# US 2014/0190570 A1 · Vessel closures and methods for using and manufacturing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190570 A1 - Document ID: US20140190570A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/128,259 - Filed: 2011-06-22 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-22 - Assignees: Sartorius Stedim North America Inc. - Inventors: Michael A Zumbrum - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190570A1 ## CPC - F16L 5/02: Sealing - B65D 41/0435: {with separate sealing elements} - B65D 47/06: with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages (with slidable spouts B65D47/26) - B65D 51/002: {Closures to be pierced by an extracting-device for the contents and fixed on the container by separate retaining means} - B65D 51/24: combined {or co-operating} with auxiliary devices for non-closing purposes - B65D 53/06: Sealings formed by liquid or plastic material - F17D 3/00: Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations - Y10T 137/0318: Processes - Y10T 137/85978: With pump - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - F17D: PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES (pumps or compressors F04; fluid dynamics F15D; valves or the like F16K; pipes, laying pipes, supports, joints, branches, repairing, work on the entire line, accessories F16L; steam traps or the like F16T; fluid-pressure electric cables H01B9/06) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein the one or more inserts comprise silicone tubing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vessel closure of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the silicone tubing is treated with a primer where the tubing contacts the cast seal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein an anchor is adhesively attached to at least one of the one or more inserts, the cast seal is bonded to the anchor, and the anchor secures the one or more inserts and cast seal to the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vessel closure of claim 4 wherein the anchor mechanically attaches to the body through a friction fit connection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein the cast seal is attached to the body by way of priming at least a portion of the body and adhesively attaching the cast seal to the body. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein the cast seal is sealingly compressed between the body and the opening of a vessel upon tightening the closure on a vessel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein the cast seal is aseptically secured to the insert. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 further comprising at least one aperture in the body without an insert and sealed by the cast seal to form a pierceable closure over the at least one aperture. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein the one or more inserts are selected from the group consisting of tubing, a temperature probe, a pH sensor, a pierceable insert, a strain relief boot, a dip tube, a barbed fitting, a luer, and a quick connect fitting. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein at least one of the inserts is a bathed fitting with a barbed extension extending axially into the interior of the body and a barbed extension extending axially out of the body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein one or more check valves are placed on the tubing extending into the interior of a vessel when the vessel closure is placed on a vessel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein the casting agent is liquid silicone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The vessel closure of claim 1 wherein the casting agent is perfluoropolyether. ### Claim 15 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vessel closure of claim 15 wherein the casting agent is a liquid silicone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The vessel closure of claim 15 wherein the casting agent is a liquid perfluoropolyether. ### Claim 18 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. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The tubing assembly of claim 18 wherein the one or more thermoplastic tubes comprises C-Flex® tubing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The tubing assembly of claim 18 wherein the casting agent is aseptically sealed to the anchor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The tubing assembly of claim 18 wherein the anchor is constructed from material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, glass-filled plastic, ceramics, and composites. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The tubing assembly of claim 18 wherein at least a portion of the anchor is treated with a primer where the anchor contacts the casting agent. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The tubing assembly of claim 18 wherein the closure further comprises one or more silicone tubes extending through the one or more apertures in the body of the closure. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The tubing assembly of claim 23 wherein the one or more silicone tubes are adhesively attached to one or more anchors; the anchors securing the one or more silicone tubes to the body. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The tubing assembly of claim 18 wherein the casting agent is a liquid silicone. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The tubing, assembly of claim 18 wherein the casting agent is a liquid perfluoropolyether. ### Claim 27 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. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The tubing assembly of claim 27 wherein the tubing is thermoplastic tubing, elastomeric tubing, or a combination of thermoplastic and elastomeric tubing. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The tubing assembly of claim 27 wherein the casting agent is aseptically sealed to the deformable sleeve. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The tubing assembly of claim 27 wherein the casting agent is liquid silicone. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The tubing assembly of claim 27 wherein an anchor is adhesively attached to at least one of the one or more flexible tubes. ### Claim 32 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. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The vessel closure of claim 32 wherein the casting agent is a liquid silicone. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The vessel closure of claim 32 wherein the casting agent is a liquid perfluoropolyether. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the thermoplastic tubing comprises C-Flex® tubing. ### Claim 36 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. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The vessel closure of claim 36 further comprising, a pump attached to the loop of tubing on the exterior of the vessel. ### Claim 38 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. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38 wherein a peristaltic pump is connected to the loop of tubing on the exterior of the vessel and used to circulate the fluid. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38 wherein a heat exchanger is connected to the loop of tubing on the exterior of the vessel and used to regulate the temperature of the fluid.