Prismatic reflector for centrifugal separation chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12214366-B2
Application number	US-202217899700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2022
Priority date	Sep 16, 2016
Publication date	Feb 4, 2025
Grant date	Feb 4, 2025

Abstract

A prismatic reflector is provided for incorporation into a centrifugal separation chamber. The prismatic reflector is formed of a light-transmissive material and includes inner and outer walls and first and second end walls. The inner wall is configured to receive light traveling along an initial path and transmit the light to the first end wall, with the first end wall receiving the light transmitted through the inner wall and directing the light toward the second end wall in a direction that is angled with respect to the initial path. The second end wall receives the light from the first end wall and transmits the light out of the prismatic reflector. The initial path of the light may be in a direction toward a rotational axis of the centrifugal separation chamber, with the prismatic reflector redirecting the light into a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A prismatic reflector for incorporation into a centrifugal separation chamber, comprising:
inner and outer walls; and
first and second end walls, with the first end wall being angled approximately 45° with respect to the second end wall, wherein
the prismatic reflector is formed of a light-transmissive material,
the inner wall is configured to be associated to a curved surface of the centrifugal separation chamber, with the inner wall having a curvature corresponding to a curvature of said curved surface of the centrifugal separation chamber,
the inner wall is configured to receive light traveling along an initial path and transmit the light to the first end wall,
the first end wall is configured to receive the light transmitted through the inner wall and direct the light toward the second end wall in a direction that is angled with respect to the initial path, and
the second end wall is configured to receive the light from the first end wall and transmit the light out of the prismatic reflector.

2. The prismatic reflector of claim 1 , wherein first end wall and the inner and outer walls are configured to transmit the light from the first end wall to the second end wall by total internal reflection.

3. The prismatic reflector of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the second end wall is roughened to diffuse the light transmitted out of the prismatic reflector.

4. A blood separation system, comprising:
a fluid flow circuit including a centrifugal separation chamber having a rotational axis and comprising a channel defined between a low-g side wall portion and a high-g side wall portion; and
a blood separation device including
a centrifugal separator configured to receive at least a portion of the centrifugal separation chamber and rotate said at least a portion of the centrifugal separation chamber about the rotational axis, and
an interface monitoring system including
a light source configured to transmit a light along an initial path toward the rotational axis, into the centrifugal separation chamber, and through the channel of the centrifugal separation chamber, and
a light detector configured to receive at least a portion of the light as the light exits the centrifugal separation chamber, wherein

the centrifugal separation chamber includes a prismatic reflector associated with the low-g side wall portion, formed of a light-transmissive material, and comprising inner and outer walls and first and second end walls, with the inner wall being configured to receive light traveling along the initial path and transmit the light to the first end wall, the first end wall being configured to receive the light transmitted through the inner wall and direct the light toward the second end wall in a direction that is angled with respect to the initial path, and the second end wall being configured to receive the light from the first end wall and transmit the light out of the prismatic reflector and toward the light detector.

5. The blood separation system of claim 4 , wherein the first end wall is angled approximately 45° with respect to the second end wall.

6. The blood separation system of claim 4 , wherein first end wall and the inner and outer walls are configured to transmit the light from the first end wall to the second end wall by total internal reflection.

7. The blood separation system of claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the second end wall is roughened to diffuse the light transmitted out of the prismatic reflector.

8. The blood separation system of claim 4 , wherein the light detector is oriented to receive light traveling in a direction generally perpendicular to the initial path of the light.

9. The blood separation system of claim 4 , wherein
at least a portion of the side wall portions are formed of a generally rigid, light-transmissive material, and
the light source is configured to transmit the light through the side wall portions.

10. The blood separation system of claim 4 , wherein the light detector is oriented to receive light that has passed through the channel only once.

11. The blood separation system of claim 4 , wherein
the blood separation device includes a centrifuge compartment in which at least a portion of the centrifugal separator is positioned, and
the light source and the light detector are mounted to stationary surfaces of the centrifuge compartment.

12. A method of detecting the location of an interface between separated fluid components within a channel of a centrifugal separation chamber having a rotational axis, the method comprising:
separating fluid in a channel of a centrifugal separation chamber into at least two fluid components;
directing a light along an initial path through the channel so as to intersect at least one of the fluid components;
directing the light exiting the channel out of the centrifugal separation chamber;
detecting at least a portion of the light exiting the centrifugal separation chamber; and
generating a signal indicative of the location of an interface between the separated fluid components within the channel, wherein a prismatic reflector is associated with the channel, with the prismatic reflector being formed of a light transmissive material and comprising inner and outer walls and first and second end walls, with the first end wall being angled approximately 45° with respect to the second end wall, the inner wall being associated to a curved surface of the centrifugal separation chamber and having a curvature corresponding to a curvature of said curved surface of the centrifugal separation chamber and being configured to receive light traveling along the initial path and transmit the light to the first end wall, the first end wall being configured to receive the light transmitted through the inner wall and direct the light toward the second end wall in a direction that is angled with respect to the initial path, and the second end wall being configured to receive the light from the first end wall and transmit the light out of the prismatic reflector and out of the centrifugal separation chamber.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein first end wall and the inner and outer walls are configured to transmit the light from the first end wall to the second end wall by total internal reflection.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the second end wall is roughened to diffuse the light transmitted out of the prismatic reflector.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said detecting at least a portion of the light exiting the centrifugal separation chamber includes receiving light traveling in a direction generally perpendicular to the initial path of the light.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said detecting at least a portion of the light exiting the centrifugal separation chamber includes detecting light that has passed through the channel only once.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein
said directing the light along the initial path through the channel so as to intersect at least one of the fluid components includes emitting the light from a stationary location, and
said detecting at least a portion of the light exiting the centrifugal separation chamber includes detecting said at least a portion of the light at a stationary location.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining the location of the interface between the separated fluid components within the channel by comparing an actual pulse width of the signal to a target pulse width.

Assignees

• Fenwal Inc

Inventors

• Min Kyungyoon
• Kusters Benjamin E
• Brown Richard I
• Brierton Mark J

Classifications

• A61M2205/3306

  Optical measuring means · CPC title

• A61M1/3696

  with means for adding or withdrawing liquid substances during the centrifugation, e.g. continuous centrifugation · CPC title

• B04B2013/006

  Interface detection or monitoring of separated components · CPC title

• B04B11/02

  Continuous feeding or discharging; Control arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B01D63/16

  Rotary, reciprocated or vibrated modules · CPC title