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 . A centrifuge for cleaning a reaction vessel unit, having a rotor ( 8 ) for holding at least one reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) with its opening(s) directed outwardly,
 a motor for rotating the rotor ( 8 ) around a rotation axis ( 18 ),   a housing ( 23 ) having a substantially cylindrical inner surface, wherein a drain ( 30 ) is provided for discharging fluid expelled from the reaction vessel unit ( 2 ),   wherein a gap is provided between the inner surface and the rotor ( 8 ) so that by rotating the rotor ( 8 ) a wind is generated which drives the expelled fluid on the inner surface to the drain ( 30 ) wherein an aspiration pump is connected to the drain ( 30 ) for discharging fluid.   
     
     
         2 . A centrifuge for cleaning a reaction vessel unit, particularly according to  claim 1  having a rotor ( 8 ) for holding at least one reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) with its opening(s) directed outwardly,
 a motor for rotating the rotor ( 8 ) around a rotation axis ( 18 ), 
 a housing ( 23 ) having a substantially cylindrical inner surface, wherein a drain ( 30 ) is provided for discharging fluid expelled from the reaction vessel unit ( 2 ), 
 wherein a gap of not more than 1 mm is provided between the cylindrical inner surface and the rotor ( 8 ) so that by rotating the rotor ( 8 ) a wind is generated which drives the expelled fluid on the cylindrical inner surface to the drain ( 30 ). 
 
     
     
         3 . A centrifuge for cleaning a reaction vessel unit, particularly according to  claim 1  or  2 , having a rotor ( 8 ) for holding at least one reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) with its opening(s) directed outwardly,
 a motor for rotating the rotor ( 8 ) around a rotation axis ( 18 ), a housing ( 23 ), 
 a cooling device for cooling an inner surface of the housing so that expelled fluid is condensed on said inner surface. 
 
     
     
         4 . A centrifuge for centrifuging a reaction vessel unit, particularly according to any one of the  claims 1  to  3 , having a rotor ( 8 ) for holding at least one reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) with its opening(s) directed outwardly and/or inwardly,
 a motor for rotating the rotor ( 8 ) around a rotation axis ( 18 ), wherein the section in which the rotor is rotating forms a centrifuge section ( 5 ), a loading mechanism ( 33 ) for loading and unloading the centrifuge ( 1 ) with a reaction vessel unit ( 2 ), wherein the loading mechanism comprises a flexible elongate beam ( 34 ) for extension and retraction of a reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) and a driving means ( 40 ,  41 ) for extending and retracting the beam ( 34 ), wherein the flexible elongate beam ( 34 ) extends through the centrifuge section ( 5 ) in its extended state and is removed from the centrifuge section ( 5 ) in its retracted state so that the rotor ( 8 ) can freely rotate. 
 
     
     
         5 . Centrifuge according to  claim 4 , wherein a magnet coupling ( 42 ) is provided at an free end of the beam ( 34 ) for coupling with a reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) or with a reaction vessel unit carrier ( 20 ). 
     
     
         6 . Centrifuge according to  claim 4  or  5 , wherein the centrifuge ( 1 ) comprises a housing ( 23 ) with an opening ( 32 ) for loading and unloading the centrifuge ( 1 ) with a reaction unit vessel ( 2 ) and wherein the driving means ( 40 ,  41 ) of the loading mechanism ( 33 ) are arranged at the other side of the rotor ( 8 ) than said opening ( 32 ), wherein in its extended state the beam ( 34 ) is extending through the rotor ( 8 ) and said opening ( 32 ). 
     
     
         7 . Centrifuge according to any one of the  claims 4  to  6 , wherein the beam ( 34 ) consists of a bent metal sheet. 
     
     
         8 . A centrifuge for washing magnetic beads in a reaction vessel unit, particularly according to any one of the  claims 1  to  7 , having a rotor ( 8 ) for holding at least one reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) with its opening(s) directed outwardly, a motor for rotating the rotor ( 8 ) around a rotation axis ( 18 ),
 a magnetic element which is arranged in the rotor to apply a magnetic field to reaction vessels ( 3 ) of a reaction vessel unit ( 2 ). 
 
     
     
         9 . Centrifuge according to  claim 8 , wherein the magnetic element is part of a releasable carrier ( 20 ) for a reaction vessel unit. 
     
     
         10 . Centrifuge according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a tempering means for tempering the gas contained inside the housing and/or the rotor. 
     
     
         11 . Centrifuge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a camera is provided for scanning a reaction vessel unit. 
     
     
         12 . Centrifuge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a platform of the reaction vessel unit centrifuge, which is embodied for supporting the reaction vessel unit centrifuge in accordance with its designated use, is oriented parallel to the rotation axis ( 18 ) of the rotor ( 8 ). 
     
     
         13 . Centrifuge according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the centrifuge ( 1 ) comprises two openings for loading and unloading reaction vessel units which are arranged diametrically opposite with respect to the rotation axis ( 18 ). 
     
     
         14 . Method for centrifuging a reaction vessel unit, wherein particularly a centrifuge according to one of the  claims 1  to  13  is used, and wherein a reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) is placed in a rotor ( 8 ), wherein the reaction vessel unit comprises at least one reaction vessel ( 3 ) having an opening and the reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) is placed with the opening of the reaction vessel radially outwardly for emptying the reaction vessel ( 3 ) and the rotor ( 8 ) is driven back and forth for shaking the reaction vessel unit ( 2 ). 
     
     
         15 . Method for parallel testing by means of gel separation such as blood typing using a microtiter plate as reaction vessel unit ( 2 ) comprising a plurality of reaction vessels ( 3 ) arranged in a two dimensional array, wherein particularly a centrifuge according to one of the  claims 1  to  13  is used, comprising the following steps
 dispensing sample material and reagents into the reaction vessels ( 3 ) onto a gel filling contained in the reaction vessels, 
 centrifuging the microtiter plate, and 
 optical detecting of the reaction vessels. 
 
     
     
         16 . Method for carrying out an assay by means of magnetic beads ( 59 ) comprising the following steps
 placing a protective cavity ( 58 ) in a reaction vessel ( 3 ), which contains magnetic beads ( 59 ) in a sample liquid ( 60 ),   placing a magnetic rod ( 57 ) in the protective cavity ( 58 ) to bind the magnetic beads ( 59 ) on the protrusion of the opposite side of the protective cavity ( 58 ) by magnetic forces,   removing the magnetic rod ( 57 ) together with the protective cavity ( 58 ) with the bound magnetic beads ( 59 ),   placing the magnetic rod ( 57 ) and the protective cavity ( 58 ) with the bound magnetic beads ( 59 ) in an empty reaction vessel ( 3 ),   centrifuging the magnetic rod ( 57 ) and the protective cavity ( 58 ) with the bound magnetic beads ( 59 ) in the empty reaction vessel ( 3 ) to remove residual sample liquid ( 61 ), and   transferring the magnetic rod ( 57 ) and the protective cavity ( 58 ) with the bound magnetic beads ( 59 ) to a next reaction vessel ( 3 ) containing sample liquid, reagents, or buffer ( 60 ).   
     
     
         17 . Method for carrying out an assay by means of a rod system comprising the following steps
 coating the rod ( 62 ) with antibody ( 66 ) or antigen ( 67 ), placing the rod ( 62 ) by means of a pipette tip ( 71 ) in a reaction vessel ( 64 ) containing the sample liquid,   transferring the rod ( 62 ) to an empty reaction vessel ( 64 ),   centrifuging the rod ( 62 ) and the reaction vessel ( 64 ) to remove residual sample liquid, and   transferring the rod ( 62 ) to a next reaction vessel ( 64 ) containing sample liquid, reagents, or buffer.   
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 17 , wherein the rod is transferred by means of a pipette tip ( 71 ).