Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A centrifuge for depositing particles, suspended in a sample, on a deposition surface, said centrifuge comprising: a rotor having a wall defining plural circumferentially located regions each adapted to receive one of said surfaces, each of said regions adapted to removably receive a chamber having an outlet orifice for removably engaging one of said surfaces and adapted to hold said sample in contact with said one surface, a hollow drive shaft for mounting said rotor, means for rotating said drive shaft, a plurality of tube means each adapted to removably contact a different one of said chambers, thereby to interconnect said chambers with said hollow drive shaft for removing fluid from any said chamber in contact with said one surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
120 words
A centrifuge for depositing particles, suspended in a sample, on a deposition surface, said centrifuge comprising: a rotor having a wall defining plural circumferentially located regions each adapted to receive one of said surfaces, each of said regions adapted to removably receive a chamber having an outlet orifice for removably engaging one of said surfaces and adapted to hold said sample in contact with said one surface, a hollow drive shaft for mounting said rotor, means for rotating said drive shaft, a plurality of tube means each adapted to removably contact a different one of said chambers, thereby to interconnect said chambers with said hollow drive shaft for removing fluid from any said chamber in contact with said one surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The centrifuge of claim 1 which includes means communicating with said hollow drive shaft for applying a vacuum to the interior of said drive shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
The centrifuge of claims 1 or 2, which also includes a collection cap secured to the upper end of said hollow drive shaft to define a vacuum cavity, plural orifices in said cap, an outwardly extending leaf spring secured to said cap at each orifice position, a plurality of flexible tubes communicating at one end with a respective orifice and the other end being biased by a respective leaf spring radially outward, thereby to facilitate removable fluid communication with a chamber region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A centrifuge of claim 3 wherein the other end of each said tube is provided with a nozzle for removable fluid contact with said chamber region.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A centrifuge of claim 4 wherein said cap includes a ring-like flange forming a pinch surface for closing each of said tubes by a respective one of said spring leafs when no chamber is present in a chamber region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A centrifuge of claim 1 or 5 wherein each said region is defined by radially inward flanges for positioning a chamber and surface therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
165 words
A centrifuge for depositing particles, suspended in a sample, on a deposition surface, said centrifuge comprising: a rotor having a wall defining plural circumferentially located regions each adapted to receive one of said surfaces, each of said regions adapted to removably receive a chamber having an outlet orifice for removably engaging one of said surfaces and adapted to hold said sample in contact with said one surface; a hollow drive shaft for mounting said rotor; means for rotating said drive shaft; a plurality of tube means each adapted to removably contact a different one of said chambers, thereby to interconnect said chambers with said hollow drive shaft for removing fluid from any said chamber in contact with said one surface; means communicable with said hollow drive shaft for applying a vacuum to the interior thereof; and means secured to said drive shaft for applying a radially outward bias to each said chamber, thereby to insure leak-free contact between each said chamber and a corresponding surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
A centrifuge for depositing particles, suspended in a sample, on a deposition surface, said centrifuge comprising: a rotor having a wall defining plural circumferentially located regions each adapted to receive one of said surfaces, each of said regions adapted to removably receive a chamber having an outlet orifice for removably engaging one of said surfaces and adapted to hold said sample in contact with said one surface; a hollow drive shaft for mounting said rotor; means for rotating said drive shaft; a plurality of tube means each adapted to removably contact a different one of said chambers, thereby to interconnect said chambers with said hollow drive shaft for removing fluid from any said chamber in contact with said one surface; means communicable with said hollow drive shaft for applying a vacuum to the interior thereof; and means secured to said drive shaft for applying a radially outward bias to each said chamber, thereby to insure leak-free contact between each said chamber and a corresponding surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The centrifuge of claim 7 wherein each said tube means is flexible and is supported at one end by said spring means to facilitate fluid communication with a corresponding one of said chambers when a said chamber is positioned in one of said regions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The centrifuge of claim 8 wherein said rotor is formed with an interior ring-like flange, said spring means operating, when not engaging one of said chambers, to pinch and close the flexible tube positioned at that chamber region.