Fluid transfer interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10486959-B2
Application number	US-201615171947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 2, 2016
Priority date	Jun 22, 2011
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

Abstract

Fluid transfer interfaces for transferring fluid into or out of vessels, namely flexible polymeric bags. The fluid transfer interfaces have a body for use in connection with a vessel, or combined therewith, one or more apertures extending through the body, and one or more fluid transfer conduits secured to the body by way of a cast seal and extending continuously and axially through the one or more apertures. Also disclosed is a vessel closure having one or more fluid transfer conduits extending through the closure, the fluid transfer conduits affixed to the closure by a cast seal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid transfer interface for use with a vessel, the interface comprising:
a body,
one or more apertures extending through the body, and
one or more fluid transfer conduits secured to the body by way of a cast seal and extending continuously and axially through the one or more apertures, the one or more fluid transfer conduits comprising at least one of a thermoset or a thermoplastic,
the cast seal comprising a vulcanizable casting agent cured after the one or more fluid transfer conduits are inserted through the one or more apertures.

2. The interface of claim 1 farther comprising a fluid control device connected to the one or more fluid transfer conduits.

3. The interface of claim 1 further comprising a vessel, wherein the vessel is a flexible container.

4. The interface of claim 3 wherein the flexible container is a polymeric bag.

5. The interface of claim 1 connected to a vessel, wherein the vessel has an interior and an exterior, and the cast seal forms an aseptic seal between the interior of the vessel and the exterior of the vessel.

6. The interface of claim 1 wherein the cast seal comprises silicone.

7. The interface of claim 6 wherein the silicone is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl silicone, methyl phenyl silicone, and diphenyl silicone.

8. The interface of claim 1 wherein the cast seal comprises perfluoropolyether.

9. The interface of claim 1 wherein the body is configured to threadedly connect to a vessel.

10. The interface of claim 1 wherein the body is configured to mechanically connect to a vessel.

11. The interface of claim 10 wherein the mechanical connection is a clamp connection.

12. The interface of claim 1 wherein the body is welded to a vessel.

13. The interface of claim 1 wherein the body is bonded with a vessel.

14. The interface of claim 1 wherein the interface is pre-sterilized.

15. The interface of claim 2 wherein the fluid control device is selected from the group consisting of a pinch valve, check valve, clamp, and plug.

16. The interface of claim 2 further comprising a sensor extending through one of the apertures in the body.

17. The interface of claim 2 wherein the fluid control device is a deformable sleeve.

18. The interface of claim 17 wherein the deformable sleeve comprises a sleeve adhesively attached to and surrounding a portion of the one ore more fluid transfer conduits, wherein the sleeve and adhesive are formed of materials having plasticity such that pressure applied to the sleeve causes the sleeve and adhesive to deform about and seal the one or more fluid transfer conduits and upon continued application of pressure to the sleeve, the sleeve, adhesive, and one or more fluid transfer conduits are cut and the sleeve retains a deformed shape substantially sealing the one or more fluid transfer conduits.

19. The interface of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluid transfer conduits comprises a thermoset.

20. The interface of claim 19 wherein the thermoset comprises silicone.

21. The interface of claim 20 wherein the silicone is selected from the group consisting of dimethyl silicone, methyl phenyl silicone, and diphenyl silicone.

22. The interface of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluid transfer conduits comprises a thermoplastic.

23. The interface of claim 22 wherein the thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of block copolymers of styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, PVC, polyolefins, or polyethylene.

24. The interface of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluid transfer conduits extend from the interior of a bioreactor vessel through the interface to the exterior of a bioreactor vessel.

25. The interface of claim 1 wherein one or more anchors secure the one or more fluid transfer conduits to the body.

26. A combination of a fluid transfer interface and two vessels, the combination comprising:
a body connected to a first vessel, wherein one or more apertures extend through the body,
one or more flexible fluid transfer conduits secured to and extending continuously and axially through the one or more apertures,
a cast seal within an interior of the body connected to the first vessel and surrounding the one or more fluid transfer conduits, the cast seal comprising a vulcanizable casting agent cured after the one or more fluid transfer conduits are inserted through the one or more apertures, and
at least a second vessel connected to the one or more fluid transfer conduits.

27. The combination of claim 26 wherein a fluid control device is connected to the one or more fluid transfer conduits.

28. The combination of claim 26 wherein the combination is pre-sterilized.

29. A fluid transfer interface for use with a vessel, the interface comprising:
a body;
a plurality of apertures defined in and extending through the body;
a plurality of flexible fluid transfer conduits each extending continuously and axially through a corresponding aperture of the plurality of apertures; and
a cast seal that at least partially surrounds and secures each of the plurality of fluid transfer conduits to the body, wherein the cast seal includes a vulcanizable casting agent that is cured after the one or more fluid transfer conduits are inserted through the one or more apertures.

Assignees

• Allpure Tech Inc
• Sartorius Stedim North America Inc

Inventors

• Zumbrum Michael A

Classifications

• C12M23/26

  flexible (flexible containers for laboratory use B01L3/505) · CPC title

• B65B3/06

  by gravity flow · CPC title

• C12M23/14

  Bags · CPC title

• A61J1/1412

  Containers with closing means, e.g. caps · CPC title

• A61J1/10 Primary

  Bag-type containers · CPC title