And Means For Reducing, And Maintaining, Pressure In Housing Below That Of Environment Patents (Class 494/61)
  • Patent number: 11498083
    Abstract: A fixed-angle rotor for centrifuges includes stiffening ribs on the lower side of its rotor body. Its rotational energy is comparatively low during operation even at high speeds, whereby safety is noticeably increased without the need for a reinforced armored vessel in the centrifuge that is equipped therewith. At the same time, the drive power required to drive the fixed-angle rotor remains low. The fixed-angle rotor also withstands extreme loads over a long period of time. In addition, the fixed-angle rotor can be manufactured cost-effectively, because no additional components are required; rather, the stiffening ribs can also be manufactured during the manufacture of the rotor body. Finally, very thin rotor shells can also be used, which improves the temperature control of the samples, because the fixed-angle rotor has very good structural stability, especially in the main load directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Eppendorf AG
    Inventor: Steffen Kühnert
  • Publication number: 20150051059
    Abstract: A separator arrangement includes a drum with a vertical axis and which is rotatably mounted in a hooded area and placed on a rotatable drive spindle. The arrangement also includes a sealed drive area containing one or more or all of the components of a separator drive, and a pump that generates negative pressure in the sealed drive area relative to the surroundings outside of the drive area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: GEA Mechanical Equipment GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Mackel, Thomas Bathelt, Andreas Penkl, Dieter Strauch
  • Patent number: 8852069
    Abstract: A centrifuge includes a vacuum pump machine configured of an auxiliary vacuum pump and an oil diffusion pump for exhausting gas inside a rotary chamber to outside, in which a rotor rotates at high speed. In the centrifuge, a thermistor for detecting a temperature of oil and an oil surface inside a boiler of the oil diffusion pump is provided inside the boiler, and power of a heater is adjusted with the temperature detected by the thermistor, so that a degree of vacuum inside the rotary chamber is stably reduced from atmospheric pressure to a high vacuum state. Besides, when the heater does not heat, a current is carried through the thermistor for self-heating, and it is determined from variation in a resistance value whether the oil exists or not at a position at which the thermistor 8 is placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Haruki, Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8529424
    Abstract: There is provided a centrifuge that includes a motor, a rotor chamber accommodating a rotor that is rotated by the motor, a vacuum pump that sucks air from the rotor chamber to reduce a pressure therein, a controller that controls the centrifuge to operate selectively in one of a normal centrifuge operation mode and a pulsed operation mode in which the rotor is rotated for a short time at a speed equal to or lower than a predetermined set value, and an interface device connected to the controller to input information regarding the operation mode of the centrifuge, wherein the controller controls the vacuum pump to turn on when the centrifuge operation mode is selected by the interface device and to turn off when the pulsed operation mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8409068
    Abstract: A centrifuge comprises a rotor for holding a sample, a rotation chamber for housing the rotor, a motor for rotating the rotor, an oil diffusion pump for reducing a pressure within the rotation chamber, and a control unit for controlling the heater temperature of the oil diffusion pump for a target set temperature. The control unit changes the target set temperature from a first given temperature to a second given temperature that is lower than the first given temperature after a given period of time elapses since the start of control of the heater temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Akatsu, Masahiro Inaniwa, Hisanobu Ooyama, Shinichi Haruki
  • Patent number: 7909751
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a sample line and a rotating apparatus portion including a rotor that has a rotor chamber. The centrifugal separator centrifugally separates a sample by supplying the sample from the sample line into the rotor and driving to rotate the rotor in the rotor chamber and discharges the centrifugally separated sample from the rotor via the sample line. The centrifugal separator includes a sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing at least a portion with which the sample is brought into contact by making a sterilizing fluid flow through the sample line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tobita, Masaharu Aizawa, Katsunori Akatsu, Tomohiro Koizumi
  • Patent number: 7901342
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a sample line and a rotating apparatus portion including a rotor that has a rotor chamber. The centrifugal separator centrifugally separates a sample by supplying the sample from the sample line into the rotor and driving to rotate the rotor in the rotor chamber and discharges the centrifugally separated sample from the rotor via the sample line. The centrifugal separator includes a sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing at least a portion with which the sample is brought into contact by making a sterilizing fluid flow through the sample line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tobita, Masaharu Aizawa, Katsunori Akatsu, Tomohiro Koizumi
  • Patent number: 7794383
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes a rotator part that separates a liquid sample and has a rotor and a drive part. The rotor receives a liquid sample therein and rotates to separate the liquid sample. The drive part drives the rotor to rotate. A controller part controls operations of the rotator part which is mounted in a rotator casing. A controller casing which is separate from the rotator casing mounts the controller part, and the controller part is connected via a drive wire to the drive part in the rotator part. The rotor casing is disposed at a clean room, the controller casing is disposed outside the clean room, and the drive wire passes through a wall of the clean room via an air-tight sealing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Tetsu, Masaharu Aizawa, Katsunori Akatsu, Yoshinori Tobita, Yukiyoshi Maehara
  • Publication number: 20100204032
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a separator for separating air and possibly present solids from a mixture of dental waste water, comprising an air-water separator, wherein a mixture supply tube opens into a centrifuge drum, an air discharge duct extends from the centrifuge drum to the mixture supply tube and the centrifuge drum includes an upper drain edge over which a water outlet is guided onto the outside of the centrifuge drum. In accordance with the invention, the separator is characterized in that the mixture supply tube opens onto a central turbine wheel arranged above the centrifuge drum bottom and an impeller of a waste water delivery pump, which communicates with the water outlet, is arranged on an outside of the centrifuge drum in the vicinity of the centrifuge drum bottom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Inventors: Bruno Pregenzer, Alfred Konzett
  • Patent number: 7591775
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator includes: a sample line; and a rotating apparatus portion including a rotor that has a rotor chamber. The centrifugal separator centrifugally separates a sample by supplying the sample from the sample line into the rotor and driving to rotate the rotor in the rotor chamber and discharges the centrifugally separated sample from the rotor via the sample line. The centrifugal separator includes: a sterilizing apparatus for sterilizing at least a portion with which the sample is brought into contact by making a sterilizing fluid flow through the sample line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tobita, Masaharu Aizawa, Katsunori Akatsu, Tomohiro Koizumi
  • Publication number: 20080281256
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a centrifuge having liposuction and lipoinjection functions. The centrifuge comprises an air pump for vacuum and compression, valves, and a controller, thereby sequentially performing liposuction, centrifugation, and lipoinjection processes for autologous fat grafting using a single instrument. More specifically, the centrifuge comprises a pump device consisting of the air pump mounted in a case of the centrifuge for vacuum and compression and the valves connected to the air pump and adapted to be automatically opened or closed to selectively perform vacuum or compression, the controller to control operation of the pump device, and a connector formed at a side of the case to connect the pump device with an external unit for performing vacuum and compression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2005
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventor: HeeYoung Lee
  • Patent number: 7407474
    Abstract: Apparatus (10) for cleaning fluids such as oils comprising an inlet (12) for fluid to be cleaned, a heating unit (21) for heating the fluid, a centrifugal cleaner (24), a vacuum dehydration unit (26), a holding tank (11) and a fluid outlet (40). A first valve (13) controls communication between a first pump (20) and the inlet (12) or holding tank (11) to pump fluid from the inlet (12) or holding tank (11) to the heating unit (21) for conveyance to the centrifugal cleaner (24), the outlet of which is connected to the vacuum dehydration unit (26) and a second valve (37) controls communication between a second pump (35) and tank (11) and outlet (40) to either enable fluid to be recirculated back to the tank (11) or supplied to the outlet (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Lubemaster Australia Ltd.
    Inventor: Robert Carrington Smith
  • Patent number: 7081082
    Abstract: Method for separating blood plasma particles from a blood plasma suspension in a self-discharging centrifuge having two or more discharge slits and axially stacked baffle plates, in which the blood plasma particles are separated from the liquid phase by centrifuging and removal of the liquid phase, suctioning off liquid remaining in the drum after separation of the blood plasma particles and discharging the sediment of solid blood plasma particles from the drum by centrifugal force into a collecting container underneath the drum, the drum and the blood plasma sediment being cooled during one or more of the process steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jürgen Scholz, Markus Longerich, Ernst-Ulrich Himmen, Ulrich Esser, Rajesh Sharma, Anshuman V. Patwardhan
  • Patent number: 6817970
    Abstract: A centrifuge is provided for recovering material of interest from the interstitial fluids of plant tissues. The centrifuge includes a rotatable centrifuge bowl having a radially outer wall inclined outwardly so that during centrifugation liquid in the bowl climbs the outer wall. The centrifuge bowl is contained in a vacuum sealed housing so that a material of interest contained in the bowl including said liquid can be subjected to a vacuum. A system for automated cleaning of the centrifuge is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Large Scale Biology Corporation
    Inventors: Bradley I. Berit, Barry Bratcher, R. Barry Holtz
  • Patent number: 6682631
    Abstract: A centrifugal evaporator for evaporating a mixture of liquids having different volabilities and specific gravities, the mixture being contained in a test tube 14 pivotally mounted on a rotatable support arm 12 in a sealable vacuum chamber 16, the support arm is rotated up to a speed of the order of 2000 rpm before evaporation of the more volatile component occurs, and only then is the chamber progressively evacuated. The motor is preferably a three-phase induction motor connected to the electric supply in a frequency convertor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Genevac Limited
    Inventor: Michael Cole
  • Publication number: 20030232711
    Abstract: A centrifuge is provided for recovering material of interest from the interstitial fluids of plant tissues. The centrifuge includes a rotatable centrifuge bowl having a radially outer wall inclined outwardly so that during centrifugation liquid in the bowl climbs the outer wall. The centrifuge bowl is contained in a vacuum sealed housing so that a material of interest contained in the bowl including said liquid can be subjected to a vacuum. A system for automated cleaning of the centrifuge is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Bradley I. Berit, Barry Bratcher, R. Barry Holtz
  • Patent number: 6530871
    Abstract: A centrifuge, comprising: a centrifuge basket for separating a fed substance to be centrifuged into different constituents; a receptacle surrounding a portion of the basket; a bag insertable into the receptacle, the bag having an exterior wall and an interior for catching at least a portion of the constituents delivered by the centrifuge basket; a space surrounding the bag; and wherein the interior of the bag near an axis of rotation of the centrifuge basket is connected by a hose with the space surrounding the bag. A method of operating the centrifuge including the steps of mounting the receptacle, feeding the substance to be centrifuged, rotating the centrifuge basket and catching solids in the bag while separating the solids and liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Westfalia Separator AG
    Inventors: Wilfried Mackel, Werner Kohlstette, Thomas Kleimann, Willi Niemerg
  • Patent number: 6461287
    Abstract: A large capacity centrifugal vacuum concentrator includes a rotor assembly mounting a plurality of vertical spaced rotors mounted on a drive shaft and intervened with spacers between each lower rotor and a rotor next above, the rotors and spacers having interengaging drive transmission means for transmitting drive to the rotors and spacers when the drive shaft is driven. The rotor assembly is enclosed by a, e.g., cylindrical stainless steel cover which sits on a base and with the base defines a vacuum chamber. When the cover is elevated to open position, four quadrant access is available for loading and unloading of samples on the rotors. The rotor assembly is made up of interchangeable rotors, spacers and vessel holder frames which are selected from families of such dependent on particular vessel capacity and holder frame requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Thermo Savant Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Glater
  • Patent number: 5823937
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator for separating the solids component of a feed liquid comprises a bowl that is rotatable about a vertically disposed axis. The bowl has an interior wall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, and a generally cylindrical portion. A feed cone assembly is located at the bottom of the closed conical lower end. The feed cone assembly includes a conical outer wall and an integrally-formed, truncated cusp-shaped hub which extends upwardly towards the interior of the bowl. An annular chamber is located between the conical outer wall and the hub. A feed pipe extends from the upper end of the bowl to the lower end and includes a feed outlet which is sized and shaped to fit within the annular channel. Liquid feed is introduced into the annular channel through the feed pipe while the bowl rotates. Centrifugal force moves liquid in the annular channel outwardly along the smooth contours of the channel and onto the conical wall of the feed cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Inventor: Robert B. Carr
  • Patent number: 5743840
    Abstract: A centrifuge of the type including a housing and a rotatable bowl, and including a heating jacket located therebetween. The heating jacket is established through inflatable seals which selectively seal a space located between the bowl and the housing. The seals may be inflated when the bowl is stationary. A heating fluid is then introduced into the heating jacket so that collected solids in the bowl may be heated and dried. A vacuum may be applied to the bowl to assist in the removal of moisture from the solids. A scraper assembly, including at least one scraper, is disposed within the bowl. The scraper assembly pivots between a stowed position and an operative position to remove the solid that has collected on the inside wall surface of the bowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Carr Separations, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert B. Carr
  • Patent number: 5494579
    Abstract: A continuous decanter assembly suitable for processing nuclear materials comprises a mechanical assembly for driving a decanter bowl and an Archimedean screw. Sealing structure is provided to enable the decanter bowl and screw to be disconnected from the mechanical assembly and accessed by an operator without risk of nuclear contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Robatel
    Inventors: Michel Robatel, Alain Fraux, Jean-Pierre Davier
  • Patent number: 5431620
    Abstract: A method and system of determining an operation parameter for a centrifuge includes measuring one or more physical characteristics of a rotor interchangeably supported by a rotor drive. In the preferred embodiment, windage is measured at a first rotational speed and a speed-dependent signal is generated to adjust a vacuum system based upon changes in rotational speed of the rotor. Changes in windage may also be used as a basis for adjusting a refrigeration circuit. Either as an alternative or in addition to monitoring windage, the moment of inertia can be measured and used to adjust adaptive circuitry. For example, the drive circuitry may be adjusted based upon a determination of inertia as the physical characteristic of interest. The method and system isolate inertia and windage as the main forms of resistance to acceleration of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan L. Schenck, Jin Y. Song
  • Patent number: 5415616
    Abstract: A device for centrifugally separating a sample includes a housing which defines an enclosed chamber from which gas is evacuated via an evacuation port protected by a spinning rotor. The evacuation port is preferably located proximate to the axis of rotation of the rotor and within the interior of the rotor. A drive shaft connects the rotor to a motor positioned outside of the chamber. An annular sleeve having an inside diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft extends coaxially along the drive shaft into the chamber. The outlet of the gap between the drive shaft and the annular sleeve defines the evacuation port. A hub is fixed to the upper end of the drive shaft and includes a downwardly depending skirt that has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the annular sleeve. Gas evacuation from the chamber is initially in an upward direction along the gap between the hub skirt and the sleeve and in a downward direction from the evacuation port to a vacuum pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignee: Beckman Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Herschel E. Wright
  • Patent number: 5334130
    Abstract: A vial holding a material such as an organic liquid-containing biological specimen is received in the receptor of a holder assembly, the assembly further including a centrifugal valve. The holder is mounted on a rotor in a centrifugal vacuum concentrator and the specimen is then subjected to a treatment such as drying in the vacuum chamber. Vapor from the drying vents into the concentrator vacuum chamber, the centrifugal valve which is a normally closed component opens due to imposition thereon of centrifugal force created during and attending rotor speed above a certain RPM. At completion of the treatment and before the rotor falls from its certain RPM, a dried material protective gas blanket can be flowed into the vial, the valve closing to seal the vial and protected contents when RPM of the rotor falls below the certain RPM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Savant Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Glater, Carlos Barreda, Yury Zlobinsky
  • Patent number: 5281275
    Abstract: A sugar centrifugal operates at decreased speed to reduce crystal damage but suffers no loss of sugar crystal/molasses separation rate. This is accomplished by superposing a partial vacuum on the molasses chamber of the centrifugal which promotes removal of syrup and water from the sugar crystals through the centrifugal basket wall. Additional drying of the separated crystals is provided by injection of air above the sugar chamber to replace that which is extracted through the centrifugal basket wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Silver Engineering Works, Inc.
    Inventor: Ted D. Milner
  • Patent number: 5267937
    Abstract: A centrifuge with a self-evacuating drum, with a line for feeding the drum with the stock to be centrifuged, with at least one outlet line with an elastic section for extracting a liquid phase from the drum under pressure, and with a mechanism for expelling solids from the drum at prescribed intervals. The elastic section is accommodated in an air-tight housing. The housing communicates with a compressor through a line. The line accommodates a valve that opens prior to every solids expulsion and subjects the elastic section to pressure from outside, compressing it in response to the reduction in pressure accompanying the solids expulsion and forcing as much product from the elastic section as solids are expelled from the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Westfalia Separator AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Zettier, Siegfried Smigielski
  • Patent number: 5217572
    Abstract: The centrifugal evaporator-concentrator includes a central tubular pivot (18) surmounted by a nozzle (35) and constituting the pivot axis of a rotor (9) rotating in a vessel (8) closed by a cover (11). With the rotor rotating in the partial vacuum created by a vacuum pump (33), a small quantity of gas or air is temporarily and periodically admitted into the vessel, this gas being heated by a heating resistor (38) inside the vessel for the purpose of heating by conduction the specimens to be concentrated and of accelerating the rate of evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Jouan
    Inventors: Jean L. Guy, Michel Serveau
  • Patent number: 5211808
    Abstract: A vacuum concentrator uses microwave heating to enhance the rapid drying of a liquid specimen. Microwave heating without excessive arcing is made possible in a vacuum chamber by controlling the power of a microwave generator, by modifying antenna-like objects, and by interposing air in a direct path between opposing edges of microwave injection slots, while maintaining the vacuum condition in the vacuum chamber. This can be accomplished by using air filled plastic bosses passing through, and substantially filling the microwave injection slots. An alternate to the air filled bosses can be a non-metallic closure plate that excludes the microwave injection slots from the vacuum chamber, while allowing energy to be injected freely into the chamber. The microwave heating energy is absorbed by a vacuum chamber cover and dissipated to the atmosphere as heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Savant Instruments
    Inventors: Frank Vilardi, James Boncore, Silvio Bellotti, Yury Zlobinsky
  • Patent number: 5190515
    Abstract: An apparatus for degassing a continuously flowing liquid stream comprising an air-tight housing, in which is mounted for rotation a centrifuge bowl of circular cross-section and having an inner surface for spreading centrifugally impelled liquid to be degassed and an annular peripheral trough for retaining centrifugally impelled degassed liquid. The liquid stream is fed into the bowl and the degassed liquid is withdrawn through a tube extending from an exit line outside the housing to an open end of elongate cross-section which is positioned within the trough of the bowl and is immersible in the degassed liquid. The apparatus further provides for measuring the pressure of the exiting degassed liquid, the pressure measurement being used to regulate the flow of liquid into the bowl so as to maintain a substantially constant level of liquid therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Donald E. Eaton, Errol S. Francis, Eric L. Dillenbeck, Lawrence D. Meston, Walter Johannes
  • Patent number: 5137604
    Abstract: A solvent-containing biological material specimen is dried in a vacuum chamber with solvent evolving during the drying cycle being condensed in a refrigerated cold trap. During the drying cycle, communication of the drying chamber with the vacuum pump with which the chamber is evacuated, selectively is established or interdicted in response to raising or lowering of the vacuum condition in the chamber with respect to an initially set predetermined vacuum condition. Evolving of solvent from the specimen proceeds during interdiction by way of "cryopumping" due to the differential in pressure between the chamber and the refrigerated trap. Thus maximized solvent recovery in the trap is achieved, and carry over of solvent to the vacuum pump wherein its presence would be contaminating of the pump oil is for practical purpose eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Savant Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Warren Meeks, Yury Zlobinsky
  • Patent number: 5114533
    Abstract: Improvement in closing covers of apparatuses such as concentrators-evaporators, ultracentrifugal and centrifugal apparatuses, in which a centrifugal rotor rotates in an enclosure in which a vacuum may be established. The cover is formed by a plate (11) which is guided in translation by projections (14a, 14b) traveling in guide rails (12) so as to maintain the cover in a horizontal position when it overlies the opening and allow the pivoting of the cover when it has been displaced in its plane to a releasing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Assignee: Jouan
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Guy, Jean-Pierre Saladin
  • Patent number: 5084133
    Abstract: The centrifugal evaporator-concentrator comprises a central tubular pivot (18) surmounted by a nozzle (35) and constituting the pivot axis of a rotor (9) rotating in a vessel (8) closed by a cover (11). With the rotor rotating in the partial vacuum created by a vacuum pump (33), a small quantity of gas or air is temporarily and periodically admitted into the vessel, this gas being heated by a heating resistor (38) inside the vessel for the purpose of heating by conduction the specimens to be concentrated and of accelerating the rate of evaporation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignee: Jouan
    Inventors: Jean L. Guy, Michel Serveau
  • Patent number: 4997417
    Abstract: A seal system for mounting a centrifuge within an opening between an area which is sterile and a contiguous area wherein the rotating basket of the centrifuge and its enclosure are accessible within the sterile area and are hermetically sealed with respect to the contiguous area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: Robatel
    Inventor: Michel Martin
  • Patent number: 4983156
    Abstract: A centrifugal separator for extracting heavy metals from a slurry comprises a centrifuge bowl having an inwardly facing surface over which the slurry runs. A dam at a discharge end of the surface forms a shallow layer of particles which separate preferentially the heavy metals. The surface includes a portion formed by a plurality of annular membrane portions spaced axially and separated by radial rings extending from the surface to a supporting metal bowl. The membranes are deflated or retracted to gradually form annular cups for receiving the separated metals. The membranes are then inflated to discharge the collected materials while the feed is temporarily halted and the bowl continues to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1991
    Inventor: Benjamin Knelson
  • Patent number: 4946433
    Abstract: The drive of a centrifuge utilized in biology, biophysics and medicine includes a casing accommodating a stator and a rotor whose shaft is installed in an angular bearing and rigidly connected with a flexible shaft fixed rotatably in a dumping device. The casing has passages for the circulation of lubricant and coolant, respectively, the rotor has a blind hole arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the rotor; and the angular bearing has supporting and radial slide surfaces and is fixed in the rotor by means of the damping device so that the radial slide surface is located at least partly in the blind hole of the rotor, said bearing having passages ensuring circulation of lubricant over its supporting and radial surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventors: Boris P. Gorodissky, Alexandr I. Sambursky
  • Patent number: 4764162
    Abstract: A removable seal assembly for a centrifuge door includes a seal support plate slidably received in guide rails mounted to the undersurface of the door. The plate has a central opening lined with an annular seal support element. A flange secures the plate to the edge of the door. The support plate is slidably removable from the guide rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1988
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: William A. Romanauskas
  • Patent number: 4693702
    Abstract: A centrifuge rotor is provided with a pair of projections frangibly connected thereto. As the rotor reaches a predetermined speed the projections simultaneously fracture forming projectiles which puncture the evacuated chamber in which the rotor is mounted. Ambient air is drawn into the chamber, thereby windage limiting the speed of the rotor. The projections are each sized and positioned to impart a total unbalance less than the multiplication product of 0.5 gram-inches times the weight of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Assignee: E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: David M. Carson, Oakley L. Weyant, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4498896
    Abstract: A heatable centrifuge is formed of a rotor rotatable about a central axis. The rotor includes a dish shaped portion concentric to the central axis and a jacket portion extending upwardly from the outer peripheral edge of the dish shaped portion and disposed in parallel with the central axis. Preferably, the dish shaped portion is formed of an electrically insulating and heat insulating ceramic material and the jacket portion is formed of a high strength electrically conductive material. Sample containers are symmetrically arranged with the rotor supported with an insert within the jacket portion. Conductive heating members, such as electro-magnets, are arranged about the outer surface of the jacket portion for transmitting heat through the jacket portion to the material being centrifuged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm
    Inventor: Hans Leis
  • Patent number: 4428323
    Abstract: A chamber block for a centrifuge has a sample inlet channel at the lower end of which is disposed a dam to prevent run-through of a sample, and barrier to prevent re-entry of supernatant from a supernatant collection vial into the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1984
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: John R. Wells