Patent ID: 6387327
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: B04B,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
Apparatus for preparation and performance, in times of less than 10 minutes, of analysis of a sedimentation velocity type on liquids which have to be agitated in test tubes, comprising: an assembly, on a base structure, which assembly oscillates about a horizontal oscillation axis between two limit positions, a rotor on said assembly, which rotor is capable of rotating about a rotation axis orthogonal to said horizontal axis a ring of seats for test tubes on said rotor, which seats are arranged symmetrically about said rotation axis, means of moving said assembly into a position with the rotation axis substantially horizontal to perform agitation when said rotor is rotated, and into a position with the rotation axis vertical to carry out a reading stage, optical reading means, in a reading station, for optical reading along the test tube which arrives in said station by intermittent movements of said rotor when it is arranged with the rotation axis oriented vertically each of said seats for the test tubes have a connection which oscillates on the rotor about a tangential axis and tends to adopt, by gravity, a position parallel to the rotation axis of the rotor when the latter is vertical and moved in order to bring the test tubes consecutively to the reading station, the seats and the test tubes adopting, by centrifugal effect, an inclined position during fast rotation, until they are even orthogonal to said rotation axis; in that on the oscillating assembly, guide members connected to said assembly and movably positioned on said assembly to contact the test tubes along an upper trajectory of the test tubes in the position of the rotor with the rotation axis essentially horizontal, during agitation, to put the test tubes in an inclined position with their bottom facing upwards; and in that said rotor is rotatable by motor means at an agitation speed for agitation of the fluid with the rotation axis horizontal, and in addition to intermittent motion in the position with the axis of rotation vertical for consecutive positioning of the test tubes in the reading station, said motor means rotating said rotor at a centrifugal speed with said rotation axis substantially vertical in order to obtain a centrifugation effect in the liquid of the test tubes and therefore accelerated sedimentation, after agitation and before the reading stage.