Centrifuge system and fluid container therefor

Claim 2

A cassette for centrifugal separation of a composite fluid into components comprising: a generally disk shaped container having a spin access, said generally disk shaped container extending radially outward from said spin access to an outer extremity and adapted for rotation about said spin access to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, said container including: at least one pheripheral collection chamber positioned radially outward from said spin access toward said radially outer extremity of said generally disk shaped container; at least one central collection chamber located centrally about said spin access of said container; a passage providing fluid communication between said central collection chamber and said at least one peripheral collection chamber with said generally disk shaped container stationary with respect to said spin access and with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin access for centrifugal separation of the composite fluid; and a viscous material of a predetermined density disposed within said at least one peripheral collection chamber and wherein said viscous material has a volume sufficient to form a barrier between the components of the composite fluid during centrifugal separation and is able to flow to and from said radially outer extremity of said at least one peripheral collection chamber under centrifugal forces acting on said viscous material when said container is spun about said spin access.

Claim 3

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber is an annular peripheral collection chamber.

Claim 4

The cassette of claim 2 wherein said annular peripheral collection chamber is a low volume annular peripheral collecting chamber adapted to hold a volume very much smaller than the volume of said at least one central collection chamber.

Claim 5

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber is at least one lobe extending radially towards said radially outer extremity from said at least one central collection chamber.

Claim 6

The cassette of claim 1 further including volume indicating indicia formed in said generally disk shaped container at locations on said at least one peripheral collection chamber to function as indicia of the components of the composite fluid centrifugally separated within said at least one peripheral collection chamber.

Claim 7

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber is biased upwardly relative to said at least one central collection chamber of facilitate drainage of the components of the composite fluid centrifugally separated into said at least one peripheral collection chamber back into said at least one central collection chamber.

Claim 8

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber is biased downwardly relative to said at least one central collection chamber to maintain gravity separation between the components of the composite fluid centrifugally separated into said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber whe said generally disk shaped container has been spun about said spin axis.

Claim 9

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber has a thickness parallel to said spin axis which changes with increasing radial distance from said spin axis.

Claim 10

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one central collection chamber is bowl shaped.

Claim 11

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one central collection chamber has a generally flat bottom.

Claim 12

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said viscous material is a gel.

Claim 13

The cassette of claim 1 wherein the composite fluid is blood having particulate and fluid components and wherein said viscous material has a density between the particulate and fluid components of blood to facilitate the centrifugal separation of the particulated and fluid components of the blood.

Claim 14

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least one central collection chamber further includes at least one centrally located opening communicating with said at least ine central collection chamber for insertion of the composite fluid for centrifugal separation.

Claim 15

The cassette of claim 1 wherein said at least oine central collection chamber further includes an opening for insertion of the composite fluid for centrifugal separation and an upwardly narrowing cone shaped upper portion terminating in said opening.

Claim 16

A cassette for centrifugal separation of a composite fluid into components comprising: a generally disk shaped container having a spin axis, said generally disk shaped container extending radially outward from said spin axis to an outer extremity and adapted for rotation about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, said container including; at least one peripheral collection chamber positioned radially outward from said spin axis toward said radially outer extremity of said generally disk shaped container; at least one central collection chamber centrally located about said spin axis of said container; a passage providing fluid communiction betwen said central collection chamber and said at least one peripheral collection chamber with said generally disk shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis for centrifugal separation of the composite fluid; said passage including means for initial sealing said passage between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to preclude fluid communication therebetween prior to centrifugal separation of the composite fluid with said generally disk-shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and for opening under centrifugal hydrostatic pressure with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis to allow fluid communication between said at least oone peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to effect centrifugal separation of th composite fluid, and wherein said initial sealing means is inoperative after centrifugal separation such that said at least oine peripheral collection chamber remains in fluid communication with said at least one central collection chamber through said passage; and wherein said at least one central collection chamber includes an aperture for insertion of the composite fluid for centrifugal separation in said container and wherein said aperture is disposed coaxially about said spin axis.

Claim 17

A cassette for centrifugal separation of a composite fluid into components comprising: a generally disk shaped container having a spin axis, said generally disk shaped container extending radially outward from said spin axis to an outer extremity and adapted for rotation about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, said container including; at least one peripheral collection chamber positioned radially outward from said spin axis toward said radially outer extremity of said generally disk shaped container; at least one central collection chamber centrally located about said spin axis of said container; a passage providing fluid communiction betwen said central collection chamber and said at least one peripheral collection chamber with said generally disk shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis for centrifugal separation of the composite fluid; said passage including means for initial sealing said passage between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to preclude fluid communication therebetween prior to centrifugal separation of the composite fluid with said generally disk-shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and for opening under centrifugal hydrostatic pressure with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis to allow fluid communication between said at least oone peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to effect centrifugal separation of th composite fluid, and wherein said initial sealing means is inoperative after centrifugal separation such that said at least oine peripheral collection chamber remains in fluid communication with said at least one central collection chamber through said passage; and wherein said at least one central collection chamber includes an aperture for insertion of the composite fluid for centrifugal separation in said container and wherein said aperture is disposed coaxially about said spin axis.

Claim 18

The cassette of claim 15 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber is an annular peripheral collection chamber.

Claim 19

The cassette of claim 15 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber is at least one lobed peripheral collection chamber extending radially towards said radially outer extremity from said at least one central collection chamber.

Claim 20

The cassette of claim 15 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber a low volume annular peripheral collection chamber adapted to hold a volume very much smaller than the volume of said at least one central collection chamber.

Claim 21

The cassette of clim 15 further including volume indicating indicia formed in said generally disk shaped container at locations on said at least one peripheral collection chamber to function as indicia of the components of the composite fluid within said at least one peripheral collection chamber.

Claim 22

The cassette of clim 15 further including volume indicating indicia formed in said generally disk shaped container at locations on said at least one peripheral collection chamber to function as indicia of the components of the composite fluid within said at least one peripheral collection chamber.

Claim 23

The cassette of claim 15 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber is biased upwardly reltive to said at least one central collection chamber to facilitate drainage of the components of the composite fluid centrifugally separated into said at least one peripheral collection chamber back into said at least one central collection chamber with said generally disk shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis.

Claim 24

The cassette of claim 15 wherein said at least one peripheral collection chamber has a thickness parallel to said spin axis which changes with increasing radial distance from said spin axis.

Claim 25

The cassette of claim 15 wherein said at least one central colllection chamber is bowl shaped.

Claim 26

The cassette of claim 15 wherein said at least one central collection chamber has a generally flat bottom.

Claim 27

A cassette for centrifugal separation of a composite fluid into components comprising: a generally disk shaped container having a spin axis, said generally disk shaped container extending radially outward from said spin axis to an outer extremity and adapted for rotation about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, said container including; at least one peripheral collection chamber positioned radially outward from said spin axis toward said radially outer extremity of said generally disk shaped container; at least one cental collection chamber centrally located about said spin axis of said generally disk shaped container; a passage providing fluid communication between said central collection chamber and said at least one peripheral collection chamber with said generally disk shaped coontianer stationary with respect to said spin axis and with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis for centrifugal separation of the composite fluid; and volume indicting indicia formed in said generally disk shaped container at locations on said at least one peripheral collection chamber to function as indicia of the components of the composite fluid centrifugally separated within said at least one peripheral collection chamber.

Claim 28

A cassette for centrifugal separation of a composite fluid into components comprising: a generally disk shaped container having a spin axis, said generally disk shaped container extending radially outward from said spin axis to an outer extremity and adapted for rotation about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, said container including; at least one peripheral collection chamber positioned radially outward from said spin axis toward said radially outer extremity of said generally disk shaped container; at least one cental collection chamber centrally located about said spin axis of said generally disk shaped container; a passage providing fluid communication between said central collection chamber and said at least one peripheral collection chamber with said generally disk shaped coontianer stationary with respect to said spin axis and with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis for centrifugal separation of the composite fluid; and volume indicting indicia formed in said generally disk shaped container at locations on said at least one peripheral collection chamber to function as indicia of the components of the composite fluid centrifugally separated within said at least one peripheral collection chamber.

Claim 29

The cassette of claims 1 or 24 further including means for initial sealing said passage between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to preclude fluid communication therebetween prior to centrifugal separation of the composite fluid with said generally disk-shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and for opening under centrifugal hydrostatic pressure with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis to allow fluid communication between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, and wherein said initial sealing means is inoperative after centrifugal separation such that said at least one peripheral collection chamber remains in fluid communication with said at least one central collection chamber through said passage.

Claim 30

A cassette for centrifugal separation of a composite fluid into components comprising: a generally disk shaped container having a spin axis, said generally disk shaped container extending radially outward from said spin axis to an outer extremity and adapted for rotation about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, said container including: at least one peripheral collection chamber positioned radially outward from said spin axis toward said radially outer extremity of said generally disk shaped container; at least one central collection chamber centrally located about said spin axis of said generally disk-shaped container; a passage providing fluid communication between said central collection chamber and said at least one peripheral collection chamber with said generally disk-shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis for centrifugal separation of the composite fluid; said passage including means for initial sealing said passage between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to preclude fluid communication therebetween prior to centrigfugal separation of the composite fluid with said generally disk-shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and for opening under centrifugal hydrostatic pressure with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis to allow fluid communication between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, and wherein said initial sealing means is inoperative after centrifugal separation such that said at least one peripheral collection chamber remains in fluid communication with said at least one central collection chamber through said passage; and an underbody on said generally disk shaped container, said underbody including means for attaching said generally disk shaped container to a supported holder which is coupled to a source of rotary motion for rotating said generally disk shaped container about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid.

Claim 31

A cassette for centrifugal separation of a composite fluid into components comprising: a generally disk shaped container having a spin axis, said generally disk shaped container extending radially outward from said spin axis to an outer extremity and adapted for rotation about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, said container including: at least one peripheral collection chamber positioned radially outward from said spin axis toward said radially outer extremity of said generally disk shaped container; at least one central collection chamber centrally located about said spin axis of said generally disk-shaped container; a passage providing fluid communication between said central collection chamber and said at least one peripheral collection chamber with said generally disk-shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis for centrifugal separation of the composite fluid; said passage including means for initial sealing said passage between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to preclude fluid communication therebetween prior to centrigfugal separation of the composite fluid with said generally disk-shaped container stationary with respect to said spin axis and for opening under centrifugal hydrostatic pressure with said generally disk shaped container spun about said spin axis to allow fluid communication between said at least one peripheral collection chamber and said at least one central collection chamber to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid, and wherein said initial sealing means is inoperative after centrifugal separation such that said at least one peripheral collection chamber remains in fluid communication with said at least one central collection chamber through said passage; and an underbody on said generally disk shaped container, said underbody including means for attaching said generally disk shaped container to a supported holder which is coupled to a source of rotary motion for rotating said generally disk shaped container about said spin axis to effect centrifugal separation of the composite fluid.

Claim 32

The cassette of claim 26 wherein said attaching means includes a downwardly extending collar on said underbody.

Claim 33

The cassette of claim 26 further including O-ring means for providing coupling between the attaching means and the source of rotary motion.

Claim 34

The cassette of claim 28 further including means for allowing limited expansion of said O-ring means under cnetrifugal force.

Claim 35

The cassette of claims 15, 24 or 26 wherein said at least one periheral collecton chamber has a volume ratio with respect to said at least one central collection chamber of approximately 1 to 2.

Claim 36

The cassette of claim 1, 15, 24 or 26 further including suction means for promoting filling of said generally disk shaped container.

Claim 37

The cassette of claim 31 wherein said generally disk shaped container has an opening into said at least one central collection chamber and further including a puncturable stopper disposed in said opening of said container.