Imperforate bowl: centrifugal separators – Including plurality of miniature bowls distrubuted about...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-13
2002-05-21
Cooley, Charles E. (Department: 1723)
Imperforate bowl: centrifugal separators
Including plurality of miniature bowls distrubuted about...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06390965
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a centrifugal separator, and particularly to a rotor structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the centrifugal separator
100
diagramed in
FIG. 9
, a motor
101
is installed via elastic bodies
103
to flanges
102
a
formed inside a frame
102
. To the drive shaft
104
of this motor
101
, a rotor
105
is engaged so as to be freely removable.
In this centrifugal separator, the rotor
105
is formed in a disc shape. On the upper surface periphery of the rotor
105
is formed an inclined surface
105
a
that is inclined toward the inside and downward. In this inclined surface
105
a
, tube (test tube) insertion holes
106
are formed.
Now, a rotor
105
such as this is formed by machining an aluminum block or the like into a disc shape and then cutting the inclined surface
105
a
, using a lathe or the like, and thereafter making the tube insertion holes
106
with a drill or the like. Accordingly, the machining becomes intricate and costly. Also, with such a rotor
105
as this, a certain thickness is required in the peripheral portion of the rotor
105
for forming the tube insertion holes
106
, resulting in increased weight. Accordingly, the motor
101
must have a sufficient capacity therefore, whereupon the centrifugal separator must be made large. In order to lighten the rotor
105
, the center portion of the rotor
105
(the portion where the drive shaft
104
of the motor
101
is attached) and portions other than those portions needed for forming the tube insertion holes
106
, indicated by the double-dotted lines in
FIG. 9
, can be cut away, but that results in the shape of the rotor
105
becoming complex and machining that is much more intricate. Furthermore, in order to accommodate other types of tubes having different diameters, other rotors
105
must be made available that are provided with tube insertion holes
106
having diameters corresponding to those other tubes, resulting in escalating costs.
In a centrifugal separator
110
diagramed in
FIG. 10
, a rotor
111
is configured by a main rotor body
112
provided with a plurality of holes
112
a
in the upper surface periphery of a disc, and cubical racks
113
loaded in the main rotor body
112
. With this rotor
111
, the main rotor body
112
is engaged to the drive shaft
104
of the motor
101
, and the racks
113
are accommodated, respectively, in the holes
112
a
in that main rotor body
With such a rotor
111
as this, in order to prevent the weight from being displaced to one side, the multiple racks
113
must be accommodated respectively in the holes
112
a
of the main rotor body
112
symmetrically about the center of the drive shaft
104
to achieve balance. Since the operation of accommodating these racks
113
in the main rotor body
112
is intricate, and each of the racks
113
is formed independently, not all that many tube insertion holes (not shown) can be formed in the upper surface of the racks
113
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thereupon, an object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator rotor that is both lightweight and easy to machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator rotor wherewith the rack loading operation is simple, and the number of tube insertion holes can be increased.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a centrifugal separator rotor that can easily and inexpensively be made to accommodate various tube types.
In order to achieve the objects stated above, the centrifugal separator of the preset invention comprises: a cylindrical bottomed main rotor body; and a rack configured with a plurality of rack parts along the inner circumferential surface of the main rotor body, the rack parts of which are linked together and are able to move in radial directions of the main rotor body; wherein: when the main rotor body is being turned, the rack parts are pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the main rotor body and held there by the centrifugal forces associate with the turning of the main rotor body.
As based on the centrifugal separator of this invention, the rotor is made up of the main rotor body and the rack, respectively, as separate parts, wherefore the shape thereof can be simplified and machining made easy.
More specifically, because the main rotor body of the centrifugal separator of this invention can be a shape that stops the rack on the inner circumferential surface thereof, the main rotor body may have the simple structure of a bottomed cylinder, whereby the rotor can be made lighter in weight and less costly. It is also possible to form the rack of lightweight parts of plastic or the like, which not only facilitates cost reduction but also makes it possible to make the motor, etc., smaller, and thus to make the centrifugal separator both smaller and lighter in weight. Furthermore, when tubes are loaded into the rotor, the tubes can be loaded into a rack at another location beforehand and that rack then can be accommodated in the main rotor body. Thus, work efficiency is improved because only the lightweight rack need be moved, and tubes can be loaded into racks at other locations.
In a centrifugal separator of the present invention, moreover, a disc Is provided which fits tightly and integrally to the main rotor body at the center part thereof, and the multiple rack parts are linked together via the circumferential edge of the disc.
With the centrifugal separator of this invention, after mounting the rack parts about the circumferential edge of the disc, the disc is fit tightly on to the center part of the main rotor body. In this condition, when the main rotor body is driven so that it turns, the rack parts move out in radial directions due to centrifugal force, and are stopped when they come up against the inner circumferential surface of the main rotor body.
That is, with the centrifugal separator of this invention, the disc need only position the rack, and-need not have the strength required to hold the rack. Also, the rack is stopped by the inner circumferential surface of the main rotor body, due to the centrifugal force generated when the main rotor body is driven so that it turns, wherefore it is only necessary that the main rotor body retain sufficient strength, and thus the rotor can be made lighter.
In centrifuge operations, moreover, tubes are loaded into a rack at a different location beforehand, so that it is only necessary to mount the disc on which do racks have been mounted to the main rotor body. That is, only lightweight racks need be carried about, which makes the work easier.
In a centrifugal separator of the present invention, further more, a hub is erected in the center of the main rotor body. Splines are formed which extend upward and downward on the outer circumferential surface of the hub, and a spline hole is formed in the center of the disc. By pushing the spline hole of the disc down onto the splines of the main rotor body, the disc is made to fit tightly on the main rotor body.
With the centrifugal separator of this invention, the disc can be made to fit tightly to the main rotor body by pushing the center of the disc down onto the hub erected in the center of the main rotor body, wherefore the operation of mounting a rack on the main rotor body is extremely simple.
In a centrifugal separator of the present invention, moreover, grooves are formed in the inner circumferential surface of the rack parts. These grooves are made to mate with the circumferential edge of the disc, and, at the same time, the rack parts are mounted to the disc by pins inserted into the rack parts and the disc.
With the centrifugal separator of this invention, rack grooves are mated with the circumferential edge of the disc and the rack parts are held by the disc, wherefore the rack parts are securely held by the disc.
In a centrifugal separator of the present invention, furthermore, the rack is formed in a ring shape. At multiple locations in this rack, one slit i
Cooley Charles E.
Tomy Kogyo Co. Ltd.
Varndell & Varndell PLLC
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