Centrifugation apparatus for containers of biological material including conveyor, turntable and centrifuges
An apparatus for automatically centrifuging test tubes containing biological material including a plurality of centrifuges functionally identical to one another yet independent and adapted to centrifuge test tubes offered to an interface for centrifuging test tubes using a conveying system included in an automatic conveyor of test tubes. The plurality of centrifuges is fitted on a turntable adapted to offer each centrifuge at a suitable loading/unloading point adjacent to the loading/unloading point of the interface. Each centrifuge is provided with a motor adapted to generate the centrifugal motion by setting a rotor in rotation, and a test tube handling device including an arm with a first gripper adapted to load test tubes to be centrifuged and a second gripper adapted to unload centrifuged test tubes, simultaneously to the loading, the arm sliding along a curved guide adapted to generate a forced rotation of the grippers.
1. An apparatus for automatically centrifuging test tubes containing biological material, comprising:
a plurality of centrifuges functionally identical to one another yet independent and adapted to centrifuge test tubes offered to an interface for centrifuging test tubes by means of a conveying system included in an automatic conveyor of test tubes, the plurality of centrifuges rotatably mounted on a turntable adapted to offer each centrifuge at a suitable loading/unloading position adjacent to the loading/unloading point of the interface, wherein each centrifuge is provided with a motor adapted to generate the centrifugal motion by setting a rotor in rotation; and
a test tube handling device comprising an arm with a first gripper adapted to load test tubes to be centrifuged and a second gripper adapted to unload centrifuged test tubes, simultaneously to said loading, said arm sliding along a curved guide adapted to generate a forced rotation of the grippers.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a stop piston engaging with mortises placed at each centrifuge, in order to block the turntable such that each centrifuge is matched in the loading/unloading position.
3. An apparatus for automatically centrifuging test tubes containing biological material, comprising a plurality of centrifuges functionally identical to one another yet independent and adapted to centrifuge test tubes offered to an interface for centrifuging test tubes by means of a conveying system included in an automatic conveyor of test tubes, the plurality of centrifuges rotatably mounted on a turntable adapted to offer each centrifuge at a suitable loading/unloading position adjacent to the loading/unloading point of the interface,
wherein the turntable is rotatably coaxial and independent with respect to a centrifuging crown which may rotate at a predetermined speed and adapted to be coupled with wheels for controlling the centrifuges.
4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein each centrifuge comprises a pneumatic piston adapted to control the vertical motion of the wheel of the centrifuges between an idle position and a position of friction with the moving centrifuging crown.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein each centrifuge comprises an optical sensor adapted to report the presence of a hole on a rotor, on which two movable housings adapted to accommodate as many test tubes are fitted, in order to actuate gripper means adapted to block the rotor in a position such that said movable housings are aligned with the loading/unloading point of the interface.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a translatable container of balancing test tubes to be loaded in one of the housings of the centrifuge in the case of a single test tube to be centrifuged.
7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a stop piston engaging with mortises placed at each centrifuge, in order to block the turntable such that each centrifuge is matched in the loading/unloading position.
8. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a translatable container of balancing test tubes to be loaded in one of housings of the centrifuge in the case of a single test tube to be centrifuged.
9. The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a stop piston engaging with mortises placed at each centrifuge, in order to block the turntable such that each centrifuge is matched in the loading/unloading position.
10. The apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a translatable container of balancing test tubes to be loaded in one of two moveable housings of the centrifuge in the case of a single test tube to be centrifuged.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the location of the translatable container involved in the process of loading/unloading the balancing test tube is placed in alignment with the two housings of the centrifuge and with the loading/unloading point of the interface.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising a stop piston engaging with mortises placed at each centrifuge, in order to block the turntable such that each centrifuge is matched in the loading/unloading position.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a stop piston engaging with mortises placed at each centrifuge, in order to block the turntable such that each centrifuge is matched in the loading/unloading position.
14. The apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a stop piston engaging with mortises placed at each centrifuge, in order to block the turntable such that each centrifuge is matched in the loading/unloading position.