Plasma separator with squeezed sealant

Claim 2

A SEPARATOR ASSEMBLY CAPABLE OF SEPARATING BLOOD INTO ITS COMPONENT LIGHT PHASE OR PLASMA AND HEAVY PHASE OR CELLULAR PORTION COMPRISING: A. A CONTAINER HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPEN END WHICH IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BLOOD FOR SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION INTO A LIGHT PHASE AND A HEAVY PHASE, B. A CLOSURE SEALING THE OPEN END OF THE CONTAINER THE CLOSURE BEING FORMED OF A SELF-SEALING ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL WHICH IS PENETRABLE BY A CANNULA THROUGH WHICH BLOOD TO BE SEPARATED IS CONDUCTED IN THE CONTAINER, C. A PAIR OF CYLINDERS AND RUPTURABLE CAPSULES OF SEALANT SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE CONTAINER THE UPPER CYLINDER HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY GREATER THAN THE LIGHT PHASE THE LOWER CYLINDER HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY LESS THAN THE HEAVY PHASE AND THE COMBIED CYLINDERS PLUS CAPSULES HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY BETWEEN THE TWO PHASES OF BLOOD, AND D. SAID RUPTURABLE CAPSULES OF SEALANT HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY BETWEEN THE TWO PHASES OF BLOOD AND BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE TWO CYLINDERS WHEREBY WHEN CENTRIFUGAL FORCE IS USED THE BLOOD SEPARATES INTO ITS LIGHT AND HEAVY PHASES THE CYLINDERS MOVE THROUGH THE LIGHT PHASE AND COME TO A STOP AT THE TOP OF THE HEAVY PHASE AND THE PRESSURE BETWEEN THE CYLINDERS RUPTURES THE CAPSULES AND RELEASES THE SEALANT TO FORM A SEAL SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE PHASES.

Claim 3

The separator of claim 1 wherein the said container comprises a tubular body open at each end in which closures formed of elastomeric material are mounted in sealing engagement with the tubular body and the cylinders are disposed adjacent one of said closures.

Claim 4

The separator of claim 1 wherein the sealant is gelatin.

Claim 5

A separator assembly capable of separating blood into its component light phase, plasma, and heavy phase, cellular portion comprising: a. a container for receiving blood having closures at each end for sealing the container; b. a pair of cylinders plus rupturable capsules of sealant slidably mounted in the container adjacent the upper closure, the upper cylinder having a specific gravity greater than the light phase, the lower cylinder having a specific gravity less than the heavy phase of blood, and the combined cylinders plus capsules having a specific gravity between the two phases of blood; and c. said rupturable capsules of sealant having a specific gravity between the two phases of blood and being interposed between the two cylinders, whereby when centrifugal force is used the blood separates into its light and heavy phases, the cylinders move through the light phase and come to a stop at the top of the heavy phase, and the pressure between the cylinders ruptures the capsules and releases the sealant to form a seal slightly above the interface between the phases.

Claim 6

A separator assembly capable of separating blood into its component light phase, plasma, and heavy phase, cellular portion comprising: a. a container for receiving blood having closures at each end for sealing the container; b. a pair of cylinders plus rupturable capsules of sealant slidably mounted in the container adjacent the upper closure, the upper cylinder having a specific gravity greater than the light phase, the lower cylinder having a specific gravity less than the heavy phase of blood, and the combined cylinders plus capsules having a specific gravity between the two phases of blood; and c. said rupturable capsules of sealant having a specific gravity between the two phases of blood and being interposed between the two cylinders, whereby when centrifugal force is used the blood separates into its light and heavy phases, the cylinders move through the light phase and come to a stop at the top of the heavy phase, and the pressure between the cylinders ruptures the capsules and releases the sealant to form a seal slightly above the interface between the phases.

Claim 7

A separator assembly capable of separating blood into its component light phase of plasma and heavy phase of cellular portion comprising: a. a tubular container having two open ends; b. resilient closure means adapted to close said ends with at least one said closure means capable of being penetrated by a cannula for filling with blood; c. a slidable pair of cylinders plus rupturable capsules containing sealant mounted in said container, said cylinders being located initially adjacent the closure opposite to that through which the cannula may penetrate, the space within the tube and between the penetrable closure and the cylinders forming a first chamber for receiving blood from the cannula; d. the upper cylinder having a specific gravity greater than the light phase of blood, the lower cylinder having a specific gravity less than the heavy phase of blood, and the combined cylinders plus capsules having an average specific gravity between the two phases of blood; and e. the rupturable capsules containing sealant having a specific gravity between the two phases of blood and being interposed between the two cylinders; f. said slidable cylinders being adapted to move automatically to float on the top of the interface between the phases while moderate centrifugal force is used to precipitate the cellular portion of the blood with the displaced plasma flowing into the upper portion of the first chamber; g. the cylinders being further adapted to automatically stop in the plasma slightly above the heavy phase and rupture the capsules and release the sealant to form a seal slightly above the interface between the phases.

Claim 8

A separator assembly capable of separating blood into its component light phase of plasma and heavy phase of cellular portion comprising: a. a tubular container having two open ends; b. resilient closure means adapted to close said ends with at least one said closure means capable of being penetrated by a cannula for filling with blood; c. a slidable pair of cylinders plus rupturable capsules containing sealant mounted in said container, said cylinders being located initially adjacent the closure opposite to that through which the cannula may penetrate, the space within the tube and between the penetrable closure and the cylinders forming a first chamber for receiving blood from the cannula; d. the upper cylinder having a specific gravity greater than the light phase of blood, the lower cylinder having a specific gravity less than the heavy phase of blood, and the combined cylinders plus capsules having an average specific gravity between the two phases of blood; and e. the rupturable capsules containing sealant having a specific gravity between the two phases of blood and being interposed between the two cylinders; f. said slidable cylinders being adapted to move automatically to float on the top of the interface between the phases while moderate centrifugal force is used to precipitate the cellular portion of the blood with the displaced plasma flowing into the upper portion of the first chamber; g. the cylinders being further adapted to automatically stop in the plasma slightly above the heavy phase and rupture the capsules and release the sealant to form a seal slightly above the interface between the phases.