Energy-absorbing housing of a centrifuge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10471441-B2
Application number	US-201615549380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2016
Priority date	Feb 6, 2015
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A housing of a centrifuge having an abutment for a ground on which the housing sits, as well as to a centrifuge. The housing is divided into two parts, i.e. a first housing and a second housing which is connected to the first housing via a pivot bearing, with at least one energy absorber being arranged between the first housing and the second housing, which energy absorber will counteract the forces, in particular the torques, generated in the event of a crash and will absorb the energy of the crash so as to prevent at least the part of the second housing which rests on the ground from moving relative to the ground, which pivot bearing allows the first housing to rotate relative to the second housing against the action of the one or plural energy absorber(s) which is/are separate from the pivot bearing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Housing of a centrifuge having an abutment for a ground on which the housing sits, characterized by a two-part design of the housing comprising a first housing and a second housing which is connected to the first housing via a pivot bearing, with at least one energy absorber being arranged between the first housing and the second housing which energy absorber will counteract the forces generated in the event of a centrifuge crash and will absorb the energy of the crash so as to prevent at least the portion of the second housing which rests on the ground from moving relative to the ground, which pivot bearing allows the first housing to rotate relative to the second housing against the action of the one or plural energy absorber(s) which is/are separate from the pivot bearing.

2. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that the energy absorber is formed from a plastically deformable material.

3. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that the energy absorber is formed from an elastically deformable material; comprising dampers provided on one of the first and second housing, which dampers act against stops provided on the other of the first and second housing.

4. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that two energy absorbers are connected in series.

5. Housing according to claim 4 , characterized in that a first energy absorber is formed from a plastically deformable material, a second energy absorber is formed from an elastically deformable material, and that in the event of a crash, the first energy absorber will be the first to become effective and then the second energy absorber.

6. Housing according to claim 5 , characterized in that the first and second energy absorbers are different components acting between the first and second housings, wherein the first and second energy absorbers are arranged spaced apart from each other between the first and second housings.

7. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in having at least two energy absorbers are connected in parallel.

8. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second housing includes the abutment, which abutment is formed by a support surface which rests flat on, and in full contact with, the ground.

9. Housing according to claim 8 , characterized in that the abutment is provided with an anti-slip material and/or an anti-slip structure, at least on its surface which makes contact with the ground.

10. Housing according to claim 8 , characterized in that at least one weight plate is provided in the second housing part which acts on the abutment.

11. Housing according to claim 10 , characterized in that a set of weight plates is provided so as to allow one or plural weight plates to be mounted on the second housing.

12. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized by a receiving arrangement for a safety vessel, a rotor and a drive of the centrifuge are provided in the first housing.

13. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first housing is adapted to receive and securely accommodate a standard centrifuge, a laboratory centrifuge or any other standalone centrifuge having its own centrifuge housing.

14. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that a limiting arrangement is provided which prevents movement along a pivot axis of the pivot bearing.

15. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that the external dimensions of the second housing and the external dimensions of the first housing are matched to each other such that, in the event of a crash, the first housing will always remain within the second housing, at least within an envelope of the second housing, as the first housing moves relative to the second housing up to a defined end position.

16. Housing according to claim 15 , characterized in that stops are provided in the housing, which stops determine the defined end position of the first housing relative to the second housing.

17. Housing according to claim 1 , characterized in that the second housing is of a two-part design consisting of an anchoring part and a top part, in which the top part of the second housing is connected to the first housing and can be translationally moved relative to the anchoring part of the second housing.

18. Housing according to claim 17 , characterized in that the top part can be telescoped relative to the anchoring part via telescopic rails.

19. A centrifuge mounted in a two-part housing, the two-part housing comprising:
a first housing and a second housing which is connected to the first housing via a pivot bearing, with at least one energy absorber being arranged between the first housing and the second housing which energy absorber will counteract the forces generated in the event of a centrifuge crash and will absorb the energy of the crash so as to prevent at least the portion of the second housing which rests on the ground from moving relative to the ground, which pivot bearing allows the first housing to rotate relative to the second housing against the action of the one or plural energy absorber(s) which is/are separate from the pivot bearing.

20. Centrifuge according to claim 19 , characterized by an embodiment as a built-in device for integration into a laboratory unit consisting of laboratory furniture and/or laboratory equipment.

Assignees

• Hettich Andreas Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Eberle Klaus-Guenter
• Kuster Martin

Classifications

• B04B2007/065

  Devices and measures in the event of rotor fracturing, e.g. lines of weakness, stress regions · CPC title

• B04B7/02 Primary

  Casings; Lids (shock absorbers, vibration dampers F16F) · CPC title

• B04B7/06

  Safety devices {; Regulating} · CPC title