Claims
- 1. An apparatus for use with a centrifuge having a rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation, the rotor including a retainer, the apparatus comprising:
a separation vessel for placement in the retainer, the separation vessel including
an inlet portion including an inlet port for supplying to the separation vessel a fluid to be separated into components, an outlet portion including
a first wall, a second wall spaced from the first wall, at least three outlet ports for removing separated components of the fluid from the separation vessel, and a shield between one of the outlet ports and the second wall for limiting entry into said one outlet port of at least one relatively high density component of the fluid, the shield having a surface facing said one outlet port, the surface of the shield being located closer than two of the other outlet ports to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer, to maintain the surface of the shield out of a layer of the relatively high density fluid component formed in the outlet portion, and a flow path extending between the inlet portion and the outlet portion.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outlet ports further comprise a fourth outlet port for removing at least one of the separated components of the fluid, wherein the surface of the shield is located farther than said one outlet port and the fourth outlet port from the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer, and wherein said one outlet port is located farther than the fourth outlet port from the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said one outlet port is configured to remove at least one relatively intermediate density component of the fluid, wherein one of said two outlet ports is configured to remove the relatively high density component of the fluid, wherein the other of said two outlet ports is configured to remove a portion of the fluid to adjust an interface between separated components of the fluid in the separation vessel, and wherein the fourth outlet port is configured to remove at least one relatively low density component of the fluid.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said one outlet port is about 0.035 inch to about 0.115 inch closer than said other of said two outlet ports to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said two outlet ports are in fluid communication with one another so that fluid components flowing through said two outlet ports mix with one another.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a barrier in the outlet portion of the separation vessel for substantially blocking flow of at least one relatively intermediate density component of the fluid, said one outlet port being between the barrier and the inlet portion of the separation vessel to remove the blocked intermediate density component of the fluid.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the barrier is a skimmer dam extending across the outlet portion, and wherein the outlet portion of the separation vessel includes a first passage for at least one relatively low density component of the fluid and a second passage for at least one relatively high density component of the fluid, the skimmer dam being between the first and second passages such that the first passage is closer than the second passage to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the shield is a shelf extending from the skimmer dam.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first wall faces away from the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer, and wherein the first wall includes a trap dam extending toward the second wall to trap relatively low density substances, the trap dam being between the inlet portion of the separation vessel and said one outlet port.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the trap dam includes a downstream portion having a relatively gradual slope.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a downstream end of the gradual sloped, downstream portion is located closer than the said one port to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the trap dam has a generally convex shaped curvature.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second wall has a relatively gradual sloped segment in a region across from the trap dam to increase thickness of a layer of the relatively high density fluid component formed in the region.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein an upstream end of the gradual sloped segment is upstream from the trap dam.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separation vessel is a generally annular channel.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fluid chamber for separating components of the fluid after initial separation in the separation vessel, the fluid chamber being capable of being mounted on the rotor and including a fluid chamber inlet fluidly coupled to said one outlet port, a fluid chamber outlet, and a fluid chamber wall extending between and defining the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the fluid chamber wall having an inner surface defining an interior having a maximum cross-sectional area at a position between the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross-sectional area toward the fluid chamber inlet.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the interior of the fluid chamber converges from the position of the maximum cross-sectional area toward the fluid chamber outlet.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fluid chamber includes at least one groove formed on the interior of the fluid chamber, the groove reducing Coriolis jetting of components of the fluid entering the fluid chamber interior through the fluid chamber inlet.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fluid chamber includes at least one step formed on the interior of the fluid chamber, the step reducing Coriolis jetting of components of the fluid entering the fluid chamber interior through the fluid chamber inlet.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the outlet ports further comprise a fourth outlet port for removing at least one relatively low density component of the fluid, and wherein the fluid chamber outlet is in flow communication with the fourth outlet port to mix the low density component of the fluid with substances flowing from the fluid chamber outlet.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface of the shield is spaced from said one outlet port by a distance of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.08 inch.
- 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface of the shield is spaced from said one outlet port by a distance of from about 0.02 inch to about 0.03 inch.
- 23. A centrifugal separation apparatus comprising:
a centrifuge rotor configured to be rotated by a motor about an axis of rotation; a retainer on the centrifuge rotor; and a separation vessel in the retainer, the vessel including
an inlet portion including an inlet port for supplying to the vessel a fluid to be separated into components, an outlet portion including
a barrier for substantially blocking passage of at least one of the separated components of the fluid, and at least one outlet port for removing at least the blocked component of the fluid from the vessel, a flow path extending between the inlet portion and the outlet portion, and a trap dam between the outlet port and the inlet portion, the trap dam extending away from the axis of rotation to trap relatively low density substances, the trap dam including a downstream portion having a relatively gradual slope.
- 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein a downstream end of the downstream portion of the trap dam is located closer than the outlet port to the axis of rotation.
- 25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the trap dam has a generally convex shaped curvature.
- 26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the separation vessel further comprises a gradual sloped segment in a region across from the trap dam, the gradual sloped segment increasing thickness of a layer of the relatively high density fluid component formed across from the trap dam.
- 27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein an upstream end of the gradual sloped segment is upstream from the trap dam.
- 28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein at least a part of the separation vessel is formed of at least one of semi-rigid material and flexible material, and wherein the retainer includes an inner wall spaced from the axis of rotation and an outer wall spaced farther from the axis of rotation than the inner wall, the inner and outer walls defining a groove therebetween for receiving the vessel, the outer wall of the retainer including a portion gradually sloping away from the axis of rotation to form the gradual sloped segment in the separation vessel.
- 29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the outlet portion includes a first outlet port between the barrier and the inlet portion for removing the blocked component of the fluid, a second outlet port for removing the relatively high density component of the fluid, a third outlet port for removing a portion of the fluid to adjust an interface between separated components of the fluid in the vessel, and a fourth outlet port for removing the relatively low density component of the fluid.
- 30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the barrier is a skimmer dam extending across the outlet portion.
- 31. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a fluid chamber for separating components of the fluid flowing through the outlet port, the fluid chamber being mounted on the rotor and including a fluid chamber inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet port, a fluid chamber outlet, and a fluid chamber wall extending between and defining the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the fluid chamber wall having an inner surface defining an interior having a maximum cross-sectional area at a position between the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross-sectional area toward the fluid chamber inlet.
- 32. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein at least a part of the separation vessel is formed of at least one of semi-rigid material and flexible material, and wherein the retainer includes an inner wall spaced from the axis of rotation and an outer wall spaced farther from the axis of rotation than the inner wall, the inner and outer walls defining a groove therebetween for receiving the separation vessel, the inner wall of the retainer including a ridge extending toward the outer wall, the ridge deforming the separation vessel to form the trap dam in the separation vessel.
- 33. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the separation vessel further comprises a first passage for at least one relatively low density component of the fluid and a second passage for at least one relatively high density component of the fluid, the first passage being closer than the second passage to the axis of rotation,
- 34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the outlet port is between the barrier and the inlet portion of the separation vessel
- 35. An apparatus for use with a centrifuge having a rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation, the rotor including a retainer, the apparatus comprising:
a separation vessel for placement in the retainer, the separation vessel including
an inlet port for supplying to the separation vessel a fluid to be separated into components, a first outlet port for removing at least relatively intermediate density components of the fluid, and a second outlet port for removing at least one relatively low density component of the fluid; a first line coupled to the first outlet port; a second line coupled to the second outlet port; and a fluid chamber for separating the components of the fluid flowing through the first line, the fluid chamber being capable of being mounted on the rotor and including a fluid chamber inlet fluidly coupled to the first line, a fluid chamber outlet in flow communication with the second line to mix the relatively low density component of the fluid with substances flowing from the fluid chamber outlet, and a fluid chamber wall extending between and defining the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the fluid chamber wall having an inner surface defining an interior.
- 36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the interior of the fluid chamber has a maximum cross-sectional area at a position between the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross-sectional area toward the fluid chamber inlet.
- 37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the interior of the fluid chamber converges from the position of the maximum cross-sectional area toward the fluid chamber outlet.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the fluid chamber includes at least one groove formed on the interior of the fluid chamber, the groove reducing Coriolis jetting of components of the fluid entering the fluid chamber interior through the fluid chamber inlet.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the fluid chamber includes at least one step formed on the interior of the fluid chamber, the step reducing Coriolis jetting of components of the fluid entering the fluid chamber interior through the fluid chamber inlet.
- 40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the separation vessel further comprises a third outlet port for removing a portion of the fluid to adjust an interface between separated components of the fluid in the separation vessel, and a fourth outlet port for removing at least one relatively high density component of the fluid.
- 41. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising a barrier in the separation vessel for substantially blocking flow of at least the intermediate density components of the fluid, the first outlet port being between the barrier and the inlet port to remove the blocked intermediate density components of the fluid.
- 42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the barrier is a skimmer dam extending across the separation vessel, and wherein the separation vessel includes a first passage for at least the relatively low density component of the fluid and a second passage for at least one relatively high density component of the fluid, the skimmer dam being between the first and second passages such that the first passage is closer than the second passage to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 43. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the separation vessel includes a first wall facing the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer and a second wall spaced from the first wall, and wherein the first wall includes a trap dam extending toward the second wall to trap relatively low density substances, the trap dam being between the inlet port and the first outlet port.
- 44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the trap dam includes a downstream portion having a relatively gradual slope.
- 45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein a downstream end of the gradual sloped, downstream portion surface is located closer than the first outlet port to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the trap dam has a generally convex shaped curvature.
- 47. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the second wall has a relatively gradual sloped segment in a region across from the trap dam to increase thickness of a layer of a relatively high density fluid component formed in the region.
- 48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein an upstream end of the gradual sloped segment is upstream from the trap dam.
- 49. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the separation vessel is a generally annular channel.
- 50. A method of separating components of a fluid, the method comprising:
rotating a separation vessel about an axis of rotation; passing fluid to be separated into the vessel; separating the fluid in the rotating separation vessel into at least a relatively high density component, a relatively intermediate density component, and a relatively low density component; removing at least the relatively intermediate density component from the separation vessel via an outlet port in the separation vessel; limiting passage of the relatively high density component into the outlet port with a shield having a surface facing the outlet port; and controlling the position of an interface between the high density component and the intermediate density component so that the surface of the shield is between the interface and the outlet port.
- 51. The method of claim 50, wherein the high density component includes red blood cells, wherein the intermediate density component includes at least one of the group consisting of platelets and white blood cells and wherein the low density component includes plasma.
- 52. The method of claim 50, wherein the controlling of the interface position includes removing at least one of the high density component and the low density component from the separation vessel via an interface positioning port located farther than the surface of the shield from the axis of rotation.
- 53. The method of claim 50, further comprising removing the high density component and the low density component from the separation vessel.
- 54. The method of claim 50, further comprising accumulating at least the intermediate density component with a barrier in the separation vessel, the accumulated intermediate density component being removed from the separation vessel via the outlet port.
- 55. The method of claim 54, further comprising flowing the high density component and the low density component past the barrier.
- 56. The method of claim 50, wherein the intermediate density component includes at least a first subcomponent and a second subcomponent, and wherein the method further comprises flowing the intermediate density component into a fluid chamber, retaining at least some of the first subcomponent in the fluid chamber, and permitting at least some of the second subcomponent to flow from an outlet of the fluid chamber.
- 57. The method of claim 56, further comprising forming in the fluid chamber a saturated fluidized bed including the second subcomponent, the saturated fluidized bed retaining the first subcomponent in the fluid chamber.
- 58. The method of claim 56, further comprising removing the low density component from the separation vessel and combining the low density component removed from the separation vessel with the second subcomponent flowing from the outlet of the fluid chamber.
- 59. The method of claim 50, further comprising accumulating some of the low density component with a trap dam in the separation vessel, the accumulated low density component increasing the flow velocity of intermediate density and low density components flowing past the trap dam.
- 60. A method of separating components of a fluid, the method comprising:
rotating a separation vessel about an axis of rotation; passing fluid to be separated into the vessel; separating the fluid in the rotating separation vessel into at least a relatively high density component, relatively intermediate density components, and a relatively low density component, the intermediate density components including at least a first subcomponent and a second subcomponent; removing at least the relatively intermediate density components from the separation vessel via a first outlet port in the separation vessel; flowing the removed intermediate density components into a fluid chamber; retaining at least some of the first subcomponent in the fluid chamber; permitting at least some of the second subcomponent to flow from an outlet of the fluid chamber; removing at least some of the low density component from the separation vessel via a second outlet port in the separation vessel; and combining the low density component removed from the separation vessel with the second subcomponent flowing from the outlet of the fluid chamber.
- 61. The method of claim 60, wherein the high density component includes red blood cells, the first subcomponent includes white blood cells, the second subcomponent includes platelets, and the low density component includes plasma.
- 62. The method of claim 60, further comprising removing the high density component from the separation vessel via a third outlet port in the separation vessel.
- 63. The method of claim 60, further comprising accumulating at least the intermediate density components with a barrier in the separation vessel, the accumulated intermediate density components being removed from the separation vessel via the first outlet port.
- 64. The method of claim 63, further comprising flowing the high density component and the low density component past the barrier.
- 65. The method of claim 60, further comprising forming in the fluid chamber a saturated fluidized particle bed including the second subcomponent, the saturated fluidized bed retaining at least the first subcomponent in the fluid chamber.
- 66. The method of claim 60, further comprising accumulating some of the low density component with a trap dam in the separation vessel, the accumulated low density component increasing the flow velocity of intermediate density and low density components flowing past the trap dam.
- 67. The method of claim 60, further comprising separating the first and second subcomponents in the fluid chamber by elutriation.
- 68. An apparatus for use with a centrifuge having a rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation, the rotor including a retainer, the apparatus comprising:
a separation vessel for placement in the retainer, the separation vessel including
an inlet portion including an inlet port for supplying to the separation vessel a fluid to be separated into components, an outlet portion including
at least one outlet port for removing at least one separated component of the fluid from the separation vessel, a shield for limiting entry into the outlet port of at least one relatively high density component of the fluid, the shield having a surface facing the outlet port, and means for controlling the position of an interface between the at least one relatively high density component and the at least one separated component so that the surface of the shield is between the interface and the outlet port; and a flow path extending between the inlet portion and the outlet portion.
- 69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the controlling means includes an interface control port configured to remove a portion of the fluid.
- 70. The apparatus of claim 69, wherein the shield is located closer than the interface control port to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 71. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the outlet port is about 0.035 inch to about 0.115 inch closer than the interface port to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 72. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the outlet portion includes a first outlet port associated with the shield and a second outlet port in fluid communication with the interface port so that fluid components flowing through the second outlet port and the interface port mix with one another.
- 73. The apparatus of claim 68, further comprising a barrier in the outlet portion of the separation vessel for substantially blocking flow of at least one relatively intermediate density component of the fluid, the outlet port being between the barrier and the inlet portion of the separation vessel to remove the blocked intermediate density component of the fluid.
- 74. The apparatus of claim 73, wherein the barrier is a skimmer dam extending across the outlet portion, and wherein the outlet portion of the separation vessel includes a first passage for at least one relatively low density component of the fluid and a second passage for at least one relatively high density component of the fluid, the skimmer dam being between the first and second passages such that the first passage is closer than the second passage to the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer.
- 75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein the shield is a shelf extending from the skimmer dam.
- 76. The apparatus of claim 68, further comprising a trap dam extending away from the axis of rotation when the separation vessel is placed in the retainer, for trapping relatively low density substances, the trap dam being between the inlet portion of the separation vessel and the outlet port.
- 77. The apparatus of claim 76, further comprising a relatively gradual sloped segment in a region across from the trap dam to increase thickness of a layer of the relatively high density fluid component formed in the region.
- 78. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the separation vessel is a generally annular channel.
- 79. The apparatus of claim 68, further comprising a fluid chamber for separating components of the fluid after initial separation in the separation vessel, the fluid chamber being capable of being mounted on the rotor and including a fluid chamber inlet fluidly coupled to the outlet port, a fluid chamber outlet, and a fluid chamber wall extending between and defining the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the fluid chamber wall having an inner surface defining an interior having a maximum cross-sectional area at a position between the fluid chamber inlet and the fluid chamber outlet, the interior converging from the position of the maximum cross-sectional area toward the fluid chamber inlet.
- 80. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the surface of the shield is spaced from the outlet port by a distance of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.08 inch.
- 81. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the surface of the shield is spaced from the outlet port by a distance of from about 0.02 inch to about 0.03 inch.
- 82. A method of reducing clumping of platelets during separation of blood components, comprising:
providing a separation vessel including an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a flow path between the inlet and outlet portions; rotating the separation vessel about an axis of rotation; introducing blood components into the rotating separation vessel such that the blood components stratify in the separation vessel to form at least a radial outer layer including red blood cells, an intermediate layer including at least platelets, and a radial inner layer including low density substances; removing the platelets from the separation vessel via an outlet port in the outlet portion; and maintaining the radially outer layer of red blood cells between the intermediate layer and a radially outer wall of the separation vessel to substantially limit contact between the platelets and the radially outer wall of the separation vessel and thereby reduce platelet clumping.
- 83. The method of claim 82, further comprising maintaining the radial inner layer of low density substances between the intermediate layer and a radially inner wall of the separation vessel to substantially limit contact between the platelets and the radially inner wall of the separation vessel and thereby reduce platelet clumping.
- 84. The method of claim 83, wherein the low density substances include at least one of saline and plasma.
- 85. The method of claim 83, wherein the maintaining of the radially inner layer of low density substances includes trapping the low density substances with a trap dam.
- 86. A method of reducing clumping of platelets during separation of blood components, comprising:
providing a separation vessel including an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a flow path between the inlet and outlet portions; rotating the separation vessel about an axis of rotation; introducing blood components into the rotating separation vessel such that the blood components stratify in the separation vessel to form at least a radial outer layer including high density substances, an intermediate layer including at least platelets, and a radial inner layer including low density substances; removing the platelets from the separation vessel via an outlet port in the outlet portion; and maintaining the radially inner layer of low density substances between the intermediate layer and a radially inner wall of the separation vessel to substantially limit contact between the platelets and the radially inner wall of the separation vessel and thereby reduce platelet clumping.
- 87. The method of claim 86, wherein the low density substances include at least one of saline and plasma.
- 88. The method of claim 86, wherein the maintaining of the radially inner layer of low density substances includes trapping the low density substances with a trap dam.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,173, issued on Oct. 7, 1997, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/676,039, filed on Jul. 5, 1996 (pending), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/853,374, filed on May 8, 1997 (pending). The entire disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,173 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/676,039 and Ser. No. 08/853,374 are incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09270105 |
Mar 1999 |
US |
Child |
09985050 |
Nov 2001 |
US |