Leaktight joining device for the aseptic transfer of a biopharmaceutical product between a chamber and a container

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9440229-B2
Application number	US-201214234788-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2012
Priority date	Jul 29, 2011
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

A leaktight joining device for ensuring the aseptic transfer of a biopharmaceutical product between a chamber equipped with a removable door and a container equipped with a removable cover, includes: stationary temporary flanging elements, stationary unlocking elements capable of changing the container from an initial locking position to an intermediate unlocking position so as to ensure an aseptic communication between the container and the chamber, stationary locking element capable of changing the container from the intermediate locking position to a final locking position, an annular functional ring gear capable of actuating the stationary unlocking elements and the stationary locking elements of the container. The stationary temporary flanging elements, the stationary unlocking elements, and the stationary locking elements are mechanically linked to the annular functional ring gear and arranged so that the unidirectional rotation of the annular functional ring gear about the geometric axis of rotation successively drives the actuation thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A leaktight joining device intended for ensuring the aseptic transfer of a biopharmaceutical product between a chamber equipped with a removable door and a container equipped a removable cover, comprising:
stationary temporary clamp able to keep the container clamped against the chamber so that the removable cover of said container is sealingly held against the removable door of said chamber;
a stationary unlocking device able to transition the container from an initial locking position where the removable cover seals the container to an intermediate unlocking position where the removable cover is disengaged from the container and is sealingly held against the removable door of the chamber so as to ensure an aseptic communication between said container and said chamber;
a stationary locking device able to transition the container from the intermediate unlocking position to a final locking position where said removable cover once again seals the container;
an annular functional ring gear able to rotate about a geometric axis of rotation so as to actuate the stationary unlocking device and the stationary locking device of the container;
wherein the stationary temporary clamp, stationary unlocking device, and stationary locking device are mechanically linked to the annular functional ring gear and are arranged so that a one-way rotation of said annular functional ring gear about the geometric axis of rotation successively causes the actuation of the stationary temporary clamp which ensures that the container is held in position against the chamber, then simultaneously or successively the actuation of the stationary unlocking device which ensures the transition to the intermediate unlocking position of the container, then the actuation of the stationary locking device of the container which ensures the transition to the final locking position of the container, and the actuation of the stationary temporary clamp of the container in order to release the container.

2. The leaktight joining device according to claim 1 , further comprising a stationary retention/release device able to disable/enable the opening of the removable door of the chamber and mechanically linked to the annular functional ring gear such that the one-way rotation of the annular functional ring gear about the geometric axis of rotation successively causes the actuation of the stationary temporary clamp which ensures that the container is held in position against the chamber, then simultaneously or successively the actuation of the stationary unlocking device which ensures the transition to the intermediate unlocking position of the container and the actuation of the stationary retention/release device which ensures the release of the removable door of the chamber, then the actuation of the stationary locking device of the container which ensures the transition to the final locking position of the container, then simultaneously or successively the actuation of the stationary retention/release device which ensures the retention of the removable door of the chamber and the actuation of the stationary locking device which ensures the transition to the final locking position of the container, then the actuation of the stationary temporary clamp in order to release the container relative to the chamber.

3. The leaktight joining device according to claim 2 , wherein the stationary retention/release device comprise at least one stationary functional arrangement for retention/release formed by a functional ring portion forming gear teeth and a retention member able to engage with the functional ring portion forming gear teeth such that, during the one-way rotation of the annular functional ring gear, the retention member moves from a retention position where a covering portion prevents the removable door of the chamber from opening, to a release position where the covering portion no longer prevents the removable door of the chamber from opening.

4. The leaktight joining device according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary unlocking device comprises at least one stationary functional unlocking arrangement formed by a functional ring portion forming an inward- and/or outward-facing radial cam and a radially movable pushing element cooperating with the functional ring portion forming the radial cam so that, during the one-way rotation of the annular functional ring gear to the intermediate unlocking position, the pushing element is moved and causes the container to transition from the initial locking position to the intermediate unlocking position.

5. The leaktight joining device according to claim 1 , wherein the stationary locking device comprises at least one stationary functional locking arrangement formed by a functional ring portion forming an inward- and/or outward-facing radial cam, and a radially movable pushing element cooperating with the functional ring portion forming the radial cam such that, during the one-way rotation of the annular functional ring gear to the final locking position, the pushing element is moved and causes the removable cover of the container to transition from the intermediate unlocking position to the final locking position.

6. The leaktight joining device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the stationary locking device comprises at least one stationary functional locking arrangement formed by a functional ring portion forming an inward- and/or outward-facing radial cam, and a radially movable pushing element cooperating with the functional ring portion forming the radial cam such that, during the one-way rotation of the annular functional ring gear to the final locking position, the pushing element is moved and causes the removable cover of the container to transition from the intermediate unlocking position to the final locking position, and
wherein the functional ring portion forming the radial cam of the stationary locking device and/or unlocking device is formed by a guideway arranged in the annular functional ring gear, and the radially movable pushing element of said stationary locking device and/or unlocking device comprises a roller arranged in the guideway so that rotation of the annular functional ring gear generates a radial movement of the roller which causes the corresponding movement of an activation pin.

7. The leaktight joining device according to claim 4 ,
Wherein the stationary locking device comprise at least one stationary functional locking arrangement formed by a functional ring portion forming an inward- and/or outward-facing radial cam, and a radially movable pushing element cooperating with the functional ring portion forming the radial cam such that, during the one-way rotation of the annular functional ring gear to a final locking position, the pushing element is moved and causes the removable cover of the container to transition from the intermediate unlocking position to the final locking position, and
wherein the stationary functional unlocking arrangement and the stationary functional locking arrangement are composed of the same radially movable pushing element.

8. The leaktight joining device according to claim 7 , wherein the functional ring portion forming a radial cam of the stationary functional locking arrangement is arranged in an extension of the functional ring portion forming the inward- and/or outward-facing radial cam of the stationary functional unlocking arrangement, considering the one-way direction of rotation of the annular functional ring gear.

9. The leaktight joining device according to claim 8 , wherein the ring portions forming the radial cams of the stationary functional locking arrangement and of the stationary functional unlocking arrangement are formed by a continuous guideway arr

Assignees

• Nodin Gaelle
• Gibelin Jeremy
• Sartorius Stedim Fmt Sas

Inventors

• Nodin Gaelle
• Gibelin Jeremy

Classifications

• G21F7/005

  Shielded passages through walls; Locks; Transferring devices between rooms (between glove-boxes G21F7/047) · CPC title

• C12M37/04

  Seals · CPC title

• B01L1/02 Primary

  Air-pressure chambers; Air-locks therefor · CPC title