# US 10,870,087 B2 · Membrane support and membrane filtration device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,087 B2 - Document ID: US10870087B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/779,343 - Filed: 2016-11-04 - Published: 2018-11-08 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-27 - Assignees: Merck Patent GmbH - Applicants: Merck Patent GmbH - Inventors: Stephane Olivier; Didier Metz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870087B2 ## CPC - B01D 69/10: Supported membranes; Membrane supports - A61L 2/28: Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation or disinfection, e.g. indicators which change colour - B01D 69/06: Flat membranes - B01L 3/00: Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers - C12M 25/02: {Membranes; Filters (filters or filtration in general B01D24/00-B01D41/00)} - C12M 37/02: {Filters} - C12Q 1/22: Testing for sterility conditions - B01D 61/14: Ultrafiltration; Microfiltration - B01D 2313/12: Specific discharge elements - B01L 2200/10: Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS} - C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES ## Abstract A membrane support, usable for example in a membrane filtration device, comprises a support surface provided on an upstream side of the membrane support and adapted to support a flat filtration membrane thereon, and a drainage structure arranged below the support surface to collect a fluid that has passed the filtration membrane supported on the support surface and guide the fluid away to a downstream side, wherein the support surface has a plurality of recesses distributed over the support surface and formed to absorb expansions of the filtration membrane. The membrane support avoids fold formation of a membrane due to membrane expansion after hydration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A membrane support (1), comprising a support surface (2) provided on an upstream side of the membrane support and adapted to support a flat deformable filtration membrane (7) thereon, and a drainage structure (4) arranged below the support surface (2) to collect a fluid that has passed the deformable filtration membrane (7) supported on the support surface (2) and guide the fluid away to a downstream side, wherein the drainage structure (4) comprises a channel network connected with a drainage port (5) on the downstream side of the membrane support (1), wherein the support surface (2) is formed by raised lands or ridges and has a plurality of recesses (6) distributed over the support surface (2), wherein the depth and width of the recesses is smaller than that of the channels and formed to absorb expansions of the deformable filtration membrane (7), wherein the ratio of depth to width of the recesses (6) is from 5 to 40, wherein the deformable filtration membrane (7) has an absorbed surface area of at least 8.5 mm2 of a total nominal flat surface area of 1256.6 mm2. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the recesses (6) have curved transitions at the support surface (2). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the recesses (6) are regularly/periodically or irregularly formed in the radial and optionally the circumferential direction of the support surface (2). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The membrane support (1) according to claim 3, wherein the recesses (6) are sinusoidal in cross section. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the recesses (6) are continuous or optionally discontinuous. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the recesses (6) comprise annular grooves. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the channels of the channel network are formed so as to avoid dead legs with respect to a flow direction towards the drainage port (5). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the channels of the channel network extend radially from the drainage port (5) and/or circumferentially of the drainage port (5) and optionally a bottom of the channels rises continuously in a height direction from the drainage port (5) when the membrane support is held in a posture with the support surface (2) being horizontal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein the membrane support (1) has a peripheral membrane edge holding feature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The membrane support (1) according to claim 9, wherein the membrane holding feature comprises a step (3) rising above the support surface (2). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein, the width of the recesses (6) is about 1 mm and the depth of the recesses from the support surface is in a range of 0.05 mm to 0.4 mm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A membrane filtration device (10) comprising a membrane support (1) according to claim 1, wherein a deformable filtration membrane (7) is placed on the membrane support surface (2); a liquid reservoir (8) located upstream of the support surface (2) of the membrane support (1); and a discharge port (5) communicating with the downstream side of the support surface (2), wherein the deformable filtration membrane (7) has an absorbed surface area of at least 8.5 mm2 of a total nominal flat surface area of 1256.6 mm2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) of claim 1, wherein the ratio of width to depth of the recesses (6) is from 20 to 40. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) of claim 1, wherein the ratio of width to depth of the recesses (6) is from 10 to 20. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The membrane support (1) of claim 1, wherein the ratio of width to depth of the recesses (6) is from 5 to 10. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The membrane support (1) of claim 2, wherein the recesses (6) have curved transitions at the bottom. ### Claim 17 (depends on 6) The membrane support (1) of claim 6, wherein the recesses (6) comprise concentric grooves and optionally dimples. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The membrane support (1) of claim 8, wherein the drainage port (5) is centered with respect to the support surface (2). ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The membrane support (1) of claim 11, wherein the depth of the recesses from the support surface is 0.2 mm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The membrane support (1) of claim 11, wherein the depth of the recesses from the support surface is 0.1 mm.