Blood processing centrifuge

• US 4,304,357 A
• Filed: 06/16/1980
• Issued: 12/08/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Haemonetics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Haemonetics Corporation
• Inventors: Schoendorfer, Donald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): JENKINS, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US06/159,932
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 233/23 A, 233/23 R, 233/27, 233/26, 233/1 A, 233/1 C, 233/1 R, 233/14 A, 233/14 R, 233/16, 233/19 R, 233/19 A, 233/20 R
• US Class Current: 494/21
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 5/0428 with flexible receptacles

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for centrifugally separating blood into a first blood component, such as a plasma-rich component, and a second blood component, such as a plasma-poor component. This apparatus employs a centrifuge intended to be used immediately adjacent to a blood donor. A flexible displacement pouch having a fluid operated diaphragm is positioned within a blood processing chamber of the centrifuge rotor. The blood processing chamber comprises a pair of contoured support shoes which structurally supports the displacement pouch and a flexible blood processing bag. Separated first blood component is expressed from the flexible blood bag by movement of the diaphragm and collected in a receiver container as the centrifuge rotor spins. A pressure plate is mounted against the support shoes. The plate has a mass sufficient to at least counterbalance the force exerted inwardly by the fluid in the blood processing bag during the separation process.

Claims

1. Apparatus for processing fluids, comprising, in combination:

a. a centrifuge having a rotor capable of rotating about an axis of rotation at speeds sufficient to effect the desired separation;

b. a processing chamber mounted on said rotor comprising a pair of oppositely disposed supports contoured to support at least one flexible bag;

c. a flexible processing bag held within said supports;

d. a plate mounted adjacent said supports between the center of rotation of said rotor and the supports, said plate having a mass which during rotation of the rotor will create a radially outward force against the supports at least equal to the radially inward force exerted by fluid within said processing bag against the bag surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the supports consist of contoured foamed polyurethane shoes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the fluid is blood.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 including a displacer fluid bag adjacent said flexible bag.

5. The method of processing fluid into separate components comprising the steps of:

a. placing a first flexible bag containing fluid to be processed within the contoured walls of a pair of oppositely disposed support members;

b. mounting said members on a centrifuge rotor;

c. mounting a pressure plate opposite said support members in contact therewith and intermediate the center of rotation of the rotor and an inner wall of said support members, the mass of said plate being at least equal to the mass required during rotation, to counterbalance the inwardly directed force created within the bag by the outwardly directed force of the mass; and

d. rotating said rotor.

6. The method of claim 5 including the steps of:

e. mounting a collection container at the center of rotation;

f. coupling the processing bag to the collection bag with flexible tubing;

g. disposing a second flexible bag adjacent said first flexible bag, said second flexible bag containing displacer fluid;

h. increasing the amount of displacer fluid in said second flexible bag to cause said bag to expand to thereby express blood components from said first flexible bag while said rotor is rotating.

7. The method of claim 5 in which the fluid is blood.

8. The method of claim 7 in which the members are mounted on the periphery of the rotor and the blood is separated into components.