Systems and methods for aseptic sampling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9677975-B2
Application number	US-201414529203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2014
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A sampling assembly configured to be coupled to a sample source and facilitate aseptic sampling at one or more instances in time is provided. Further, the sampling assembly includes a first conduit having first and second ports, where the first port is configured to be coupled to the sample source. The sampling assembly also includes a plurality of sub-conduits having corresponding sub-ports, where each of the plurality of sub-conduits is operatively coupled to the first conduit at respective connector junctions. Also, each of the sub-ports is in fluidic communication with the first conduit. The sampling assembly also includes a plurality of sampling kits and one or more pumping devices. Further, each sampling kit is operatively coupled to a respective sub-port of a corresponding sub-conduit. Moreover, the one or more pumping devices are operatively and aseptically coupled to the second port of the first conduit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sampling assembly configured to be coupled to a sample source and facilitate aseptic sampling at one or more instances in time, comprising:
a first conduit comprising a first port and a second port, wherein the first port is directly coupled to the sample source;
a plurality of sub-conduits having corresponding sub-ports, wherein each of the plurality of sub-conduits is operatively coupled to the first conduit at respective connector junctions, wherein the sub-ports are disposed between the first and second ports of the first conduit, and wherein each of the sub-ports is in fluidic communication with the first conduit;
a plurality of sampling kits, wherein each sampling kit of the plurality of sampling kits is operatively coupled to a respective sub-port of a corresponding sub-conduit; and
one or more pumping devices directly and aseptically coupled to the second port of the first conduit.

2. The sampling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pumping devices comprise a pump, a syringe, a resilient container, or combinations thereof.

3. The sampling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an air filter operatively coupled to the one or more pumping devices.

4. The sampling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one flow regulator operatively coupled to the one or more pumping devices.

5. The sampling assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit is a continuous conduit.

6. The sampling assembly of claim 1 , wherein one or more sampling kits of the plurality of sampling kits comprise a resilient sampling pillow, a sampling syringe, a sampling container, or combinations thereof.

7. The sampling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first flow controllers disposed along the first conduit.

8. The sampling assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of second flow controllers operatively coupled to one or more sampling kits of the plurality of sampling kits.

9. A sampling system configured to facilitate aseptic sampling at one or more instances in time, the sampling system comprising:
a sample source configured to house a biological inoculum;
a sampling assembly, comprising:
a first conduit comprising a first port and a second port, wherein the first port is directly coupled to the sample source;
a plurality of sub-conduits having corresponding sub-ports, wherein each of the plurality of sub-conduits is operatively coupled to the first conduit at respective connector junctions, wherein the sub-ports are disposed between the first and second ports of the first conduit, and wherein each of the sub-ports is in fluidic communication with the first conduit;
a plurality of sampling kits, wherein each sampling kit of the plurality of sampling kits is operatively coupled to a respective sub-port of a corresponding sub-conduit; and
one or more pumping devices directly and aseptically coupled to the second port of the first conduit,
wherein the sampling assembly comprises a functionally closed arrangement.

10. The sampling system of claim 9 , further comprising a flow regulator operatively coupled to the one or more pumping devices.

11. The sampling system of claim 9 , further comprising an air filter operatively coupled to the one or more pumping devices.

12. The sampling system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of sampling kits comprises a resilient sampling pillow, an enclosed sampling syringe, a combination of a rigid sampling container and a sampling syringe, or combinations thereof.

13. The sampling system of claim 12 , wherein the combination of the rigid sampling container and the sampling syringe further comprises an air filter disposed between the rigid sampling container and the sampling syringe.

14. A method for aseptically sampling at one or more instances in time, comprising:
providing a sample source having an outlet port;
providing a sampling assembly configured to be coupled to the sample source and facilitate aseptic sampling at one or more instances in time, wherein the sampling assembly comprises:
a first conduit comprising a first port and a second port, wherein the first port is directly coupled to the sample source;
a plurality of sub-conduits having corresponding sub-ports, wherein each of the plurality of sub-conduits is operatively coupled to the first conduit at respective connector junctions, wherein the sub-ports are disposed between the first and second ports of the first conduit, and wherein each of the sub-ports is in fluidic communication with the first conduit;
a plurality of sampling kits, wherein each sampling kit of the plurality of sampling kits is operatively coupled to a respective sub-port of a corresponding sub-conduit;
one or more pumping devices directly and aseptically coupled to the second port of the first conduit;

coupling the first port of the first conduit to the outlet port of the sample source;
providing fluidic communication between the sample source and the first conduit to facilitate flow of the sample out of the sample source and into at least a portion of the first conduit and at least a portion of a corresponding sub-conduit of the plurality of sub-conduits;
providing a negative pressure in a sampling kit of the plurality of sampling kits to facilitate a flow of at least the portion of the sample from the sample source and the corresponding sub-conduit into the sampling kit; and
drawing the portion of the sample from the sample source and the corresponding sub-conduit into the sampling kit.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising adjusting an orientation of the sample source to establish a fluidic connection between the sample source and the first conduit.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining if a desirable amount of sample is drawn into the sampling kit; and
if the desirable amount of sample is drawn into the sampling kit, purging at least a portion of the corresponding sub-conduit using the sampling kit by pushing a residual sample from the portion of the sub-conduit towards the first conduit.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising purging at least the portion of the first conduit using the one or more pumping devices.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising sealing two or more locations on the corresponding sub-conduit of the plurality of sub-conduits.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising decoupling the sampling kit from the sampling assembly by decoupling the corresponding sub-conduit at a location disposed between the two or more locations.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Zhang Chengkun
• Conway Kenneth Roger
• Buckley Donald Joseph
• Boden Eugene Pauling
• Griffin Weston Blaine
• Bajaj Anshika
• Smith Reginald Donovan

Classifications

• C12M23/40

  Manifolds; Distribution pieces (fluid transfer means B01L3/563) · CPC title

• C12M23/00

  Constructional details, e.g. recesses, hinges (flow directing inserts in C12M27/18-C12M27/24; apparatus for chemical or physical processes in general B01J, chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L) · CPC title

• C12M37/02

  Filters · CPC title

• C12M41/00

  Means for regulation, monitoring, measurement or control, e.g. flow regulation (controlling or regulating chemical, physical or physicochemical processes B01J19/0006; heating or cooling apparatus for laboratory use B01L7/00; electro optical investigation of individual particles, flow cytometers G01N15/14; automatic analysis G01N35/00; controlling or regulating in general G06N) · CPC title

• C12M33/06

  for multiple inoculation or multiple collection of samples · CPC title