Centrifugal processing apparatus using tube drive

摘要

Centrifugal processing apparatus in which a processing chamber is rotatably mounted with respect to a stationary base. An umbilical cable segment formed of tubular material is fixed at one end substantially along the axis of the processing chamber at one side thereof, with the other end of the cable segment being attached substantially on the axis in rotationally locked engagement to the processing chamber. The tubular material has a dynamic stiffness of between 0.1 in. 2 pounds and 100 in. 2 pounds. The cable segment is driven by an enclosure carrying a drive pin and rotated by a drive shaft. The processing chamber forms an idling member which follows only the driving rotation of the cable segment to rotate at twice the speed of the cable segment without the need for any external drive.