Patent ID: 7025714

Claim:
Process for balancing a rotating plate ( 2 ) of a centrifuge comprising a position detector ( 26 ) adapted to provide a signal indicative of an angular position of the rotating plate, and several tube carriers ( 3 ) which are located in predetermined angular positions at the periphery of the rotating plate and which each have means adapted to receive a specimen tube ( 4 ), characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting: a) in using as tube carriers, tube carriers ( 3 ) each having a balancing container ( 6 ) in addition to said means adapted to receive a specimen tube; b) in loading at least a certain number of said specimen tubes ( 3 ) each with a specimen tube ( 4 ) filled with a liquid specimen to be centrifuged; c) in turning the rotating plate ( 2 ) at a predetermined speed of rotation; d) in determining, based on said predetermined speed of rotation and on the basis of the signal provided by the position detector ( 26 ) and by a signal provided by the acceleration detector ( 29 ) coupled to the rotating plate ( 2 ), an angular position (θ B ) and a mass (m 0 ) of an unbalance (B) on the rotating plate ( 2 ), due to unequal loading of said rotating plate; e) in determining, based on the angular position (θ B ) of the unbalance (B) determined in step d), at least one angular position (θ E ) on the rotating plate ( 2 ) or at least one balancing mass (m 1 ); f) in reducing the speed of the rotating plate ( 2 ) and in bringing it by slow rotation to a stop position such that the angular position determined in step e) will be located in correspondence with a fixed station ( 21 ) for the supply of a balancing product; and g) in filling the one of the balancing containers ( 6 ) which is located in the fixed supply station when the rotating plate is in said stop position, with a quantity of balancing product having a mass equal at least to a fraction of the mass (m 0 ) of the unbalance (B) determined in step d).