Centrifuge and method for centrifuging a reaction vessel unit

Abstract

A centrifuge for cleaning a reaction vessel unit, having a rotor for holding at least one reaction vessel unit with its opening(s) directed outwardly, a motor for rotating the rotor around a rotation axis, a housing having a substantially cylindrical inner surface, wherein a drain is provided for discharging fluid expelled from the reaction vessel unit, wherein a gap is provided between the inner surface and the rotor so that by rotating the rotor a wind is generated which drives the expelled fluid on the inner surface to the drain wherein an aspiration pump is connected to the drain for discharging fluid.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A centrifuge for cleaning a reaction vessel unit that includes a plurality of reaction vessels, each reaction vessel including an opening, the centrifuge comprising:
 a housing having a substantially cylindrical inner surface, wherein a drain is provided for discharging fluid expelled from the reaction vessel unit, wherein the housing comprises an opening for loading and unloading the centrifuge with the reaction unit vessel;   a rotor disposed within the housing, the rotor being configured to hold the reaction vessel unit with its opening directed outwardly;   a motor coupled with the rotor to rotate the rotor around a rotation axis; and   a dispensing device adjacent the opening in the housing, the dispensing device being configured to automatically dispense a fluid into the plurality of reaction vessels of the reaction vessel unit.   
     
     
         20 . The centrifuge according to  claim 19 , wherein the dispensing device comprises one or more dispensing nozzles. 
     
     
         21 . The centrifuge according to  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of reaction vessels are arranged in a two-dimensional array; and wherein, for each reaction vessel in a column of the two-dimensional array, a corresponding dispensing nozzle is provided. 
     
     
         22 . The centrifuge according to  claim 19 , further comprising a reservoir for a dispensing fluid and a pump arranged to automatically pump the dispensing fluid from the reservoir to the dispensing nozzles. 
     
     
         23 . The centrifuge according to  claim 22 , further comprising a heating device arranged to heat the dispensing solution. 
     
     
         24 . The centrifuge according to  claim 22 , wherein the dispensing fluid is a washing fluid. 
     
     
         25 . The centrifuge according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a loading mechanism configured to move the reaction vessel unit so that the reaction vessels are moved below the dispensing device.   
     
     
         26 . The centrifuge according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a loading mechanism configured to load and unload the centrifuge with a reaction vessel unit;   wherein the loading mechanism comprises a beam for extension and retraction of the reaction vessel unit and a driving mechanism configured to extend and retract the beam, wherein the beam extends through the centrifuge section in an extended state and is removed from the centrifuge section in a retracted state so that the rotor can freely rotate.   
     
     
         27 . The centrifuge according to  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of reaction vessels are arranged in a two-dimensional array; and
 wherein the loading mechanism is configured to move the reaction vessel unit to enable the dispensing device to fill each row of the two-dimensional array of the plurality of reaction vessels with a dispensing solution.   
     
     
         28 . The centrifuge according to  claim 27 , wherein the loading mechanism further comprises a magnet coupling at a free end of the beam for coupling with a reaction vessel unit or with a reaction vessel unit carrier. 
     
     
         29 . The centrifuge according to  claim 28 , wherein the magnet coupling is configured to be coupled with a magnetic counter coupling element of the reaction vessel unit or a reaction vessel unit carrier. 
     
     
         30 . The centrifuge according to  claim 28 , wherein the driving mechanism of the loading mechanism is arranged on a side of the rotor opposite the opening of the housing, wherein in its extended state the beam extends through the rotor and the opening in the housing. 
     
     
         31 . The centrifuge according to  claim 30 , further comprising a stopper at a rear side of the rotor. 
     
     
         32 . The centrifuge according to  claim 31 , wherein the magnet coupling at the free end of the beam is configured to be released from the reaction vessel unit or the reaction vessel unit carrier when the reaction vessel unit or a reaction vessel unit carrier abuts the stopper. 
     
     
         33 . The centrifuge according to  claim 29 , further comprising a stopper at a rear side of the rotor, wherein the magnet coupling at a free end of the beam is configured to be released from the magnetic counter coupling element when the reaction vessel unit or the reaction vessel unit carrier abuts the stopper. 
     
     
         34 . The centrifuge according to  claim 32 , wherein the rotor comprises a magnetic coupling element which can hold the reaction vessel unit or a reaction vessel unit carrier by coupling with a magnetic counter coupling element of the reaction vessel unit or a reaction vessel unit carrier. 
     
     
         35 . The centrifuge according to  claim 34 , wherein the stopper comprises the magnetic coupling element of the rotor. 
     
     
         36 . The centrifuge according to  claim 35 , wherein the stopper is configured to be coupled with the magnetic counter coupling element upon release from the magnet coupling. 
     
     
         37 . The centrifuge according to  claim 19 , wherein the centrifuge is configured to repeat several washing steps comprising a cleaning or a washing step by centrifugation of the reaction vessel unit and a dispensing step in between the individual centrifugation steps. 
     
     
         38 . The centrifuge according to  claim 19 , wherein the dispensing device is adjacent an upper section of the opening of the housing. 
     
     
         39 . The centrifuge according to  claim 19 , wherein the dispensing device comprises a dispensing bar including a plurality of dispensing nozzles arranged in a line. 
     
     
         40 . A system for cleaning a reaction vessel unit, comprising:
 a centrifuge according to  claim 19 ; and   a reaction vessel unit comprising a plurality of reaction vessels which are arranged in a two-dimensional array;   wherein each of the reaction vessels includes an opening, and wherein the rotor of the centrifuge is configured to hold the reaction vessel unit with each opening directed outwardly.   
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 40 , further comprising a reaction vessel unit carrier configured to carry the reaction vessel unit. 
     
     
         42 . A method for cleaning a reaction vessel unit with a centrifuge comprising a rotor for holding the reaction vessel unit such that one or more openings in the reaction vessel unit are directed outwardly, a motor for rotating the rotor around a rotation axis, a loading mechanism, a housing having a substantially cylindrical inner surface and comprising an opening for loading and unloading the centrifuge with the reaction vessel unit by means of the loading mechanism, and a dispensing device located adjacent the opening, the method comprising the steps of:
 moving the reaction vessel unit, by use of the loading mechanism, into the opening of the housing and thereby below the dispensing device;   dispensing a fluid into the reaction vessel unit by means of the dispensing device; and   centrifuging the reaction vessel unit.   
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein the step of dispensing comprises automatically pumping a dispensing solution to the dispensing device from a reservoir connected to the dispensing device. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43 , further comprising the step of:
 heating the dispensing solution in the reservoir with a heating device.   
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 42 , wherein the reaction vessel unit comprises a plurality of reaction vessels arranged in a two-dimensional array; and
 wherein the step of moving the reaction vessel unit into the opening of the housing moves the reaction vessel unit such that the dispensing device can fill each row of the two-dimensional array of the plurality of reaction vessels with a dispensing solution.   
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 42 , further comprising the steps of:
 moving the reaction vessel unit out of the opening after the step of centrifuging; and   repeating the steps of moving the reaction vessel unit into the opening, of dispensing, of centrifuging, and of moving the reaction vessel unit out of the opening in order to further clean the reaction vessel unit.