AU634116B2 - Blood separating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

PATENTS ACT 199 b 3 4 Form COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Class: Int. CI: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor/s: Address for Service: TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA 44-1, Hatagaya 2-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan Nobukazu TANOKURA Susumu FUJIKAWA Susumu KOBAYASHI Akihiko FURUYA Fumlaki INABA CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Trademark Attomeys Qantas House 2 Railway Parade CAMBERWELL VIC 3124 Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled; BLOOD SEPARATING APPARATUS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- L Title BLOOD SEPARATING APPARATUS This invention relates to a blood separating apparatus for separating blood plasma, red blood corpuscle, etc. from a flexible container such as a blood bag.

BACKGROUND ART Since an evil effect of a total blood transfusion has heretofore been regarded as a big issue, a blood transfusion of only blood component is popularly performed at present for the purpose of minimizing, as much as possible, a side effect caused by physical burden to patients, immunity, etc. by performing a blood transfusion of only a blood component or components necessary for patients among various kinds of blood components. As a consequence, it is required to prepare a component formulation, and in order to prepare a component formulation, it is further required that blood in a blood bag is divided into each component by a centrifugal separator, and each component is separated in a separation bag.

An apparatus for separating blood in such blood bag i into each component is disclosed in Japanese Patent Early Laid-open Publication No. Sho 63-119776.

That is, the conventional blood separating apparatus includes a plurality of container holding portions for holding a parent bag and a plurality of child bags connected by a tube, a plurality of tube clampers for clamping tubes communicating with the respective bags, a container pressurizing portion for pressurizing the parent bag held by the container holding portion and pushing out a portion of blood in the parent bag for separation, a weight measuring portion such as a weigh disposed to a container holding portion for each child bag, and control units for controlling the tube clampers and the container pressurizing portion and making it possible to transfer blood to be separated from the parent bag to the child bags which are in communicated relation through the unclamped tubes. And the control unit causes the corresponding tube clamper to clamp the tube communicating with the child bag when the quantity of blood transferred to the child bag from the parent bag has reached a preset level and then finishes the separating operation.

By the way, the weight measuring portion of the blood separating apparatus disposed in each container holding portion for each child bag as mentioned above have the following functions C) To measure the quantity of blood and additive solution transferred from the parent bag and other child bags.

To measure the quantity of blood and additive i 4 solution transferred to the parent bag and other child bags.

To measure the weight of bags for judging whether the bags set to the respective container pressurizing portions are coincident with bags preliminarily selected by a bag selection button or the like.

However, in the conventional blood separating apparatus, since a separate weight measuring portion is required for each container holding portion for each child bag, it has the following problems CD and d.

C( Since a cerlain scale of weight measuring portion is required for each container holding portion, the apparatus inevitably becomes complicated and large.

2) It is difficult, to equalize the measuring accuracy f each weight measuring portion, and irregularities in weight measuring results in respective container holding portions are inevitably produced per each weight measuring portion.

Iti is therefore an object of the present invention that a blood separating work is performed using a plurality of containers connected with each other through tubes, the apparalus is simplified and miniaturized when amount of weight change of each container is measured, and irregularities in weight measuring results in the respective container holding portions are prevented from occurring.

L DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the invention provides a blood separating apparatus including plurality of container holding portions for holding a plurality of containers connected with each other by tubes, at least one container being a flexible container containing blood separated into layers, a plurality ,of tube dlampers for clamping the tubes communicating with the respective containers, a container pressurizing portion disposed in such a manner as to correspond to at least one cont ai ner holding portion and adapted to pressurize the flexible container held by the container holding portion and pushing out a port ion of blood conLained in the flexible container in to another or said plurality of containers and a control untri for oonLrolling the tube clampers and the cont airner pressurizing portion, the control unit making it possible to transmiL blood between containers communicated with each other through unclampod tubes, the blood separating apparaLus furthor includes a weight measuring portion which is associated with two or more container holding portions, wherein the weight change of the respective containers held by the container holding portions are able to be selectively measured.

In a blood separating apparatus in accordance with the invention, it is preferred that the control unit is 6 capable of obtaining a mieasurement measured by -the weight measuring Portion recognizing which of the container holding portion Ois 15c~io i i caLi rig wi th each other through uncl1amped tube and caxlculating the weight change of the con tairiers hold by the, corita i nr holding portion fromt the measurement, obt ai ned by t.he we i ght, meaisur ing Pertion.

Pro ferab y tho i nventLion furtLher provides a blood cjuank Lty se tti ng portLion for so Lting a blood quan L y wh i ch shoul d be con La ined in Lhe containers, and amemory portion for storing Lho e L blood quantLit y, Lhe memory portLien is capable or' rewriting and read ing Lhe stored data, the ste rud datLa is notL lost even if the main electric power -urco is cut off, Lhe control uniit recognizes LhatL the bl ood quantLity of thle cent a inor b~e ing imeasurod has reached the set blood quantity in alccoirdance witLb the sot blood quantity s toredl in t he mnliry per Li on ind the moasuremenint obtLained by t.he weight measur ig portLien, and cl1amps the tube coil nnrt i coLi g wh Umiith con La iner beijng measured through the corr cspoid inrg Lube ci amper.

1 In accordance withb thi1s aspect o)f the invent ion, the fol1lowiing functions and effects CO and OD result.

Wi, Since a Plurality of container holding portions coimonily have a single weight measuring portion, the apparatus can be simipliied and miniatur ized when the 7 amount of weight change for each container is measured.

2) The result of weight measurement of each container hoJding portion is a result measured by the same weight measuring portion, and no irregularitlies caused by different weight measuring portions are generated, Preferably, It the control unit recognizes the containeor which is to be changed in weight from the unclamped state of the tube and is capable of selectively measuring the quantity of change in woeight of the container held by the container holding port ion which participates in the separating work among a plural ity of container holding pert ions which are under the control of the weight measuring port L ion, Preferably, the set blood quant i ty to be accommodaLed in each container can be constuituted by rewriting the data stored in the memory portion, the setting can be easily changed, and each component of the blood can b, accuir;at.,ily separated into each container, At this tlime, the sol. blood quantity stored in the memory portion is not erased even when the main electric power source is cut off by power failure or the like, and the same set blood quantity is maintained repeatedly unless the same is rewritten, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 8 Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a blood separating apparatus; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of the blood separatin g apparatus; Fig. 3 is ai sectional view showing an important portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3; Fig, S is a sectional view showing a pressurizing stante of a contatior Fig 6 is a secti onal view showing an important portion of Fig. Fig,. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VII-VII of Fig, 6; Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a separating operation using a quadruple bag (additive so ltion is present) for removinrg lukocyto.

l[KST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A blood separating apparatus 20 is chiefly used for separealing components of blood and its objective blood baR 2 is for 200m.e and 400m and a double bag, a triple bag, and red blood corpuscle remtoving quadruple bag (additive solution is present or not present) can be used, In this m~ 9 embodiment, a leukocyte removing quadruple bag for 400mi is used.

The automatic blood separating apparatus 20 chiefly comprises a main container holding portion 21 for holding a parent bag 2a provided with a blood taking off Lube 11, a contaiier prossuring portion 22 for pressuring the parent bag 2a held by the main container holding portion 21 and pushing outl a blood component in an upper layer within the parent bag 2a, first through third secondary container holding portions 23A -23C for holding first, second and third child bags 2b, 2c and 2d for conLaining the blood component in the upper layer pushed out from a blood Lake-off tube 11 of the parini bag 2a by the container container pressurizing portion 22 through tubes, a shutter memb.'r 24 for opening and closing each tube, an intorface detecting portion 25 for detecting the inLerface of blood contained in the blood bag 2, weight m'asuring portions 101 and 102 for measuring the weight of blood coumponents contained in the respective child bags 2b, Ze and 2d, and an arithmetic sequence unit (or control unit) 26 for calculating detection signals detected by the inLorface detecting portion 25, measurement signals measured by the weight measuring portions 101 and 102, and operation signals for operating the container pressurizing portions 22 and the shutter portion 24 in accordance with a programn U: initially input and outputting the same.

The main container holding portion 21 is located at a front surface 27a of an operating box 27, The main container holding portion 21, as shown by an arrow of Fig. 3, can be opened and closed. When the main container holding portion 21 is opened, the parent bag 2a is hooked on the hooks 7, 7 and when it is closed, it looks something like Fig. 3.

The container pressurizing portion 22 is designed such that a pressure plate 10 fixed to a rotational shaft 8 supported by the operating box 27 is pushed toward the container holding portion 21 side by a pushing mechanism and the parent bag 2a is sandwiched, under pressure, between the pressure plate 10 and the container holding portion 21 (see Fig. The pushing mechanism is constructed something like Fig. 3 The numeral 111 denotes a motor, 112 a feed screw shaft, 113 a movable piece, 114 a mandrel, and 115 a spring. The feed screw shaft 112 is driven by the motor 111, and the movable piece 113 is engaged with the feed screw shaft 112 through the screw means and moved in the axial 20 direction of the feed screw shaft 112. The mandrel 114 is connected to the pressure plate 10 by pin means and loosely engaged with the movable piece 113. The spring 115 is mounted on the periphery of the mandrel 114 and biased by the movable piece 113. Accordingly, when the arithmetic sequence unit 26 rotates the motor 111 in the normal direction through a pressure circuit 30, the feed screw shaft 112 is rotated and the movable piece 113 is moved in the axial direction of the shaft 112. The movable piece 113 simultaneously biases the spring 115 and stops at the end of its advancement. By this, the biased spring 115 gradually urges the pressure plate 10 into a pivotal movement as mentioned above.

The blood separating apparatus 20 has a cover 32 mounted on an upper surface 27b of the operating box 27 in such a manner as to be able to opened and closed. This cover 32 can be fixed to the upper surface 27b in the vertical direction and is provided with a couple of hooks 33a and 33b so tha.t two child bags can be hung thereon. Furthermore, an upper surface 27b of the operating box 27 is provided with a tray 36 on which a single child bag can be placed.

The shutter portion 24 comprises first, second, third and fourth tube clampers 36, 37, 38 and 39 which are disposed on the upper surface 27b of Lhe operating box 27, the tube clampers 36, 37, 38 and 39 being opened and closed by corresponding solenoids 36a,a, 3a, 38a, and 39a, respectively.

The solenoids 36a, 37a, 38a and 39a are electrically connected to the arithmetic sequence unit 26 through drivers 36b, 37b, 38b and 39b, and an input/output port 31.

L

1141-: The interface detecting portion 25 is adapted to detect an interface between a blood plasma layer C and a mucosa layer D of the blood bag 2 which was already subjected to centrifugal separation treatment, and/or an interface between the mucosa layer D and a red blood corpuscle E, and a photosensor is used for it in general, the interface being detected by difference in light absorption coefficient in respective layers. The mounting position of this interface detecting portion 25 can be slightly amended in the vertical direction. This interface detecting portion 26 is electrical ly connected to the arithmetic sequence unit 26 through the input/output port 31.

This interface detecting portion 25 is concretely constructed as shown, for example, in Figs. 5 and 8. That is, in Figs. 5 and 8, the numeral 121 denotes a light emitting device disposed at the pressure plate 10, and 122 a light receiving device disposed at a side surface 27a of the operating box 27. The light emitting apparatus 121 comprises 15 pieces of first through fifteen infrared light emitting diodes disposed long in the vertical direction of the blood bag 2 set in the main container holding portion 21, and the light receiving apparatus 122 comprises two plate-like light emitting diodes connected in parallel.

At this time, the blood separating apparatus ri 13 includes an interface setting portion 50 for setting an interface setting position (required position of the interface at the time the separating work has been finished) relative to the blood bag 2 set to the main container holding portion 21 in accordance with a quantity of blood plasma which should be remained in the blood bag 2 at the time the separating work has been finished this time (accordingly, in accordance with the capacity of the blood bag 2 which is used this time, or in accordance with the conditions of the centrifugal separation in the preceding process). Also, the blood separating apparatus 20 is adapted to store the interface set position set by this interface setting portion in a non-volatile EEPROM 40c of a memory portion 40 which will be described later. The non-volatile EEPROM 40c is capable of rewriting and accessing the stored data and these data are not erased even when the main electric power source is cut off.

The procedures for the interface detecting portion to detect the interface position set by the interface setting portion 50 are, for example, as follows; The sequence unit 26 controls such that the detecting work position of the interface detecting portion corresponds to the interface setting position which has been stored in the non-volatile EEPROM 40c by the interface setting portion 50 with regard to the current parent bag 2a, and causes the main light emitting diode (for instance, eighth light emitting diode located in the detecting work position, the upper light emitting diode (for instance, sixth light emitting diode located on the upper side of the detecting work position, and the lower light emitting diode (for instance, 10th light emitting diode located on the lower side of the detecting work position to be repeatedly flashed one after another.

At the same time, when the light quantity received by the tight receiving diode constituting the light receiving apparatus 122 is transmitted, after A/I) conversion, to the sequence unit 26 from the light receiving apparatus 122, the sequence unit 26 calculates the difference of the light receiving quantities Sr, and Sio between the sixth light emitting diode and the tenth light emitting diode, i.e. SC Sio, and recognizes that the interface of the blood bag 2 has reached the interface setting position when the light receiving quantity So of the eighth light emitting diode became So (Se Sio)/2.

The weight measuring portions 101 and 102 are electrically connected to the arithmetic sequence unit 26 through the weight measuring circuit 35 and the input/output port 31, and concretely constructed as follows.

r nm_ The weight measuring portion 101 for the first child bag 2b disposed on the first secondary container holding portion 23A comprises a bag receiving tray 104 for the child bag 2b to be placed thereon, and a weight sensor 105 on which the bag receiving tray 104 is supported, as shown in Fig. 3.

The weight measuring portion 102 for the child bags 2c and 2d disposed on the second and third secondary container holding portions 231 and 23C comprises hooks 33a and 33b on which the child bags 2c and 2d are hung and a single weight sensor 106 on which the hooks 33a and 33b are supported, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. That is, the two container holding portions 23B and 23C commonly have the single weight measuring portion 102 so that the weight changing amounts of the child bags 2c and 2d held in the 16 respective container holding portions 23B and 23C can be selectively measured.

The weight sensors 105 and 106 are supported by sensor holding brackets which are fixed to the operating box 27 and the cover 32 respectively, and include a strain gauge which is attached to two positions of the upper surface and *It ftwo positions of the lower surface, respectively, to form a Whoatstone bridge circuit.

At this time, the blood separating apparatus includes a blood quantity setting portion 60 for setting the C_ ran. ~9L blood quantities which should be contained in the respective child bags 2b ~2d set to the first through third secondary container holding portions 23A-23C in accordance with the capacities of the child bags 2b -2d which are used this time. Also, the blood separating apparatus 20 stores the blood quantity set by this blood quantity setting portion 60 in a non-volatile EEPROM 40c which will be described later, The memory portion 40 .s capable of rewriting and reading the stored data and the stored data are not erased even when a main electric power source is cut off.

Therefore, the respective weight measuring portions 101 arid 102 measure the blood quantity set by the blood quantity setting portion 60 as follows. That is, the arithmetic sequence unit 26 can recognize a fact that the measured results of the respective weight measuring portions 101 and 102 have reached those set blood quantities by obtaining the data of the blood quantity setting portion 60 stored in the non-volatile EEPROM 40c and the measured results of the respective weight measuring portions 101 and 102.

At this time, the arithmetic sequence unit 26 selectively recognizes about to which weight changing quantity of the child bags 2c and 2d held by the container holding portion 23B or 23C the output changing quantity of the weight measuring portion 102 commonly had by the second j and third secondary container holding portions 23B and 230 corresponds in the following manner. That is, the sequence unit 26 is capable of obtaining the result of measurement made by the weight measuring portion 102, recognizing the child bags 2c and 2d communicating with the tubes 15a and which has been unclamped by the tube clampers 38 and 39 of the shutter portion 24 this time, recognizing that the result of measurement made by the weight measuring portion 102 corresponds to the weight changing quantity of the child bags 2c and 2d communicating with the tubes 15a and 15b which were unclamped, and calculating the weight changed amount of the child bag 2c or 2d and calculates the weight changing quantity of the child bags 2c or 2d and outputting the same.

The arithmetic sequence unit 26 is adapted to calculate based on signals input from the input/output port 31 and information read from the memory portion 40 (including ROM 40a, RAM 40b, AND EEPROM 40c) according to necessity and to output operating signals to various devices through respective circuits, And a program, in which an operating method of the present invention is initially stored, is Sloaded in the ROM 40a of the memory portion 40 which is electrically connected to the arithmetic sequence unit 26.

This program is well prepared for, for example, a case of 400m a case of 200me and various other cases of various kinds of operation methods, and the operating method can be changed in many ways by selecting this program through the selection switch. The program to be loaded in the ROM may be of the type for exchanging a program cassette prepared for each operating method.

The term "ROM (40a)" refers to a "read only memory" in which a program for automatically performing a blood separating operation is loaded and its content is not lost even when an electric power source is cut off. Also, its content cannot be rewritten.

Likewise, the tern "RAM (40b)" refers to a "random access memory" which is a memory adapted to store, in the middle way of the blood separating operation, the current step of separating operation, the result of measurement of the b lood quanLtity, the result of measurement of the interface detecting portion, and the intermediate result of calculation being performed by the arithmetic sequence unit, and its contents are all lost when an electric power source is cut off.

The term "EEPROM (40c)" refers to a "electrical erasable programmable read only memory". Although this is a read only memory, its content can be rewritten by incurring a high voltage for writing. Moreover, the stored content is not lost even when the electric power source is cut off.

19 This EEPROM stores all of the interface detection setting values and blood quantity setting values for each type of blood bags, and the set content can be rewritten only when it is changed to a setting change mode.

That is, the arithmetic sequence unit 26 automatically performs blood separation by operating the container pressurizing portion 22 and shutter portion 24 in accordance with the result detected by the interface detecting portion 25, the result measured by the weight measuring portions 101 and 102, and the program.

At this time, the arithmetic sequence unit 26 closes the shutter portion 24 and finishes the separating operation by recognizing a fact that the interface detected by the interface detecting portion 25 has reached the interface set position and/or the result measured by each weight measuring portion 101, 102 has reached the set blood quantity with reference to the data of the interface set position and set blood quantity stored in the non-volati.e BEPROM 40c, the result detectd by the interface detecting portion 25, and the result measured by each weight measuring portion 101, 102.

Also, this arithmetic sequence unit 26 is electrically connected with various switches such as a power switch 41, a first start switch 42, a second start switch 43,and a stop switch 44 and a liquid crystal display 45. These switches L I I and liquid crystal display 45 are attached to a panel portion at an inclined portion 27c of the operating box 27.

This liquid crystal display 45 is disposed on an operating panel of the operating box 27. And this liquid crystal display 45 displays the title of a program to be used.

Therefore, it can be made sure whether this program is the right one. Also, error massages such as, for example, interface level and weight meter being abnormal (the child bags are not set in the predetermined places) are displayed on the liquid crystal display 45 to that effect.

Next, operation of the automatic blood separating apparatus 20 having the above-mentioned construction will be described.

Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation for a case wherein a quadruple bag (additive solution is present) for removing leukocyte which has been subjected to the first centrifugal separation treatment is used as the blood separating apparatus.

First of all, the electric power switch 41 of the 20 automatic blood separating apparatus 20 is turned on for initializaLion (step Next, a blood bag (quadruple bag for removing leukocyte) containing 400m2e collected from a blood donor and already subjected to the first centrifugal separation treatment for, for example, 5 minutes with 3000- 400%G is prepared. Centrifugally separated blood bags 2 are set to the automatic blood separating apparatus 20 as shown in Fig. 1. Among the blood bags 2, a parent bag ka containing total blood of 40Mae is hung on the hooks 7, 7.

Also, the first child bag 2b is placed on the tray 35 of the first secondary container holding portion 23A, that is, 'the bag 2b is placed on 'the bag receiving tray 104 of the weight measuring portion 101 of Fig. 3.

Furthermore, The-, second arid third child bags 2c and 2d are hung on the hooks 33a and 33b of the weight measuring portion 102, respectively, Furthermore, a tube 12 of -the blood bags 2 is sot. Lo thAe first, tube dlamper 36, a -tubo 14 to the second tube Hamper 37, arid tubes 15a and 15b to the third and fourth 'Lube clampers 38 arid 39, respectively, After the blood bag 2 is set to the automatic blood separating apparatus 20, a program for this blood bag 2, that is, the quadruple bag removing leukocyto is selected and read from the memory port ion 40 of the automatic blood separating apparatus 20 (SLOP 0).

Then, as The title of Such read program is displayed £on the liquid crystal display 45, it IS judged whether the kind of The blood bag 2 is coincident with the sot program1 by looking at this display (step ID). If the answer of stop (03 is negative, the stop switch 44 is turned on for total cancellation and then goes back to step 0 in which a right program Is selected and read from -the memiory portion 40. 1If the answer of step 03 is affirmative, it goes to step (4 in which -the first startL switch 42 is turned on and then it goes to stLeop In step V, It is judged whether the separation interface level is in a predetermined position by obt~aining The result detected by The interfaoe detecting per tion 2b, that. 1i, whether The parent, bag 2a is set in The predeterined positLion.

At, this Limie, as it, Is displayed on -the liquid crystal display 45, Tho judgmeint is made while looking at t hI s~ And if tHie answer of stop 0) is negative, iL goo's back Lu %top in which the stop swi tch 44 is tiurnod on 1,15 for total oancol lation, and after the positLion of Ohe parent bag 2a is solt to the prode term inod position, the 'first st'art swi tch 4R3 is turned (in again, If the answer of step I~s tiff irmalilvo, then it. goes to stop in which It is Judged whethor the, weight measuring por tion 101 shows a prodoiteriined weight, thaL is whether t-he prodeteormined kind of Lhto first chltd bag 2b ils set to a predetermined position, It is also judged whether the weight measuring portion 12 shows a predetermined weight, that is, whe ther the prodeteormined kind of second child bag 2P, and third child bag 2d are set to a predetermined position.

Since this is displayed on the liquid crystal display 45, the judgment is made while looking at this and. if the answer of step is negative, then it goes back to step in which the stop switch 44 is turned on for total cancellation and after the first child bag 2b is set to a predetermined position, the first start switch 42 is turned on again. If the answer of step is affirmative, then it goes to stop in which the first, second, third, and fourth tube clampers 36, 37, 38 and 39 are all closed. A plug member disposed in the blood take-off tube 11 of the parent bag 2a and which can be separated by breaking is folded to communicate the parent bag 2a and the tube 12 with each other and at the same time, a plug member disposed in the blood take-off tube of the third child bag 2d and which can be separated by breaking is folded to communicate the third child bag 2d and the tube 15b with each other.

Then it goes to step and the first start switch 42 is turned on and then it goes to step in which the first and third tube clampers 36 and 38 are opened and the second and fourth tube clampers 37 and 39 are closed.

Then it goes to step in which -the pressure plate of the container pressurizing portion 22 is pivoted to start pressurizing the parent bag 2a, The blood plasma layer woo C of the parent bag 2a starts transferring into the second child bag 2c.

Then it goes to step C, in which it is judged whether the interface between the blood plasma layer C and the mucosa layer D has reached the predetermined set position by the interface detecting portion 25. If the answer of step is negative, then it goes back to step in which the pressurization of the pressure plate 10 is kept going on so as to feed the blood plasma layer C into the second child bag 2c.

If the answer of step is affirmative, then it goes to step V, in which the first and second tube clamipers 36 and 37 are opened and the third and fourth tube clampers 38 and 39 are closed and a portion of the blood plasma layer C and a porti on of Lhe mucosa layer layer D and red blood corpuscle layer E are transferred into the first child bag 2b. Then, it goes to step in which the result measured by the weight measuring portion 101 is obtained and it is judged whether the blood weight entered into the first child 20 bag 2b became 30g. If the answer of step 0 is negative, then it waits until the weight becomes 30g without going to tho next step. If the answer of step is affirmative, then it goes to step in which pressurization of the pressure plate 10 is stopped and then it goes to step i In step the second and third tube clampers 37 and 38are opened and the first and fourth tube clampers 36 and 39 are closed. Therefore, the blood plasma layer C entered into the second child bag 2c is transferred into the first child bag 2b by natural flow-down. Then it goes to step 0, in which the result measured by the weight measuring portion 101 is obtained and it is judged whether the weight of the blood plasma entered into the first child bag 2b became 30g 40g If the answer of step is negative, then it waits until the weight becomes 70g without going to the next step.

If the answer of step is affirmative, then it goes to stP in which the first and fourth tube clampers 36 and 39 are opened and the second and third tube clampers 37 and 38 are closed. Therefore, the additive solution of red blood corpuscle within the third child bag 2d is transferred into the parent bag 2a by natural flow-down. Then it goes to step i, in which the result measured by the weight measuring portion 101 is obtained and it is judged whether the weight of the additive solution of red blood corpuscle entered into the parent bag 2a became 90g. If the answer of step 18 is negative, then it waits until the weight becomes 90g without going to the next step.

If the answer of step I is affirmative, then it goes to step 1 wherein the stop switch is actuated to become END and the blood component separating operation subjected to the first centrifugal separation work is finished. Thereafter, the tubes 12 and 15a are sealed by a tube sealer, etc. and then the parent bag 2a and the second child bag 2c are cut out from the blood bag 2. Such cut-out parent bag 2a and second child bag 2c are stored in a predetermined place.

In the following is a flowchart showing the operation for a case is described where a quadruple bag (additive solution is not; present) for removing leukocyte already subjected to the first centrifugal separation treatment is used in the solution separating apparatus.

The procedure from step to step is exactly the same as for 'the quadruple bag of Fig. 15 in which the additive solution is present.

In step the first and the third tube clampers 36 and 38 are opened, and the second and fourth tube clampers 37 and 39 are closed, and the blood plasma in the second child bag 2c is transferred into the parent bag 2a. In step the content in the second child bag 2c is reduced down to 160g, the weight measuring portion 102 measures this fact, Sand the first and third tube clampers 36 and 38 are closed.

Then it goes to step in which the stop switch 44 is turned on for END, and the separating operation of blood components subjected to the first centrifugal separating treatment is "Ics.

27 finished. Then, after the tubes 12 and 15a are sealed by a tube sealer, etc., the parent bag 2a and the second child bag 2c are cut out from the blood bag 2. Such cut out parent bag 2a and second child bag 2c are kept in a predetermined place.

Next, function of the above embodiment will be described.

Since a single weight measuring portion 102 is commonly possessed by a plurality of container holding portions 23B and 23C, the apparatus can be simplified and miniaturized when changed amounts in weight of the respective child bags 2c and 2d are measured.

The results of weight measurement of the respective container holding portions 23B and 23C are the results measured by the same weight measuring portion and therefore, irregularities caused by different weight measuring portions are generated.

(0 The sequence unit 26 recognizes the child bags 2c, 2d which are to be changed in weight this time from the unclamped state of the tubes 15a and 15b and is capable of selectively measuring the amount of weight change of the child bag 2c (or 2d) held by the container holding portion 23B (or 23) which is participated in the current separating work among a plurality of container holding portions 23B and 23C which are under the control of the L 1_ weight measuring portions 102.

The set blood quantity which should be contained in the respective child bags 2b -2d can be adjusted by rewriting the data stored in the memory portion 40, the setting can be changed with ease, and the respective components of the blood can be separated into the respective child bags 2b -2d with high accuracy. At this time, the set quantity stored in the memory portion 40 is not erased even when the main electric power source is cut off due to power failure or the like, and the same set blood quantity can be repeatedly maintained unless it is rewritten.

[EFFECT OF THE INVENTION] According to the invention as claimed in claims 1 through 3, at the time the blood separating operation is performed using a plurality of containers connected through tubes and changes in weight of the respective containers are measured, the apparatus can be simplified and miniaturized.

In addition, irregularities in result of weight measurement in the respective container holding portions can be prevented.

Claims (6)

1. A blood separating apparatus including a plurality of container holding portions for holding a plurality of containers connected with each other by tubes, at least one container being a flexible container containing a blood separated into layers, a plurality of tube clampers for clamping the tubes communicating with said respective containers, a container pressurizing portion disposed in such a manner as to correspond to at least one container holding portion and adapted to pressurize said flexible container held by said container holding portion and pushing out a portion of blood contained in said flexible container into another of said plurality of containers, and a control unit for controlling said tube clampers and said container pressurizing portion, said control unit making it possible to transmit blood between containers communicating with each other through unclamped tubes, said blood separating apparatus further including a weight measuring portion which is associated with two or more container holding portions, wherein the weight change of the respective containers held by said container holding portions can be selectively obtained.

2. A blood separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control unit is capable of obtaining c a measurement measured by said weight measuring portion and recognizing which of said container holding portion is communicatinrg with each other through unclamped tube and calculating the weight change of said containers held by said container holding portion from the measurement obtained by said weight measuring portion.

3. A blood separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, which further includes a blood quantity soetting porLion for setting a blood quantity which should be contained in said containers, and a memory portion for storing said set blood quantity, said memory portion being capable of rowriLing and reading said stored data, said control unit recognizing that. the blood quantity of the container boing measured has reached the set blood quantity in accordance with the set blood quantity stored in said memory portion and the measurement obtained by said weight measuring portion, and clamping the tube communicaLing with said container being measured through tho corresponding tube c lamper,

4. A blood separating apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said apparatus is supplied by a main power source and said stored data is retained in the event of the main electric power source being cut off.

A blood separating apparatus substantLally as 31 hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A method of separating a blood using the apparatus of any one of claims 1 DATED THIS 23RD DAY OF MARCH 1992 TERUMO KABUSHIKI KAISHA BY ITS PATENT ATTORNEYS: CARTER SMITH BEADLE FELLOWS INSTITUTE OF PATENT ATTORNEYS OF AUSTRALIA 32 ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a blood separating apparatus having a container holding portion, a tube clamper, a container pressurizing portion, and a control unit. It also has a weight measuring portion commonly had by two or more container holding portions and can selectively measure the quantity of weight change of each container held by the container holding portion. I IL i