# US 7,608,440 B2 · Apparatus for ultrasonic microbial disruption > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,608,440 B2 - Document ID: US7608440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/571,029 - Filed: 2004-09-07 - Published: 2006-11-09 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2003-09-08 - Assignees: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Inventors: William Terence Coakley; Kathryn Amelia Jane Borthwick; Martin Bernard McDonnell; Tracey Elizabeth Love - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7608440B2 ## CPC - C12M 47/06: {Hydrolysis; Cell lysis; Extraction of intracellular or cell wall material (lysis of microorganisms C12N1/06; extracting or separating nucleic acids from biological samples C12N15/1003)} - 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} ## Abstract Apparatus for microbial disruption, comprises a cylindrical transducer having a beat conducting, solid transmission layer disposed along at least a part of the inner longitudinal surface thereof, said transmission layer or said transducer and transmission layer defining a channel for receipt of a liquid sample, and means capable of delivering an alternating potential to said transducer at a frequency and voltage exciting resonance and inducing cavitation in said liquid sample. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for ultrasonic microbial disruption, comprising a cylindrical transducer having a heat-conducting, solid transmission layer disposed along at least a part of the inner longitudinal surface thereof, said transmission layer or said transducer and transmission layer defining a channel for receipt of a liquid sample, and means capable of delivering an alternating potential to said transducer at a frequency and voltage exciting resonance and inducing cavitation in said liquid sample. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, in which the transmission layer has thickness about an integral multiple of the half wavelength of sound therein. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, in which the cylindrical transducer has a wall thickness about 6.5 mm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3, in which the cylindrical transducer has outer diameter about 63.7 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, in which the transmission layer comprises steel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, in which the transmission layer comprises a cylindrical tube of longitudinal length greater than the cylindrical transducer, outer diameter about 50.5 mm and wall thickness of about 20.5 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6, in which the channel has width or diameter of about 3.8 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, including means for closing said channel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for delivering the sample to said channel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising cooling means. ### Claim 11 A method for ultrasonic microbial disruption comprising i) introducing a liquid sample to an apparatus comprising a cylindrical transducer having a heat-conducting solid transmission layer along at least a part of the inner longitudinal surface thereof, said transmission layer or said transducer and transmission layer defining a channel for receiving said sample and ii) applying an alternating potential to said transducer at a frequency and voltage exciting resonance and inducing cavitation in said liquid layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, in which the transmission layer has thickness about an integral multiple of the half wavelength of sound therein. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, in which the cylindrical transducer has wall thickness about 6.5 mm. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, in which the cylindrical transducer has outer diameter about 63.7 mm. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, in which the transmission layer comprises steel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, in which the transmission layer comprises a cylindrical tube of longitudinal length greater than the cylindrical transducer, outer diameter about 50.5 mm and wall thickness of about 20.5 mm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, in which the channel has width or diameter about 3.8 mm. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, in which the frequency of the alternating potential ranges from 264 to 314 kHz and the magnitude of the potential is about 80 Vrms. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, performed as a batch process. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, performed as a continuous process. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, including cooling the apparatus.