Self balancing centrifuge
First Claim
1. A self balancing centrifuge, comprising:
- a motor mounted on a support structure and having a vertical drive shaft;
a horizontal rotor mounted on said shaft and coupled thereto for spinning;
first and second sample containers supported, respectively, on opposite ends of said rotor;
means for distributing a balancing fluid selectively between said sample containers;
means for detecting any weight imbalance between said containers;
means responsive to said detecting means for disabling said motor and for controlling said fluid distributing means to balance said rotor and sample containers prior to spinning by said motor;
means for generating a command signal; and
means responsive to said detecting means and said command signal for enabling said motor to spin said rotor only when said containers are balanced.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A centrifuge comprises a pair of sample containers supported, respectively, on opposite ends of a horizontal rotor that is spun by a drive motor about a vertical rotation axis. The sample containers carry storage tanks for fluid that is automatically distributed between the tanks for balancing prior to centrifuging. Any weight imbalance between the loaded sample containers is measured by a pair of pressure transducers located between the rotor and a stationary, annular support member. Electronic circuitry monitors the outputs of the pressure transducers and in response controls a servo operated valve to redistribute the balancing fluid between the storage tanks under the force of an external vacuum source. Digital logic prevents energization of the drive motor for centrifuging the samples until the load is balanced.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A self balancing centrifuge, comprising:
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a motor mounted on a support structure and having a vertical drive shaft; a horizontal rotor mounted on said shaft and coupled thereto for spinning; first and second sample containers supported, respectively, on opposite ends of said rotor; means for distributing a balancing fluid selectively between said sample containers; means for detecting any weight imbalance between said containers; means responsive to said detecting means for disabling said motor and for controlling said fluid distributing means to balance said rotor and sample containers prior to spinning by said motor; means for generating a command signal; and means responsive to said detecting means and said command signal for enabling said motor to spin said rotor only when said containers are balanced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A self balancing centrifuge, comprising a motor;
- a horizontal rotor rotatable about a center of rotation by said motor;
first and second sample containers carried, respectively, on opposite ends of said rotor;
first and second balancing tanks carried by said rotor respectively on opposite sides of the center of rotation for storing a balancing fluids;
means for detecting any weight imbalance of said rotor about a center of rotation;
valve means responsive to said detecting means for distributing the balancing fluid selectively between said balancing tanks prior to rotation of said rotor;
means for generating a spin command signal; and
means responsive to said detecting means and to the command signal for operating said motor to spin said balanced rotor at a rate of speed sufficiently high to centrifuge samples within said sample containers.
- a horizontal rotor rotatable about a center of rotation by said motor;
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15. A method of balancing a centrifuge of a type comprising a horizontal rotor;
- first and second sample containers carried, respectively, on opposite ends of said rotor;
motor means for spinning said rotor to centrifuge fluid samples within said containers, each of said containers including balancing fluid storage means;
said centrifuge further comprising a balancing fluid and means for controlling flow of said fluid between said storage means, comprising the steps ofloading said sample containers with samples to be centrifuged; prior to spinning of said rotor; (1) detecting any weight imbalance between said loaded sample containers; and (2) balancing the rotor by distributing the balancing fluid selectively between the fluid storage means in the containers in response to said detecting step; and then after a balanced condition is detected; operating said motor means to spin said rotor.
- first and second sample containers carried, respectively, on opposite ends of said rotor;
Specification