Centrifuge apparatus and method with improved temperature control

• US 7,033,501 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2000
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vivolution A/S
• Original Assignee: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
• Inventors: Bhaskar, Gautam, Joergensen, Glenn A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walker, W. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENON, KRISHNAN S
• Application Number:
  US09/661,971
• Time in Patent Office: 2,049 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 210/360.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/262 by using a centrifuge
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2221/10 Separation devices for use in medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory applications, e.g. separating amalgam from dental treatment residues apparatus for dental treatment A61C17/065
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 15/02 for cooling, heating, or heat insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B04B 2005/0485 with a displaceable piston in the centrifuge chamber

Abstract

An apparatus is adapted to centrifuge a container for separating a component, such as fibrin monomer, from blood or plasma. The container includes a cylindrical member, and a piston displaceable therein and a tubular piston rod, which extends through a top wall of the cylindrical member. The piston divides the cylindrical member into a first chamber positioned above the piston between the piston and the top wall, and a second chamber positioned below the piston. The apparatus includes a supporting turntable which releasably retains the cylindrical member. The supporting turntable is connected to a first activator for rotating the supporting turntable with the container about the central axis thereof. The apparatus also includes a rotatably journalled piston activating mechanism adapted to activate the piston by a second activator. A heat-emitting device is provided opposite the cylindrical member, and an filter is provided between the heat-emitting device and the cylindrical member to block radiation emitted by the heat-emitting device that degrades protein in the blood or plasma.

Claims

1. An apparatus for centrifuging blood or plasma to separate a component therefrom without degradation of protein contained in the blood or protein, comprising:

a container for holding the blood or plasma during the centrifuging;

a means for rotating the container;

a heat-emitting device provided opposite the container for radiating the blood or plasma in the container to increase the temperature of the blood or plasma; and

a filter disposed between the heat-emitting device and the container for filtering the radiation emitted from the heat-emitting device to remove substantially all radiation therefrom having a wavelength in the range of from 190 to 400 nm.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises a cylindrical member, a piston diplaceable therein, a top wall and a tubular piston rod extending through the top wall, the piston rod dividing the cylindrical member into a first chamber located above the piston between the piston and the top wall, and a second chamber positioned below the piston.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a piston activating mechanism connected to the piston for moving the piston from a first position in the cylindrical member to a second position in the cylindrical member.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for rotating the container comprises a supporting turntable with means for releasably retaining the container, and a motor coupled to the supporting turntable, the motor rotating the supporting turntable and the container about a central axis thereof.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heat-emitting device comprises a first heating source for emitting visible light substantially directed towards the container.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first heating source is a halogen bulb.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a second heating source for emitting infrared radiation substantially directed towards the container.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second heating source comprises a metal heating plate.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of air in an area around the container, a second temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of a surface of the container, and a control unit for controlling the heat-emitting device in response to the temperatures detected in the first and second temperature sensors.

10. A method for centrifuging blood or plasma to separate a component of the blood or plasma without degradation of protein contained in the blood or plasma, comprising the steps of:

heating the blood or plasma to about 36 to 37°

C. with radiation from a heat-emitting device;

filtering the radiation emitted from the heat-emitting device to remove substantially all radiation therefrom having a wavelength in the range of from 190 to 400 nm; and

centrifuging the blood or plasma.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the sample of blood or plasma is heated to about 36°

C.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein radiation having a wavelength in the range of from 190 to 400 nm is filtered from the radiation emitted by the heat-emitting device.