Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 022160~6 1997-09-17
CENTRIFUGALLY ACTUATED TUBE ROTATOR MECHANISM
FIELD OF T~E INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing rotation of a vesselabout its longitudinal axis during centrifugation. The apparatus of the present invention
comprises: (a) a cup adapted to receive a vessel, (b) a block surrounding the cup in such a
manner that the block may move in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis when acted
15 on by the centrifugal force, (c) a means for ~ dhlg this movement, (d) an oscill~1ing
means which encircles the cup (thereby providing for movement in a longitudinal and
transverse direction), and (e) a pivoting means which connects the oscillating means to the
block.
BACKGROIJND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional centrifuges typically provide for centrifugation by placing a vessel
cont~ining the sample to be subjected to centrifugation in a rotor (or other receiver
25 adapted to contain the vessel) attached to the rotating mech~ni~m When the centrifuge is
started, the force is applied in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel,
toward the vessel bottom.
~ some instances, it is desirable to provide for simultaneous rotation of the vessel
about its longitudinal axis. However, this is extremely difficult to accomplis~ due to
30 restrictions on the size of the centrifuge, geometry, etc. This is accomplished by the
apparatus of the present invention.
CA 022160~6 1997-09-17
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for producing rotation of a vessel
about its longitudinal axis during centrifugation. Briefly, the apparatus comprises: a cup
adapted to receive a vessel, surrounded by a block in such a manner that the block may
move in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis when acted upon by the centrifugal
force, this movement being slowed by a spring or other retarding means, and the cup also
contains a cam or other oscillating means which encircles and preferably sinusoidally
encircles, the cup, (thereby providing for movement in a longitudinal and transverse
10 direction) and which is connected to the block by a pivoting means such as a cam
follower. The entu-e apparatus is of such a size that it will fit within a centrifuge rotor (or
other receiver) without impeding the operation of the apparatus.
In practice, the block will be forced away from the vessel-containing end of the cup
upon applicahon of centrifugal force (e.g., by spinning the rotor) until the pivoting means
15 reaches the outer edge of the oscillating means; decreasing the speed of the centrifuge will
result in a decrease in centrifugal force, thereby allowing the retarding means to force the
block toward the vessel end of the cup until the pivoting means reaches the other edge of
the oscillating means, and thereby partially rotating the cup about its longitudinal axis.
By varying the centrifuge speed, complete cup rotation about the axis is achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
~igure 1 presents a depiction of one embodiment of an apparatus of the present
invenhon.
Figure 2 presents a detail of a preferred oscill~ting means of this invention.
l~igure 3 presents a depiction of another preferred embodiment of an apparatus of
the present invention.
CA 022160~6 1997-09-17
Figure 4 presents an overhead perspective view of the apparatus of the present
invention shown in Figure 3.
DETAII ,Fl~ DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for producing rotation of a vessel
about its longitudinal axis during centrifugation. This apparatus, adapted for placement in
a centrifuge rotor in a centrifuge, comprises:
(i) a cylindrical cup having an end adapted to receive the vessel when acted
on by a centrifugal force generated by spinning the rotor;
(ii) a block surrounding the cup such that the block may freely move in a
direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel when acted on by the centrifugal
force;
(iii) a pivoting means wherein the pivoting means is attached internally to the
1 5 block;
(iv) an oscillating means on the cup and attached to the block by the pivoting
means, such that movement of the block in a directional parallel to the longitudinal axis of
the vessel will cause the pivoting means to move in the oscillating means; and
(v) a means for retarding the movement of the block,
the longitudinal rotation being achieved by varying the speed of spinning
of the rotor, such that the block is moved bi-directionally, thereby causing rotation of the
cup adapted for receiving the vessel.
In one embodiment of the present invention as set forth in Figure 1, the apparatus
comprises a cup (2) which has an end adapted to receive the vessel (1). The cup (2) is
encircled, and is preferably sinusoidally encircled, by an oscillating means (3~ which is
connected to the block (4) by a pivoting means (5) inside the block (4). Movement of the
block (4) in the direction of the centrifugal force is retarded by the re~ding means (6).
CA 022160F76 1997-09-17
~ he oscillating means (3) is preferably a cam, and the pivoting means (5) is
preferably a cam follower. A preferred pattern for the oscillating means (3) is shown in
Figure 2. The retarding means (6) in this embodiment is, preferably, at least one spring.
In a further preferred embodiment, the vessel (1) is a small diameter tube, such as those
5 used in the QBCTM instruments marketed and sold by Becton Dickinson and Company.
Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus as
shown in Figures 1 and 3 illustrates the mechanical processes of the centrifugally actuated
tube rotator mech~ni~m of the present invention. The apparatus in each of Figures 1 and 3
uses centrifugal forces to move the associated parts required to achieve rotation of the
l o vessel ( 1) about the axis of the vessel ( 1) while the centrifuge rotor is spinning.
In the embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 3, the apparatus is
comprised of a block (14) having a pivoting means (13) such as, preferably, a cam
follower, an oscillating means such as, preferably, a cam or cam groove (not pictured), a
retarding means comprising, preferably, at least two springs (15), and a cup (12) for
15 placement of a vessel (1), wherein the vessel (1) is, preferably, a small diameter tube, or
more preferably, a QBCTM tube as described above.
As demonstrated in Figure 3, as the centrifuge rotor (10) spins and reaches set rpm,
centrifugal force acts upon the block (14) and the attached cam follower (13) to move the
apparatus away from the centrifuge rotor center. The cam follower (13) moves along a
20 cam groove (as shown, for example, in Figure 2) on the outer cilcull~erence of the cup
(12) (the cam groove is not shown in Figure 3) translating the linear movement of the
block (14) and the cam follower (13) to a rotational movement of the cup (12). The cup
(12) is adapted to accept the vessel (1), therefore the rotational movement of the cup (12)
translates directly to the vessel (1). When the centrifuge rotor (10) slows down,
25 decreasing centrifugal force, the springs (15) return the apparatus (including the block
(14) and cam follower (13)) back to its static state ready to restart the process. The arrow
on the right side of block (14) shows the direction of movement of the block (14) when
CA 022160S6 1997-09-17
acted on by centrifugal force. As shown in the view of the apparatus of Figure 3 as seen
in Figure 4, part of the cam follower (13) which is in block (14) can be seen externally, as
well as part of the cup (12) and the springs (15).
. It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as
5 hereinabove set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
The specific embodiments described are given by way of example, only, and is notintended to in any way limit the scope of the present invention.
