Swingable Sub-Bucket Centrifuge for Perpendicular Layer Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional swing-type centrifuges often result in an inclined separation interface due to improper alignment of sample containers, making it difficult to accurately detect layer interfaces during centrifugation, which affects the precision of subsequent dispensing operations.
Innovation Solution
A centrifuge design featuring a rotor with swingable sub-buckets mounted on different rotation diameters, allowing specimen containers to align perpendicular to the centrifugal force, ensuring a vertical separation interface formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If sample containers are installed at positions deviated from the center of the buckets in a conventional swing-type centrifuge, then the centrifuge can handle a large number of specimens simultaneously, but the separation interface becomes inclined from the vertical direction
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is divided into multiple buckets, and each bucket is further divided into multiple sub-buckets. This segmentation allows specimens to be distributed across multiple containers while maintaining proper alignment. The sub-buckets are arranged radially around the rotation axis, ensuring that even when multiple specimens are processed simultaneously, each specimen remains properly aligned with the centrifugal force direction, preventing inclination of the separation interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-plane bucket arrangement to a three-dimensional radial arrangement of sub-buckets around the rotation axis. By distributing sub-buckets across different radial positions and angles, the system can accommodate multiple specimens simultaneously while maintaining vertical alignment of separation interfaces. This dimensional change allows simultaneous high-throughput processing without compromising separation precision.
2Productivity
If an inclined separation interface is formed during centrifugation, then more specimens can be processed in batches, but the accuracy of detecting layer interfaces decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the adapter into multiple sub-buckets arranged radially, each specimen is isolated in its own sub-bucket that maintains proper vertical alignment. This prevents the inclination problem that would occur in batch processing while still allowing multiple specimens to be processed simultaneously, thereby maintaining both productivity and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
Each sub-bucket is designed with specific local characteristics - being radially positioned around the rotation axis - that ensure the separation interface remains vertical for that local position. This local quality control is applied to each specimen container individually, ensuring that even in batch processing, each specimen achieves proper separation interface alignment for accurate detection.
3Productivity
If the separation interface is not perpendicular to the sample container direction, then throughput can be increased by processing more samples, but the precision of dispensing operations is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The radial segmentation into multiple sub-buckets allows high-throughput batch processing while maintaining proper orientation for each specimen. Each sub-bucket's radial position ensures the sample container direction aligns with the centrifugal force, producing a perpendicular separation interface that enables precise dispensing operations even when processing multiple samples simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
By arranging sub-buckets in a three-dimensional radial configuration around the rotation axis, the system achieves both high throughput and precise separation. This spatial arrangement ensures that regardless of the number of specimens processed in batch, each specimen maintains the correct orientation for perpendicular separation interface formation, thereby preserving dispensing precision while increasing throughput.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design improves the accuracy of detecting layer interfaces, enabling precise dispensing operations that collect targeted samples while avoiding contamination, thus enhancing throughput and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the buckets are attached to the rotor in such a manner as to be rotatable and swingable. This configuration ensures that the buckets are horizontal to a rotor rotation plane due to a centrifugal force generated during rotor rotation, and that the centrifugal force acts on the sample containers stored in the buckets in the direction of insertion
Implementation Method 2
Centrifugal processing utilizes density gradients to separate, for example, blood into its components and acquire components required for testing
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a centrifuge capable of ensuring that a separation interface, which is the layer interface between sample components separated by centrifugation, is positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of a specimen container without being inclined. A centrifuge 1 includes a specimen container 300, a bucket 110, and a rotor 150. The specimen container 300 stores a specimen, and is mountable directly or indirectly in the bucket 110. The rotor 150 supports and rotates the bucket 110. The bucket 110 is supported by the rotor 150 in such a manner as to be swingable around a first axis A1. The bucket 110 has at least two sub-buckets 122. The plurality of sub-buckets 122 are swingable around a second axis A2. A plurality of the second axes A2 are disposed on different rotor rotation diameters.