Bioprocess control device and bioprocess system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12139700-B2
Application number	US-201816955816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2018
Priority date	Dec 19, 2017
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

The invention relates to a A bioprocess control device having a number of control function units ( 12, 30 ) which are accommodated in a device housing ( 10 ), are designed for bioprocesses and are configured for carrying out control, conveying, measuring and/or sensor functionalities and In order to accommodate the plurality of control function units, the device housing has modular drawer assemblies ( 14, 32 ) which, relative to stationary housing frame of the device housing in an opening position and/or removal position, allow access for configuration and/or assembly to the control function unit accommodated in a relevant drawer assembly, and, in an operating and closure position which can be locked by locking means ( 60, 58 ), produce an electrically supplying as well as electronically function-identifying contact between the control function unit and the housing frame and/or electrical power supply ( 40 ) as well as system identification means ( 42 ) associated with a further drawer assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bioprocess control device, comprising:
a device housing ( 10 ) having a stationary housing frame, wherein the stationary housing frame includes a plurality of shaft receptions;
a plurality of modular drawer assemblies ( 14 , 32 ) moveable relative to the stationary housing frame between an opening and/or removal position and an operating or closure position;
a plurality of control function units ( 12 , 30 ) of different types, wherein each of the plurality of control function units is arranged within a modular drawer assembly of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies, and wherein the plurality of control function units are designed and provided for bioprocesses and configured or configurable for control, conveying, measuring and/or sensor functionalities;
a lock means ( 60 , 58 );
an electrical energy source ( 40 ) electrically coupled to the plurality of modular drawer assemblies; and
system identification means ( 42 ) connected to the plurality of control function units;
wherein each of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies is arranged in a shaft reception of the plurality of shaft receptions,
wherein each of the shaft receptions comprises an interface plug unit that is coupled to a corresponding interface plug unit of a modular drawer assembly of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies, when the plurality of modular drawer assemblies are in the operating or closure position,
wherein each of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies is configured to be received by any one of the plurality of shaft receptions,
wherein, when, the modular drawer assemblies ( 14 , 32 ) are in the opening and/or removal position each of the modular drawer assemblies is configured to receive a control function unit of the plurality of control function units,
wherein each of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies further comprising a function identification unit ( 16 ) configured to identify a type of control function unit of the plurality of control function units of different types that is plugged in to a respective modular drawer assembly of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies, and wherein the function identification unit is configured to convey the type of control function unit to the system identification means ( 42 ),
wherein, when, the plurality of modular drawer assemblies are in the operating or closure position, each plurality of modular drawer assemblies is locked by the lock means ( 60 , 58 ) to the device housing, wherein, in the operating or closure position, the control function unit is powered by the electrical energy source ( 40 ) and the type of the control function unit is identified by the system identification means ( 42 ) via the function identification units ( 16 ), and
wherein the different types of the plurality of control function units is selected from a group consisting of pumps, valves, fluid heaters and/or fluid coolers, gas sensors, liquid sensors, and combinations thereof.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic process protocol means ( 44 ) connected to the function identification units ( 16 ) and/or to the system identification means ( 42 ) in such a manner that said process protocol means can record, store ( 46 ) and, for the purpose of processing, provide operating data, and configuration data which correspond, to an operation and/or a configuration of the plurality of control function units.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein front outer surfaces ( 50 ) of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies realize an, at least sectionwise, continuous, outer surface of the device housing ( 10 ) in the operating or locking position.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein front outer surfaces ( 50 ) of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies which are adjacent to one another are aligned in a tile-like manner and/or connected by additional sealing means in such a manner in a common operating or locking position that a continuous outer surface of the housing can be treated with liquid detergents while preventing the liquid detergents from entering between adjacent outer surfaces of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the lock means comprise a lock assembly ( 60 ) which engages on an abutment and/or locking section ( 58 ) of a drawer assembly ( 32 ) of the plurality of modular drawer assemblies in a mechanical manner, and which provides a connection between the drawer assembly and the housing frame which blocks a pushing out when the drawer assembly is inserted into the shaft receptions of the stationary housing frame.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the lock assembly is a rod- and/or bracket lock assembly that is inserted into the modular drawer assembly for the purpose of locking at an angle of more than 0°, in relation to a direction of the insertion of the drawer assembly and/or wherein said lock assembly is realized for common locking of a plurality of inserted drawer assemblies.

7. A bioprocess system comprising:
at least one bioprocess reactor; and
the bioprocess control device according to claim 1 .

8. A method for configuring a bioprocess system, comprising the steps:
providing bioprocess system according to claim 7 ;
assembling the plurality of control function units in corresponding drawer assemblies;
assembling the plurality of drawer assemblies in the device housing;
operating the bioprocess control device in order to perform a first biological, pharmaceutical, chemical and/or biotechnical process in the at least one bioprocess reactor;
replacing at least one of the plurality of drawer assemblies by an additional drawer assembly of the plurality of drawer assemblies provided with an additional control function unit; and
operating the bioprocess control device in order to perform a second biological, pharmaceutical, chemical and/or biotechnical process.

9. The bioprocess control device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control function units are assignable to a bioprocess reactor.

10. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of function identification units ( 16 ) is provided on an electrical circuit board ( 54 ) of the at least one modular drawer assembly.

11. The device according to claim 6 , wherein the angle is more than 45°.

Assignees

• Eppendorf Ag
• Eppendorf Se

Inventors

• Recker Wolfgang
• Ertel Guido
• Schneider Falk
• Hufen Tristan

Classifications

• C12M23/44

  Multiple separable units; Modules · CPC title

• C12M41/48 Primary

  Automatic or computerized control (automatic analysis G01N35/00) · CPC title