# US 11,305,291 B2 · Rack for a filtration device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,291 B2 - Document ID: US11305291B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/495,244 - Filed: 2017-02-18 - Published: 2021-05-20 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-18 - Assignees: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. - Applicants: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. - Inventors: Claus Tuma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305291B2 ## CPC - B01L 9/54: {Supports specially adapted for pipettes and burettes} - G01N 1/31: Apparatus therefor - G01N 1/4077: {by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids} - G01N 35/0099: {comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J)} - G01N 35/026: {having blocks or racks of reaction cells or cuvettes} - A61M 1/00: Suction or pumping devices for medical purposes; Devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body-liquids; Drainage systems (catheters A61M25/00; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; devices for taking samples of blood A61B5/15; filters implantable into blood vessels A61F2/01) - B01D 29/085: Funnel filters; Holders therefor - B01D 35/02: Filters adapted for location in special places, e.g. pipe-lines, pumps, stop-cocks, (B01D35/05 takes precedence; {water pipe system filters E03B3/18, E03B7/07; dirt catchers in sewers E03F; filters or strainers for pipe-lines in general B08B, E03F; object or dirt catching devices in sinks or the like E03C1/26; suction strainers or filters for pumps F04B53/005, F04D29/70}) - B01D 61/00: Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltration; Apparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor (separation of gases or vapours by diffusion B01D53/22) - B01D 61/22: Controlling or regulating - B01L 3/00: Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers - B01L 2200/025: Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other - B01L 2200/026: Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details - B01L 2200/04: Exchange or ejection of cartridges, containers or reservoirs - G01N 1/30: Staining; Impregnating {; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis} - G01N 2001/4088: {filtration} - G01N 2035/00287: {movable lid/cover for sample or reaction tubes} - G01N 2035/00475: {Filters} - G01N 2035/0403: {Sample carriers with closing or sealing means} - G01N 2035/0412: {Block or rack elements with a single row of samples} - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - 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) ## Abstract A rack for a diagnostic robot with at least one support for at least one container; at least one gas-outlet to supply the at least one container with a gas at a predefined but individually adjustable pressure level; a first gas pump to generate a gas at a predefined super-atmospheric pressure level; a second gas pump to generate a gas at a pre-defined sub-atmospheric pressure level; a first tubing system attached to the first gas pump and holding the gas generated by the first gas pump; a second tubing system attached to the second gas pump and holding the gas generated by the second gas pump; and at least one tube bridge, wherein one end of the bridge connects via a first valve into the first tubing system and the other end of the bridge connects via a second valve into the second tubing system, and wherein the at least one gas-outlet is connected to the center of the bridge. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A filtration device, comprising: at least one container; a rack for a diagnostic robot, the rack comprising: at least one support for the at least one container to firmly hold the at least one container in a pre-determined position of the rack; at least one gas-outlet to supply the at least one container with a gas at a pre-defined but individually adjustable pressure level; a first gas pump to generate a pre-defined super-atmospheric pressure level of the gas; a second gas pump to generate a pre-defined sub-atmospheric pressure level of the gas; a first tubing system attached to the first gas pump and holding the gas generated by the first gas pump; a second tubing system attached to the second gas pump and holding the gas generated by the second gas pump; at least one tube bridge, wherein one end of the bridge connects via a first valve into the first tubing system and the other end of the bridge connects via a second valve into the second tubing system, and wherein the at least one gas-outlet is connected to the center of the bridge; a lid covering the at least one container, wherein the lid exhibits an opening, wherein the lid holds an object carrier which includes a filtration assembly comprising a filtration membrane and a supporting body; and an adapter on the at least one container or lid, wherein the adapter is attached to the at least one gas-outlet on the rack so that a gas leak proof connection is established between the at least one container or lid and the rack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the gas is air. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the rack further comprises a pressure gauge in the center part of the at least one tube bridge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the rack further comprises a first gas storage tank arranged between the first gas pump and the first tubing system, and a second gas storage tank arranged between the second gas pump and the second tubing system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the rack further comprises input and/or output ports for power supply and/or digital data and/or analog data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein the rack further comprises straps or clamps that hold the at least one container and the filtration assembly in position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the rack is made of plastic material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The filtration device according to claim 7, wherein the plastic material is at least one of polypropylene, polyamide, or polycarbonate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The filtration device according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the rack is made using 3D-printing technology. ### Claim 10 A method of filtering a liquid, the method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a filtration device, comprising: at least one container; a rack for a diagnostic robot, the rack comprising at least one support for the at least one container to firmly hold the at least one container in a pre-determined position of the rack, at least one gas-outlet to supply the at least one container with a gas at a pre-defined but individually adjustable pressure level, a first gas pump to generate a pre-defined super-atmospheric pressure level of the gas, a second gas pump to generate a pre-defined sub-atmospheric pressure level of the gas, a first tubing system attached to the first gas pump and holding the gas generated by the first gas pump, a second tubing system attached to the second gas pump and holding the gas generated by the second gas pump, at least one tube bridge having one that connects via a first valve into the first tubing system and another end that connects via a second valve into the second tubing system, and wherein the at least one gas-outlet is connected to the center of the bridge; a lid covering the at least one container, wherein the lid exhibits an opening, wherein the lid holds an object carrier which includes a filtration assembly comprising a filtration membrane and a supporting body; and an adapter on the at least one container or lid, wherein the adapter is attached to the at least one gas-outlet on the rack so that a gas leak proof connection is established between the at least one container or lid and the rack; (b) applying a liquid to be filtered onto the filtration assembly of the filtration device; and (c) opening the second valve until the pre-determined sub-atmospheric gas pressure has been generated in the at least one container, resulting in filtration of the liquid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, further comprising one or more steps selected from: (d) opening the first valve until the pre-determined super-atmospheric gas pressure has been generated in the at least one container in order to discontinue the filtration process; (e) applying a liquid reagent onto the filtration assembly; (f) opening the second valve until the pre-determined sub-atmospheric gas pressure has been generated in the at least one container resulting in filtration of the liquid reagent; and (g) repeating one or more of steps (d)-(f). ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the liquid applied in step (b) comprises whole blood. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the method is further defined as a method of isolating cells from whole blood. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of fixing and washing the isolated cells. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of exposing the isolated cells to one or more automated assay procedures. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the gas is air. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the rack of the filtration device further comprises one or more of: a pressure gauge in the center part of the at least one tube bridge; a first gas storage tank arranged between the first gas pump and the first tubing system, and a second gas storage tank arranged between the second gas pump and the second tubing system; and/or input and/or output ports for power supply and/or digital data and/or analog data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the rack further comprises straps or clamps that hold the at least one container and the filtration assembly in position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the rack is made of plastic material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein the plastic material is polypropylene, polyamide or polycarbonate.