Density phase separation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919308-B2
Application number	US-201514629603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2015
Priority date	May 15, 2009
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

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 device for separating a fluid into first and second phases within a container, comprising:
a separator body having a through-hole defined therethrough along a through-axis, the body comprising:
a float defining a top surface of the body; and
a ballast defining a bottom surface of the body, wherein a portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast,

wherein an outermost perimeter of the body as viewed from above in a direction extending from the top surface of the body to the bottom surface of the body is asymmetric about a diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body extending through a center of the outermost perimeter and wherein the through-hole is at least partially defined by the float.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body is at a 45° angle to the through-axis.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the outermost perimeter of the body is symmetric about a second diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body extending through the center of the outermost perimeter.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the second diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body is parallel to the through-axis.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the outermost perimeter of the body is symmetric about a third diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body extending through the center of the outermost perimeter.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the third diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body is perpendicular to the through-axis.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the float and at least a portion of the ballast taken together define the through-hole.

8. A separation assembly for enabling separation of a fluid into first and second phases, comprising:
a collection container having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining an interior; and
a separator body having a through-hole defined therethrough along a through-axis placed in the collection container, the separator body comprising:
a float defining a top surface of the separator body; and
a ballast defining a bottom surface of the separator body, wherein a portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast,
wherein an outermost perimeter of the body as viewed from above in a direction extending from the top surface of the body to the bottom surface of the body is asymmetric about a diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body extending through a center of the outermost perimeter and wherein the through-hole is at least partially defined by the float.

9. The separation assembly of claim 8 , wherein the diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body is at a 45° angle to the through-axis.

10. The separation assembly of claim 8 , wherein the outermost perimeter of the body is symmetric about a second diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body extending through the center of the body.

11. The separation assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body is parallel to the through-axis.

12. The separation assembly of claim 8 , wherein the outermost perimeter of the body is symmetric about a third diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body extending through the center of the body.

13. The separation assembly of claim 12 , wherein the third diameter of the outermost perimeter of the body is perpendicular to the through-axis.

14. The separation assembly of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the float and at least a portion of the ballast taken together define the through-hole.

15. A separation assembly for enabling separation of a fluid into first and second phases, comprising:
a collection container having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining an interior, the collection container defining a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end, and defining a cross-section along an axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis having a first perimeter shape taken within the interior; and
a separator body having a through-hole defined therethrough placed in the collection container, the separator body comprising:
a float defining a top surface of the separator body; and
a ballast defining a bottom surface of the separator body, wherein a portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast,

wherein an outermost perimeter of the separator body as viewed from above in a direction extending from the top surface of the body to the bottom surface of the body has a second perimeter shape, wherein the second perimeter shape is different than the first perimeter shape.

16. The separation assembly of claim 15 , wherein the second perimeter defines a first radial distance extending from a center of the second perimeter that is greater than a first corresponding radial distance extending from a center of the collection container to the first perimeter.

17. The separation assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second perimeter defines at least a second radial distance extending from a center of the second perimeter that is greater than a second corresponding radial distance extending from a center of the collection container to the first perimeter.

18. The separation assembly of claim 15 , wherein the separator body is in one of a stressed and an unstressed state, and wherein the second perimeter defines a first radial distance extending from a center of the second perimeter that is greater than a corresponding first radial distance extending from the center of the collection container to the first perimeter when the separator body is in the unstressed state.

19. The separation assembly of claim 18 , wherein the second perimeter defines a first radial distance extending from a center of the second perimeter that is less than a corresponding first radial distance extending from a center of the collection container to the first perimeter when the separator body is in the stressed state.

20. The separator assembly of claim 15 , wherein the separator body is in one of a stressed and an unstressed state when subject to a rotational force.

21. The separator assembly of claim 20 , wherein the rotational force induces a longitudinal stretching of the separator body along a stretch axis of the separator body.

Assignees

• Becton Dickinson Co

Inventors

• Crawford Jamieson W
• Battles Christopher A

Classifications

• B01D21/262

  by using a centrifuge · CPC title

• B01L3/50215 Primary

  using a float to separate phases · CPC title

• A61B5/15

  Devices for taking samples of blood · CPC title

• Y10T436/25375

  Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.] · CPC title

• G01N33/49

  Blood {(chemical methods for determining blood cell populations G01N33/5094; chemical analysis of blood groups or blood types G01N33/80)} · CPC title