Abstract: An improved centrifuge assembly comprising a channeled rotor assembly and a ring-like fluid container disposed in the channel, whereby the centrifugal separation effects in the fluid container are determined by the geometry of the channel in the rotor. The fluid container is preferably formed from semirigid plastic material in the form of a tube having a rectangular cross section and is considered a disposable item to be discarded after a single use. The rotor assembly preferably includes a removable filler piece or center piece formed from a single piece of material, such as rigid plastic, as by molding, dimensioned to form, with the wall of the centrifuge bowl, a circular channel having dimensions appropriate to receive the semirigid container, which is suitably bent and placed in the channel. Fluid connections are provided from each end of the container to an axially located multichannel rotating seal. The connections lie in a plurality of radial slots in the filler piece.

Abstract: A centrifuge structure for automatically separating a plurality of aliquot samples of blood plasma for testing from an initial sample of whole blood. A centrifuge bowl is provided with a bottom surface sloping upwardly and outwardly and joined to a vertical circular outer wall. A plurality of radially extending vertical septa or partitions divide the outer portion of the bowl into a plurality of radially extending chambers. Each of these chambers is provided with an exit port in the bottom surface. Whole blood placed in the bowl is forced radially outward by the centrifugal action of the bowl when rotated, and separates into different fractions. The selected fractions are moved to the vicinity of the exit ports by selectively changing the rotational velocity of the centrifuge and are then valved to other containers by opening valves connected to the exit ports.