Inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism of large-size centrifugal tube

Abstract

The inert gel thixotropic stabilizing mechanism comprises the centrifugal tube, and the bottom of an inner cavity of the centrifugal tube is an inert gel gathering area; the device is characterized in that a separator for separating the inert gel gathering area is arranged at the bottom of the inner cavity of the centrifugal tube, the separator is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the centrifugal tube, the separator is submerged in the inert gel, and the inert gel above and / or below the separator is kept in a communicated state. The inert gel can be stably gathered at the bottom of the inner cavity of the centrifugal tube in a standby state, so that the free phenomenon of the gel is effectively avoided; and meanwhile, the thixotropy of the inert gel flowing only during centrifugation is not influenced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a centrifuge tube with added inert glue. Background Technology

[0002] Centrifuge tubes containing inert gel (separating gel) allow for complete separation of the liquid components (serum) and solid components (red blood cells) in blood after centrifugation. The inert gel aggregates between the two components, forming a barrier. The inert gel in the centrifuge tube exhibits thixotropy, flowing only during centrifugation. As a non-Newtonian fluid, its viscosity changes with external forces (such as centrifugal force). In a static state, the network structure of the inert gel forms a high-viscosity gel through hydrogen bonds, maintaining a stable shape. Centrifugal force disrupts this hydrogen bond network, transforming it into a low-viscosity fluid, allowing it to flow. After centrifugation stops, the hydrogen bonds reform, restoring the gel state and achieving separation of serum and red blood cells. The key to its precise separation lies in its specific gravity design; the specific gravity of the inert gel (1.04–1.06 g / cm³) is crucial. 3 The serum concentration was between 1.02 and 1.03 g / cm³. 3 ) and red blood cells (1.08–1.10 g / cm³) 3 Between ), during centrifugation, the inert gel is squeezed to the interface between the serum and red blood cells due to the difference in specific gravity, forming an inert insulating layer.

[0003] In existing technologies, the addition of inert glue to achieve centrifugal stratification is only applied to small-sized centrifuge tubes, whose outer diameter is generally no more than 16 mm. Under normal circumstances, the inert glue in spare centrifuge tubes should accumulate at the bottom of the tube and maintain a stable state, flowing only during centrifugation. However, when inert glue is added to larger centrifuge tubes, the inert glue is easily scattered and flowed during daily transportation or storage due to factors such as bumps, vibrations, and tilting, resulting in a free-floating phenomenon: that is, inert glue fragments, oil droplets, and other free bodies are scattered on the centrifuge tube wall. After blood is added to the centrifuge tubes, these free-floating inert glue particles become mixed into the blood, constituting impurities that affect the accuracy of test results, rendering unused centrifuge tubes unusable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned drawbacks, the technical problem this invention aims to solve is to provide a large-size centrifuge tube with added inert glue, effectively preventing the occurrence of glue release. To solve this problem, the technical solution adopted by this invention is an inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for a large-size centrifuge tube, comprising a centrifuge tube, with the bottom of the inner cavity of the centrifuge tube being an inert glue accumulation area; characterized in that a separator is provided at the bottom of the inner cavity of the centrifuge tube to separate the inert glue accumulation area, the separator is fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube, the separator is submerged in the inert glue, and the inert glue above and / or below the separator remains in communication.

[0005] The beneficial effect of this invention is that, in the standby state, the inert glue can be stably gathered at the bottom of the inner cavity of the centrifuge tube, effectively preventing the occurrence of glue free movement; at the same time, it does not affect the thixotropic property of the inert glue, which only flows during centrifugation.

[0006] In one embodiment, the separator divides the inert glue accumulation area in a direction parallel to the centrifuge tube axis.

[0007] The separator can have various structural forms:

[0008] In one embodiment, the separator is composed of several intersecting partitions, with the sides and / or bottom of the partitions fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube. Preferably, the separator is a cross structure formed by two intersecting partitions.

[0009] In one embodiment, the separator is formed of a ring, the bottom or side of which is fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube.

[0010] In one embodiment, the separator is composed of a strip, the root of which is fixed to the bottom or side of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube.

[0011] In one embodiment, the separator is composed of a sheet, the root of which is fixed to the bottom or side of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube.

[0012] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time.

[0013] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0014] It should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0015] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0016] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0017] In this invention, as a concise expression, the "and / or" relationship between two elements means that the two elements can have a logical relationship of "and" or a logical relationship of "or".

[0018] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0019] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of Example 1 (without the addition of inert glue).

[0021] Figure 2 This is a side view of Example 1 (without inert glue).

[0022] Figure 3 This is a top view of Example 1.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of Example 1 (with inert glue added).

[0024] Figure 5 This is a side view of Example 1 (with inert glue added).

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the included angle α described in Example 1.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of Example 2.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a side view of Example 2.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of Example 3.

[0029] Figure 10 This is a top view of Example 3.

[0030] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of Example 4.

[0031] Figure 12 This is a top view of Example 4.

[0032] Figures 13-24 This is a top view of another embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Example 1: See Appendix Figure 1-6This invention describes a specific structure of the inert glue thixotropic stabilization mechanism for large-size centrifuge tubes. In this invention, centrifuge tubes with an outer diameter of not less than 25 mm are collectively referred to as large-size centrifuge tubes (e.g., centrifuge tubes with capacities of 20 ml, 30 ml, 40 ml, and 50 ml). The bottom of the inner cavity of centrifuge tube 1 is an inert glue accumulation area.

[0034] The centrifuge tube 1 has a separator 2 at the bottom of its inner cavity. In this example, the separator 2 is a cross structure formed by the intersection of the center portions of the first separator 201 and the second separator 202. The first separator 201 and the second separator 202 are semi-circular, and their bottoms and sides are fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube 1. In actual production, the centrifuge tube and the separators can be injection molded in one step. The separator 2 separates the inert glue accumulation area. The separator 2 is submerged in the inert glue, while the inert glue above the separator 2 remains connected.

[0035] According to our research, the reason for the aforementioned colloid ionization phenomenon is likely due to the increased radial dimension of the centrifuge tube affecting the thixotropic properties of the inert gel: the volume of the inert gel accumulated at the bottom of the centrifuge tube is too large, weakening the ability of the high-viscosity gel with hydrogen bond network structure to maintain a stable shape, making it easy for the inert gel to scatter and flow due to bumps, vibrations, tilting, or inverted placement.

[0036] The added separators can divide and limit the volume of the high-viscosity gel and form ribs for adhering the high-viscosity gel, effectively enhancing the overall stability of the high-viscosity gel. In standby mode, it can prevent the occurrence of gel detachment and prevent the inert gel from scattering and flowing due to bumps, vibrations, tilting, or inverted placement.

[0037] Meanwhile, because the separator 2 is submerged in the inert glue and the inert glue as a whole remains connected, the centrifugation process does not affect the flowability of the inert glue, which becomes a low-viscosity fluid, and does not prevent the inert glue from being squeezed to the junction of serum and red blood cells due to the difference in specific gravity, thus forming an inert isolation layer.

[0038] In the example, the first separator 201 and the second separator 202 separate the inert gel accumulation area along a direction parallel to the axis of the centrifuge tube 1. That is, the height direction (N) of the separator is parallel to the direction (M) of the axis of the centrifuge tube 1, and the angle α between N and M is 0 degrees. At this time, the upward flow of the inert gel, which becomes a low-viscosity fluid, is minimized, while not hindering its function of separating and confining the volume of the high-viscosity gel and forming the ribs for adhering the high-viscosity gel. Of course, this parallelism should be understood as close to or approaching parallelism. In fact, as Figure 6As shown, the angle α between the height direction N of the separator 2 and the direction M of the centrifuge tube 1 is an optional factor. The larger the angle α is, the more feasible it is in other embodiments. In other scenarios, such as when the flowability of the low-viscosity fluid inert glue can be increased by increasing the centrifugal force, the angle α can be in the range of 0 to 90 degrees.

[0039] The example shows a cross structure formed by two intersecting spacers. In other embodiments, the spacer can be composed of more intersecting spacers, such as... Figure 13 The three separators shown divide the bottom space of separator 1 into six triangular lattices. It can also be divided into lattices of other shapes, such as... Figures 14-16 As shown.

[0040] Example 2: See Appendix Figure 7-8 This illustrates another specific structure of the present invention. The difference from Embodiment 1 lies in the structure of the separator. The shapes of the first separator 201 and the second separator 202 are changed. Only the inner walls of the centrifuge tube 1 are fixed to the two sides of the separator; their bottoms are no longer connected to the inner walls. A cavity 203 is present at the bottom of the separator, allowing the inert adhesive above and below the separator 2, which is submerged in the inert adhesive, to remain in communication. The separator 2 appears to be suspended within the inert adhesive. This cavity can also be provided in other embodiments, not limited to this example.

[0041] Example 3: See Appendix Figure 9-10 This illustrates another specific structure of the present invention. The difference from Embodiment 1 lies in the structure of the separator, which is composed of three strip-shaped bodies 3. In this example, the strip-shaped bodies 3 are three cylinders distributed at the bottom of the centrifuge tube's inner cavity, with the base of each cylinder fixed to the bottom of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube 1. In other embodiments, the strip-shaped bodies 3 can also be prisms or other similar shapes, and the base of each strip-shaped body 3 can also be fixed to the side of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube 1.

[0042] Example 4: See Appendix Figure 11-12 This illustrates another specific structure of the present invention. The difference from Embodiment 1 lies in the structure of the separator, which is composed of three plates 4 distributed at the bottom of the centrifuge tube's inner cavity. In this example, the base of the plates 4 is fixed to the bottom of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube 1. In other embodiments, the base of the plates 4 may also be fixed to the side of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube 1. Other numbers, shapes, and structures of plates are also possible, such as... Figures 17-19 As shown.

[0043] Example 5: See Appendix Figure 20 This illustrates another specific structure of the present invention. The difference from Embodiment 1 lies in the structure of the separator. In this example, the separator consists of two concentric separator rings 5, with the bottom of each ring fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube. Other embodiments, such as... Figure 24 The triangular outer isolation ring shown can also be fixed to the side of the inner wall of centrifuge tube 1. Other numbers, shapes, and structures of isolation rings are also possible, such as... Figures 21-23 As shown.

[0044] The embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. The embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and describes these embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention. However, the invention can be implemented in many ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the spirit of the invention. Therefore, the invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents, and not by the specific embodiments disclosed.

Claims

1. A thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for an inert adhesive in a large-size centrifuge tube, comprising a centrifuge tube, wherein the bottom of the inner cavity of the centrifuge tube is an inert adhesive accumulation area; characterized in that, The centrifuge tube has a separator at the bottom of its inner cavity that separates the inert glue accumulation area. The separator is fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube and is submerged in the inert glue. The inert glue above and / or below the separator remains in communication.

2. The inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for large-size centrifuge tubes as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The separator divides the inert glue accumulation area in a direction parallel to the centrifuge tube axis.

3. The inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for large-size centrifuge tubes as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The separator is composed of several intersecting isolation plates, with the sides and / or bottom of the isolation plates fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube.

4. The inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for large-size centrifuge tubes as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The separator is a cross structure formed by the intersection of two separator plates.

5. The inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for a large-size centrifuge tube as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The separator is composed of a ring, and the bottom or side of the ring is fixed to the inner wall of the centrifuge tube.

6. The inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for a large-size centrifuge tube as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The separator is made of a strip, and the root of the strip is fixed to the bottom or side of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube.

7. The inert glue thixotropic stabilizing mechanism for large-size centrifuge tubes as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The separator is composed of a sheet, the root of which is fixed to the bottom or side of the inner wall of the centrifuge tube.

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