Fixed angle centrifuge rotor with stiffening rib

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11498083-B2
Application number	US-201916541538-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 15, 2019
Priority date	Aug 16, 2018
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A fixed-angle rotor for centrifuges includes stiffening ribs on the lower side of its rotor body. Its rotational energy is comparatively low during operation even at high speeds, whereby safety is noticeably increased without the need for a reinforced armored vessel in the centrifuge that is equipped therewith. At the same time, the drive power required to drive the fixed-angle rotor remains low. The fixed-angle rotor also withstands extreme loads over a long period of time. In addition, the fixed-angle rotor can be manufactured cost-effectively, because no additional components are required; rather, the stiffening ribs can also be manufactured during the manufacture of the rotor body. Finally, very thin rotor shells can also be used, which improves the temperature control of the samples, because the fixed-angle rotor has very good structural stability, especially in the main load directions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fixed-angle rotor for a centrifuge, comprising:
a rotor body having
an upper side and an oppositely arranged lower side and
a hub which is arranged around a rotor axis;

at least two holders for samples to be centrifuged arranged in the rotor body around the rotor axis, wherein the at least two holders have openings on the upper side for introducing samples; and
stiffening ribs formed on the lower side of the rotor body,
wherein at least one of the stiffening ribs
extends radially from the hub to at least one of the at least two holders and
runs in a direction of a central axis of the at least one of the at least two holders.

2. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one of the stiffening ribs connects a wall of the at least one of the at least two holders to the hub.

3. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the stiffening ribs runs in a tangential manner with respect to the rotor axis and at a distance to the rotor axis.

4. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the stiffening ribs runs between the at least two holders.

5. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the stiffening ribs runs between the at least two holders and is connected with the at least two holders.

6. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one of the stiffening ribs runs between the at least two holders in direction of the respective central axis of the respective holder.

7. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fixed-angle rotor has a rotationally symmetrical rotor shell that encloses the at least two holders.

8. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 7 ,
wherein the at least two holders transition into the rotor shell at least in areas.

9. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 7 ,
wherein the rotor body has, in addition to the stiffening ribs, on its lower side at least one cavity extending in an axial manner with respect to the rotor axis for reducing material.

10. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 9 ,
wherein the cavity is arranged between the at least two holders.

11. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 9 ,
wherein the cavity is arranged
a) between the rotor shell, walls of two adjacent ones of the at least two holders, and a tangentially running stiffening rib, and/or
b) between a tangentially running stiffening rib, two adjacent radially running stiffening ribs and the hub and/or
c) between the rotor shell, walls of two adjacent ones of the at least two holders, two adjacent radially running stiffening ribs, and the hub.

12. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 9 ,
wherein the cavity extends at least in areas
up to the rotor shell and/or
up to the hub and/or
up to the at least one of the at least two holders and/or
up to a cover surface of the upper side of the rotor body bounding a rotor chamber.

13. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 12 ,
wherein the cavity does not break through the rotor shell, the hub, the at least one of the at least two holders, and the cover surface.

14. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 7 , wherein
a thickness of the rotor shell and/or
a thickness of the stiffening rib and/or
a thickness of a wall of the at least two holders and/or
a thickness of the rotor body on its upper side
is, at least in areas, less than 1 cm.

15. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 7 , wherein
a thickness of the rotor shell and/or
a thickness of the stiffening rib and/or
a thickness of a wall of the at least two holders and/or
a thickness of the rotor body on its upper side
is, at least in areas, less than 5 mm.

16. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 7 , wherein
a thickness of the rotor shell and/or
a thickness of the stiffening rib and/or
a thickness of a wall of the at least two holders and/or
a thickness of the rotor body on its upper side
is, at least in areas, less than 3 mm.

17. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 7 , wherein
a gradation with respect to the material thickness of the rotor body is provided, at least in areas,
in a wall of the rotor shell,
in a wall of the at least two holders,
on the stiffening rib, and/or
on a cavity between the at least two holders.

18. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 17 ,
wherein the gradation is arranged in an axial manner with respect to the rotor axis.

19. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 17 ,
wherein the gradation is stair-shaped.

20. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 17 ,
wherein the gradation has a step width and/or step height in the range of 0.5 mm to 8 mm.

21. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 17 ,
wherein the gradation has a step width and/or step height in the range of 1 mm to 6 mm.

22. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 17 ,
wherein the gradation has a step width and/or step height in the range of 2 mm to 5 mm.

23. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lower side of the rotor body has a cover that covers the stiffening ribs.

24. The fixed-angle rotor according to claim 1 , wherein the at least two holders are configured closed except for an opening for inserting the samples to be centrifuged.

Assignees

• Eppendorf Ag

Inventors

• Kühnert Steffen

Classifications

• B04B7/08 Primary

  Rotary bowls (centrifugal casting machines B22D) · CPC title

• B04B5/0414 Primary

  comprising test tubes · CPC title

• B04B5/04 Primary

  Radial chamber apparatus for separating predominantly liquid mixtures, e.g. butyrometers · CPC title

• B04B7/00

  Elements of centrifuges (drives B04B9/00; feeding, charging, or discharging appurtenances or devices B04B11/00) · CPC title