Patent ID: 7452323

Claim:
In a centrifuge for rotating a fluid retentive housing such that one or more selected materials suspended in a fluid retained within the housing are centrifuged upon rotation of the housing, said centrifuge including: a first rotatable mechanism having a rotation axis with the fluid retentive housing being coaxially mounted on the first rotatable mechanism for co-rotation therewith; a second rotatable mechanism having a rotation axis with the first and second rotatable mechanisms being coaxially interconnected for co-rotation around a common axis; fluid tubing connected at one end to the axis of the fluid retentive housing and having a distal length curving axially backwardly from the fluid retentive housing; the improvement comprising: an elongated support arm mounted to the second rotatable mechanism, the elongated support arm extending generally parallel to the rotation axis and being laterally offset from the rotation axis; an elongated support tube positioned adjacent to the elongated support arm for receiving therethrough at least part of the distal length of said fluid tubing; an input guide member included on a first end of said support arm wherein said input guide member is arranged to direct said at least part of the distal length of said fluid tubing into one end of said support tube; and a bearing member for rotatably supporting said support tube in said support arm, whereby upon rotation of said first and second rotation mechanisms said fluid tubing is free to one of rotate with and rotate relative to said support tube.