Rockable biocontainer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9228166-B2
Application number	US-201113331212-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2011
Priority date	Dec 20, 2011
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

Biocontainers, as well as methods and platforms for rocking the biocontainers, are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A biocontainer, comprising:
a closed flexible container having a substantially rectangular cuboid form comprising a bottom wall, a top wall, first and second opposing side walls, and third and fourth opposing side walls, the side walls being joined to the top wall and the bottom wall;
at least two ports; and
at least first, second, third, and fourth brackets secured to the container, wherein the first bracket is secured to the container near a joint between the top wall and the first side wall, the second bracket is secured to the container near a joint between the top wall and the second opposing side wall, the third bracket secured to the container near a joint between the bottom wall and the first side wall, and the fourth bracket secured to the container near a joint between the bottom wall and the second opposing side wall, wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth brackets comprises two projections that are spaced apart from each other, each projection comprising a pair of angled lugs facing in opposing directions away from each other, and each of the brackets is configured to reversibly engage a portion of a platform suitable for supporting the biocontainer, such that each bracket is adapted to engage the platform in at least two locations on opposing sides of the platform.

2. A method of processing a cell culture-containing fluid using the biocontainer of claim 1 , the method comprising
rocking the biocontainer on a platform along first and second substantially horizontal pivot axes that are perpendicular to one another, wherein the biocontainer contains at least a liquid culture medium and cells, and the brackets are engaged with the biocontainer during the rocking of the biocontainer.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising removing cell-containing liquid samples from the biocontainer.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising adjusting pH in the biocontainer.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first horizontal pivot axis has a first rocking angle and the second horizontal pivot axis has a second rocking angle, wherein the first rocking angle differs from the second rocking angle.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first horizontal pivot axis has a first rocking angle and the second horizontal pivot axis has a second rocking angle, wherein the first rocking angle is the same as the second rocking angle.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first rocking angle or the second rocking angle is in the range of from about 1 to about 15 degrees from horizontal.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first rocking angle and the second rocking angle are each in the range of from about 1 to about 15 degrees from horizontal.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cell culture-containing fluid comprises animal cells.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cell culture-containing fluid comprises microbial cells.

11. The method of claim 2 , wherein the cell culture-containing fluid comprises plant cells.

12. The method of claim 2 , further comprising draining at least some of the cell-culture containing fluid from the biocontainer, releasing the engagement between the brackets and the platform, and removing the biocontainer from the platform.

13. A rockable platform for rocking a biocontainer comprising:
a rockable platform configured to receive the substantially cuboid-shaped flexible container of claim 1 , wherein the rockable platform includes at least a first bracket engagement portion comprising at least two slots for receiving the two projections of the first bracket, a second bracket engagement portion comprising at least two slots for receiving the two projections of the second bracket, a third bracket engagement portion comprising at least two slots for receiving the two projections of the third bracket, and a fourth bracket engagement portion comprises at least two slots for receiving the two projections of the fourth bracket, wherein the first bracket engagement portion is arranged to engage the first bracket, the second bracket engagement portion is arranged to engage the second bracket, the third bracket engagement portion is arranged to engage the third bracket, and the fourth bracket engagement portion is arranged to engage the fourth bracket; and
each bracket engagement portion is located on opposing sides of the rockable platform and adapted for releasable engagement with at least one of the first bracket, second bracket, third bracket, and fourth bracket in at least two locations along each bracket.

14. The rockable platform of claim 13 , further comprising a heater for heating the biocontainer.

Assignees

• Barrett Timothy Alan
• West Alison Jane
• Weight Kenneth Roy
• Westwood Adam Peter
• Kesselaar Daniel James
• Pall Corp

Inventors

• Barrett Timothy Alan
• West Alison Jane
• Weight Kenneth Roy
• Westwood Adam Peter
• Kesselaar Daniel James

Classifications

• C12M27/16

  Vibrating; Shaking; Tilting · CPC title

• C12M23/48

  Holding appliances; Racks; Supports (holding devices for laboratory apparatus B01L9/00) · CPC title

• C12M23/14

  Bags · CPC title

• C12M41/48

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

• C12M23/46 Primary

  Means for fastening · CPC title