Centrifuge Tube Assembly for Separating, Concentrating and Aspirating Constituents of a Fluid Product

• US 20160367982A1
• Filed: 06/17/2015
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EmCyte Corp.
• Original Assignee: Patrick Pennie
• Inventors: Pennie, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,300,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0684 Venting, avoiding backpressure, avoid gas bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0478 pistons
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5021 Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes centrifuges B04B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/491 by separating the blood components G01N15/05 takes precedence

Abstract

A centrifuge tube assembly includes an elongate tubular receptacle having upper and lower ends and a side wall that extends between the ends. A cap attached to the receptacle carries a common inlet/outlet port formed therethrough for communication with an interior chamber of the tubular receptacle. A liquid impermeable piston is longitudinally movable through the receptacle chamber and sealably interengages an interior wall of the receptacle. The piston separates upper and lower regions of the chamber, which respectively communicate with the inlet/outlet port and a pressure neutralizing vent. Biological products are introduced into and aspirated from the receptacle through the inlet/outlet port.

Claims

1. A centrifuge tube assembly for separating and aspirating constituent components of a fluid biological product, said assembly comprising:

a receptacle having an interior chamber for receiving a fluid biological product therein, said receptacle having a lower end and a side wall that extends upwardly from lower end;

a cap for engaging said side wall and extending across an upper end of said receptacle;

a common inlet and outlet port formed in said cap for respectively introducing the fluid biological product into said chamber and aspirating the constituent components from said chamber;

a vent formed through said lower end of said receptacle; and

a liquid impermeable piston mounted within said chamber and being slidable through said chamber while maintaining sealing engagement with an interior surface of said side wall of said receptacle;

the fluid biological product being introduced through said common port into a region of said chamber between said piston and said upper end of said receptacle and said receptacle being centrifuged to separate the fluid product into constituent components thereof, which components are disposed in respective fluid layers in said chamber, whereby one or more of the fluid layers may be aspirated through said common port, said vent neutralizing pressure within said receptacle chamber as fluid is introduced into said chamber and as constituent components aspirated from said chamber.

2. The assembly of claim 1 in which said cap is removably attached to said side wall of said receptacle.

3. The assembly of claim 1 in which said receptacle has an elongate tubular shape.

4. The assembly of claim 1 in which said lower end carries an annular base for supporting said receptacle to extend upwardly from an underlying supportive surface said vent being formed through said lower end interiorly of said annular base.

5. The assembly of claim 1 further including a closure that is removably attached to said common port outside of said chamber for selectively opening said port to permit introduction of the fluid biological product into said chamber and aspiration of a separated constituent component therefrom and closing said port while said receptacle is being centrifuged.

6. The assembly of claim 1 in which said vent maintains a neutral air pressure within a region of said chamber between said piston and said lower end of said receptacle to permit said piston to slide toward said lower end when fluid biological product is introduced into said receptacle and toward said upper end when a constituent component is aspirated from said receptacle.

7. The assembly of claim 3 in which said piston is slidable longitudinally within said chamber while maintaining peripheral sealing engagement with the interior surface of said side wall of said receptacle.

8. The assembly of claim 7 in which said piston carries an O-ring that sealingly interengages the interior surface of said side wall.

9. The assembly of claim 1 in which said piston includes a concave face directed toward said region of said chamber between said piston and said cap.

10. The assembly of claim 1 in which said cap includes a tapered channel that communicates with said common inlet and outlet port for facilitating aspiration of the one or more fluid layers.

11. The assembly of claim 1 in which said vent includes a vent plug received in a vent hole formed through said lower section, said vent plug carrying a filter for restricting the entry of contaminants into said chamber through said vent.

12. The assembly of claim 1 further including a cover that is removably interengageable with said receptacle for selectively enclosing an exterior section of said inlet and outlet port.

13. The assembly of claim 12 in which said cover includes a flat top surface for slidably supporting said receptacle in an inverted condition for centrifuging.

14. A method of separating a fluid biological product into constituent components using a centrifuge tube assembly including a receptacle having upper and lower ends and a side wall that extends between the upper and lower ends, a common inlet and outlet port formed in the upper end of the receptacle, a vent formed through the lower end and a liquid impermeable piston mounted for sliding within the receptacle while maintaining sealing engagement with the side wall thereof, said method comprising:

introducing the fluid biological product into the receptacle through the common port into a region of the chamber between the piston and the upper end of the receptacle such that the introduced fluid drives the sealing piston downwardly through the receptacle and until the receptacle is filled to a selected level by the biological fluid;

closing the common port;

centrifuging the receptacle to separate the fluid biological product into constituent components;

opening the common port; and

aspirating one or more of the constituent components from the receptacle chamber through the common port such that the sealing piston is drawn upwardly through the receptacle, the vent neutralizing pressure within the receptacle chamber as fluid is introduced into the chamber and as constituent components are aspirated from the chamber.

15. A centrifuge tube assembly for separating and aspirating constituent components of a fluid biological product, said assembly comprising:

a receptacle having an interior chamber for receiving a fluid biological product therein, said receptacle having upper and lower ends and a side wall that extends between said upper and lower ends;

a cap for engaging said side wall and extending across said upper end of said receptacle;

a common inlet and outlet port formed through one of said cap and receptacle in communication with an upper region of said chamber for respectively introducing the fluid biological product into said upper chamber region and aspirating the constituent components of the fluid biological product from said upper chamber region;

a liquid impermeable piston mounted within said chamber and being slidable through said chamber while maintaining sealing engagement with an interior surface of said side wall of said receptacle for separating said upper chamber region from a lower region of said chamber and restricting fluids in said upper region from said lower region; and

a vent formed through said receptacle in communication with said lower chamber region;

the fluid biological product being introduced through said common port into said upper chamber region and said receptacle being centrifuged to separate the fluid product into constituent components thereof, which components are disposed in respective fluid layers in said upper chamber region, whereby one or more of the fluid layers may be aspirated through said common port, said vent neutralizing air pressure within said lower chamber region as fluid is introduced into said upper chamber region and as constituent components are aspirated from said upper chamber region.

16. The assembly of claim 15 in which said cap is removably attached to said side wall of said receptacle.

17. The assembly of claim 15 in which said receptacle has an elongate tubular shape.

18. The assembly of claim 15 in which said lower end carries an annular base for supporting said receptacle to extend upwardly from an underlying supportive surface, said vent being formed through said lower end interiorly of said annular base.

19. The assembly of claim 15 in which said vent includes a vent plug received in a vent hole formed in said receptacle in communication with said lower chamber region, said vent plug carrying a filter for restricting the entry of contaminants into said chamber through said vent.

20. The assembly of claim 15 further including a cover that is removably engageable with said receptacle for selectively enclosing an exterior section of said common inlet/outlet port.