Cap with filter and transfer apparatus
AssigneeScientific Plastic Products, Inc.
InventorsSamuel A. Ellis, Kishan G. Hingorani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cap has recess containing a porous frit and a graded porosity filter located so fluid from a container to which the cap is connected passes through the filter and out a spout on the cap. The filter porosity is selected to pass product expressed from cellular organisms grown in growth media inside the container while filtering out debris. A cap vent allows positive pressure in the container ullage to expedite filtering and reduce agitation of the container contents. This is not just a cap with a filter but an enabling tool. This tool enables total design change in many processes from previous thinking, allowing for the maximization of purified material, and reduction of multiple steps.
Claims36
A cap and filter step reduction tool assembly for use in separating product excreted externally of living cells from liquids, growth media and debris in which the product exists within a container, the container having a neck defining an opening to the container, the product having a size measured by molecular weight, comprising:
- a cap having a first portion configured to cover the opening of the container, an outlet and a filter assembly located therebetween, the filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing having a porous support with a rim around a periphery of the porous support;
- a graded porosity filter fitting within that rim and having a small pore size sufficiently large to pass the product through the filter while retaining the debris;
- a locking ring urging a periphery of the filter against an outer portion of the filter;
- and
- a frit located to place the filter between the porous support and the frit, the frit being sealed to the housing so fluid flows through the frit and to the filter during use;
- a vent opening extending through the cap with a vent tube connected to the portion of the cap defining the vent opening, the vent tube having a length selected to extend into an ullage of the container when the container is inverted so product flows from the container through the filter and outlet of the cap.
A kit for transferring fluid from a container having a neck defining an opening to the container, the container having therein a product excreted externally of living cells that were contained in a growth media in the container, the container further containing fragments of those cells, the product having a size measured by molecular weight, comprising:
- a cap having a first portion configured to cover the opening of the container, an outlet and a filter assembly located there between, the filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing having a porous support with a rim around a periphery of the porous support;
- a filter fitting within that rim and having a small pore size sufficiently large to pass the product through the filter while retaining the debris, the filter comprises a graded porosity filter;
- a locking ring urging a periphery of the filter against an outer portion of the filter;
- and
- a frit located to place the filter between the porous support and the frit, the frit and locking ring being sealed to each other and the filter housing so that fluid flows through the frit and then through the filter and out the cap outlet during use;
- and
- a vent opening extending through the cap;
- a vent tube having a first end configured to be connected to the portion of the cap defining the vent opening, the vent tube having a length selected to extend into an ullage of the container when the container is inverted so product flows from the container through the outlet of the cap.
A cap and filter step reduction tool assembly for use in separating product excreted externally of living cells from liquids, growth media and debris in which the product exists within a container, the container having a neck defining an opening to the container, the product having a size measured by molecular weight, comprising:
- a cap having a first portion configured to cover the opening of the container, an outlet and a filter assembly located therebetween, the filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing having a porous support with a rim around a periphery of the porous support;
- a graded porosity filter fitting within that rim and having a small pore size sufficiently large to pass the product through the graded porosity filter while retaining the debris;
- a locking ring urging a periphery of the graded porosity filter against an outer portion of the graded porosity filter;
- wherein the graded porosity filter comprises one of a plurality of planar filters of different porosity or a plurality of lenticular filters and wherein the first portion of the cap is connected to the opening of the container, the container containing mammalian cells and growth media.
A cap and filter step reduction tool assembly for use in separating product excreted externally of living cells from liquids, growth media and debris in which the product exists within a container, the container having a neck defining an opening to the container, the product having a size measured by molecular weight, comprising:
- a cap having a first portion configured to cover the opening of the container, an outlet and a filter assembly located therebetween, the filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing having a porous support with a rim around a periphery of the porous support;
- a graded porosity filter fitting within that rim and having a small pore size sufficiently large to pass the product through the graded porosity filter while retaining the debris;
- a locking ring urging a periphery of the graded porosity filter against an outer portion of the graded porosity filter;
- wherein the graded porosity filter comprises one of a plurality of planar filters of different porosity or a plurality of lenticular filters and wherein the first portion of the cap is connected to the opening of the container, the container containing insect cells and growth media.
A cap and filter step reduction tool assembly for use in separating product excreted externally of living cells from liquids, growth media and debris in which the product exists within a container, the container having a neck defining an opening to the container, the product having a size measured by molecular weight, comprising:
- a cap having a first portion configured to cover the opening of the container, an outlet and a filter assembly located therebetween, the filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing having a porous support with a rim around a periphery of the porous support;
- a graded porosity filter fitting within that rim and having a small pore size sufficiently large to pass the product through the graded porosity filter while retaining the debris;
- a locking ring urging a periphery of the graded porosity filter against an outer portion of the graded porosity filter;
- wherein the graded porosity filter comprises one of a plurality of planar filters of different porosity or a plurality of lenticular filters and wherein the first portion of the cap is connected to the opening of the container, the container containing algae or cyanobacteria cells and growth media.
A cap and filter step reduction tool assembly for use in separating product excreted externally of living cells from liquids, growth media and debris in which the product exists within a container, the container having a neck defining an opening to the container, the product having a size measured by molecular weight, comprising:
- a cap having a first portion configured to cover the opening of the container, an outlet and a filter assembly located therebetween, the filter assembly comprising:
- a filter housing having a porous support with a rim around a periphery of the porous support;
- a graded porosity filter fitting within that rim and having a small pore size sufficiently large to pass the product through the graded porosity filter while retaining the debris;
- a locking ring urging a periphery of the graded porosity filter against an outer portion of the graded porosity filter;
- wherein the graded porosity filter comprises one of a plurality of planar filters of different porosity or a plurality of lenticular filters and wherein the first portion of the cap is connected to the opening of the container, the container containing living cells and growth media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.