Patent ID: 11883817
Assignee: YANTAI AUSBIO LABORATORIES CO., LTD.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 21:
22. A method for automated sample processing comprising:
transferring, via a robot comprising a gripper, a tube rack comprising one or more
tubes from a tray to a support located in a centrifuge, wherein the tube rack comprises a tube rack body, comprising one or more tube holders, wherein each of the tube holders is shaped to seamlessly receive one of the tubes, the one or more of the tubes each comprising:
an upper section, an intermediate section, and a lower section; and
a volume of a density gradient medium contained in the lower section of the tube,
wherein the upper section and the lower section are substantially of cylindrical shape, the upper section has an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of the lower section, the upper section has an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the lower section, and the intermediate section is located between the upper section of the tube and the lower section,
wherein a top of the intermediate section connects to a bottom of the upper section and a bottom of the intermediate section connects to a top of the lower section,
wherein an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the intermediate section decreases from the top to the bottom of the intermediate section of the tube;
wherein the intermediate section has a tapered shape;
the method comprising applying at the centrifuge a continuous two-step centrifugation method for enhanced sample enrichment that comprises the steps of:
centrifuging for a first period of time at a first RCF (relative centrifugation force) without changing a relative position of the density gradient medium in the tube to achieve an initial cell separation,
centrifuging for a second period of time at a second RCF, in order to change the relative position of the density gradient medium in the tube;

after the continuous two-step centrifugation method, extracting, via the robot, a tube rack head from the tube rack body by grabbing the tube rack head such that clippers comprised in the tube rack head disengage the tube rack body; and
after the extraction of the tube rack head, extracting, via the robot, the tube rack
body from the support of the centrifuge by grabbing the tube rack body.