Shaft-mounted fluid transfer assembly for a disposable bioreactor
AssigneeGE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB
InventorsRichard Lee Damren, Colin R. Tuohey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid transfer assembly for single use bioreactors includes a fluid transfer housing that can be mounted to the impeller shaft using a bearing that places the fluid transfer assembly directly below the lowest impeller but allows the impeller shaft to spin inside independently of the fluid transfer assembly. A fluid conduit connects the fluid transfer housing to a port in the single use bag wall which allows fluids to be introduced into the sparger and which also helps prevent the fluid transfer assembly from rotating with the impeller shaft.
Claims24
A fluid transfer assembly for a disposable bioreactor comprising:
- a fluid transfer housing having a housing body defining an input port, at least one outlet port and an elongate housing passageway extending in fluid communication therebetween;
- said housing body further defining an open shaft passageway extending therethrough;
- and
- a rolling element bearing affixed within said shaft passageway, said rolling element bearing comprising concentric inner and outer bearing races and a plurality of rolling elements positioned between the inner and outer bearing races, the outer bearing race being affixed to the housing body and the inner bearing race including an inner surface defining a shaft aperture such that the inner race is affixable to an impeller shaft so that the shaft may rotate independently of said housing body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.