IP Library Granted Patent US 12,318,788
Granted Patent B2
US 12,318,788 · App. 16/629,954 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Centrifuge having a control device for releasing doorlock by input of passcode

Inventors: Hisanobu Ooyama (Ibaraki, JP); Hiroyuki Takahashi (Ibaraki, JP)
Assignee: Eppendorf Himac Technologies Co., Ltd.
B04B7/06B04B13/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,318,788
App. No.
16/629,954
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a centrifuge capable of improving user operability. The centrifuge has a rotor chamber and a door for opening and closing the rotor chamber, wherein the centrifuge includes a presence and absence detection part for detecting presence or absence of a rotor, a door locking mechanism capable of switching between a locked state for inhibiting opening of the door and an unlocked state for allowing opening of the door, and a first control part configured to perform an operation of setting the door locking mechanism to be the unlocked state when the rotor is accommodated in the rotor chamber and configured to set the door locking mechanism to be the unlocked state when an unlocking passcode is input.

Claims (30)

1. A centrifuge, comprising:

a rotor chamber that accommodates a rotor which supports a sample;

a door that opens and closes the rotor chamber;

a displayer that displays an operation state;

a door sensor configured to detect whether the door is opened or closed;

a rotor distinguishing sensor configured to detect whether the rotor is accommodated in the rotor chamber or not;

a lock, switching between a locked state that opening of the door is prevented and an unlocked state that the opening of the door is allowed; and

a controller connected to at least the door sensor and the rotor distinguishing sensor and configured to set the lock to be in the unlocked state when an operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed and a passcode is input,

wherein when the rotor distinguishing sensor has detected the rotor is accommodated in the rotor chamber, and the door sensor has detected the door is closed, the controller is configured to make a first selection screen being displayed on the displayer when the operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed, so that a user inputs the passcode through the first selection screen to set the lock in the unlocked state, and,

when the rotor distinguishing sensor has not detected that the rotor is accommodated in the rotor chamber, and the door sensor has detected the door is closed, the controller is configured to set the lock in the unlocked state without making the user to input the passcode through a second selection screen displayed on the displayer, or the controller is configured to set the lock in the unlocked state without displaying the second selection screen.

2. The centrifuge according to claim 1 , comprising a stop detector, detecting whether or not the rotor accommodated in the rotor chamber is stopped,

wherein the controller is configured to sets the lock to be in the unlocked state when the operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed and the passcode is input in a case that the rotor accommodated in the rotor chamber is stopped is determined by a signal from the stop detector.

3. The centrifuge according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to set the lock to be in the unlocked state without requesting the input of the passcode when the operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed after determined that the door is closed in the locked state, the rotor is not accommodated in the rotor chamber and no passcode is to be set.

4. The centrifuge according to claim 1 , further comprising a memory that stores the passcode that is inputted, and

wherein when the operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed, the passcode is input and the lock is set to be in the unlocked state, the controller is configured to clear the passcode that is stored in the memory.

5. The centrifuge according to claim 1 , comprising a memory, storing an input history of the passcode.

6. The centrifuge according to claim 1 , wherein the operation state is a rotation speed, and

when the rotor is accommodated in the rotor chamber that is closed by the door, the controller is configured to make an input set screen being displayed on the displayer, so that input set screen displays the passcode that is inputted when the operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed.

7. The centrifuge according to claim 1 , wherein the operation state is a rotation speed, and

when the passcode is set, the displayer is configured to display a mark to indicate that the passcode is set.

8. A centrifuge, comprising:

a rotor chamber that accommodates a rotor which supports a sample;

a rotor distinguishing sensor configured to detect whether the rotor is accommodated in the rotor chamber or not;

a door that opens and closes the rotor chamber;

a door sensor configured to detect whether the door is opened or closed;

a lock, switching between a locked state that opening of the door is prevented and an unlocked state that the opening of the door is allowed; and

a controller connected to at least the door sensor and the rotor distinguishing sensor and configured to set the lock to be in the unlocked state when an operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed and a passcode is input,

wherein the controller is configured to be able to select whether or not to request an input of the passcode for setting the unlocked state when the operation for setting the locking mechanism to be in the unlocked state is performed,

wherein the controller is configured to set the lock to be in the unlocked state without requesting the input of the passcode when the operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed in a case that the rotor distinguishing sensor has detected that the rotor is not accommodated in the rotor chamber, and the door is closed,

the controller is configured to set the lock to be in the unlocked state with requesting the input of the passcode when the operation for setting the lock to be in the unlocked state is performed in a case that the rotor distinguishing sensor has detected that the rotor is accommodated in the rotor chamber, and the door is closed.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2020
From: KOKI HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
To: EPPENDORF HIMAC TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 053657/0158 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 15, 2020
From: OOYAMA, HISANOBU; TAKAHASHI, HIROYUKI
To: KOKI HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 051514/0616 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2017-135198 · Jul 11, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210039114A1 · Feb 11, 2021
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