Centrifugal apparatus and cell

• US 3,882,716 A
• Filed: 07/17/1972
• Issued: 05/13/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elliott Beiman
• Original Assignee: Elliott Beiman
• Inventors: Beiman, Elliott
• Primary Examiner(s): Krizmanich, George H.
• Application Number:
  US05/272,563
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 233/2,23R,12,25,26,3 210/206,380,325 23/23R,253R,259,23B 73/61.4 259/DIG.46,72,57,58 241/DIG.27,199.7,199.8
• US Class Current: 73/61.66
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/02 Centrifuges consisting of a plurality of separate bowls rotating round an axis situated between the bowls
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/0414 comprising test tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 366/601 Motor control

Abstract

Centrifuge cells, mounted at an acute angle to the drive shaft, orbit therearound, the resulting centrifugal force driving some of the contents of each cell through successive filters dividing the cell into separate chambers and into a cell cuvette. Each cell also rotates around its own axis when a gear arrangement is engaged, to grind tablets or mix the contents of the chambers. The cuvettes are sequentially examined by a read-out instrument such as a spectrophotometer, colorimeter, etc. A programmer controls successive operations. In one embodiment the chambers, which are separable, are selected for the test or other intended use according to their previously prepared contents, filter or other characteristic and then joined together to form the cell.

Claims

1. A centrifuge comprising:

a housing, drive means mounted in said housing and including a rotatable longitudinal shaft having a central axis, a rotatable support member mounted on said shaft, a plurality of cells mounted on said support member at an acute angle to said shaft for centrifugal rotation with said support member about said central axis, peripheral means secured around each said cell for rotating each of said cells about its own respective axis on said support member, each said cell having a portion adapted for detecting the contents thereof, an annular axially movable non-rotatable member selectively engageable with said peripheral means around said cells to rotate said plurality of cells simultaneously about their respective axes, read out means disposed within said housing adjacent the path of said cells for detecting the contents of said cells, and control means for sequentially positioning said cells adjacent said read out means.

2. The centrifuge of claim 1 wherein said control means includes brake means for selectively stopping said cells.

3. The centrifuge of claim 2 wherein said control means includes means to selectively move said annular axially movable member into engagement with said cells.

4. The centrifuge of claim 3 wherein said peripheral means and said annular member are gears, and said housing includes a pivotable cover plate, said annular gear member being mounted on the inside of said coverplate, and said control means includes a solenoid mounted on said coverplate to axially move said annular gear member.

5. The centrifuge of claim 3 wherein said read out means includes a light source on one side of said cell and a photocell on the other side within said housing to detect light passing through said cell.

6. The centrifuge of claim 3 wherein said cell portion adapted for detecting said contents is removable.

7. The centrifuge according to claim 3 wherein said cell includes an envelope;

a filter in said envelope barring the passage of given substances therethrough except under centrifugal force; and

means in said cell for mixing substances therein independently of centrifugal force.

8. The centrifuge according to claim 7 wherein said cell comprises a plurality of aligned separable connected chambers with a filter in at least one of said chambers.

9. The centrifuge according to claim 8 in which said mixing means includes a magnetic element in each said cell movable about the axis of said cell upon rotation of said cell about its own axis, and a magnet mounted adjacent each said cell.

10. The centrifuge according to claim 8 further including spring biased grinding means responsive to rotation of the cell about its own axis for grinding solid substances.

11. The centrifuge of claim 8 wherein one of said chambers includes a window for insertion of substances there through.