Centrifugal processing unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12048936-B2
Application number	US-201816624146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2018
Priority date	Jun 27, 2017
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A centrifugal processing unit for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge having a rotor for receiving the sample processing cartridge, a rotor drive to create a centrifugal force, the centrifugal processing unit having a pivot accommodation and a fix accommodation for receiving the sample processing cartridge that are arranged on the rotor, where each pivot accommodation being adapted to allow a free pivoting motion of the received sample processing cartridge about a respective pivot axis, and each pivot axis being orthogonal to the rotor axis to the respective force vector of the centrifugal force.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge ( 2 ), the centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) comprising:
at least one rotor ( 3 ),
at least one rotor drive for rotating the at least one rotor ( 3 ) about a respective vertical rotor axis ( 300 ) to create a centrifugal force (F),
a control for accelerating and decelerating the at least one rotor ( 3 ),
characterized in that the centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) further comprising at least one pivot accommodation ( 31 ) for receiving a sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) and at least one fix accommodation ( 32 ) for receiving the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) that are arranged on the at least one rotor ( 3 ), wherein each pivot accommodation ( 31 ) being adapted to allow a free pivoting motion of the received sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) about a respective pivot axis ( 310 ), wherein each pivot axis ( 310 ) being orthogonal to the vertical rotor axis ( 300 ) and to the respective force vector of the centrifugal force (F), and wherein each fix accommodation ( 32 ) comprising a fixation element ( 320 ) to prevent any pivoting motion of the received sample processing cartridge ( 2 ).

2. The centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each accommodation ( 31 , 32 ) being adapted for receiving the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in a first orientation and for receiving the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in a second orientation, wherein the second orientation corresponds to an angular rotation of the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) about a central axis ( 200 ) parallel to the vertical rotor axis ( 300 ).

3. The centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the angular rotation between the first orientation and the second orientation of the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) is a rotation about an angle greater 0 degrees and up to 180 degrees, particularly 90 degrees or about an angle of 180 degrees.

4. The centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one accommodation ( 31 , 32 ) comprises a frame ( 311 , 321 ) for receiving the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ).

5. The centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one pivot accommodation ( 31 ) comprises an abutment ( 313 ), which prevents the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) from pivoting over a predefined angle (A).

6. A centrifugal processing system ( 10 ) for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge ( 2 ), the centrifugal processing system ( 10 ) comprising:
a centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) according to claim 1 and
at least one manipulator ( 4 ) adapted to be able to arrange the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in the at least one accommodation ( 31 , 32 ) or to remove it therefrom.

7. The centrifugal processing system ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the manipulator ( 4 ) is adapted to be able to move the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in any horizontal or vertical direction (X, Y, Z).

8. The centrifugal processing system ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the manipulator ( 6 ) is adapted to be able to perform an angular rotation of the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) about an axis (Z) parallel to the vertical rotor axis ( 300 ).

9. The centrifugal processing system ( 10 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the angular rotation is a rotation about an angle greater than 0 degrees, particularly 90 degrees or 180 degrees.

10. The centrifugal processing system ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , wherein the centrifugal processing system ( 10 ) further comprises at least one additional station, wherein the at least one additional station can be selected from the group of loading/unloading station ( 5 ), sealing station ( 6 ), irradiation station, heating station, detection/quantification station, identification station or any other commonly known station for the treatment of the content of a sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) or the handling of a sample processing cartridge ( 2 ).

11. A process for directing the movement of substances within a sample processing cartridge ( 2 ), the process comprising the steps of:
Providing a centrifugal processing unit ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ;
Inserting a sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in a pivot accommodation ( 31 );
Rotating the at least one vertical rotor ( 3 ) about the respective rotor axis ( 300 ) to create a centrifugal force (F), while allowing a free pivoting motion of the inserted sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) and thereby creating a force vector (F 1 ) in a first direction with respect to the sample processing cartridge ( 2 );
Removing the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) from the pivot accommodation ( 31 );
Inserting the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in a fix accommodation ( 32 );
Rotating the at least one rotor ( 3 ) about the respective vertical rotor axis ( 300 ) to create a centrifugal force (F), while a free pivoting motion of the inserted sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) is prevented and thereby creating a force vector (F 2 ) in a second direction with respect to the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ).

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the process further comprising the steps of:
Rotating the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) about a central axis ( 200 ) parallel to the vertical rotor axis ( 300 ) before inserting it in the fix accommodation ( 32 ) and thereby enabling the creation of a force vector (F 3 ) in a third direction with respect to the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) when the at least one rotor ( 3 ) is rotated about the respective vertical rotor axis ( 300 ).

13. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the process further comprising the steps of:
Positioning of the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in an at least one additional station before or after inserting the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) in the pivot accommodation ( 31 ) or the fix accommodation ( 32 ), wherein the at least one additional station can be selected from the group of loading/unloading station ( 5 ), sealing station ( 6 ), irradiation station (electromagnetic, radioactive), heating station (contact, convection), detection/quantification station, unloading station, identification station.

14. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the inserting, the removing, the rotating and/or the positioning of the sample processing cartridge is performed by at least one manipulator ( 6 ).

15. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the free pivoting motion of the sample processing cartridge ( 2 ) is partially restricted by providing the pivot accommodation ( 31 ) with an abutment ( 313 ) before the at least one rotor ( 3 ) is rotated.

Assignees

• Tecan Trading Ag

Inventors

• Spiss Markus
• Schinzel Fred
• Sager Adrian
• Wolf Markus

Classifications

• B04B13/00

  Control arrangements specially designed for centrifuges; Program control of centrifuges (control arrangements for feed, charge or discharge B04B11/00) · CPC title

• B01L3/502

  with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures · CPC title

• G01N2035/00495

  Centrifuges · CPC title

• B01L3/5021

  Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes · CPC title

• B04B5/0414

  comprising test tubes · CPC title