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US 11,998,880 B2Granted
Collapsible agitator assembly for a bioprocessing system
AssigneeGlobal Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC
InventorNasim Hashemi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mixing system includes a container for containing a fluid, and an agitator assembly disposable in the container for mixing the fluid. The agitator includes an extensible shaft and at least one impeller connected to the extensible shaft.
Claims13
A mixing system for a bioreactor system, comprising:
- a container for containing a fluid;
- and
- an agitator assembly disposable in the container for mixing the fluid, the agitator assembly including:
- an extensible shaft having a plurality of nestable shaft segments and at least one impeller connected to the extensible shaft, wherein the plurality of nestable shaft segments are slidable with respect to one another so as to be configurable in a compact state;
- and
- a spring element extending axially along the extensible shaft including the plurality of nestable shaft segments, wherein the spring element includes a plurality of shaft spring elements, each of the shaft spring elements configured to exert an axial biasing force on one of the plurality of nestable shaft segments to set an extended position, wherein each of the shaft spring elements extends axially along a length of a corresponding nestable shaft segment, wherein the shaft spring elements positioned about the corresponding nestable shaft segments in the extended position collectively extend axially along a length of the extensible shaft from near a bottom of the container to near a top of the container.
3 more elements
A method for bioprocessing, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a flexible bioprocessing bag inside a support vessel, the flexible bioprocessing bag containing an agitator assembly positioned at a bottom of the flexible bioprocessing bag, the agitator assembly including a hub, an extensible shaft connected to the hub having a plurality of nestable shaft segments, a spring element extending axially along the extensible shaft including the plurality of nestable shaft segments that is configured to exert an axial biasing force on each of the nestable shaft segments, and an impeller connected to the extensible shaft;
- placing the hub of the agitator assembly in registration with a magnetic drive assembly exterior to the flexible bioprocessing bag;
- and
- extending the extensible shaft from a first position where the impeller is located a first distance from the bottom of the flexible bioprocessing bag, to a second position where the impeller is located a second distance from the bottom of the flexible bioprocessing bag;
- wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance,
- wherein the spring element includes a plurality of shaft spring elements, each of the shaft spring elements configured to exert an axial biasing force on one of the plurality of nestable shaft segments to set an extended position,
- wherein each of the shaft spring elements extends axially along a length of a corresponding nestable shaft segment,
- wherein the shaft spring elements positioned about the corresponding nestable shaft segments in the extended position collectively extend axially along a length of the extensible shaft from near the bottom of the flexible bioprocessing bag to near a top of the flexible bioprocessing bag.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.