JP5824086B2 - Apheresis bowl with improved vibration characteristics - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to blood apheresis systems and methods, and more particularly to reducing vibration and noise in whole blood component separation devices.

  Apheresis is a treatment in which individual blood components can be separated and collected from whole blood collected temporarily from a subject. Typically, whole blood is collected through a needle inserted into the subject's arm vein and collected into a cell separator such as a centrifuge bowl. Once whole blood is separated into its various components, one or more components can be recovered from the centrifuge bowl. The remaining components can be returned to the subject with an optional compensatory fluid to make up the volume of the recovered components. The process of blood collection and return continues until the desired amount of component has been collected, at which point the process ends. The main feature of the apheresis system is that components that are processed but not needed are returned to the donor. The blood components to be separated can include high density components such as red blood cells, intermediate density components such as platelets or white blood cells, and low density components such as plasma.

  According to some embodiments of the present invention, a centrifuge bowl for separating whole blood into blood components includes a rotatable body, an inlet, and a plurality of vibration isolation members. The rotatable body includes a body portion and a neck portion. The body portion defines an interior space for receiving whole blood and is rotatable to separate the whole blood into a plurality of blood components. The inlet is in fluid connection with the interior space of the rotatable body and is defined to introduce whole blood into the rotatable body. The plurality of vibration isolating members are spaced (eg, radially) around the neck portion, and can reduce vibration of the centrifugal bowl as the bowl rotates. The anti-vibration member may be a rib member, and may be bent or straight.

  The centrifuge bowl may include an outlet for fluid connection with the interior space of the bowl. The outlet can be used to collect one or more blood components from the centrifuge bowl. In order to rotate and maintain a sealed state of the centrifuge bowl, the centrifuge bowl may be provided with a rotary seal attached to the rotatable body and connecting the inlet to the body portion. The centrifuge bowl may also include a core that is coaxial with the interior space. The core creates a whole blood separation region between the outer wall of the core and the inner wall of the body portion.

  According to a further embodiment, the centrifuge bowl may include a shoulder portion that extends between the neck portion and the body portion. In such an embodiment, the anti-vibration member may be a thickened region of the shoulder portion. The thickened area increases in thickness towards the axis of rotation of the bowl. The increase in thickness can be gradual.

  According to a further embodiment, a blood processing system for separating whole blood into blood components comprises one or more blood components from a venous access device, a blood component separating device, a separating device for collecting whole blood from a subject. , At least one storage container for storing at least one blood component extracted from the blood component separation device, and means for returning the remaining blood components to the subject. The blood component separation device separates whole blood into a plurality of components and may include a centrifuge bowl.

  The centrifuge bowl may include a main body portion and a neck portion. The body portion defines an interior space for receiving whole blood and is rotatable to separate the whole blood into a plurality of blood components. The neck portion includes a plurality of vibration isolating members for reducing vibrations of the centrifugal bowl when the bowl rotates. The plurality of vibration isolation members may be radially spaced around the neck portion and may be straight and / or curved rib members. The blood component separation device is attached to a (1) a drain that is fluidly connected to the interior space of the bowl and is defined to collect one or more blood components from the centrifuge bowl, and (2) a rotatable body. A rotary seal fluidly connecting the inlet to the body portion and / or (3) a core that is coaxial with the interior space and creates a whole blood separation region between the outer wall of the core and the inner wall of the rotatable body You can leave.

  Additionally or alternatively, the anti-vibration member may be a thickened region in the shoulder portion that extends between the neck portion and the body portion. The thickened area increases thickness and can be stepped. The centrifuge bowl may have an inlet fluidly connected to the interior space.

  According to a further embodiment, a centrifuge bowl for separating whole blood into blood components may include a rotatable body, an inlet, and at least one vibration isolation member. The rotatable body may include a body portion, a shoulder portion, and a neck portion. The body portion may define an interior space for receiving whole blood and may be rotatable to separate the whole blood into a plurality of blood components. The shoulder portion may extend between the body portion and the neck portion.

  The inlet may be in fluid connection with the rotatable body and may be established to introduce whole blood into the rotatable body. At least one vibration isolation member may be disposed on the shoulder portion and may be defined to cure at least the rotatable body portion and reduce vibration of the centrifuge bowl as the bowl rotates. The at least one vibration isolating member may include a plurality of rib members (bent rib members or straight rib members). Additionally or alternatively, the at least one vibration isolation member may include a thickening and is disposed on the shoulder portion. The thickened area may increase in thickness toward the axis of rotation of the bowl. The increase in thickness may be gradual.

The foregoing features of the invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of an apheresis system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a side view of a blood component separation device for use with the apheresis system of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the propagation of vibrations through the blood component separation device of FIG. 2 when rotating, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A schematically shows a side view with a cross-sectional portion of a centrifuge bowl with a vibration isolation member, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4B schematically shows a side view of a centrifuge bowl with a vibration isolator and without a rotary seal according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4C schematically shows a top view of the centrifuge bowl shown in FIG. 4B according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4D schematically shows a perspective view of the centrifuge bowl shown in FIG. 4B according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4E-H schematically show perspective views of a centrifuge bowl with various numbers of anti-vibration members shown in FIG. 4A according to embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 5A schematically shows a perspective view of a centrifuge bowl with an alternative vibration isolator according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5B-F schematically show perspective views of a centrifuge bowl with various numbers of alternative vibration isolation members shown in FIG. 5A, according to embodiments of the present invention. 6A-D schematically illustrate a portion of a centrifuge bowl with a third type of vibration isolation member, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide systems and blood component separation devices for performing blood apheresis procedures. In addition, various embodiments of the present invention reduce the vibration and noise found in some conventional separators. For example, embodiments of the present invention may include one or more vibration isolation members. Details of exemplary embodiments are set forth below.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, and as described above, the apheresis system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention collects whole blood from a subject through a venous access device 24 using a blood collection pump P1. The venous access device 24 can be any number of devices that can access a subject's veins, including but not limited to a phlebotomy needle. When the system 10 collects whole blood from the subject, the blood passes through a blood collection / return line 28 and enters a blood component separation device 11 such as a Latham type centrifuge. The blood component separation device 11 separates whole blood into its constituent components (for example, red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets). The Latham centrifuge is described above, but is not limited to, for example, integral blow molding as described in US Pat. No. 4,983,156 and US Pat. No. 4,943,273, incorporated herein by reference. Other types of separation chambers and devices such as other centrifuge bowls may also be used.

  When the system 10 collects whole blood from the subject, the system 10 may introduce an anticoagulant into the collected whole blood in order to prevent blood from clotting in the line or blood component separator 11. As a result, system 10 is fluidly connected at one end to anticoagulant source 16 (eg, an anticoagulant bag) and at the other end to venous access device 24 (or blood collection / return line 28 via Y connector 30). May include an anticoagulant line 32 that is fluidly connected to. The anticoagulant pump P3 through which the anticoagulant line 32 passes can regulate the flow of anticoagulant in the anticoagulant line 32 and the amount of anticoagulant introduced into the whole blood. Although an anticoagulant can be added to whole blood anywhere, it is preferred that the anticoagulant be introduced as close to the venous access device 24 as possible.

  The anticoagulant line 32 also includes a bacterial filter F2 to prevent the anticoagulant source 16, anticoagulant, or any bacteria in the anticoagulant line 32 from entering the system 10 and / or the subject. But you can. Further, the anticoagulant line 32 may include an air detector D3 that detects the presence of air in the anticoagulant. The presence of air bubbles anywhere in the system 10 can be problematic for operation of the system 10 and can be detrimental to the subject if the air bubbles enter the bloodstream. Therefore, the air detector stops the flow in the anticoagulant line 32 in the event that an air bubble is detected (eg, by stopping the anticoagulant pump P3 or closing the valve of the anticoagulant line 32). ) It may be connected to an interlock, thereby preventing air bubbles from entering the subject.

  When a desired amount of anticoagulated whole blood is collected from a subject and placed in the blood component separation device 11, the blood component separation device 11 separates the whole blood into several blood components. For example, blood component separation device 11 may separate whole blood into a first, second, third, and possibly fourth blood component. More particularly, blood component separation device 150 can separate whole blood into plasma, platelets, red blood cells, and possibly white blood cells.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when a Latham type centrifuge is used, the blood component separation device 11 is fluidly connected by a rotary seal 74 to the rotatable bowl 12 and the interior space of the bowl. It includes ports PT1 and PT2. The rotatable bowl may include a neck portion 110 connected to the rotary seal 74 and a body portion 120 (eg, the interior space of the rotatable bowl 12) that defines the interior space of the separation device. The bowl 12 (eg, the body portion 120) may have a truncated cone shape. The rotatable bowl 12 may also include a shoulder portion 130 that extends between and connects the neck portion 110 and the body portion 120.

  Further, some embodiments may include a core that occupies a space coaxial with the interior space of the bowl 12 and provides a separation region between the wall of the core 72 and the inner wall 70 of the bowl. A blood collection / return line 28 fluidly connects the venous access device 24 (eg, a phlebotomy needle) and the input port PT1. In some embodiments, the venous access device 24 may be replaced with a whole blood bag (not shown) when whole blood is initially stored and delivered. In some embodiments, blood collection line 28 will fluidly connect the whole blood bag and input port PT1.

  As described above, the blood component separation device 11 separates whole blood into its constituent components. Specifically, when the bowl 12 rotates, centrifugal force separates the anticoagulant-treated whole blood contained in the bottom of the bowl into red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), platelets and plasma. The number of revolutions of the bowl 12 can be selected, for example, in the range of 4,000 to 6,000 rpm and is typically 4,800. Blood is separated into separate fractions depending on the density of the components. A higher density component, such as RBC 60, is pressed against the outer wall 70 of the bowl 12, while a lower density plasma 66 is present closer to the core 72. The buffy coat 61 is formed between the plasma 66 and the RBC 60. The buffy coat 61 is composed of an inner layer 64 of platelets, a transition layer 68 of platelets and WBC, and an outer layer 62 of WBC. Plasma 66 is the component closest to the output port of the separation region and is drained from bowl 12 through output port PT2 as additional anticoagulated whole blood enters bowl 12 through input port PT1. The first fluid component.

  The system 10 may also include an optical sensor 21 that may be applied to the shoulder portion of the bowl 12. The optical sensor 21 observes each layer of blood components as they progress gradually and coaxially from the outer wall 70 of the bowl 12 toward the core 72. The optical sensor 21 is deployed at a location where it can detect the buffy coat reaching a specific diameter, and the steps of collecting whole blood from the subject / donor and introducing the whole blood into the bowl 12 are included in the detection. Can be stopped in response.

  When blood component separation device 11 separates blood into various components, one or more components can be recovered from blood component separation device 11. For example, plasma can be collected through line 37 into plasma bag 18 (FIG. 1) or collected into a drainage bag (not shown). Alternatively, plasma can be collected into a plasma reservoir (not shown) that is placed in the blood collection / return line 28, or white blood cells (WBC) can be routed to one or more leukocyte bags 22. Can be collected through. Some embodiments of the system 10 may include a weight sensor 33 that measures the amount of plasma collected. Although not shown, the platelet bag 20 and the leukocyte bag 22 may include the same weight sensor. The collected plasma is later reintroduced into the blood component separator 11 at an increased rate through line 40 and recirculation pump P2 to extract platelets and send them through line 39 to platelet bag 20. Can be done. This process is known as surge elution.

  In some embodiments, the system 10 can include a line sensor 14 that can measure the type of fluid (eg, plasma, platelets, red blood cells, etc.) that exits the blood component separation device. In particular, the line sensor 14 is composed of an LED that emits light through the blood component leaving the bowl 12 and a photodetector that receives the light that has passed through the component. The amount of light received by the photodetector correlates with the density of fluid passing through the line. For example, if plasma exits the bowl 12, the line sensor 14 may detect when the plasma exiting the bowl 12 begins to become turbid due to platelets (eg, fluid exiting the bowl 12 is Changes from plasma to platelets). The system 10 may then use this information to stop the collection of blood components from the bowl 12 or, for example, stop the valve V2 and open the valve V3 to change the flow.

  When the system retrieves the desired component from the blood component separator 11, the system 10 returns the remaining component to the subject. The system may use a blood collection / return pump P1 to return components to the subject through a blood collection / return line 28 that fluidly connects the blood component separation device 11 and the venous access device 24 as described above. . Alternatively, if system 11 is more equipped, the system may return components to the subject through a dedicated return line. Dedicated blood return lines, such as anticoagulation line 32 and blood collection / return line 28, also have dedicated blood return pumps that control the direction, speed and time of fluid flow in the blood return line. May be. In some embodiments, the return line is also fluidly connected between the venous access device 24 and preferably between the return pump and the venous access device 24. Further, in some embodiments, the system 10 may also include a dedicated blood collection line and a blood collection pump. In some embodiments, the system 10 may include an interlock that stops collecting whole blood from the subject when the system returns the first blood component to the subject.

  As seen in FIG. 1 and as described above, the system 10 may include a plurality of valves disposed throughout the system to control fluid flow in the system 10. For example, the blood collection / return line 28 may include a valve V1 that flows through the line in an open state and prevents flow in the closed state. In addition, lines 35, 37 and 39 leading to a whole blood bag, a plasma bag and a platelet bag, respectively, may comprise at least one V2, V3, V4 and V5 valve (eg, line 37 of plasma bag 18). The valve V2 at the inlet and the valve V5 at the outlet of the plasma bag 18 and the line 39 is provided with the valve V3 at the inlet of the platelet bag 20). Further, the inlet of the blood component separation device 11 may include a valve that enables or blocks flow to or from the blood component separation device 11 (not shown). Any of the valves described above may be manual or automatic. In other words, the valve can be manually operated by the user / engineer, or can be automatically operated by the controller, for example, when certain conditions are met (eg, as described below, for example, air is drawn into the blood collection / return line 28). The valve V1 is closed when detected at).

  Like the anticoagulant line, the blood collection / return line 28 also includes a number of sensors, filters, and detectors to ensure subject safety and optimized system operation. Also good. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, blood collection / return line 28 may include air detectors D1 and D2 to detect the presence (or absence) of air in line 28. The air detectors D1 and D2 stop the flow in the blood collection / return line 28 when the detectors D1 and D2 detect air (eg, by closing the blood collection / return pump P1 or closing the valve V1) May be connected to an interlock). In addition, the blood collection line 28 may include a blood filter F1 that removes any bacteria, contamination, or particles that may be present in the collected blood or returned components.

  During operation, various components of the centrifuge bowl 12 may cause the centrifuge bowl 12 to vibrate as the separator 11 / centrifuge bowl 12 rotates to separate whole blood into its individual components. For example, the centrifuge bowl may include two or more rings (eg, carbon ring 112 and ceramic ring 114 in FIG. 4A) in the neck portion 110 of the bowl 12 (eg, in the rotary seal 74). As the centrifuge bowl 12 rotates, friction between the contact surfaces of the rings 112/114 may prevent the rings 112/114 from sliding smoothly against each other. In such a case, the slide surface of one ring (eg, carbon ring 112) repeatedly attaches or slides (sticks and slips) against the surface of another ring (eg, ceramic ring 114). May. This “stick and slip” phenomenon can in turn cause vibrations in the neck portion 110 of the centrifuge bowl 12.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the vibration created by the “stick and slip” phenomenon described above may propagate from the neck portion 110 through the shoulder portion 130 to the body portion 120. When vibration reaches the body portion 120, the vibrational and acoustic characteristics of the body portion 120 cause audible noise. As you can imagine, audible noise is destructive to the subject and the operator. In addition, all vibrations indicate instability in the system, reduce system efficiency, and may affect overall system performance.

  In order to reduce and / or eliminate the vibrations and audible noises described above, some embodiments of the present invention may include one or more vibration isolation members on the bowl 12. As will be described in more detail below, these vibration isolation members strengthen and harden the neck portion 110 of the bowl 12 which results in reduced system vibration and reduced and eliminated noise emitted from the body portion 120.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4H, the vibration isolation members are spaced apart from the bowl 12 and include a plurality of ribs 140 extending between the neck portion 110 and the shoulder 130. It may be. The rib 140 hardens the neck portion of the bowl 12 to effectively increase the natural frequency of the neck portion 110 and does not increase the natural frequency of the body portion 120.

  By increasing the natural frequency of the neck portion 110 (eg, by hardening the neck portion 110 with ribs 140), the natural frequency of the neck portion 110 is created by “stick and slip” on the sliding surface of the ring described above. It is important to note that it is farther away from the frequency of vibrations that are generated. By changing the natural frequency of the neck portion 110, the amplitude of the vibration of the neck portion 110 will be reduced as resonance is no longer present (eg, vibrations caused by the “stick and slip” phenomenon may occur in the neck portion 110). Not the frequency / resonance frequency).

  As described above, vibration in the neck portion 110 propagates to the body portion 120, causing the body portion 120 to vibrate and emit audible noise. However, by reducing the amplitude of vibration in the neck portion 110, the vibration propagating to the body portion is similarly reduced to be below the resonance frequency (eg, natural frequency) of the body portion 120. By reducing the vibration propagating to the body portion 120 (eg, below the resonance frequency of the body portion 120), the noise emitted by the body portion 120 is significantly reduced and / or eliminated.

4A-4D show eight straight ribs spaced around the diameter of the bowl 12 (eg, on the neck portion 110), the bowl 12 is shown as 8 in FIGS. 4E-4H. More or fewer rib members may be included . For example, the bowl has fewer than eight rib members 140 (eg, seven rib members 140 are shown in FIG. 4E) or more than eight rib members 140 (eg, nine rib members 140 are 16 ribs in FIG. 4G). Member 140 is shown in FIG. 4H).

Further, the rib members need not be straight and may have alternative structures and / or shapes. For example, as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5F, some embodiments of the present invention include a curved rib member 150 spaced around the neck portion 110 and extending from the neck portion 110 to the shoulder portion 130. May be included. Like the straight rib member 140 , the bent rib member 150 also strengthens and hardens the neck portion 110, reducing and / or eliminating vibration / noise (eg, increasing the natural frequency of the neck portion 110). By). Further, embodiments with curved rib members 150, such as straight rib members 140, may include any number of bent rib members 150. For example, the bowl 12 may include eight rib members 150 (FIGS. 5A, 5C, 5D), but fewer than eight rib members 150 (FIG. 5B) or more than eight rib members 150 (FIGS. 5E and 5F). ) May be included.

  Although the anti-vibration member is described above as being a rib (eg, straight rib 140 or bent rib 150), in other embodiments the anti-vibration member is in the thickened region on the shoulder 130 of the bowl 12 of FIGS. 6A-D. There may be. For example, the vibration isolation member may be a single region of increased thickness (eg, as shown in FIG. 6A) or a thickened region. In embodiments with thickened areas, the thickness may increase gradually or it may increase in one or more stages 160/162/164/166 (eg as shown in FIGS. 6B-6D). To). Like the straight and bent ribs 140/150 described above, the thickened region 160/162/164/166 increases the strength and rigidity of the neck portion 110, increases the natural frequency of the neck portion 110, and Reduce / eliminate vibration and / or propagation of vibration to body portion 120.

  It is important to pay attention to the balance of the added strength of the vibration isolator imparted to the bowl 12 to the benefits of the increased strength and rigidity provided by the vibration isolator (eg ribs 140/150 and / or thickened area 160) It is. Especially when the weight of the centrifuge bowl 12 increases, the natural frequency of the body portion 120 may change. When the natural frequency of the main body portion 120 changes, the vibration / noise reduction effect (eg, increased strength and rigidity of the neck portion) by the vibration isolation member may be reduced. For example, if the natural frequency of the body portion 120 changes to match the reduced vibration amplitude propagating to the body portion 120 (eg, the vibration is the new resonance frequency of the body portion), the body portion 120 is Still, it may vibrate a lot and emit audible noise. Therefore, the thickness of the rib members 140/150 and the thickened region 160 on the neck portion 110 can increase the weight of the centrifuge device enough to significantly change / increase the natural frequency of the body portion 120. I have to avoid it.

  The embodiments of the present invention described above are intended to be exemplary only, and other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

In the following, exemplary embodiments consisting of combinations of various constituents of the present invention are shown.
1. A centrifuge bowl for separating whole blood into blood components,
A rotatable body having a body portion and a neck portion, the body portion defining an interior space for receiving whole blood, the body portion being rotatable to separate whole blood into a plurality of blood components ;
An inlet in fluid connection with an interior space of the rotatable body, the inlet being defined to introduce whole blood into the rotatable body;
A plurality of vibration isolation members spaced around the neck portion, wherein the plurality of vibration isolation members are defined to reduce vibration of the centrifuge bowl as the bowl rotates. Vibration member;
Centrifuge bowl.
2. The centrifuge bowl according to item 1, wherein the plurality of vibration isolating members are arranged radially spaced around the neck portion.
3. The centrifuge bowl according to item 1, wherein the plurality of vibration isolation members are rib members.
4. The centrifuge bowl according to item 3, wherein the rib member is bent.
5. The centrifuge bowl according to item 3, wherein the rib member is straight.
6. The centrifuge bowl of claim 1, further comprising an outlet, wherein the outlet is in fluid connection with the interior space of the bowl and is defined to collect one or more of the blood components from the centrifuge bowl. .
7. The centrifuge bowl of item 1, further comprising a rotary seal attached to the rotatable main body, wherein the rotary seal fluidly connects the inlet and the main body portion.
8. Further comprising a core, wherein the core is coaxial with the interior space, the core creating a whole blood separation region between the outer wall of the core and the inner wall of the rotatable body. Centrifugal bowl as described in.
9. The centrifuge bowl according to claim 1, further comprising a shoulder portion extending between the neck portion and the main body portion, wherein the vibration isolation member extends from the neck portion to the shoulder portion.
10. The centrifuge bowl according to item 1, wherein the rotating portion has a truncated cone shape.
11. A blood processing system for separating whole blood into blood components, a venous access device for collecting whole blood from a subject;
A blood component separation device for separating whole blood into a plurality of components, the blood component separation device comprising a centrifuge bowl having a main body portion and a neck portion, wherein the main body portion receives an internal space. The body is rotatable to separate whole blood into a plurality of blood components, and the neck portion is defined to reduce vibrations of the centrifuge bowl as the bowl rotates. A blood component separation device comprising a vibrating member, wherein the centrifugal bowl comprises an inlet for fluid connection with an internal space;
Means for extracting at least one blood component from the separator;
A blood processing system comprising: at least one storage container for storing the at least one blood component extracted from the blood component separator; and means for returning the remaining blood components to the subject.
12. The blood processing system according to 11, wherein the plurality of vibration isolating members are radially spaced around the neck portion.
13. The blood processing system according to 11, wherein the plurality of vibration isolation members are rib members.
14. The blood processing system according to item 13, wherein the rib member is bent.
15. The blood processing system according to item 13, wherein the rib member is straight.
16. The blood component separation device further comprises a discharge port, the discharge port being in fluid connection with the interior space of the bowl and defined to collect one or more of the blood components from the centrifuge bowl, The blood processing system according to Item.
17. The blood processing system according to 11, wherein the blood component separation device further includes a rotary seal attached to a rotatable main body, and the rotary seal fluidly connects the inlet and the main body portion.
18. The blood component separation device further includes a core, the core is coaxial with the inner space, and the core has a whole blood separation region between the outer wall of the core and the inner wall of the rotatable body. 12. The blood processing system according to item 11, which is being produced.
19. The blood processing system according to claim 11, further comprising a shoulder portion extending between the neck portion and the main body portion, wherein the vibration isolation member extends from the neck portion to the shoulder portion.
20. The blood processing system according to 11, wherein the centrifuge bowl has a truncated cone shape.
21. A centrifuge bowl for separating whole blood into blood components,
Having a body portion and a neck portion, the body portion defining an interior space for receiving whole blood, the body portion being rotatable to separate whole blood into a plurality of blood components, and the body portion A rotatable body comprising a shoulder portion extending between the body portion and the neck portion;
An inlet in fluid connection with an interior space of the rotatable body, the inlet being defined to introduce whole blood into the rotatable body;
At least one anti-vibration member disposed on the shoulder portion and defined to cure at least the rotatable body portion to reduce vibration of the centrifuge bowl when the bowl rotates. Centrifugal bowl having one vibration isolator.
22. The centrifuge bowl according to item 21, wherein the at least one vibration-proof member includes a plurality of rib members.
23. The centrifuge bowl according to item 22, wherein the rib member is bent.
24. The centrifuge bowl of item 22, wherein the rib member is straight.
25. The centrifuge bowl of item 22, wherein the at least one vibration isolation member includes a thickened region disposed on a shoulder portion.
26. The centrifuge bowl of paragraph 25, wherein the thickened area increases in thickness towards the axis of rotation of the bowl.
27. The centrifuge bowl of item 26, wherein the increase in thickness is gradual.
28. The centrifuge bowl of item 21, wherein the rotatable body is frustoconical.

Claims (11)

A centrifuge bowl for separating whole blood into blood components,
Having a body portion and a neck portion, the body portion defining an interior space for receiving whole blood, the body portion being rotatable to separate whole blood into a plurality of blood components, and the body portion A rotatable body comprising a shoulder portion extending between the body portion and the neck portion;
An inlet in fluid connection with an interior space of the rotatable body, the inlet being defined to introduce whole blood into the rotatable body;
At least one vibration isolating member disposed on the upper surface of the shoulder portion and between the main body portion and the neck portion , wherein the at least one anti-vibration member is at least a rigidity of the rotatable main body portion. At least one anti-vibration member, wherein the at least one anti-vibration member includes a thickened region disposed on the shoulder portion, wherein the at least one anti-vibration member is defined to reduce vibration of the centrifugal bowl as the bowl rotates. Centrifuge bowl. The centrifuge bowl of claim 1 , wherein the thickened region increases in thickness towards the axis of rotation of the bowl. The centrifuge bowl of claim 2 , wherein the increase in thickness is gradual.   The centrifuge bowl of claim 1, wherein the rotatable body is frustoconical. The centrifuge bowl of claim 1, wherein the thickened region increases a natural frequency of the neck portion , thereby reducing vibration of the centrifuge bowl as the bowl rotates. The centrifuge bowl of claim 2, wherein the increase in thickness increases in at least one step. The centrifuge bowl of claim 6, wherein the increase in thickness increases in at least two stages. The centrifuge bowl of claim 6, wherein the increase in thickness increases in at least three stages. The centrifuge bowl of claim 6, wherein the increase in thickness increases in at least four stages. The centrifuge bowl of claim 2, wherein the increase in thickness gradually increases. The centrifuge bowl of claim 1, wherein the at least one thickened region does not increase the natural frequency of the body portion.

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