upon centrifugal rotation of said sample container in said adapter, load from centrifugal rotation is borne by sample container wall regions surrounding said sample container portion and said load is not concentrated at said sample container portions.

8. An adapter for use with a centrifuge, said adapter to be inserted into a centrifuge rotor device, the adapter comprising:

a first section of said adapter having a first recessed area;

a second section of said adapter having a second recessed area;

a hinge connecting said first section and said second section such that said first recessed area and said second recessed area form a pocket having an open top and a closed bottom and having pocket walls, said pocket shaped to receive a centrifuge container, said pocket having a slot dividing said first and said second sections of said adapter;

a first handle extending from a top portion of said first section; and

a second handle extending from a top portion of said second section, whereby exerting pressure inward on said first and said second handle narrows the slot width.

9. The adapter of claim 8, further including a plurality of ribs on an exterior surface of said adapter.

10. The adapter of claim 8, further including a plurality of through holes extending through each of said first section and said second section of said adapter.

11. The adapter of claim 8, further including an orientation indicia on said adapter.

12. The adapter of claim 8, wherein said orientation indicia indicates proper insertion orientation of the container into the pocket.

13. The adapter of claim 8, wherein said hinge includes a notch on a bottom of the adapter, the notch reducing the thickness of the hinge.

14. The adapter of claim 8, wherein said hinge includes a relief at locations of the meeting of the first section and the second section.

15. The adapter of claim 8, further including at least one recessed groove within said pocket, said groove positioned within the pocket such that a portion of said sample container is retained within said groove, whereby upon centrifugal rotation of said sample container in said adapter, load from centrifugal rotation is borne by sample container wall regions surrounding said sample container portion and said load is not concentrated at said sample container portions.

16. An adapter for use with a centrifuge, said adapter designed to hold at least one cell culture flask, the adapter comprising:

a first section of said adapter having a first recessed area;

a second section of said adapter having a second recessed area;

a hinge connecting said first section and said second section such that said first recessed area and said second recessed area form a pocket having an open top and a closed bottom and having pocket walls, said pocket shaped to receive a centrifuge container;

a plurality of ribs in said pocket extending from proximate to the open top of the pocket to proximate to the bottom of said pocket, said ribs providing support to a sides of a container inserted into said pocket during a centrifugal rotation of the adapter and container; and

a seam groove extending along side walls and a bottom of said pocket, said seam groove of sufficient dimension such that a raised seam on the flask fits into the groove such that load during a centrifuge rotation of the adapter is borne by walls of the flask supported by the ribs and is not concentrated at the seam.

17. The adapter of claim 16, further including a plurality of through holes extending through each of said first section and said second section of said adapter.

18. The adapter of claim 16, further including an orientation indicia on said adapter.

19. The adapter of claim 18, wherein said orientation indicia indicates proper insertion orientation of the container into the pocket.

20. The adapter of claim 16, wherein said hinge includes a notch on a bottom of the adapter, the notch reducing the thickness of the hinge.

21. The adapter of claim 16, wherein said hinge includes a relief at locations of the meeting of the first section and the second section.