Automated System and Method for Blood Components Separation and Processing

Abstract

A system for centrifugation and processing multi-units of blood simultaneously. The system having a plurality of equally spaced blood processing stations integrated to the rotor and spinning therewith around the axis of rotation. Each station is fit to receive a set of fluidly interconnected containers having blood for processing. Hydraulic means are used to automatically balance the rotor by having a mechanism to transfer fluid to special chambers on the processing stations in order to compensate for the weight variations of the multiple blood units mounted to the rotor. A Computer controls the centrifuge operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - A centrifuge system for blood separation and processing of blood components, comprising:
 a rotor having an axis of rotation and being spun around the axis to create centrifugal force, one or more blood processing stations located on the rotor and spinning around the axis of rotation,   each processing station is fit to receive a set of fluidly interconnected containers with at least one container having blood or blood components,   the blood or blood components container is situated in the processing station to be engaged with fluid driving mechanism that is controllably capable to drive fluid out of the container,   one or more devices and sensors mounted to the spinning rotor enabling selective flow of blood components or fluids to be effected within the set of fluidly interconnected containers,   hydraulic means used to balance the rotor by having channels for special fluid extending from at least one source associated with the central section of the rotor to special chambers associated with the processing stations, whereas specified portions of said fluids are transferred from the source to the special chambers located on processing stations in order to offset the inconsistency of the weight of each blood unit mounted to a processing station on the rotor, and therefore substantially balance the rotor.   whereas the source of the special fluid is integrated in the central section of the rotor in a way that the rotor balance is not affected by the variation of the special fluid volume inside the source.   
     
     
         2 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, devices and sensors enabling selective flow of blood components are mounted to equally spaced processing stations integrated to the rotor for co-rotation therewith, said devices and sensors are engaged with the set of fluidly interconnected containers that is mounted to the processing station, whereas the selective flow is effected within the set of fluidly interconnected containers. 
     
     
         3 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, the centrifuge system simultaneously separates and processes multiple blood units mounted to processing stations. 
     
     
         4 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, the devices are selected from the group consisting of valves, pinch valves, pneumatic valves, pumps, motors, solenoids, inflatable bodies, bellows, linear drivers, actuators, or pistons. 
     
     
         5 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, the sensors are selected from the group consisting of photoelectric sensors, optic sensors, ultrasonic sensors and magnetic resonance imaging sensors. 
     
     
         6 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, the source of the special fluid is fluidly connected to at least one special chamber located on each processing station on the rotor; and the rotor having means for transferring fluid between the source and the special chamber located on each processing station,
 whereas the source of the special fluid is integrated in the central section of the rotor in a way that the rotor balance is not affected by the variation of the special fluid volume inside the source. 
 
     
     
         7 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, the definition of the central section of the rotor could include the rotor shaft, rotor hub, or the combination of the shaft and the hub; the definition of the central section of the rotor could also include the rotating drum or rotating axle. 
     
     
         8 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, at least two sets of fluidly interconnected containers are mounted to separate and equally spaced processing stations integrated to the rotor, whereas each set having a volume of blood or blood components of different weight, specified volume of special fluid are transferred from a source on the rotor, to the special chamber associated to each processing station to compensate the weight difference of blood volumes on the sets and to effectively balance the rotor. 
     
     
         9 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, specified volumes of special fluid are transferred from a source on the rotor shaft to the special chamber located on processing stations having blood volumes of different weight, said specified volumes of special fluid having weight to compensate the weight difference of said blood volumes on the stations, whereas the resultant weight of the set of interconnected containers including the volume of blood and the transferred special fluid for each processing station on the rotor, are substantially equal. 
     
     
         10 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, the inconsistency of the weight of the blood unit include the variations of the weight of the interconnected containers set and the variations in the weight of the blood and other fluids contained in the set as it is mounted to a processing station on the rotor, whereas the volume of the blood in the unit could have any volume of blood collected from human or animal. 
     
     
         11 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 1  wherein, a computer configures the amount of the special fluid that needs to be transferred for each processing station, whereas the computer also controls the operations for transferring the fluid to each processing station on the rotor in order to substantially balance the rotor. 
     
     
         12 - A centrifuge system for blood separation and processing of blood components, comprising:
 a rotor having an axis of rotation and being spun around the axis to create centrifugal force,   a computer mounted to the rotor and spinning therewith,   one or more blood processing stations located on the rotor, spaced equally around the axis of rotation, and spinning around the axis of rotation,   each processing station is fit to receive a set of fluidly interconnected containers with at least one container having blood or blood components,   one or more devices and sensors mounted to the spinning rotor enabling selective flow of blood components or fluids to be effected within the set of fluidly interconnected containers mounted to processing station on the rotor,   hydraulic means used to balance the rotor by having channels for special fluid extending from at least one source associated with the central section of the rotor to special chambers associated with the processing stations, whereas portions of said fluids are distributed to the special chambers located on processing stations in order to offset the inconsistency of the weight of each blood unit mounted to a processing station on the rotor, and therefore substantially balance the rotor,   the computer configures the amount of the special fluid that needs to be transferred and controls the transferring of the fluid to each processing station on the rotor in order to substantially balance the rotor,   the computer controls the blood processing operations by analyzing data and operating devices and sensors mounted to the spinning rotor following programmed software protocols.   
     
     
         13 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 12  wherein, the computer is hardwired connected to devices and sensors located on processing stations without the use of slip rings or wireless communications. 
     
     
         14 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 12  wherein, the computer is selected from the group consisting of processors, microprocessors, microcontrollers, devices with memory, devices with CPU, computers that perform communications, and computers that perform computation or decision making processes. 
     
     
         15 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 12  wherein, the spinning computer communicates directly with input and output means that are disposed in location apart from the spinning rotor, whereas the input and output means are used to interface with human operators, whereas the spinning computer communicates with input and output means by wireless communication channels or by cables and slip rings set. 
     
     
         16 - A centrifuge system for blood separation and processing of blood components, comprising:
 a rotor having an axis of rotation and being spun around the axis to create centrifugal force,   a computer mounted to the rotor and spinning therewith,   one or more blood processing stations located on the rotor and spinning around the axis of rotation,   each processing station is fit to receive a set of fluidly interconnected containers with at least one container having blood or blood components,   one or more devices and sensors mounted to the spinning rotor enabling selective flow of blood components or fluids within the set of fluidly interconnected containers mounted to each processing station on the rotor,   hydraulic means used to balance the rotor by having channels for special fluid extending from at least one source associated with the central section of the rotor to special chambers associated with the processing stations, whereas portions of said fluids are distributed to the special chambers located on processing stations in order to offset the inconsistency of the weight of the blood units mounted to the processing stations,   the computer configures the amount of the special fluid that needs to be transferred and controls the transferring of the fluid to each processing station on the rotor in order to substantially balance the rotor,   the computer controls the blood processing operations by analyzing data and operating devices and sensors mounted to the spinning rotor following programmed software protocols,   the computer mounted to the rotor and spinning therewith is in communication with a second stationary computer that does not rotate with the rotor and it is disposed in a location apart from the rotor.   
     
     
         17 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 16  wherein, the source of special fluid is fluidly connected to at least one special chamber located on each processing station on the rotor; and the rotor having means for transferring fluid between the source and the special chamber located on each processing station. 
     
     
         18 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 16  wherein, at least two sets of fluidly interconnected containers are mounted to separate and equally spaced processing stations integrated to the rotor,
 whereas each set having a volume of blood or blood components of different weight, specified volume of special fluid are transferred from a source on the rotor, to the special chamber associated to each processing station to compensate the weight difference of blood volumes on the sets and to effectively balance the rotor. 
 
     
     
         19 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claim 16  wherein, specified volumes of special fluid are transferred from a source on the central section of the rotor to the special chamber located on processing stations having blood volumes of different weight,
 said specified volumes of special fluid having weight to compensate the weight difference of said blood volumes on the stations, 
 whereas the resultant weight of the set of interconnected containers including the volume of blood and the transferred special fluid for each processing station on the rotor, are substantially equal. 
 
     
     
         20 - The centrifuge system as defined in  claims 1 ,  12  and  16  wherein, the special fluid used to balance the rotor is also referred to as hydraulic fluid or heavy fluid, and the balance of the rotor is also known as dynamic balance or mechanical balance.