Vessel closures and methods for using and manufacturing same
AssigneeSartorius Stedim North America Inc.
InventorMichael A Zumbrum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Vessel closures having a variety of inserts for aseptically sealing vessels. The vessel closures have a body with one or more apertures, one or more inserts extending axially through the one or more apertures, and a cast seal surrounding the inserts. The cast seal is preferably east silicone. The vessel closures may have one or more anchors securing the inserts to the body of the vessel closure. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing vessel closures and a method of using the vessel closures disclosed herein for circulating fluids into and out of a vessel while also having the ability to regulate the temperature of the pumped fluid.
Claims40
A vessel closure comprising a body, one or more apertures extending axially through the body, one or more inserts extending axially through one or more apertures, and a cast seal disposed within the body and surrounding each insert.
A method of manufacturing a vessel closure comprising a body, one or more apertures extending axially through the body, and an insert extending axially through one or more apertures;
- the method comprising:
- creating one or more apertures in a body;
- inserting an insert axially through one or more apertures;
- casting a casting agent into the body;
- and
- curing the casting agent to form a seal around and bond to the one or more inserts.
A tubing assembly in a vessel closure comprising:
- one or more thermoplastic tubes extending axially through one or more apertures extending through the vessel closure;
- an anchor adhesively attached to a portion of each thermoplastic tube, the anchor capable of bonding with a casting agent;
- and
- a casting agent securing each anchor and thermoplastic tube through each aperture.
A tubing assembly in a vessel closure comprising:
- flexible tubing extending through an aperture in the closure;
- a deformable sleeve adhesively attached to and surrounding at least a portion of the flexible tubing;
- the sleeve being formed of a material having plasticity such that pressure applied to the sleeve causes the sleeve to deform about and seal the flexible tubing and upon continued application of pressure to the sleeve, the sleeve and flexible tubing are cm and the sleeve retains a deformed shape substantially sealing the tubing;
- and
- a cast seal surrounding the sleeve.
A method of manufacturing a vessel closure, the vessel closure comprising one or more apertures through a body with tubing extending through the one or more apertures;
- the method comprising:
- creating one or more apertures in a body;
- inserting silicone tubing through at least one aperture;
- inserting thermoplastic tubing through at least one other aperture wherein at least a portion of the thermoplastic tubing is surrounded by a sleeve adhesively attached to the tubing, wherein the outer surface of the sleeve is capable of bonding with a casting agent;
- casting a casting agent into the body;
- and
- curing the casting agent to form a seal around and bond to the silicone tubing and to the at least one sleeve surrounding the thermoplastic tubing.
A vessel closure comprising a body, at least two apertures through the body, and flexible tubing passing through the at least two apertures wherein the ends of the tubing are both directed into the interior of the vessel thereby forming a loop on the exterior of the vessel.
A method of circulating a fluid into and out of a vessel comprising sealing a vessel with a closure, the closure comprising a body, at least two apertures through the body, and flexible tubing routed through the at least two apertures so the ends of the tubing are both directed into the interior of the vessel thereby forming a loop on the exterior of the vessel;
- attaching circulating means to the loop on the exterior of the vessel and using the circulating means to circulate fluid out of and into the vessel through the flexible tubing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.