Centrifuge and Separation Vessel Therefore

Abstract

The centrifugation vessel includes an outer wall containing an interior space. A dam defines a barrier which divides the interior space into at least two regions including a catch basin defining a higher gee region and a reservoir defining a lower gee region. These regions are joined together over the dam. The dam includes a face which is preferably tapered to enable optimization of speed of separation of a sample placed within the vessel. The vessel is usable in a biological sample processing method by having the higher gee region of the vessel configured to have an elongate form and the volume optimized for collection of a higher density fraction of the sample. Supply and withdrawal tubes extend into the regions for reliable extraction and separate collection of differing density fractions after separation by centrifugation.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A centrifuge vessel, comprising in combination:
 an upper end and a floor end;   an outer wall surrounding a fluid containing interior space of the vessel, the outer wall extending from the upper end to the floor end;   a barrier inside said outer wall, said barrier partially dividing said interior space into a first region and a second region; and   said barrier having a lip, with said first and second regions connected above said lip and said first and second regions spaced apart by said barrier below said lip,   wherein the barrier in the first region extends tapering diagonally from the lip to the inner surface of the outer wall at a position between the upper end and the floor end.   
     
     
         27 . The vessel of  claim 26 , wherein said barrier is taller than half of a height of the vessel with said lip of said barrier at a top of said barrier. 
     
     
         28 . The vessel of  claim 26 , wherein the second region on a side of said barrier opposite said reservoir defines a catch basin, said dam providing an increasing spacing between said reservoir and said catch basin as said dam extends down from said lip. 
     
     
         29 . The vessel of  claim 28 , wherein a taper angle of said face is less than an orientation angle for the vessel when the vessel is located within a cradle of a centrifuge, such that during centrifugation portions of said face adjacent said lip are furthest from a spin axis of said centrifuge. 
     
     
         30 . The vessel of  claim 29 , wherein a side of said dam adjacent said catch basin is substantially parallel with a portion of said outer wall adjacent said catch basin for a majority of a height of said catch basin. 
     
     
         31 . The vessel of  claim 29 , wherein said side of said dam adjacent said catch basin includes a tapering portion, said tapering portion tapering away from portions of said outer wall adjacent said catch basin to increase a width of said catch basin at lower portions of said catch basin, said tapering portion tapering at an angle relative to said face of said dam which causes a thickness of said dam between said tapering portion and said face to be greatest at a lower end of said tapering portion. 
     
     
         32 . The vessel of  claim 26 , wherein said lip of said barrier is located closer to a highest gee side of the vessel than to a lowest gee side of said vessel during centrifugation. 
     
     
         33 . The vessel of  claim 32 , wherein said lip is located a distance away from said highest gee side of the vessel which is correlated to a prevalence of higher density fractions of a fluid to be separated from a sample placed within the vessel. 
     
     
         34 . A centrifuge and fluid containing vessel, comprising in combination:
 a spin axis;   a centrifuge vessel adapted to contain a fluid within an outer wall thereof;   at least one cradle adapted to support said centrifuge vessel, said cradle spaced from said spin axis;   said cradle adapted to spin about said spin axis;   said centrifuge vessel having said outer wall extending from an upper end to a floor end surrounding a fluid containing interior space of said vessel; and   said vessel including a barrier inside said outer wall, said barrier partially dividing said interior space into a first region and a second region and said barrier having a lip, with said two regions connected above said lip and said first and second regions spaced apart below said lip,   wherein the barrier in the first region extends tapering diagonally from the lip to the inner surface of the outer wall at a position between the upper end and the floor end.   
     
     
         35 . The combination of  claim 34 , wherein said cradle has an upper end which is open and into which said centrifuge vessel is adapted to be removably placed along a cradle center line, said center line of said cradle oriented substantially parallel with said spin axis. 
     
     
         36 . The combination of  claim 35 , wherein said barrier includes a face extending down from said lip on a side of said barrier closest to said spin axis, said face extending at an angle tapering toward said spin axis as said face extends away from said lip. 
     
     
         37 . The combination of  claim 38 , wherein said face tapers in a curving manner away from said lip and partially toward said spin axis as said face extends away from said lip. 
     
     
         38 . The combination of  claim 35 , wherein said cradle includes an open upper end into which said centrifuge vessel is adapted to be removably placed along a center line of said cradle, said center line of said cradle angled non-parallel to said spin axis with said open upper end of said cradle located closer to said spin axis than other portions of said cradle. 
     
     
         39 . The combination of  claim 38 , wherein said barrier has a face extending down from said lip on a side of said barrier closest to said spin axis, said face angled to be closer to said spin axis where said face is spaced from said lip than a distance from said face to said spin axis where said face is adjacent said lip. 
     
     
         40 . The combination of  claim 39 , wherein a side of said barrier opposite said face is oriented substantially parallel with portions of said outer wall most distant from said spin axis for at least a portion of said barrier. 
     
     
         41 . The combination of  claim 40 , wherein portions of a side of said barrier opposite said face taper at an angle relative to portions of said outer wall of said vessel most distant from said spin axis, said angle causing tapering portions of said wall of said barrier opposite said face to be most distant from said spin axis at a location most distant from said lip of said barrier. 
     
     
         42 . A fluid container for use in a centrifuge, the container comprising in combination:
 an upper end and a floor end   an outer wall extending from the upper end to the floor end adapted to contain fluids therein;   a barrier inside said outer wall, said barrier dividing an interior of the container into at least a first region and a second region;   a lip defining an upper end of said barrier where said at least first and second regions join together above said lip; and   a pair of surfaces on said barrier extending down from said lip on opposite sides of said barrier, wherein the barrier in the first region extends tapering diagonally from the lip to the inner surface of the outer wall at a position between the upper end and the floor end.   
     
     
         43 . The container of  claim 42 , wherein said two surfaces of said barrier are oriented non-parallel to each other. 
     
     
         44 . The container of  claim 42 , wherein said container has a higher gee side and a lower gee side, with said barrier in fixed position therein, and with one of said surfaces of said barrier closer to said lower gee side defined by a tapering face, said tapering face causing said barrier to have a greater width as said barrier extends from said lip. 
     
     
         45 . The container of  claim 44 , wherein said face of said barrier is substantially flat. 
     
     
         46 . The container of  claim 44 , wherein said face of said barrier is concave. 
     
     
         47 . The container of  claim 42  wherein said lip is located closer to a higher gee side of the container than to a lower gee side of the container. 
     
     
         48 . The container of  claim 42 , wherein said outer wall Is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         49 . The container of  claim 42 , wherein said container has a higher gee side and a lower gee side, with said barrier adapted to be adjustably positioned in a fixed location and with one of said surfaces of said barrier closer to said lower gee side defined by a tapering face, said tapering face causing said barrier to have a greater width as said barrier extends from said lip. 
     
     
         50 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the barrier in the second region extends from the lip to the floor end of the vessel. 
     
     
         51 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein said first region and second region have different widths.