JP6779124B2 - Centrifuge sample container and centrifuge using it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a swing rotor type centrifuge (centrifuge), and more particularly to a sample container mounted on a swinging bucket.

The centrifuge is provided with a rotor capable of accommodating a plurality of sample containers filled with samples and a driving means such as a motor for rotating the rotor, and by rotating the rotor in the rotor chamber to apply centrifugal force. Centrifuge the sample. The rotor includes an angle type and a swing type. For example, a swing rotor type centrifuge is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. The swing rotor rotates a bucket having a bottomed portion and accommodating a sample container for filling a sample inside while holding the bucket so as to be swingable with respect to the swing rotor main body. The centrifugal load applied to the bucket is held by a set of holding portions (for example, convex holding pins) installed on opposite surfaces of the arm of the swing rotor body. The two side surfaces of the bucket are formed with recesses that engage with the cylindrical surface on the outer peripheral side of the holding pin of the swing rotor body, and the bucket is mounted so that the recess is hung from above the holding pin downward, and the swing shaft. It is slidably held by a barrel holding pin. A gap is provided between the tip surface of the holding pin and the opposite surface (orthogonal surface) of the recess of the bucket so as not to hinder sliding.

When the rotation of the rotor is stopped, the central axis of the bucket and the drive axis of the motor are in a parallel position (swing angle 0 °), but as the rotation speed of the rotor increases, centrifugal force acts on the bucket. As it swings, the bucket rotates about the swing axis and the swing angle gradually increases, and the bucket becomes almost horizontal (swing angle 90 °) at a rotation speed that generates a centrifugal force that makes the bucket horizontal. After that, the centrifugal separation operation is completed and the swing angle decreases as the rotation speed decreases, and the swing angle becomes 0 ° when the rotation of the rotor is stopped. In this way, the swing rotor changes the relative angle between the central axis of the bucket and the drive axis depending on the magnitude of the centrifugal force during centrifugation. As in Patent Document 2, such a swing rotor holds a sample via an inner cup or a sample container.

JP-A-2016-87483 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-83637 JP-A-2007-229716

The rotor is provided with a pair of facing convex portions that oscillateably support the bucket, and a concave portion that engages with the outer peripheral side cylindrical surface of the convex portion is provided on the side surface of the bucket, and the bucket swings at the end of the concave portion. To do. The load of the bucket, the sample, and the sample container is borne by the contact surface of the bucket, and the stress is concentrated on the rounded or arc-shaped portion provided at the corner of the recess. In recent years, there has been a demand for processing a large amount of samples at one time or processing with a higher centrifugal acceleration, and the size of the bucket has been increased in line with the demand. Furthermore, there has been a request to put a sample container with a lid inside the enlarged bucket. The sample container with a lid attached to the conventional swing rotor has a shape having a cylindrical body portion as shown in Patent Document 3. In that case, a bucket suitable for the cylindrical sample container is prepared, but in that case, the number of sample containers mounted on the bucket at the same time is reduced. It is conceivable to make a bucket in which one sample container is placed on the inner peripheral side and one sample container on the outer peripheral side of the bucket as disclosed in Patent Document 1, but not only the shape of the bucket but also the swing rotor body It is necessary to make a big change to the shape. In addition, when arranging the sample containers on the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the bucket, there is a limitation in increasing the outer diameter of the sample container, and the diameter of the opening with the lid becomes smaller, so that the sample containers are separated by centrifugation. It cannot be said that it is easy to take out the separated sample after the operation.

The present invention has been made in view of the above background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sample container for a centrifuge with a lid, which can increase the amount of samples that can be centrifuged at one time.
Another object of the present invention is to increase the rigidity of the sample container with a lid in the centrifugal load direction in a swing rotor type centrifuge and mount it on a bucket type swing rotor to perform centrifugal separation operation at high speed. The purpose is to provide a sample container for a centrifuge that has been made possible.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sample container for a centrifuge having a large capacity, a large opening, and ease of use, and to realize a centrifuge using the sample container.

The typical features of the invention disclosed in the present application will be described as follows.
According to one feature of the present invention, it is a sample container for a centrifuge that is housed in a bucket that is swingably arranged by a holding portion of a swing rotor body and has a lid that can store a sample and is removable. It is configured to have a body portion in which the outer surface thereof is held by the inner wall surface of the bucket, and a shoulder portion connecting the upper end of the body portion to the circular opening to which the lid portion is attached. This body portion is a substantially rectangular container in which the lengths of the long side and the short side are different in a horizontal cross-sectional view, and there are a plurality of arch-shaped ridges connecting the vicinity of the upper end of the long side side surface of the body portion facing each other on the shoulder portion. Provided. In addition, the opening is formed in a circle around the intersection of the center line (long axis) in the long side direction and the center line (short axis) in the short side direction in the top view, and the raised portion is formed in the direction of the opening and the long side. It is formed at two locations on both sides of the center line. Further, the raised portion has a radius of curvature R1 (where R1> short side width L2 / 2) when viewed in the long side direction, and has a radius of curvature R2 (however R2 <R1) when viewed in the short side direction. The center point of R1 is located in the vertical plane passing through the center line in the long side direction.

According to another feature of the present invention, in the sample container, in addition to the two ridges, an arch-shaped second ridge is formed on the center line in the short side direction toward the center of the opening. Further, in the center of the side surface on the long side, a recess portion extending continuously in the vertical direction is formed. Further, the neck portion is formed from the opening of the opening to the shoulder portion, and the outer peripheral surface of the neck portion is formed in the long side side side surface direction and not in the short side side side surface direction. The body portion is shaped so as to increase in diameter as it goes upward in a portion above the curved surface continuing to the bottom surface and a portion below the shoulder portion. In addition, the opening is screwed with a lid that can be attached and detached via a sealing member.

According to still another feature of the present invention, it has a drive unit having a drive shaft and a swing rotor provided at the tip of the drive shaft, and the swing rotor has a swing shaft and can swing a plurality of buckets. In a centrifuge that swings the bucket, the sample container having the above-mentioned characteristics is mounted on the bucket.

According to the present invention, buckling is suppressed by supporting the centrifugal load of the lid and the opening itself by an arch-shaped ridge having an upward curvature, so that the swing rotor type centrifuge has a large capacity and a large diameter. We were able to realize a sample container with a lid. Further, since the raised portion swells the wall surface from the inner surface side to the outer side with an arbitrary radius to give a rib effect, the internal capacity of the sample container can be slightly increased. Further, since it is not necessary to use a dedicated separate support member for preventing buckling of the opening during the centrifugation operation, a convenient sample container and a centrifuge using the same can be realized.

It is a front view of the centrifuge which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and the main part is shown in the sectional view. It is a perspective view of the bucket 30 of FIG. It is a perspective view of the sample container 40 of FIG. 1 (the state which the lid part was removed). It is a side view seen from the long side side of the sample container 40 of this Example. It is a side view seen from the short side side of the sample container 40 of this Example. It is a top view of the sample container 40 of this Example. It is a bottom view of the sample container 40 of this Example. It is a partial perspective view which shows the inner shape of the opening 55 of the sample container 40 of this Example. It is the top view of the sample container 40 of this Example with the lid 60. It is sectional drawing of the BB part of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the CC part of FIG. It is sectional drawing of the DD part of FIG. It is a figure which shows the sample container 140 which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention, (1) is a top view, (2) is a perspective view. It is a figure which shows the sample container 140 which concerns on 3rd Example of this invention, (1) is the side view seen from the long side, and (2) is the side view seen from the short side.

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following figures, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the repeated description will be omitted. Further, in the present specification, the front-rear, left-right, up-down, inner peripheral side, and outer peripheral side will be described as being in the directions shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the centrifuge 1 of the present invention. The centrifuge 1 is provided with a box-shaped housing 11, and is partitioned into two upper and lower spaces by a partition plate 12 in the vicinity of the upper and lower centers inside the housing 11. A substantially cylindrical chamber 4 having an open upper surface is housed in the space above the partition plate 12, and a protective wall 17 is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the chamber 4. The upper surface of the chamber 4 is sealed by an openable and closable door 14, which forms the rotor chamber 3. A freezing pipe 16 is wound around the chamber 4, and a cooling device (not shown) keeps the inside of the rotor chamber 3 at a desired temperature. The rotor assembly 2 is installed in the rotor chamber 3. The rotor assembly 2 is an assembly in which a swing rotor main body 21 in which a plurality of buckets 30 are set is housed inside a shell 5 having a lid 6, which is usually called a wind shell or the like. In this embodiment, the swing rotor is integrally rotated while being housed in the shell 5. The rotor assembly 2 is a set of a swing rotor main body 21 and a shell 5 accommodating the swing rotor. In this embodiment, the swing rotor rotates while being accommodated in the shell 5. The swing rotor is composed of a swing rotor main body 21 mounted on the drive shaft 7a and a plurality of buckets 30 held swingably with respect to the swing rotor main body 21. The figure shows a state in which the sample container 40 described later is mounted inside the bucket 30 and rotated at high speed. In the present invention as well, centrifugal operation may be performed without using the shell 5 and the lid 6, and the presence or absence of the shell 5 and the lid 6 is not limited to the present invention.

A motor 7 as a drive unit is housed inside the housing 8 in the lower stage partitioned by the partition plate 12 in the housing 11, and the housing 8 is fixed to the attachment member 13 to the partition plate 12 via the damper rubber 9. Ru. The motor 7 is arranged so that its drive shaft 7a extends in the vertical direction. The drive shaft 7a extends from a through hole formed in the bottom of the chamber 4 so as to reach the internal space of the rotor chamber 3 to hold the rotor assembly 2. As the rotor assembly 2 rotates at high speed, the bucket 30 swings around the swing axis due to centrifugal force. The entire rotor assembly 2 can be removed from the rotor chamber 3 to the outside, and the lid 6 can be removed with the shell 5 set in the centrifuge 1 to remove the bucket 30.

An operation display unit 10 is provided on the inclined panel 15 on the upper rear side of the housing 11. The operation display unit 10 functions as an input unit for receiving input from the user and a display unit for displaying information to the user, and can be formed by a plurality of buttons and an LED display device, and is a touch type. It may be configured by using a liquid crystal display. Although not shown in FIG. 1, the centrifuge 1 is illustrated for displaying information on the operation display unit 10, controlling the reception of operation input from the user, controlling the rotation of the motor 7, and flowing the refrigerant through the refrigerating pipe 16. A control unit (not shown) is provided to control the entire centrifuge 1 such as the control of the cooling device. The control unit is an electronic circuit including a microcomputer, volatile and non-volatile storage memories, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bucket 30 used in the centrifuge 1 according to the present embodiment. The bucket 30 has an inner wall shape that matches the outer shape of the sample container 40, and is manufactured of a lightweight and tough material such as an aluminum alloy. The bucket 30 can be attached to and detached from the swing rotor main body 21, and can be attached to the swing rotor main body 21 by moving the bucket 30 from the top to the bottom (mounting direction). The bucket 30 has an opening 31 at the upper portion, and an internal space 38 for accommodating the sample container 40 is formed below the opening 31. The bucket 30 is manufactured by cutting an integrally molded cast product, a forged product, a round bar material, or the like of a metal such as an aluminum alloy, and has a substantially rectangular opening 31 when viewed from above. It has a bottomed cup shape. A thick portion 35 having a partially increased wall thickness is formed on the outer peripheral side of the opening 31 near the upper end of the cup-shaped main body portion 32. On the side surface of the bucket 30 on the long side, a thick portion 35 and a recess 37 sandwiched between two guide ribs 36 extending downward from the thick portion 35 are formed. The recess 37 is concave when viewed from the outside in the axial direction of the swing shaft of the bucket, and the width of the recess 37 is a holding pin for holding the bucket 30 formed in the swing rotor main body 21 (not shown). It is slightly larger than the diameter. The presence of the guide rib 36 is mainly for forming the recess 37, but the rigidity of the bucket 30 can be improved by forming the guide rib 36. As shown by the arrow 36a, the lower end of the guide rib 36 extends to the vicinity of the bottom surface 33, is tapered, and is connected to the outer surface of the main body portion 32.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall shape of the sample container 40. Here, a state is shown in which a lid (not shown) is removed to expose the opening 55. The sample container 40 is shaped so that it can be smoothly removed from the bucket 30 when the swing rotor is stopped. Therefore, the outer shape of the sample container 40 has an outer wall surface having the same shape as the inner wall shape of the bucket 30, and the gap at the time of mounting is the minimum necessary so as not to hinder mounting and detaching from the bucket 30 of the sample container 40. Will be done. The portion below the shoulder portion (described later in FIG. 4) extending from the opening 55 to the side wall portion is completely accommodated in the internal space 38 (see FIG. 2) of the bucket 30. Since the centrifugation operation is performed in that state, a strong downward centrifugal load is applied to the sample container 40 during the centrifugation operation. During this centrifugation operation, pressure is applied from the sample inside the sample container 40, and the sample container 40 is slightly deformed and comes into close contact with the inner wall surface of the bucket 30, so that the sample container 40 can withstand the centrifugal load.

The bucket 30 has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above, and the length of the side wall surface in the long side direction and the length in the short side direction are different. The long side side wall 46 is formed with a recess 48 that extends continuously in the vertical direction. The concave shape of the recessed portion 48 corresponds to the convex portion 39 (see FIG. 2) of the bucket 30. By forming this recessed portion 48, the rigidity of the sample container 40, particularly the shoulder portion 45 and the opening portion The force with which the 55 is deformed by the centrifugal load pushed downward can be significantly reduced. The short side side wall 47 is formed to be substantially flat, but strictly speaking, it is formed so that the vicinity of the center is slightly curved inward. This curvature is formed in accordance with the shape of the inner wall surface forming the internal space 38 of the bucket 30, and as a result, it is useful for improving the rigidity of the sample container 40.

The opening 55 is formed at a central position in a top view and is formed by a cylindrical cylindrical portion 56, and a circular opening 55a is formed above the cylindrical portion 56. A flange portion 57 is formed at substantially the center of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 56 in the vertical direction, and a screw thread 58 for mounting a lid 60 (described later in FIG. 9) (not shown) is formed on the upper portion of the flange portion 57. Will be done. Two ridges 51 that are curved in an arch shape as emphasized by the hatched lines of the shoulder 45 from the lower side of the flange portion 57 to the body portion (long side side wall 46, short side side wall 47, recess 48). Is provided. This is a cone or a gentle arc shape whose axis is the central axis extending in the vertical direction of the sample container 40, but a raised portion 51 which is an arch surface is formed, and the shape of a part of the shoulder portion is changed. It is different from a simple conical surface. Due to this slightly raised container shape, the rigidity of the shoulder portion 45 of the sample container in the centrifugal load direction can be significantly increased. The primary purpose of increasing the rigidity is to withstand the force of downward crushing of the shoulder and the opening 55 due to the downward centrifugal force. The sample container 40 of this example is manufactured by blow molding (hollow molding) of synthetic resin, a tubular container called a parison is heated and sandwiched in an extrusion die, and high-pressure air is blown into the resin at once. It is inflated and molded so that it has an outer shape that conforms to the mold. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the shape of the container to be formed is high. At this time, the wall thickness of the sample container 40 is almost constant unless there is a small radius of curvature portion, so that the strength of the shoulder portion is improved by forming a locally raised raised portion 51 in the shoulder portion. be able to.

In addition to the two arched ridges 51, a second ridge 52 is formed near the center. The basic shape of the second raised portion 52 is the same as that of the raised portion 51, which is an arch-shaped raised portion that connects the vicinity of the upper end of the long side side surface of the body portion facing each other. Since the openings 55 are overlapped with each other in the installation portion, only the portion excluding the opening 55 becomes the raised portion 52, and only a small region of the portion shown by the hatching in FIG. 3 is formed. The end of the side surface on the long side of the raised portion 52 is connected to the upper side of the recessed portion 48, and the curved shape near the arrow 48b, which is the connecting portion, is widened upward while expanding the diameter in the longitudinal direction. Is formed. Since the portion below the recessed portion 48 and connected to the bottom surface (described later in FIG. 7) is also formed in a curved shape so as to be recessed inward, the recessed portion 48 continuous in the vertical direction also increases the rigidity in the vertical direction. Can be high.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the sample container 40 as viewed from the long side. When viewed in the vertical direction, the sample container 40 is composed of a body portion 41 whose outside is held by the bucket 30, an upper opening 55, and a shoulder portion 45 connecting between the body portion 41 and the opening 55. The body portion 41 is a portion whose diameter is expanded so that its outer edge position expands from the bottom surface 44 toward the upper side, and is a portion held by the inner wall surface of the bucket 30 when mounted on the bucket 30. The opening 55 is also a sample inlet and outlet, and a screw thread 58 for mounting the lid is formed on the outer peripheral surface. A flange portion 57 extending in an annular shape toward the outer side in the radial direction is provided on the lower side of the screw thread 58. The portion of the cylindrical portion 56 below the flange portion 57 is the neck portion 56b. The neck portion 56b is connected to the shoulder portion 45. The vertical position of the connection on the neck portion 56b differs according to the shape of the outer edge of the shoulder portion 45. Here, the neck portion 56b at the center of the long side has a predetermined length S2, and the length S1 of the neck portion 56b at the center of the short side is substantially zero. The maximum length portion S3 of the neck portion 56b has both side portions of the portion of the length S2, and has a relationship of S1 << S2 <S3. The length of S1 may be small, or the raised portion 51 and the flange portion 57 may be configured to come into contact with each other on the short side (S1 = 0). The contour shape of the connecting edge portion extending to the lengths S1 to S3 of the neck portion 56b is formed so as to draw a smooth S-shaped curve, and consideration is given so that local stress is not concentrated when a centrifugal load is applied. Will be done.

Since the sample container 40 used in the swing rotor is arranged so that the opening surface of the opening 55 is parallel to the drive shaft of the motor during centrifugal operation, the sample container 40 is substantially different from the conventional cylindrical sample container in terms of top view. When the capacity is expanded by changing to a rectangular sample container, the shoulder 45 buckles due to the centrifugal load of the shoulder 45 and the opening 55 itself of the sample container 40, and moves downward together with the opening 55. There was a risk. This is because the shoulder portion 45 is a portion where the wall surface portion is not held by the bucket during centrifugal operation and is not in contact with any surface for receiving a downward centrifugal load. For example, when the sample is put into the sample container 40 of this example to the maximum, the total weight of the sample and the container becomes about 2.1 kg, and when centrifugation is performed at 1700 rpm, a force of about 25 tons is applied to the bucket 30. The portion not held in the bucket must support a centrifugal load of several hundred kilograms by the rigidity of the shoulder 45. Therefore, in the sample container 40 of the present embodiment, a complicated raised surface (not a simple conical slope that connects the shoulder portion 45 from the opening 55 to the outer edge of the upper end of the body portion 41 in a smooth shape) ( By forming a mixed shape of 51 and 52), it is configured to be strong against a force applied in a specific direction (downward centrifugal load).

The raised portion 51 has a shape (a portion shown by a hatching line in FIG. 3) that connects the vicinity of the upper end of the long side side surface of the body portion 41 facing the arch shape. At this time, the arch surface P2, which is the central cross section of the arch surface, is arranged so as to have 0 degrees or a slight inclination angle θ1 with respect to the vertical surface P1. Both ends of the arch-shaped raised portion 51 extend to a position adjacent to a strong portion of the outer edge of the upper end of the body portion 41. The inclination angle θ1 may be an optimum angle such that the strength of the shoulder portion against the centrifugal load applied to the opening portion 55 and the lid portion becomes sufficiently large. In addition to the raised portions 51 formed at both ends on the short side of the opening 55, the raised portions 52 are provided near the center of the long side. Since the raised portion 52 is formed so as to be connected to the upper end edge portion indicated by the arrow 48b of the recessed portion 48, it can be directly connected to the portion where the rigidity is increased by the recessed portion 48, and the upper end is connected to the neck portion 56b. As a result, the downward movement of the raised portion 52 due to the centrifugal load can be effectively prevented. In the shoulder portion 45, a curved surface 53 that is slightly curved upward in an arch shape is formed in a portion further below the raised portion 51. The arch surface P3 of the curved surface 53 is formed so that the inclination angle θ2 is further larger than that of the arch surface P2.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the sample container 40 as viewed from the short side. The cylindrical portion 56 for forming the opening 55 includes an upper portion 56a formed for mounting an openable lid portion (described later in FIG. 8) and a cylinder connected to the lower side of the upper portion 56a. It is formed by a shaped neck 56b. The upper position of the raised portion 51 has a positional relationship so as to substantially contact the flange portion 57. Here, the flange portion 57 and the upper end of the raised portion 51 are connected to each other by the connecting rib 56c locally raised to the outside of the cylindrical portion 56, so that the raised portion 51 downwards the flange portion 57. It can support the applied force.

Of the body portion 41, the curved portion 43 near the lower bottom surface is formed along the shape of the inner surface side bottom surface of the bucket 30, and the sample container 40 receives a strong centrifugal load downward in the central axis A1 direction. At that time, the shape is made smooth so that the stress is not excessively concentrated on a specific corner portion or a curved portion having a small radius of curvature. However, since it is also important to maintain stability when the sample container 40 is placed on the workbench, a bottom surface 44 having a flat predetermined area (details will be described later in FIG. 7) is formed.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the sample container 40 and shows a state in which the lid portion (described later in FIG. 9) is removed. The outer shape of the sample container 40 has a substantially rectangular shape having a long side having a length L1 and a short side having a length L2 when viewed from above. Then, the corner portion was formed by a curved surface 49 having a large corner drop. It may be more appropriate to call the shape of FIG. 6 a substantially octagon rather than a substantially rectangle, but in the present specification, the shape is expressed as a substantially rectangle regardless of the shape of the corner drop portion. Here, the shape is plane-symmetric with respect to the vertical plane passing through the long axis B1 which is the center line extending in the long side direction, and is plane-symmetrical with respect to the vertical plane passing through the short axis C1 which is the center line extending in the short side direction. Will be done. Here, the short axis C1 in the top view is located on the same vertical plane as the line extending radially outward from the rotation center of the swing rotor main body 21 (swing center line). The opening 55a of the opening 55 is a circle centered on the intersection of the long axis B1 and the short axis C1. The maximum outer diameter of the opening 55, that is, the diameter D1 of the flange portion 57 is configured to be at least half the size of the length L1 passing through the long axis of the sample container 40. This positional relationship has an opening with a much larger opening in one container than in the case of individual containers, as compared with the case where two containers having openings on the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side are arranged on the short axis C1. Part 55 can be realized. Therefore, not only the capacity of the sample container 40 is increased, but also the large opening 55a facilitates injection and removal of the sample.

The two raised portions 51 formed on the shoulder portion 45 of the sample container 40 are formed plane-symmetrically with respect to the vertical plane passing through the long axis B1, and from one side of the vertical plane passing through the long axis B1 in top view. It is arranged so as to reach the other side. One side indicated by the arrow 51a with respect to the long axis B1 is located near the upper side of the long side side wall 46 of the body portion 41, and the other side indicated by the arrow 51b is also located near the upper side of the long side side wall 46 of the body portion 41. To do. Here, the arrows 51a and 51b have not reached the upper end position of the body portion 41, that is, the position of the arrow 41a in FIG. It is not important whether or not the arrow 41a is reached, but it is important whether or not the strength can effectively receive the centrifugal load applied to the shoulder portion 45 and the opening 55. Therefore, the shape of the raised portion 51 is important. The positions of the ends (51a, 51b) of the raised portions 51 and their contour shapes may be set in consideration of the material, wall thickness, and the like of the container.

The raised portion 52, which is the shoulder portion 45 of the sample container 40 and is formed along the short axis C1, is also formed with the same idea as the raised portion 51. However, since a circular opening 55 is formed on the upper surface of the sample container 40 at the intersection of the long axis B1 and the short axis C1, the raised portion 52 has a shape divided by the opening 55, resulting in a shape. The shape is such that two small regions of the raised portion 52 remain. Further, the raised portion 51 has a shape connected to the upper end (arrow 48b in FIG. 3) of the recessed portion 48 formed in the center of the side wall 46 on the long side, and these shapes also have a shape for withstanding a centrifugal load. Determined for the purpose of achieving strength.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the sample container 40. The hatched portion is a flat bottom surface 44 that serves as a ground plane when the sample container 40 is placed on the table. Since the curved portion 43 from the bottom surface 44 to the outer edge contour has a gentle arc shape, the centrifugal load applied during the centrifugal separation operation is not concentrated on the bottom surface 44 but is curved with the bottom surface 44 in FIG. It can be distributed and received in the unit 43. Further, since there is no portion having a small radius of curvature from the bottom surface 44 to the curved portion 43, it is possible to prevent local stress concentration from occurring.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the inner shape of the opening 55 of the sample container 40, and FIGS. (1) to (3) are views showing the opening 55 viewed from different positions. The inside of the cylindrical portion 56 forming the opening 55 is a cylindrical surface having a circular cross section, but the axial length thereof is different from the opening 55a downward as the lengths S10, S20, and S30, respectively. Become. This is a portion corresponding to the lengths S1, S2, and S3 on the outer peripheral surface side of the neck portion 56b shown in FIG. 4, respectively. When the sample container 40 is placed on the workbench so that the side wall on the long side is on the lower side as shown in (3), the portion indicated by the length S20 shown in (1) (the portion indicated by the arrow 59c). Is curved and is formed so as to be closest to the opening 55a. Further, since the portion indicated by the arrow 59c is connected to the raised portion 52, the raised portion 52 is shaped to be recessed downward when viewed from the inside of the opening 55a. Therefore, when a semi-solid substance such as a centrifuged precipitate is taken out with a spoon or the like, there is a curved portion that becomes convex toward the opening 55a as shown by the arrow 59c, and the sample is taken out from the raised portion 52. Since it serves as a sample guide to help, usability can be greatly improved.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the sample container 40 and shows a state in which the lid 60 is attached. The lid 60 is a molded product of synthetic resin, and eight ribs 64 extending radially in the radial direction are formed on the upper surface thereof to increase the strength of the upper surface of the lid 60 while reducing the weight. Although not shown here, a sealing member such as a rubber or resin packing for preventing liquid leakage is interposed between the opening 55 and the lid 60. A female screw (not shown) is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lid 60, and is screwed with a screw thread 58 formed on the outer peripheral side of the cylindrical portion 56 (see FIG. 5). The centrifugal load due to the weight of the lid 60 is concentrated on the cylindrical portion 56 and transmitted to the shoulder portion 45 of the sample container 40. However, in this embodiment, the flange portion 57 is formed in the cylindrical portion 56, the raised portion 51 is formed directly below the flange portion 57, and the flange portion 57 and the raised portion 51 are in contact with each other by the connecting rib 56c. is there. Therefore, since the centrifugal load applied to the cylindrical portion 56 is dispersed over the wide surface of the shoulder portion 45 via the raised portion 51, the centrifugal load that can be easily collected at a specific portion of the shoulder portion 45 can be effectively dispersed. As a result, in a centrifuge using a swing rotor, a sample container 40 having a large capacity and a large lid can be realized. Further, since the flange portion 57 and the raised portion 51 are in a positional relationship such that they are in contact with each other by the connecting rib 56c, the movement of the finger is restricted by the flange portion 57 and the raised portion 51 when the finger is placed on the neck portion 56b. Since it is a grip portion that assists in taking out the sample container 40, usability can be greatly improved.

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the BB portion of FIG. The recessed portion 48 is a portion recessed inward from the long side side wall 46, but in the BB cross section of FIG. 9 and one side viewed from the cross section, the long side side wall 46 is directed toward the central axis A1. It can be seen that the amount of depression is constant. The recessed portion 48 is also configured so that the distance L21 on the upper side is larger than the distance L22 on the lower side. The cylindrical portion 56 is composed of an upper portion 56a and a neck portion 56b which is a lower portion, and the size of the neck portion 56b is a distance S2 at the cross-sectional position of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the CC portion of FIG. The cross-sectional position of the CC portion is a view of a vertical cross section passing through the raised portion 51 and a view of the short side side wall 47 from the vertical cross section. The raised portion 51 has a curved wall surface having a radius of curvature R1 centered at a height H1 from the bottom surface 44. Further, the curved surface 53 has a curved wall surface having a radius of curvature R3 centered at a height H3 from the bottom surface 44. The radius of curvature R1 is smaller than the radius of curvature R3. Since these radii of curvature R1 and R2 are two-dimensional views, the radius of curvature R1 of the raised portion 51 changes slightly when the cross-sectional position is shifted in the long side direction. It is preferable to connect the body portion 41 in a smooth shape near the connection point with the vicinity of the upper end 41a, and the radius of curvature R1 and R3 are not always constant up to the upper end 41a.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the DD portion of FIG. The cross-sectional position of the DD portion is a view of a vertical cross section passing through the long axis B1 and a view of the long side side wall 46 from the vertical cross section. When viewed in this cross section, the raised portion 51 has a curved wall surface having a radius of curvature R2 centered at a height H2 from the bottom surface 44. The distance of the radius of curvature R2 from the central axis A1 is L. Further, the curved surface 53 has a curved wall surface having a radius of curvature R4 centered at a height H4 from the bottom surface 44. The radius of curvature R2 is smaller than the radius of curvature R4. Near the boundary between the raised portion 51 and the curved surface 53, and near the connection point between the curved surface 53 and the vicinity of the upper end 41a of the body portion 41, the radius of curvature and the like are connected in a smooth shape regardless of R2 and R4.

The sample container 140 according to the second embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 13 in the following be described. The shape of the shoulder portion 145 of the sample container 140 is different from that of the first embodiment, but the shapes of the body portion 141 and the bottom surface 44 are the same as those of the first embodiment. The parts having the same shape are designated by the same numbers as those in FIGS. 1 to 12. FIG. 13 is a view showing a sample container 140 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, (1) is a top view, and (2) is a perspective view. In (1), a raised portion 151 and a raised portion 152 are provided on the shoulder portion of the sample container 140. Here, the positions of the outer edges of the raised portions 151 and 153 are indicated by thick lines so that they can be easily understood. The raised portion 151 is a portion of the shoulder that is deformed so as to have a different shape, and is raised in an upward direction in a slightly arched shape. Since the ridges 151 and 152 are formed by blow molding (hollow molding) of synthetic resin, the thickness of the ridges 151 and 152 is not increased. Here, the arch-shaped raised portion 151 is inclined so as to approach the central axis A1 as the arch surface moves upward. As a result, the shoulder portion is formed with the reinforced portions by the raised portions 151 and 152 that radiate outward from the opening 155 when viewed from above. Further, since the raised portion 152 as the reinforcing portion is in contact with the opening 155, the centrifugal load related to the opening 155 can be effectively dispersed through the raised portion 152.

In FIG. 13 (2), the lower side of the sample container 140 below the shoulder has the same shape as the sample container 40 of the first embodiment. Therefore, instead of the sample container 40, the sample container 140 is placed in the bucket 30. Can be installed. The shoulder portion 145 extending from the lower side of the flange portion 157 to the body portion is provided with two raised portions 151 that are curved in an arch shape as shown by hatching lines. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the cross section P2 passing through the longitudinal center line of the arch surface is arranged diagonally so as to be separated from the center axis A1 as the arch surface moves upward. On the contrary, in the second embodiment, the cross section passing through the longitudinal center line of the arch surface is diagonally arranged so as to approach the center axis A1 as the arch surface moves upward. The raised portion 151, which is the arch surface, was only slightly raised, and this shape made it possible to significantly increase the rigidity of the sample container in the centrifugal load direction. In addition to the arch-shaped ridge 151, a second ridge 152 is formed near the center in the long side direction. The basic shape of the second raised portion 152 is the same as that of the raised portion 151, which is an arch-shaped raised portion that connects the upper edges of the long side side surfaces of the body portions facing each other. Since the openings 155 are overlapped with each other in the installation portion, the portion of the raised portion 152 excluding the opening 155 is only a small area of the portion shown by the hatching in FIG. 13 (2). The end of the long side side surface of the raised portion 152 is connected to the upper side of the recessed portion 48.

14A and 14B are views showing a sample container 140 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, (1) is a side view seen from the long side, and (2) is a side view seen from the short side. Is. The shape of the body portion 41 is the same as that of the first embodiment. A recess 48 that extends continuously in the vertical direction is formed on the long side side wall 46. The vertical position of the connection in the neck portion 156b is formed according to the outer edge shape of the shoulder portion 145, and the shape and size of the neck portion 156b are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment. Here, the maximum length of the neck portion 156b on the long side is S6, and the length of the neck portion 156b at the position where the short axis passes is S5. The contour shape of the connecting edge extending to the lower end of the lengths S4 to S6 of the neck portion 156b is formed so as to draw a smooth arc-shaped curve so that local stress is not concentrated when a centrifugal load is applied. Will be considered.

In FIG. 14 (2), the shape of the body portion 41 on the short side side wall 47 is also the same as that of the first embodiment. The length S4 of the neck portion 156b on the short side side is shorter than the lengths S5 and S6, and is almost entirely covered with the connecting rib 156c, and the flange portion 157 is connected to the raised portion 151 by the connecting rib 156c. With this configuration, when the centrifugal load of the lid 60 is applied through the opening 155, the centrifugal load can be well distributed from the flange portion 157 to the body portion 41 side via the raised portions 151 and 152. The risk of buckling of the shoulder portion 145 could be significantly reduced. Although the relationship is S4 <S5 <S6 here, the raised portion 151 and the flange portion 157 may be configured to be in contact with each other on the short side (S4 = 0).

As described above, in the conical or curved shoulder portion provided on the lower side of the opening of the sample container using the two examples, a raised portion (convex portion) having a different curvature and arch cross-sectional direction was formed. If there is no arch-shaped ridge, there is a high risk of buckling or large deformation due to a strong centrifugal load, but the ridge can exert a rib effect to prevent deformation of the shoulder. Further, unlike the conventional measures for improving rigidity by forming a plate-shaped rib extending to the outside of the sample container, the rib effect is applied to the outer wall surface itself by gently bending the shape of the outer surface itself of the sample container. Was given. Since the rib-shaped bending direction is outward, it is possible to obtain the effect of increasing the internal capacity in addition to the effect of improving the rigidity. It should be noted that the purpose of improving the strength of the shoulder portion can be achieved by using a recessed portion that is recessed from the outside of the container to the inside instead of the raised portion that is convex from the inside to the outside of the container.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the examples, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a substantially rectangular container having different lengths on the long side and a short side in a horizontal cross-sectional view is used, but a substantially square container having the same length on both sides is configured to have a raised portion. Is also good.

1 Centrifugal 2 Rotor assembly 3 Rotor chamber 4 Chamber 5 Shell 6 Lid 7 Motor 7a Drive shaft 8 Housing 9 Damper rubber 10 Operation display 11 Housing 12 Partition plate 13 Mounting member 14 Door 15 Tilt panel 16 Refrigeration pipe 17 Protective wall 21 Swing rotor body 30 Bucket 31 Opening 32 Body part 33 Bottom 35 Thick part 36 Guide rib 36a (guide rib) lower end 37 Concave 38 Internal space 39 Convex part 40 Sample container 41 Body part 41a (body part) upper end 43 Curved part 44 Bottom surface 45 Shoulder part 46 Long side side wall 47 Short side side wall 48 Indented part 49 Curved surface 51, 52 Raised part 53 Curved surface 55 Opening part 55a Opening 56 Cylindrical part 56a Upper part 56b Neck part 56c Connection rib 57 Flange part 58 Thread 60 Lid 140 Sample container 141 Body part 145 Shoulder part 151, 152 Raised part 155 Opening part 156b Neck part 156c Connecting rib 157 Flange part A1 Central axis B1 Long axis C1 Short axis D1 Flange part 57 diameter P1 Vertical cross section P2 Arch Cross section through the longitudinal centerline position of the surface

Claims (10)

A sample container for a centrifuge, which is housed in a bucket that is swingably arranged by a holding portion of a swing rotor body, has a lid that can store a sample and has a removable lid.
It is configured to have a body portion in which the outer surface surface is held by the inner wall surface of the bucket, and a shoulder portion forming a wall surface extending from the upper end of the body portion to a circular opening to which the lid portion is mounted.
The body portion is a substantially rectangular container having different lengths of long and short sides in a horizontal cross-sectional view.
A sample container for a centrifuge, characterized in that a plurality of arch-shaped ridges connecting the upper side surfaces on the long side of the body portion facing each other on the shoulder portion are provided. The opening is formed in a circular shape around the intersection of the center line in the long side direction and the center line in the short side direction in the top view.
The ridges claims in the shoulder portion located between the upper end and the opening of the short side face of the body portion, characterized in that provided we are to cross the long side direction of the center line Item 1. The sample container for a centrifuge according to Item 1. The raised portion has a radius of curvature R1 (however, R1> short side width L2 / 2) when viewed in the cross section in the long side direction, and has a radius of curvature R2 (however, R2 <R1) when viewed in the cross section in the short side direction. The sample container for a centrifuge according to claim 2, wherein the center point of the R1 is located in a vertical plane passing through the center line in the long side direction. The second or third aspect of the invention, wherein, in addition to the two ridges, a second arched ridge is formed on the centerline in the short side direction toward the center of the opening. Sample container for centrifuges. The sample container for a centrifuge according to claim 4, wherein a recess portion continuously extending in the vertical direction is formed in the center of the side surface on the long side. Neck portion is formed in a portion between said shoulder portion and said opening, wherein the outer peripheral surface of the neck is formed in the long-side side face direction, wherein the short side face direction, characterized in that not formed Item 5. The sample container for a centrifuge according to Item 5. One of claims 1 to 6, wherein the body portion has a shape that increases in diameter as it goes upward in a portion above the curved surface continuing to the bottom surface and a portion below the shoulder portion. The sample container for a centrifuge according to item 1. A sample container for a centrifuge, which is housed in a bucket that is swingably arranged by a holding portion of a swing rotor body, has a lid that can store a sample and has a removable lid.
It is configured to have a body portion in which the outer surface surface is held by the inner wall surface of the bucket, and a shoulder portion forming a wall surface extending from the upper end of the body portion to a circular opening to which the lid portion is mounted.
The body portion is a container having different lengths in the major axis direction and the minor axis direction in a horizontal cross-sectional view.
In the shoulder, that the long axis from the sandwiched one side the body portion outer edge near the a provided with a plurality of arcuate ridges extending to near external edge of the body portion of the opposite side of the major axis A sample container for a centrifuge. The sample container for a centrifuge according to claim 8, wherein the lid portion is screwed and detachable from the opening portion via a sealing member. It has a drive unit having a drive shaft and a swing rotor provided at the tip of the drive shaft.
The swing rotor has a swing shaft and holds a plurality of the buckets swingably.
In the centrifuge that swings the bucket
A centrifuge according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the centrifuge sample container is mounted on the bucket.

Images