Centrifuge for automatic loading

Abstract

The present invention relates to a centrifuge (10) for automatic loading, comprising a transmission shaft (44), a rotor (46), a housing (12) and a safety container (50). The transmission shaft (44) can rotate around a rotor shaft (42), the rotor (46) can be detachably coupled to the transmission shaft (44) and rotates therewith, and a storage space for placing a container for a medium to be separated is provided. The housing (12) has outer walls (14, 16, 18, 20) and a top cover (22) that define the centrifuge (10), at least one outer wall (14) has a side opening (28) facing the side for loading the required rotor (46), and a protective wall portion (34) at least partially surrounds the safety container (50). The protective wall portion (34) has a shape adapted to the outer wall (14) adjacent thereto and provided with the side opening (28) so as to close the side opening (28). The safety container (50) is fixedly connected to the protective wall portion (34) to form a safety unit (68), which is operatively connected to the adjustment device (104). The adjustment device (104) moves the safety unit (68) to open or close the side opening of the protective wall portion (34). The protective wall portion (34) can thus be moved from a closed position to an open position or from an open position to a closed position. According to the present invention, the side opening (28) extends to the top cover (22) and is adjacent to the top cover opening (30) provided on the top cover (22). The side opening (28) and the top cover opening (30) form a loading and unloading port (32). The top cover opening (30) is opened or closed by regulating the other closed wall portion (36) through the second adjustment device (106).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a centrifuge for automatic loading. Background Art

[0002] In automated systems, centrifuges equipped with automatically opening and closing loading ports are often required to work with robots for automated loading and unloading. This is particularly true for applications using microplates as carriers, as SCARA robots can only operate horizontally, so horizontal or lateral feeding is a common method of operation.

[0003] DE 10 2013 104141 A1 discloses a universal centrifuge for automatic loading. The centrifuge includes a drive shaft rotatable about a rotor axis. A rotor is sleeved on the drive shaft, removably coupled to the drive shaft and rotatable therewith. The rotor also has a space for accommodating a container of the medium to be separated. The centrifuge also includes a housing comprising outer walls defining the centrifuge and a top cover. One of the outer walls has a side opening facing sideways for loading the rotor. Furthermore, a safety container is disposed within the housing, into which the drive shaft extends centrally. The safety container is disposed around the rotor axis. The safety container is surrounded by a protective wall portion, which has the same shape as the adjacent outer wall portion of the housing. In the closed position, the protective wall portion seals the opening of the outer wall portion. The safety container is fixedly connected to the surrounding protective wall portion and forms a safety unit disposed within the housing. The safety unit cooperates with an adjustment device to move the safety unit relative to the housing, thereby opening or closing the side opening of the outer wall portion of the housing. The protective wall can thus be moved from a closed position to an open position or vice versa.

[0004] In today's industry, other types of robotic systems are increasingly using centrifuges with larger opening cross-sections or requiring longitudinal loading. However, the centrifuge must still have the characteristic of completely and reliably surrounding the rotor chamber so that in the event of a possible collision, all parts moved by the damaged rotor are blocked by the safety unit and remain inside the centrifuge.

[0005] To this end, WO 2013 / 003692 A1 provides a centrifuge with side openings and a top cover opening, which together form a loading port. The loading port can only be closed by a rotating hatch controlled by a rotating mechanism. The hatch has a shape at least corresponding to the loading port and connects the top cover of the outer shell to the outer wall of the safety container, with the connection offset along the wall thickness of the top cover and outer wall. A disadvantage of this design is that there is no protective wall surrounding the safety container other than the outer shell, and the hatch cannot be designed flexibly in terms of its function. Furthermore, the hatch opening around the safety container is the highest load area for impact by broken rotor parts in the event of a collision, significantly reducing the stability of the safety container. Consequently, it cannot meet the required safety standards. Furthermore, this centrifuge is designed for low rotor speeds. Another disadvantage of the hatch opening is that the gap between the hatch and the safety container generates air vortices, which increases noise during centrifuge operation.

[0006] US Pat. No. 9,446,417 B2 discloses another automatic charging centrifuge provided with a side opening. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a centrifuge that can ensure flexible opening of the charging port, in particular a high-speed centrifuge that can overcome the above-mentioned various defects while ensuring high stability and high safety standards of the centrifuge.

[0008] The centrifuge according to the present invention includes a drive shaft that can be driven to rotate around a rotor axis; a rotor that is detachably coupled to the drive shaft, can rotate together with the drive shaft, and has a storage space for placing a container of a medium to be separated; a housing that has outer walls and a top cover that define the centrifuge, wherein at least one of the outer walls has a side opening facing the side for loading the required rotor; a safety container that is arranged around the rotor, and into which the drive shaft extends; and a protective wall that at least partially surrounds the safety container and has a shape that is adapted to the adjacent outer wall having the side opening to close the side opening. The safety container and the protective wall are fixedly connected to form a safety unit, and the safety unit is operably connected to a first adjustment device. The safety unit is moved by the first adjustment device to open or close the side opening, and the protective wall can thus be moved from a closed position to an open position or from an open position to a closed position. According to the centrifuge of the present invention, the side opening extends to the top cover, and a top cover opening adjacent to the side opening is provided on the top cover, the side opening and the top cover opening form a loading and unloading port, and the top cover opening is opened or closed by regulating another closed wall portion through a second adjusting device.

[0009] The present invention is based on arranging a top cover opening near the side opening and combining a double-walled closing unit to close the charging port, which can increase the safety design possibilities of the centrifuge, especially for the weak part of the centrifuge, namely the charging port.

[0010] Therefore, according to the present invention, the side opening of the centrifuge extends to the top cover, and a top cover opening is formed in the top cover adjacent to the side opening. The side opening and the top cover opening form a loading port. The top cover opening is opened or closed by adjusting another closed wall portion via a second adjustment device. This design allows for robot operation without compromising the safety of the centrifuge. Robots often require a larger loading port and particularly upward space during the loading and unloading process.

[0011] Preferably, the first and second closing devices are coupled so that the respective opening and closing movements of the protective wall and the closure wall are coordinated with each other.

[0012] The coupling between the first and second closing devices can be either electrical or mechanical. If mechanical coupling is employed, the coupling between the first and second closing devices is such that during opening, the protective wall opens first, followed by the closing wall. During closing, the opposite occurs, with the closing wall closing first, followed by the protective wall. This design has the advantage of allowing for other structural designs to enhance the stability of the charging port area in the closed position.

[0013] Preferably, the enclosing wall is arranged to be movable in translation, in particular in translation perpendicular to the rotor axis, so that the space for the enclosing wall to move is small.

[0014] In order to improve the stability of the closing wall, it is designed to extend into the side opening in the closed position, in particular to form a plane with the protective wall on the outer side.

[0015] In the closed position, the closing wall partially overlaps the protective wall, and the protective wall correspondingly has a flange partially engaging with the closing wall, so that stability and safety in the region of the charging opening in the closed position are increased.

[0016] To ensure effective cooling during operation, an air inlet is provided in both the closure wall and the housing cover. These two inlets are aligned when the centrifuge is in the closed position. Therefore, during centrifuge operation, air first enters through the housing cover inlet and then flows into the rotor chamber through the closure wall inlet.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a spring is provided that acts on the sealing wall toward the closed position, so that the sealing wall can only be opened after overcoming the spring force. This ensures that the sealing wall remains in the closed position during centrifuge operation, thereby preventing the charging port from accidentally opening during operation.

[0018] Preferably, the enclosing wall is made of sheet metal. This allows for a compact and cost-effective design, and its good deformability allows it to absorb the energy of impacting parts in the event of damage. The safety container can also be formed from deep-drawn sheet metal, converting the kinetic energy of parts thrown off after a collision into deformation energy.

[0019] The protective wall portion can be a part of a protective cover arranged around the safety container. Such a design can make the structural design of the centrifuge more compact and further improve the safety of the centrifuge.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present invention, safety in the event of a crash is significantly enhanced if the protective cover is completely closed horizontally along its height. In other words, it lacks any openings or recesses for loading or unloading. Consequently, the areas of the centrifuge subject to the highest loads in a crash, where fragments would strike if the rotor ruptured, are not weakened by the provision of these openings.

[0021] The protective shield is preferably made of sheet metal, which provides good energy absorption in the event of a collision. This allows kinetic energy to be easily converted into deformation energy. Alternatively, the safety container can also be made of sheet metal.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the safety container is designed to be rotationally symmetrical and can also be closed radially along its height. This design makes the safety container stronger and is not affected by notches or openings.

[0023] To further enhance safety, the enclosure wall is dimensioned so that, in the closed position, it completely encloses the safety container and / or the protective cover. Therefore, both the enclosure wall and the housing cover are positioned toward the top, shielding the rotor cavity and absorbing energy from parts thrown off the rotor in the event of damage.

[0024] When in the closed position, the safety container and / or the protective cover rests sealingly against the closure wall, thereby preventing any possible leakage of the liquid in the rotor chamber.

[0025] Preferably, the safety container and / or the protective cover are each provided with a sealing member on a side thereof facing the closing wall (when in the closed position).

[0026] The sides of the closed wall portion are respectively provided with support walls extending downwards and respectively connected to the second adjusting device, so that the required safety can be further improved. The support walls are preferably integrally formed with the closed wall portion and made of the same material as the closed wall portion.

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first adjustment device includes at least one push rod pivotally connected to the safety unit at a side of the safety unit and pivotally connected to a laterally movable slider at the bottom of the centrifuge. This arrangement places the necessary components of the adjustment device close to the bottom.

[0028] Preferably, the second adjustment device is provided with at least one linkage member in the slider area, which is operatively coupled to the slider after the slider moves a predetermined stroke. The predetermined stroke distance mainly depends on the height of the closing wall portion extending into the side opening portion when in the closed position.

[0029] The safety container may also be provided with a central recess to enable its opening or closing movement relative to the transmission shaft. A guard plate is further provided, which is arranged around the transmission shaft and covers the central recess in the closed position. The guard plate, the safety container and the closure wall define a rotor chamber containing the rotor, except for the passage for the transmission shaft.

[0030] Further advantages, features and possible applications of the present invention can be derived from the following description and the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.

[0031] In the description, claims and drawings, the terms and reference signs used are listed in the following list of reference signs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In the attached figure:

[0033] Figure 1 This is a top perspective view of the centrifuge according to the present invention, with the charging port almost open;

[0034] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A perspective view of the centrifuge is shown with the charging port closed;

[0035] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A longitudinal section of the centrifuge is shown with the charging port in a closed position;

[0036] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A longitudinal section of the centrifuge is shown with the charging port open;

[0037] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A side view of the centrifuge shown without the housing, drive unit and rotor, with the safety unit and closure wall in the closed position;

[0038] Figure 6 for Figure 5 a side view of the safety unit and the closure wall shown in a first intermediate position when moving from the closed position to the open position;

[0039] Figure 7 for Figure 6 a side view of the safety unit and the closure wall shown in a second intermediate position when moved from the closed position to the open position;

[0040] Figure 8 for Figure 7 A side view showing the safety unit and the closure wall in an open position;

[0041] Figure 9 A perspective view of the sliders of the first and second adjustment devices in a closed position;

[0042] Figure 10 for Figure 9 a perspective view of the safety unit and the closure wall portion shown in a first intermediate position when moved from the closed position to the open position;

[0043] Figure 11 for Figure 9 a perspective view of the safety unit and the closure wall portion shown in a second intermediate position when moved from the closed position to the open position;

[0044] Figure 12 for Figure 9 A perspective view showing the safety unit and the closure wall in the open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The accompanying drawings show an embodiment of an automatic loading / unloading centrifuge 10. The centrifuge 10 includes a housing 12 having a front wall 14, a rear wall 16, a left side wall 18, and a right side wall 20. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the top of the housing 12 is closed by a top cover 22, and the bottom of the housing 12 is fixedly connected to a bottom plate 24. A support leg 26 is provided at each corner of the bottom plate 24, that is, four support legs 26 are provided in total.

[0046] The housing 12 is provided with adjacent rectangular recesses 28 and 30 in a central region between the front wall 14 and the top cover 22 , respectively, which together form a loading and unloading opening 32 of the centrifuge 10 .

[0047] The loading and unloading opening 32 is configured to be closable. Specifically, the recess 28 located on the front wall 14 is closed by a protective wall portion 34 , and the recess 30 located on the top cover 22 is closed by a closing wall portion 36 .

[0048] like Figure 2As shown, an air inlet 38 is designed adjacent to the recess 30 located in the top cover 22. When the loading and unloading opening 32 is in a closed state, the air inlet 38 is aligned with another air inlet 40 located in the closed wall portion 36.

[0049] Especially Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, centrifuge 10 includes a drive shaft 44 rotatable about a rotor axis 42. A rotor 46 is removably coupled to drive shaft 44 and rotates therewith. Rotor 46 has a suspension 47 on which is mounted a well plate 48 (e.g., a microplate or deep-well plate). Well plate 48 has numerous wells for filling with a liquid to be centrifuged. A robot can be used to place and remove the filled well plates from the centrifuge.

[0050] The safety container 50 is of rotationally symmetrical design and is designed to surround the rotor 46 in the radial direction over the entire height of the rotor and extend beyond the top and bottom of the rotor 46. A circular recess 52 is provided at the bottom of the safety container 50, the dimensions of which allow the safety container to be tilted, as will be described in detail below. Figure 3 As shown, when the safety container 50 is in the operating state of the centrifuge 10 , the circular recess 52 is closed by a protection plate 54 of rotationally symmetrical design.

[0051] Guard plate 54 is coaxially mounted with transmission case 56 and connected to transmission case 56 via bolts 58. Drive shaft 44 is rotatably mounted within transmission case 56 and driven by a drive motor 60. Transmission case 56 is fixedly connected to base plate 24, and guard plate 54 is also fixedly connected to base plate 24 via transmission case 56. Guard plate 54 surrounds transmission shaft 44 but does not contact it. Rotor 46 is mounted on transmission shaft 44 above guard plate 54. During centrifuge operation, transmission shaft 44 and rotor 46 mounted thereon rotate relative to guard plate 54 and transmission case 56.

[0052] The safety container 50 is surrounded by a rectangular protective cover 62. The protective cover 62 has a front face formed on the protective wall portion 34. Furthermore, the protective cover 62 includes left and right side walls 64 and a rear wall 66. The protective cover 62 and the safety container 50 form a safety unit 68. An annular seal 70 is provided on the upper edge of the safety container 50.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, when the safety unit 68 is in operation of the centrifuge 10, the seal 70 is sealingly abutted against the closure wall 36. In this position, the closure wall 36, the safety container 50, and the guard plate 54 define a closed rotor cavity 72. The drive shaft 44 and the rotor 46 engage in the rotor cavity 72.

[0054] The closed wall portion 36 is provided with side walls 74 extending toward the bottom plate 24 on both sides. Figures 7 to 12As shown, the lower regions of the side walls 74 are respectively embedded in guide rails 76, which are parallel to the base plate 24, extend in the longitudinal direction of the centrifuge 10, and are secured by bolts. The closing wall 36 and the side walls 74 thus form another housing unit 78 that is movable along the guide rails. The closing wall 36 is disposed directly below the top cover 22 of the housing 12.

[0055] like Figures 5 to 8 The manner in which the safety unit 68 and the further housing unit 78 with the closing wall 36 are moved in order to move the centrifuge 10 from the operating position (see Figure 2 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 5 ) transition to the loading and unloading position (see Figure 1 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 8 To open the safety unit 68, a push rod 80 is provided on the inner side of each side wall 64 of the protective cover 62. The push rod 80 is pivotally connected at its free end to the upper region of each side wall 64 via a connector 80a. The push rod 80 extends to the guide rail 76 and is pivotally connected to a slider 82 that is movable along the guide rail 76.

[0056] The slider 82 is in turn engaged with another slider 84, which is movable along another guide rail 86. The other guide rail 86 extends parallel to the guide rail 76. The slider 82 is connected to the other slider 84 and will be described in detail below.

[0057] Another slide block 84 is connected to a screw rod 88, and the screw rod 88 is connected to a driver 90. The driver 90 is used to drive the screw rod 88 to rotate, so that another slide block 84 engaged with the screw rod 88 and its thread can be translated along another guide rail 86.

[0058] On the inner side of the side wall 64, away from the connection head 80a, a hinge 92 is provided at a position approximately at the same height as the side wall 64 in the operating position. The safety unit 68 can be pivoted around a fixed axis by means of the hinge 92. The hinge 92 is connected to the base plate 24 via a support arm (not shown for clarity).

[0059] The first slider 82 is connected to one end of a coil spring 94, and the other end of the coil spring 94 is connected to the side wall 74 of the other housing unit 78 on the side away from the first slider 82. Thus, the coil spring 94 keeps the closing wall portion 36 in the direction of the operating position, that is, it is restrained by the elastic force of the coil spring 94.

[0060] Both side walls 74 of the other housing unit 78 are equipped with a structure composed of sliders 82, 84, guide rails 76, 86, and a screw 88. Only a drive 90 is provided on one side, and this drive 90 is connected to the other screw 88 via a toothed belt. Therefore, the two screws 88 can be driven synchronously to move the sliders 82, 84 along the two side walls 74.

[0061] Especially Figure 3 、 Figure 4 as well as Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the free end portion of the closing wall portion 36 extends into the recess 28. The corresponding area of the protective wall portion 34 is formed with a flange so that the protective wall portion 34 and the closing wall portion 36 are in the operating position (see Figure 3 and Figure 5 ) overlap.

[0062] Figures 9 to 12 The structural details of the first guide rail 76 and the second guide rail 86 are shown in detail. Each side wall 74 is connected to a first guide rail 76, and the bottom surface of the first guide rail 76 is parallel to the side wall 74. A linkage member 96 is provided within the guide rail 76 region of the side wall 74. The linkage member 96 is positioned relative to the sliders 82 and 84 so that a stop block 98 associated with the linkage member 96 and connected to the second slider 84 only abuts the linkage member 96 after the slider 84 has slid through a predetermined travel.

[0063] The second guide rail 86 mainly includes two guide rods, on which the second slider 84 is arranged. The bottom of the second guide rail 86 is parallel to the bottom plate 24.

[0064] The first slide 82 engages the first guide rail 76. The second slide 84 has an L-shaped support structure, the upper portion of which engages one end of the coil spring 94. The connector 100 of the push rod 80 extends vertically from the support structure. The rear side of the stop block 98 corresponds to the shape of the connector 100.

[0065] Figure 5 and Figure 9 The centrifuge 10 is shown in its operating position. The closing wall 36 closes the recess 30 in the top cover 22, and the protective wall 34 closes the recess 28 in the front wall 14. The loading and unloading opening 32 is thus closed. The centrifuge 10 can separate the media in the sample containers in the rotor 46.

[0066] If the separation process is complete and the centrifuge 10 is to be unloaded and / or loaded, the loading and unloading opening 32 must be opened. To this end, the actuator 90 moves the slide 82 and slide 84 to the right, tilting the protective wall 34 and the safety element 68 downward. This causes the push rod 80 to pivot, and the safety element 68 to tilt about the fixed hinge 92. Only then can the overlapping area of the closing wall 36 and the protective wall 34 be separated again. Figure 6 and Figure 10 Shown is a first intermediate position from the operating position to the loading and unloading position. In this case, the slide 82 moves along with the other slide 84 until the stop block 98 resists the linkage 96. At this time, the protection wall 34 and the closed wall 36 no longer overlap.

[0067] Next, the safety unit 68 and the protective wall 34 pivot together around the hinge 92 until the front lower end of the safety unit 68 and the lower end of the protective wall 34 rest against a fixed support 102. The support 102 is fixedly connected to the base plate. The slider 82 and the slider 84 move together, causing the safety unit 68 to pivot. During this process, the push rod 80 rotates around the connector 100. At the same time, the other housing unit 78 moves together with the sliders 82 and 84 until the front end of the safety unit rests against the support 102. See details. Figure 1 、 Figure 7 and Figure 11 shown.

[0068] Next, the slider 84 continues to move, but the slider 82 stops because further rotation is no longer possible. The slider 82, the push rod 80, and the safety unit 68 are supported by the hinge 92. The slider 84 continues to move to the loading and unloading position under the drive 90, and the other housing unit 78 including the closing wall 36 and the two side walls 74 also continues to move. Figure 4 、 Figure 8 and Figure 12 shown.

[0069] The slider 84 is driven by a screw rod and a motor, which on the one hand drives the first slider to move (left linkage function), and on the other hand drives the closed wall to move after a period of time (right linkage function).

[0070] Left linkage function: The safety container is lowered from the closed position to the end position.

[0071] Right linkage function: moving the closed wall.

[0072] The process includes:

[0073] Phase 1: The first slide 82 drives the safety unit 68 to tilt, and the closed wall 36 remains stationary

[0074] Stage 2: The first slider 82 drives the safety unit 68 to tilt and drives the closed wall 36 to move

[0075] Phase 3: The first slide 82 stops, the safety unit reaches the end position, and the closing wall portion 36 continues to move to the other end position.

[0076] The movements of the protective wall 34 and the closing wall 36 are thus coordinated and interrelated. During the opening movement, the protective wall 34 opens first, and after a while, the closing wall 36 opens. During the closing movement, the protective wall 36 closes first, and after a while, the closing wall 34 closes.

[0077] During the opening movement, the closing wall 36 is translated parallel to the guide rail 76 , ie perpendicularly to the rotor axis 42 .

[0078] The protective cover 62, the safety container 50, the protective wall 34 and the closed wall 36 are all made of metal plates. The protective cover 62 and the safety container 50 are both horizontally closed along their height.

[0079] The closing wall 36 completely closes the safety container 50 in the operating position / closed position.

[0080] Label list

[0081] 10 centrifuges

[0082] 12 shell

[0083] 14 Anterior wall

[0084] 16 Back wall

[0085] 18 Left wall

[0086] 20 Right side wall

[0087] 22 top cover

[0088] 24 bottom plate

[0089] 26 legs

[0090] 28 notches, located on the front wall

[0091] 30 notches, located on the top cover

[0092] 32 loading and unloading port of centrifuge 10

[0093] 34 Protective wall portion for closing the recess 28

[0094] 36 is a closing wall portion for closing the recess 30

[0095] 38 air intake of top cover 22

[0096] 40 Another air intake port of the closed wall 36

[0097] 42 rotor shaft

[0098] 44 drive shaft

[0099] 46 rotors

[0100] 47 rotor 46 suspension

[0101] 48-well plate

[0102] 50 safety containers

[0103] 52 Notch for safety container

[0104] 54 notch 52 guard plate

[0105] 56 transmission box

[0106] 58 bolts

[0107] 60 drive motor

[0108] 62 protective cover

[0109] 64 side wall of the protective cover 62

[0110] 66 back wall

[0111] 68 Safety unit formed by safety container 50 and protective cover 62

[0112] 70 Safety container 50 seal

[0113] 72 rotor cavity

[0114] 74 side wall connected to the closed wall portion 36

[0115] 76 guide rails

[0116] 78 Another housing unit formed by the closed wall portion 36 and two side walls 74

[0117] 80 putter

[0118] 80a Connector of push rod 80

[0119] 82 first slider

[0120] 84 second slider

[0121] 86 Another rail

[0122] 88 screw

[0123] 90 Drive

[0124] 92 hinge

[0125] 94 coil spring

[0126] 96 linkage parts

[0127] 98 stop block

[0128] 100 Push rod 80 connector on first slider 82

[0129] 102 bearings

Claims

1. A centrifuge (10) for automatic loading, comprising: a drive shaft (44) capable of rotating around the rotor shaft (42) under driving; b. a rotor (46) detachably coupled to the drive shaft (44), capable of rotating together with the drive shaft (44), and having a storage space for placing a container for a medium to be separated; c. a housing (12) having outer side walls (14, 16, 18, 20) and a top cover (22) defining the centrifuge (10), wherein at least one of the outer side walls (14, 16, 18, 20) has a side opening (28) facing the side for loading a desired rotor (46); d. a safety container (50) disposed around the rotor (46), wherein the drive shaft (44) extends into the safety container, e. A protective wall portion (34) at least partially surrounding the safety container (50) and having a shape adapted to the outer side wall (14, 16, 18, 20) adjacent thereto and having a side opening (28) so as to close the side opening (28); The safety container (50) is fixedly connected to the protective wall portion (34) to form a safety unit (68), and the safety unit (68) is operably connected to the first adjusting device (104). The safety unit (68) is moved by means of the first adjusting device (104) to enable the protective wall portion (34) to open or close the side opening (28), so that the protective wall portion (34) can be moved from a closed position to an open position or from an open position to a closed position. It is characterized in that the side opening (28) extends to the top cover (22), and a top cover opening (30) adjacent to the side opening (28) is provided on the top cover (22), the side opening (28) and the top cover opening (30) form a loading and unloading port (32), and the top cover opening (30) is opened or closed by regulating another closed wall portion (36) through a second adjusting device (106).

2. The centrifuge according to claim 1, wherein The first adjusting device (104) is coupled to the second adjusting device (106) so that the opening movement and the closing movement of the protective wall portion (34) and the closing wall portion (36) are coordinated with each other.

3. The centrifuge according to claim 2, wherein The first adjusting device (104) is mechanically coupled to the second adjusting device (106).

4. The centrifuge according to claim 3, wherein The coupling connection mode of the first adjusting device (104) and the second adjusting device (106) is such that during the opening movement, the protective wall portion (34) opens first, followed by the closing wall portion (36); while during the closing movement, the opposite is true, with the closing wall portion (36) closing first, followed by the protective wall portion (34).

5. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The closed wall portion (36) is configured to be translationally movable.

6. The centrifuge according to claim 5, characterized in that The closing wall portion (36) is arranged to move perpendicularly to the translation of the rotor axis (42).

7. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The closing wall portion (36) is designed to extend into the side opening (28) in the closed position.

8. The centrifuge according to claim 7, characterized in that When in the closed position, the closing wall (36) and the protective wall (34) form a plane on the outer side of the centrifuge (10).

9. The centrifuge according to claim 7, wherein When in the closed position, the closing wall portion (36) partially overlaps the protective wall portion (34), and the protective wall portion (34) has a flange partially engaged with the closing wall portion (36).

10. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The closed wall portion (36) is provided with an air inlet (40), and the top cover (22) of the housing (12) is also provided with an air inlet (38), and the two air inlets are aligned with each other in the closed position.

11. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that A spring (94) is also provided, and the spring (94) acts on the closed wall portion (36) in the direction of the closed position, so that the closed wall portion (36) needs to overcome the elastic force of the spring (94) to open.

12. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The closed wall portion (36) is made of a metal plate.

13. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The protective wall portion (34) is part of a protective cover (62), which fully surrounds the safety container (50) in the circumferential direction.

14. The centrifuge according to claim 13, wherein The protective cover (62) is fully closed in the horizontal direction along its height.

15. The centrifuge according to claim 13, wherein The protective cover (62) is made of a metal plate.

16. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The safety container (50) is made of metal plate.

17. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The safety container (50) is of rotationally symmetrical design and is closed in a radial direction along its height.

18. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The size of the closing wall portion (36) is designed so that the closing wall portion (36) completely closes the safety container (50) when in the closed position.

19. The centrifuge according to claim 13, wherein The size of the closing wall portion (36) is designed so that the closing wall portion (36) completely encloses the protective cover (62) when in the closed position.

20. The centrifuge according to claim 13, wherein When in the closed position, the safety container (50) and / or the protective cover (62) rests sealingly against the closure wall (36).

21. The centrifuge according to claim 20, wherein The safety container (50) and / or the protective cover (62) are each designed with a sealing member (70) on one side facing the closed wall portion (36) when the safety container (50) and / or the protective cover (62) are in a closed position.

22. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The side surfaces of the closed wall portion (36) respectively have support walls (74) extending downwards, which are respectively connected to the second adjusting device (106).

23. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The first adjustment device (104) includes at least one push rod (80) pivotally connected to the side of the safety unit (68) and pivotally connected to a driven slide (82, 84) that can be displaced laterally at the bottom of the centrifuge (10).

24. The centrifuge according to claim 23, wherein The second adjusting device (106) is provided with at least one linkage member (96) in the area of the slider (82, 84), respectively. The linkage member (96) is operably coupled to the slider (82, 84) after the slider (82, 84) moves a predetermined stroke.

25. The centrifuge according to claim 24, wherein The distance of the predetermined stroke depends on the height of the portion of the closing wall portion (36) extending into the side opening (28) when in the closed position.

26. The centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that The safety container (50) is further provided with a central recess (52) to enable the safety unit (68) to move in an opening or closing manner relative to the transmission shaft (44).

27. The centrifuge according to claim 26, wherein A guard plate (54) is also provided, which is arranged around the transmission shaft (44) and covers the central recess (52) when in the closed position. The safety container (50) and the closing wall (36) fully define a rotor chamber (72) containing the rotor (46), but do not include a passage for the transmission shaft (44).

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