Filter module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10493406-B2
Application number	US-201415038633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2014
Priority date	Nov 21, 2013
Publication date	Dec 3, 2019
Grant date	Dec 3, 2019

Abstract

A filter module (1) has a housing (2) formed from a plastic and a filter (3) made from a plastic is arranged in the housing (2). The housing (2) is bonded adhesively to the filter (3) by an adhesive (15) via a first bonding surface (7, 18) made from a first plastic and via a second bonding surface (14, 19, 21) made from a second plastic. The adhesive bonding of the first bonding surface (7, 18) and the second bonding surface (14, 19, 21) is accomplished via an intermediate piece (10, 20) with the bonding surfaces (14, 18, 21) made from a plastic that is identical to or different from the first plastic. At least one of the bonding surfaces (7, 18, 19, 14, 21) has been activated by plasma or corona pre-treatment prior to the adhesive bonding.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filter module ( 1 ) comprising: a housing ( 2 ) formed from a first plastic, the housing ( 2 ) being a flexible tube ( 4 ); and a filter ( 3 ) arranged in the housing ( 2 ) and made from a second plastic that is different from the first plastic, the filter ( 3 ) is a hollow fiber element ( 8 ) having a plurality of hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ), the housing ( 2 ) being bonded adhesively to the filter ( 3 ) by an adhesive ( 15 ) via a first bonding surface ( 7 ) of the housing ( 2 ) made from the first plastic and via a second bonding surface ( 19 ) of the filter ( 3 ) made from the second plastic, the adhesive bonding of the first bonding surface ( 7 ) of the housing ( 2 ) and of the second bonding surface ( 19 ) of the filter ( 3 ) being accomplished via an intermediate piece ( 10 ) with bonding surfaces ( 14 , 18 , 21 ) made from a plastic that is different from the first plastic, and at least one of the bonding surfaces ( 7 , 18 , 19 , 14 , 21 ) having been activated by plasma or corona pre-treatment prior to the adhesive bonding, wherein:
at least a first end ( 16 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) is sealed in a radial direction with respect to an adjacent first end ( 5 ) of the flexible tube ( 4 ), and the first end ( 16 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) is bonded adhesively to the intermediate piece ( 10 ) that is bonded adhesively to the flexible tube ( 4 ),
the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) are open at the first end ( 16 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) and a ring-shaped channel ( 24 ) is arranged between the flexible tube ( 4 ) and the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) and is connected to at least one connection, and
the intermediate piece ( 10 ) is a T-shaped connector with a connection to the ring-shaped channel ( 24 ).

2. The filter module of claim 1 , wherein the flexible tube ( 4 ) is made of a silicone or polypropylene and the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) are made of a polyethersulfone.

3. The filter module of claim 1 , wherein the first end ( 16 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) is adhesively bonded by its hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) to the flexible tube ( 4 ) or to the intermediate piece ( 10 ) using a polyurethane as the adhesive ( 15 ).

4. The filter module of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate piece ( 10 ) is made of a thermoplastic.

5. The filter module of claim 1 , wherein the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) has a second end ( 23 ) facing away from the first end ( 16 ), the second end of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) being sealed in a radial direction with respect to an adjacent second end ( 6 ) of the flexible tube ( 4 ), the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) being open at the second end ( 23 ), and the second end ( 23 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) being bonded adhesively directly to the tube ( 2 ) or to a second intermediate piece ( 10 ) that is bonded adhesively to the flexible tube ( 4 ).

6. The filter module of claim 1 , wherein the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) are bonded adhesively and sealed at a second end ( 23 ) facing away from the first end ( 16 ).

7. A filter module ( 1 ) comprising:
a flexible tube ( 4 ) formed from a first plastic, the flexible tube ( 4 ) having a first end ( 5 ) and an internal bonding surface ( 7 ) facing inward adjacent the first end ( 5 );
a filter ( 3 ) having hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) made from a second plastic that is different from the first plastic, an intermediate portion of the filter ( 3 ) being in the flexible tube ( 4 ) so that a ring-shaped channel ( 24 ) is defined between the flexible tube ( 4 ) and the filter ( 3 ), the filter ( 3 ) having a first end ( 16 ) projecting beyond the first end ( 5 ) of the flexible tube ( 4 ) and having a filter bonding surface ( 19 ) adjacent the first end of the filter ( 3 ) and external of the flexible tube ( 4 );
a T-shaped connector ( 10 ) with an external bonding surface ( 14 ) opposed to the internal bonding surface ( 7 ) of the flexible tube ( 4 ), the connector ( 10 ) further having an interior communicating with the ring-shaped channel ( 24 ) between the flexible tube ( 4 ) and the filter ( 3 ), the interior having an internal bonding surface ( 18 ) opposed to the filter bonding surface ( 19 ) of the filter ( 3 );
a first adhesive area bonding the filter bonding surface ( 19 ) to the internal bonding surface ( 18 ) of the connector ( 10 ) and sealing the filter ( 3 ) in a radial direction while keeping the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) open at the first end ( 16 ) of the filter ( 3 ); and
a second adhesive area ( 15 ) bonding the internal bonding surface ( 7 ) of the flexible tube ( 4 ) to the external bonding surface ( 14 ) of the connector ( 10 ), wherein at least the internal bonding surface ( 7 ) is activated by plasma or corona pre-treatment prior to the adhesive bonding.

8. The filter module ( 1 ) of claim 7 , wherein the internal bonding surface ( 18 ) of the connector ( 10 ) is activated by plasma or corona pre-treatment prior to the adhesive bonding.

9. The filter module ( 1 ) of claim 7 , wherein the tube ( 2 ) is made of a silicone or polypropylene and the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) are made of a polyethersulfone.

10. The filter module of claim 7 , wherein the filter bonding surface ( 19 ) is bonded adhesively to the internal bonding surface ( 18 ) of the connector ( 10 ) using a polyurethane adhesive ( 15 ).

11. The filter module of claim 7 , wherein the connector ( 10 ) is made of a thermoplastic.

12. The filter module of claim 7 , wherein the flexible tube ( 4 ) further has a second end spaced from the first end along a longitudinal direction of the flexible tube ( 4 ), the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) of the filter ( 3 ) extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the flexible tube ( 4 ).

13. The filter module of claim 12 , wherein a radial dimension of the first adhesive area is substantially uniform at all locations along the first adhesive area.

14. The filter module of claim 1 , wherein: the flexible tube ( 4 ) has a second end ( 6 ) opposite the first end ( 5 ) of the flexible tube ( 4 ), the first and second ends ( 5 , 6 ) of the flexible tube is spaced apart along a longitudinal direction of the flexible tube ( 4 ), the hollow fiber membranes ( 9 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) extend parallel to longitudinal direction of the flexible tube ( 4 ).

15. The filter module of claim 14 , wherein the first end ( 16 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) is bonded adhesively to the intermediate piece ( 10 ) by the adhesive ( 15 ), and the adhesive ( 15 ) that adhesively bonds the first end ( 16 ) of the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) to the intermediate piece ( 10 ) has a uniform radial dimension at all positions along the hollow fiber element ( 8 ) that are contacted by the adhesive ( 15 ).

Assignees

• Sartorius Stedim Biotech Gmbh

Inventors

• Lausch Ralf
• Nikoloudis Paschalis
• Requate Wilhelm
• Wortmeyer Johannes

Classifications

• B01D2313/58

  Parts of membrane modules specifically adapted for single use · CPC title

• B01D2313/44

  Cartridge types · CPC title

• B01D63/023 Primary

  Encapsulating materials · CPC title

• B01D65/003

  Membrane bonding or sealing · CPC title

• B01D71/68

  Polysulfones; Polyethersulfones · CPC title