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A flow disrupter in a tube chamber of a tube assembly for homogenizing sample materials includes a flow-disrupting body that extends generally transversely into the tube chamber and divides the tube chamber into two sub-chambers. The flow-disrupting body includes at least one narrowed flow passagewa

A flow disrupter in a tube chamber of a tube assembly for homogenizing sample materials includes a flow-disrupting body that extends generally transversely into the tube chamber and divides the tube chamber into two sub-chambers. The flow-disrupting body includes at least one narrowed flow passageway through which the sample flows back and forth in both axially reciprocating directions as the tube assembly is vigorously shaken at high speeds faster and more reliably than what can be accomplished by hand shaking. And the flow-disrupting body includes at least two flow-interrupting surfaces facing generally in opposite axial directions and against which the sample impacts in each respective axially reciprocating direction as the tube assembly is vigorously shaken. In this way, the vigorous high-speed shaking of the tube assembly including the flow disrupter results in significant particle-size reduction of the sample by mechanical shear, fluid shear, cavitation, and/or pressure differentials.

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1. A laboratory homogenizer tube assembly that mounts to a laboratory homogenizer for homogenizing a sample by axially-reciprocal shaking, the tube assembly comprising: two shell components that removably couple together to form an internal tube chamber with a longitudinal axis,a flow disrupter incl

1. A laboratory homogenizer tube assembly that mounts to a laboratory homogenizer for homogenizing a sample by axially-reciprocal shaking, the tube assembly comprising: two shell components that removably couple together to form an internal tube chamber with a longitudinal axis,a flow disrupter including a flow-interrupting body that extends generally transversely to the tube-chamber axis and into the tube chamber to divide the tube chamber into two axially-aligned sub-chambers, the body including at least two flow-interrupting impact surfaces and at least one flow-constricting passageway,wherein the at least one flow-constricting passageway is defined at least in part by and extends between the two flow-interrupting impact surfaces, has a cross-sectional flow area that is less than a cross-sectional flow area of the two sub-chambers, and forms a path for the sample to flow generally axially between the two sub-chambers in an accelerating then decelerating sequence in response to the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly, andwherein the at least two flow-interrupting impact surfaces are generally oppositely arranged on the flow-interrupting body facing in generally opposite axial directions, and wherein the two shell components cooperate with the two flow-interrupting impact surfaces to define the two sub-chambers, so that a first one of the impact surfaces is impacted by the sample as the sample flows in a first axial direction in a first one of the sub-chambers toward a second one of the sub-chambers, and a second one of the impact surfaces is impacted by the sample as the sample flows in a second axial direction in the second sub-chamber back toward the first sub-chamber during the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly. 2. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1, wherein: the sample impacting against the impact surfaces and flowing through the flow-constricting passageway produces particle-size reduction of the sample by mechanical shear stress, pressure differentials, fluid shear stress, or cavitation, or a combination thereof, without a need to use grinding media in the tube chamber,the homogenizer produces the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly at higher speeds, for longer time periods, or with more-uniform controlled reliability, or a combination thereof, than by hand-shaking,the flow-constricting passageway is generally axially oriented within the tube chamber, the impact surfaces are impacted by the sample before the flow-constricting passageway receives the sample during the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly, ora total volume of the tube chamber includes a first volume of a first one of the sub-chambers defined by the flow disrupter and a second volume of a second one of the sub-chambers defined by the flow disrupter, and wherein the second sub-chamber volume is at least about 20 percent of the chamber total volume. 3. The laboratory homogenizer assembly of claim 1, wherein the two shell components include a conventional tube container and a modified tube endcap. 4. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 3, wherein the conventional tube container at least partially forms a first one of the two axially-aligned sub-chambers and the modified tube endcap at least partially forms a second one of the two axially-aligned sub-chambers. 5. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 3, wherein the modified tube endcap is elongated along the longitudinal axis of the tube chamber relative to a conventional tube endcap. 6. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 3, wherein the conventional tube container includes a tube coupling element and the modified tube endcap includes an endcap coupling element that connects to tube coupling element. 7. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 6, wherein the tube coupling element and the endcap coupling element each include mating screw threads. 8. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1: further comprising an adapter that removably couples together the two shell components;wherein the adapter removably secures the flow disrupter in place, or wherein the adapter and the flow disrupter are integrally formed as a unitary part;wherein the two shell components include two conventional tube containers, or wherein the two shell components include a conventional tube container and a conventional tube endcap;further comprising a second flow disrupter formed by or positioned on an endwall inner surface of the tube chamber; orwherein the flow disrupter is integrally formed as a unitary part of the tube assembly. 9. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow disrupter includes a mounting structure adapted for mounting the flow-interrupting body of the flow-disrupter within the tube chamber. 10. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 9, wherein the mounting structure of the flow disrupter includes a mounting flange that extends radially outwardly from the flow-interrupting body. 11. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1, wherein the flow-constricting passageway of the flow disrupter is generally axially oriented along the longitudinal axis of the tube chamber. 12. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1, wherein the impact surfaces of the flow disrupter are impacted by the sample before the flow-constricting passageway receives the sample during the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly. 13. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one generally perpendicular surface portion, and wherein at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one ramped surface portion that is generally conically shaped, that is concentric to and surrounded by the generally perpendicular surface portion, and that is concentric to and surrounds the flow passageway. 14. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one generally perpendicular surface portion, and wherein: at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one axially-extending annular fin surrounding the flow passageway and extending axially from the generally perpendicular surface portion; orthe at least one flow-constricting passageway through the flow-interrupting body comprises a plurality of flow-constricting passageways formed through the flow-interrupting body, each of the flow-constricting passageways oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube chamber and defined in part by a ramped surface portion that is generally conically shaped, surrounding the respective flow passageway, at least partially surrounded by the generally perpendicular surface portion, and forms at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces. 15. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one ramped surface portion that is generally helically shaped and formed by a transverse fin of the flow-interrupting body;wherein the flow-interrupting body of the flow disrupter includes at least one fin having a transverse flow opening formed therein; orwherein the flow-interrupting body of the flow disrupter includes at least one annular groove with an open side facing inward. 16. A laboratory homogenizer tube assembly that mounts to a laboratory homogenizer for homogenizing a sample by axially-reciprocal shaking, the tube assembly comprising: two shell components that removably couple together to form an internal tube chamber with a longitudinal axis, wherein the two shell components include a conventional laboratory homogenizer tube container and a modified laboratory homogenizer tube endcap, wherein the conventional tube container includes a tube coupling element and the modified tube endcap includes an endcap coupling element that connects to tube coupling element, wherein the tube coupling element and the endcap coupling element each include mating screw threads, wherein the tube container includes an open end into which the sample is inserted into the tube chamber for homogenizing use and out of which the homogenized sample is removed from the tube chamber after use, and wherein the modified tube endcap is modified by being elongated along the longitudinal axis of the tube chamber relative to a conventional tube endcap; and a flow disrupter secured in place against movement within the tube chamber, the flow disrupter including a flow-interrupting body that extends generally transversely to the tube-chamber axis and into the tube chamber to divide the tube chamber into two axially-aligned sub-chambers, the flow-interrupting body including at least two flow-interrupting impact surfaces and at least one flow-constricting passageway, wherein a first one of the two axially-aligned sub-chambers is at least partially formed by the conventional tube container and wherein a second one of the two axially-aligned sub-chambers is at least partially formed by the modified tube endcap, wherein the flow disrupter further includes a mounting structure adapted for mounting the flow-interrupting body within the tube chamber, wherein the mounting structure includes a mounting flange that extends radially outwardly from the flow-interrupting body,wherein the at least one flow-constricting passageway is defined at least in part by and extends between the two flow-interrupting impact surfaces, has a cross-sectional flow area that is less than a cross-sectional flow area of the two sub-chambers, and forms a path for the sample to flow generally axially between the two sub-chambers in an accelerating then decelerating sequence in response to the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly,wherein the at least two flow-interrupting impact surfaces are generally oppositely arranged on the flow-interrupting body facing in generally opposite axial directions, and wherein the two oppositely-arranged flow-interrupting impact services of the flow disrupter each partially define a respective one of the two sub-chambers, so that a first one of the impact surfaces is impacted by the sample as the sample flows in a first axial direction in a first one of the sub-chambers toward a second one of the sub-chambers, and a second one of the impact surfaces is impacted by the sample as the sample flows in a second axial direction in the second sub-chamber back toward the first sub-chamber during the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly, andwherein the impact surfaces of the flow disrupter are impacted by the sample before the flow-constricting passageway receives the sample during the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly. 17. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 16, wherein: the sample impacting against the impact surfaces and flowing through the flow-constricting passageway produces particle-size reduction of the sample by mechanical shear stress, pressure differentials, fluid shear stress, or cavitation, or a combination thereof, without a need to use grinding media in the tube chamber,the homogenizer produces the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly at higher speeds, for longer time periods, or with more-uniform controlled reliability, or a combination thereof, than by hand-shaking,the flow-constricting passageway is generally axially oriented within the tube chamber, the impact surfaces are impacted by the sample before the flow-constricting passageway receives the sample during the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly, ora total volume of the tube chamber includes a first volume of a first one of the sub-chambers defined by the flow disrupter and a second volume of a second one of the sub-chambers defined by the flow disrupter, and wherein the second sub-chamber volume is at least about 20 percent of the chamber total volume. 18. The laboratory homogenizer assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one generally perpendicular surface portion, and wherein at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one ramped surface portion that is generally conically shaped, that is concentric to and surrounded by the generally perpendicular surface portion, and that is concentric to and surrounds the flow passageway. 19. The laboratory homogenizer tube assembly of claim 16, wherein at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one generally perpendicular surface portion, and wherein: at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces of the flow disrupter includes at least one axially-extending annular fin surrounding the flow passageway and extending axially from the generally perpendicular surface portion; orthe at least one flow-constricting passageway through the flow-interrupting body comprises a plurality of flow-constricting passageways formed through the flow-interrupting body, each of the flow-constricting passageways oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube chamber and defined in part by a ramped surface portion that is generally conically shaped, surrounding the respective flow passageway, at least partially surrounded by the generally perpendicular surface portion, and forms at least one of the flow-interrupting surfaces. 20. A laboratory homogenizing system for homogenizing a sample, the system comprising: a laboratory homogenizer that generates an axially-reciprocal shaking motion; anda laboratory homogenizer tube assembly that mounts to the laboratory homogenizer for homogenizing the sample by the axially-reciprocal shaking motion, the tube assembly comprising: two shell components that removably couple together to form an internal tube chamber with a longitudinal axis,a flow disrupter including a flow-interrupting body that extends generally transversely to the tube-chamber axis and into the tube chamber to divide the tube chamber into two axially-aligned sub-chambers, the body including at least two flow-interrupting impact surfaces and at least one flow-constricting passageway,wherein the at least one flow-constricting passageway is defined at least in part by and extends between the two flow-interrupting impact surfaces, has a cross-sectional flow area that is less than a cross-sectional flow area of the two sub-chambers, and forms a path for the sample to flow generally axially between the two sub-chambers in an accelerating then decelerating sequence in response to the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly, andwherein the at least two flow-interrupting impact surfaces are generally oppositely arranged on the flow-interrupting body facing in generally opposite axial directions, and wherein the two shell components cooperate with the two flow-interrupting impact surfaces to define the two sub-chambers, so that a first one of the impact surfaces is impacted by the sample as the sample flows in a first axial direction in a first one of the sub-chambers toward a second one of the sub-chambers, and a second one of the impact surfaces is impacted by the sample as the sample flows in a second axial direction in the second sub-chamber back toward the first sub-chamber during the axially-reciprocal shaking of the tube assembly.