Density phase separation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12090476-B2
Application number	US-202318367124-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2023
Priority date	May 15, 2009
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A mechanical separator for separating a fluid sample into first and second phases within a collection container is disclosed. The mechanical separator may have a separator body having a through-hole defined therein, with the through-hole adapted for allowing fluid to pass therethrough. The separator body includes a float, having a first density, and a ballast, having a second density greater than the first density. A portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast. Optionally, the float may include a first extended tab adjacent a first opening of the through-hole and a second extended tab adjacent the second opening of the through-hole. In certain configurations, the separator body also includes an extended tab band disposed about an outer surface of the float. The separator body may also include an engagement band circumferentially disposed about at least a portion of the separator body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A mechanical separator for separating a fluid sample within a collection container, comprising:
a separator body having a through-hole defined therein, the through-hole adapted for allowing fluid to pass therethrough, the separator body comprising:
a float, having a first density;
a ballast, having a second density greater than the first density, wherein at least a portion of the float is connected to at least a portion of the ballast at an interface; and
an initial engagement band circumferentially disposed about at least a portion of the separator body,

wherein upon applied rotational force in a centrifuge, the mechanical separator is adapted to transition from a first initial position in which the through-hole is oriented in an open position for allowing fluid to pass therethrough, to a second sealing position in which the float engages a sidewall of the collection container and the through-hole is oriented in a closed position for preventing fluid from being received therethrough, and the transition of the through-hole from the open position to the closed position coincides with rotation of the mechanical separator from the first initial position to the second sealing position.

2. The mechanical separator according to claim 1 , wherein the initial engagement band is continuous or at least partially segmented.

3. The mechanical separator according to claim 1 , wherein the initial engagement band and the float are formed of the same material.

4. The mechanical separator according to claim 1 , wherein the initial engagement band bisects at least a portion of the ballast.

5. The mechanical separator according to claim 1 , wherein the through-hole has a circular cross-section or an elliptical cross-section.

6. The mechanical separator according to claim 1 , wherein the float is adapted for deformation upon applied rotational force to the mechanical separator.

7. The mechanical separator according to claim 1 , wherein the through-hole is defined along a through-axis and the float is adapted for deformation in a direction substantially perpendicular to the through-axis upon applied rotational force.

8. The mechanical separator according to claim 1 , wherein the separator body further comprises an extended tab band disposed about a portion of an outer surface of the float.

9. The mechanical separator of claim 8 , wherein a first portion of the extended tab band is disposed adjacent a first opening of the through-hole and a second portion of the extended tab band is disposed adjacent a second opening of the through-hole.

10. The mechanical separator of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the extended tab band have a concave downwardly-directed orientation.

11. The mechanical separator according to claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the extended tab band are oriented in an outwardly-extending arcuate shape about an upper portion of at least one of the first opening and second opening of the through-hole.

12. The mechanical separator according to claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the first portion of the extended tab band and at least a portion of the second portion of the extended tab band have the same shape and curvature.

13. A separation assembly for enabling separation of a fluid sample into first and second phases, comprising:
a collection container having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending therebetween, the collection container defining a longitudinal axis between the first end and the second end; and
a mechanical separator according to claim 1 received within the collection container.

14. The separation assembly according to claim 13 , further comprising a closure adapted for sealing engagement with the first end of the collection container.

15. The separation assembly according to claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the through-hole is oriented substantially along the longitudinal axis of the collection container in the first initial position, and wherein at least a portion of the through-hole is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the collection container in the second sealing position.

16. The separation assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the initial engagement band engages the sidewall of the collection container when the mechanical separator is in the first initial position.

17. The separation assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the initial engagement band and the float are formed of the same material.

18. The separation assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the float is adapted for deformation upon applied rotational force to the separation assembly.

19. The separation assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the through-hole is defined along a through-axis and the float is adapted for deformation in a direction substantially perpendicular to the through-axis upon applied rotational force.

20. The separation assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the separator body further comprises an extended tab band disposed about a portion of an outer surface of the float, and a first portion of the extended tab band is disposed adjacent a first opening of the through-hole and a second portion of the extended tab band is disposed adjacent a second opening of the through-hole.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Crawford Jamieson W
• Attri Ravi
• Battles Christopher A
• Bartfeld Benjamin R
• Hires Gregory R

Classifications

• G01N2001/4083

  sedimentation · CPC title

• G01N1/4077

  by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids · CPC title

• G01N33/491

  by separating the blood components (G01N15/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D21/262

  by using a centrifuge · CPC title

• G01N1/34

  Purifying; Cleaning {(processes or apparatus for extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003)} · CPC title