Connection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10962158-B2
Application number	US-201615740890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2016
Priority date	Jun 29, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a connection system for releasably coupling a first body (5) with a flange (25) to a fluid-conducting system in a force-fitting manner, and the invention also relates to a connection system for releasably coupling the interior of a first fluid-conducting body (5) to the interior of a second fluid-conducting body (3) in a force-fitting manner. The second body (3) has a second end with a circumferential wall (22), a membrane contact portion (9) which can be found on the wall, and an opening (43). A retaining element (2) has a passage (35) and a peripheral outer edge (24). One side and/or the passage (35) of the retaining element (2) is coupled to the membrane (1), and an annular wall (26) is arranged on the same side, said annular wall being connected to the circumferential wall (22) of the second body (3). The other side is designed to contact the surface of the flange (25) of the first body (5). The retaining element (2) can also be integrated into the second body (3) when the first body (5) is fluid-conductive. The releasable connection element (4) is designed to at least partly surround the peripheral outer edge (24) of the retaining element (2) and the flange (25) of the first body (5).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection system for releasably force-fittingly coupling a first body ( 5 ) to a fluid-carrying system via a fluid-tight membrane ( 1 ),
the connection system comprising the membrane ( 1 ) and a second body ( 3 ) having an interior space coupled to the fluid-carrying system, and the first body ( 5 ) comprising a first end with a flange ( 25 ),
wherein the second body ( 3 ) comprises a second end with an interior space ( 23 ), a circumferential wall ( 22 ) and an opening ( 43 ), wherein the circumferential wall ( 22 ) comprises a membrane contact portion ( 9 ) circumferential around the opening ( 43 ), the membrane contact portion ( 9 ) being in contact with the membrane ( 1 ), wherein
(a) the connection system comprises a disk-shaped holding member ( 2 ) with a passage ( 35 ), a first side, a second side and a peripheral outer edge ( 24 ), at least one of the first side and the passage ( 35 ) of the holding member ( 2 ) being coupled to the membrane ( 1 ), wherein the second side of the holding member ( 2 ) is designed for surface-to-surface contact with the flange ( 25 ) of the first body ( 5 ), and wherein the disk-shaped holding member ( 2 ) has a diameter that is larger than the height thereof, or
(b) the second end of the second body ( 3 ) defines a flange-like disk-shaped holding member ( 2 ′) having a peripheral outer edge ( 24 ), the flange-like disk-shaped holding member ( 2 ′) being in contact with the membrane ( 1 ) and being designed for surface-to-surface contact with the flange ( 25 ) of the first body ( 5 ), and wherein the first body is fluid-carrying, and

wherein the connection system comprises a releasable connection member ( 4 ), which is designed to at least partially grip around the peripheral outer edge ( 24 ) of the holding member ( 2 , 2 ′) and the flange ( 25 ) of the first body ( 5 ) circumferentially, such that the holding member ( 2 , 2 ′) is releasably force-fittingly fixable to the first body ( 5 ) by means of the connection member ( 4 ).

2. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein the connection system comprises said disk-shaped holding member ( 2 ) with a passage ( 35 ), a first side, a second side and a peripheral outer edge ( 24 ), wherein
on the first side of the holding member ( 2 ) there is arranged a circumferential wall ( 26 ), which is connected to the circumferential wall ( 22 ) of the second body ( 3 ).

3. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein the disk-shaped holding member ( 2 ) and the connection member ( 4 ) lockably engage each other.

4. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein
(a) the membrane contact portion ( 9 ) that is circumferential around the opening ( 43 ) is connected to the membrane ( 1 ); or
(b) at least one of the first side and the passage ( 35 ) of the disk-shaped holding member ( 2 ) is connected to the membrane ( 1 ).

5. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein the first body ( 5 ) is a measuring element and the second body ( 3 ) is a measuring chamber connectable to a fluid system such that passage of fluid is allowed through the connection,
wherein the membrane ( 1 ) is substantially more flexible than the walls of the interior space of the second body ( 3 ) and allows a transmission of compressive forces from the measuring chamber to the measuring element ( 5 ),
wherein the first side and the passage ( 35 ) of the holding member ( 2 ) are in contact with the membrane ( 1 ),
wherein the first side of the holding member ( 2 ) is coupled to the membrane ( 1 ) and to the circumferential wall ( 22 ) of the measuring chamber ( 3 ), and the second side is adapted for surface-to-surface contact with the flange ( 25 ) of the measuring element ( 5 ).

6. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein
(a) the membrane ( 1 ) is welded, glued or sealed to at least one of the circumferential wall ( 22 ) of the second body ( 3 ) and to the holding member ( 2 ), or the membrane ( 1 ) is clamped, connected or a combination thereof to the circumferential wall ( 22 ) wherein the membrane ( 1 ) is connected to the circumferential wall ( 22 ) by means of at least one of multi-component injection molding and liquid silicone rubber or by a combination thereof; or
(b) the holding member ( 2 ) is connected to the circumferential wall ( 22 ) of the second body by one of welding, gluing, sealing, clamping, multi-component injection molding, of liquid silicone rubber or by a combination of multi-component injection molding and liquid silicone rubber; or
(c) the holding member ( 2 ) is connected to the circumferential wall ( 22 ) of the second body by one of welding, gluing sealing, or clamping, and by means of one of multi-component injection molding, liquid silicone rubber or a combination thereof.

7. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein
the holding member ( 2 ) comprises at least one arm ( 10 ) and wherein the connection member ( 4 ) comprises an essentially U-shaped clamp with two legs ( 31 ), and wherein the essentially U-shaped clamp comprises an opening or an outlet accommodating the arm ( 10 ), and/or
the connection member ( 4 ) comprises one or more clamping levers which are movably coupled to the holding member ( 2 ) and are adapted to at least partially grip around the flange ( 25 ) of the first body ( 5 ), or
the connection member ( 4 ) comprises an arm ( 30 ), the arm being movably coupled to the holding member ( 2 ) and adapted to grip around the outer side of the flange ( 25 ) of the first body ( 5 ) and the peripheral outer edge ( 24 ) of the holding member ( 2 ) or
the connection member ( 4 ) comprises a first thread and the holding member ( 2 ) comprises a second thread, wherein the first and the second thread fit into one another and are screwed together, or
the connection member ( 4 ) comprises a circumferential wall comprising the peripheral outer edge ( 24 ) of the holding member ( 2 ), the circumferential wall comprising a plurality of axially offset recesses, and wherein the peripheral outer edge ( 24 ) of the holding member ( 2 ) comprises a plurality of axially offset protrusions and wherein the plurality of axially offset protrusions are held in the plurality of offset recesses in the form of a bayonet closure.

8. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein the second side of the holding member ( 2 ) comprises a peripheral hook element ( 7 ), the hook element ( 7 ) being adapted to at least partially grip around the outer side of the flange ( 25 ) of the first body ( 5 ).

9. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein the connection member ( 4 ) comprises
one or more clamping levers and a holding member ( 2 ) with at least one hook element ( 7 ), or
one or more snap connections and a holding member ( 2 ) with one or more hook elements ( 7 ), or
two or more clamping levers, or
an essentially U-shaped clamp and a holding member ( 2 ) with one or more hook elements ( 7 ).

10. The connection system of claim 1 , wherein the connection member ( 4 ) is defined by an essentially U-shaped clamp having an upper pair of legs, a lower pair of legs and a side wall ( 28 ) connecting each upper and lower leg, the side wall ( 28 ) comprising a recess ( 13 ) on the side of each leg,
the holding member ( 2 ) comprising a pair of arms ( 10 ) arranged parallel to the plane of the flange ( 25 ),
wherein the holding member ( 2 ) is arranged between the upper and the lower leg of the essentially U-shaped clamp ( 6 ) such that the ends of the arms ( 10 ) are insertable into the recess ( 13 ).

11. A connection system for releasably force-fittingly coupling the interior space of a first fluid-carrying body ( 5 ) to the interior space of a second fluid-carrying body ( 3 ),
wherein the first

Assignees

• Sartorius Stedim Biotech Gmbh

Inventors

• Scholz Jochen
• Purmann Sebastian
• Bates Michael

Classifications

• F16L37/252

  the male part having lugs on its periphery penetrating into the corresponding slots provided in the female part · CPC title

• A61M2205/3327

  Measuring · CPC title

• A61M39/02

  Access sites · CPC title

• A61M39/1011

  Locking means for securing connection; Additional tamper safeties (A61M39/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title