Fluid mixing systems with adjustable mixing element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11725171-B2
Application number	US-201916502245-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 3, 2019
Priority date	Oct 25, 2011
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

A fluid mixing system includes a support housing having an interior surface bounding a chamber. A flexible bag is disposed within the chamber of the support housing, the flexible bag having an interior surface bounding a compartment. An impeller is disposed within the chamber of the flexible bag. A drive shaft is coupled with the impeller such that rotation of the drive shaft facilitates rotation of the impeller. A drive motor assembly is coupled with the draft shaft and is adapted to rotate the drive shaft. An adjustable arm assembly is coupled with the drive motor assembly and is adapted to move the drive motor assembly which in turn moves the position of the drive shaft and impeller. An electrical controller can control movement of the adjustable arm.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of mixing a fluid for a bioproduction process, comprising:
providing a container and a drive shaft having a first end and a second end, a mixing element being operably coupled to the first end of the drive shaft, the mixing element being disposed within an interior of the container;
operably connecting the second end of the drive shaft to a drive motor assembly;
adjusting a vertical height of the mixing element relative to the container;
moving the mixing element through use of the drive motor assembly to mix a fluid within the container; and
controlling a vertical height, a vertical displacement, and a speed of the mixing element during the mixing by adjusting a position of an arm, wherein the arm is operably coupled to the drive shaft.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
changing a volume of the fluid within the container while mixing; and
adjusting the height of the mixing element based on the volume of the fluid.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of maintaining an optimal location of the mixing element based on the volume of the fluid.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the optimal location is determined based on the volume of fluid within the interior of the container and the volume of fluid is predetermined using a cell density range.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of continuously adjusting the vertical displacement of the mixing element during the mixing.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of periodically adjusting the vertical displacement of the mixing element during the mixing.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of sensing a volume of the fluid using a sensor.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising the step of providing a controller that is electronically coupled to the sensor and the arm is adjusted based on a measurement of the sensor.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a load cell.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor includes a float.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of supporting the container with a support housing.

Assignees

• Life Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Goodwin Michael E
• Jones Nephi D

Classifications

• C12M23/14 Primary

  Bags · CPC title

• B01F27/071

  Fixing of the stirrer to the shaft · CPC title

• B01F27/113

  Propeller-shaped stirrers for producing an axial flow, e.g. shaped like a ship or aircraft propeller · CPC title

• B01F27/213

  characterised by the connection with the drive · CPC title

• B01F27/2121

  composed of interconnected parts · CPC title