AUTOMATIC BALANCE ADJUSTING CENTRIFUGE

• US 20100009831A1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hanlab Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hanlab Corporation
• Inventors: LEE, Sanghoon, KWON, Ohhun, Lee, Sunghyuk, RYU, Heuigeun
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 494/8
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 9/146 Unbalance detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/36 by adjusting position of masses built-in the body to be tested
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2109 Balancing for drum, e.g., washing machine or arm-type structure, etc., centrifuge, etc.

Abstract

The present invention relates to the automatic balance adjusting centrifuge that enhances the efficiency of space utilization by simplifying the structure as well as supports a precise movement by improving the structure of the balance weight transport apparatus in the automatic balance adjusting centrifuge that compensates the unbalance of the centrifugal force by transferring the balance weight equipped in the rotor rotational arm.

According to the automatic balance adjusting centrifuge of the present invention, the structure is simplified as well as the precise and exact transfer of the balance weight is possible by connecting the balance weight with the axis of the motor directly and adopting the length sensor. Furthermore, the efficiency of space utilization is enhanced because the axis of rotation of the balance weight transfer motor is in radial direction of the rotational arm.

Claims

1. An automatic balance adjusting centrifuge that includes a rotor with a plurality of rotating arms which have the same radial length from a rotational shaft for centrifuging, are disposed with equal angles around the rotational shaft, and support buckets containing samples, comprises:

a motor installed in each rotating arm for its rotational shaft, outer circumferential surface of which a male screw is formed on to transfer a balance weight, to face to the radial direction;

a balance weight having a female screw formed through its body horizontally to be combined with the male screw by screwed connection;

a guiding means to guide the straight-line motion of the balance weight;

a reference position sensing means to sense the reference position of the balance weight;

a current position sensing means to sense the current position of the balance weight;

a controlling means to calculate the distance between the reference position sensed by the reference position sensing means and the current position sensed by the current position sensing, and to control the motor to transfer the balance weight for a set length.

2. The automatic balance adjusting centrifuge of claim 1, wherein the guiding means comprises two or more through-holes formed in the balance weight and guide bars inserted into each through-hole in parallel with the rotational shaft for transferring.

3. The automatic balance adjusting centrifuge of claim 2, wherein the current position sensing means comprises:

a gear disk which is made of magnetic substance, is coupled with an end of the rotational shaft by shaft-coupling to rotate with the rotational shaft, and has a plurality of teeth formed on the circumferential surface with an equal interval; and

hall sensors installed on the same plane with the gear disk at regular intervals.

4. The automatic balance adjusting centrifuge of claim 2, wherein the current position sensing means comprises a capacitive sensor including:

a dielectric fixed bar installed on the balance weight to the direction for transferring the balance weight; and

a pair of fixed electrodes installed along the transfer path of the dielectric bar, sandwiching the dielectric bar and facing with each other.

5. The automatic balance adjusting centrifuge in claim 1, wherein the reference position sensing means comprises any one of a physical contact type sensor, a light receiving type sensor, and a magnetic field sensing type sensor.

6. The automatic balance adjusting centrifuge in claim 2, wherein the reference position sensing means comprises any one of a physical contact type sensor, a light receiving type sensor, and a magnetic field sensing type sensor.

7. The automatic balance adjusting centrifuge in claim 3, wherein the reference position sensing means comprises any one of a physical contact type sensor, a light receiving type sensor, and a magnetic field sensing type sensor.

8. The automatic balance adjusting centrifuge in claim 4, wherein the reference position sensing means comprises any one of a physical contact type sensor, a light receiving type sensor, and a magnetic field sensing type sensor.