Test system and method for flexible containers
AssigneeAdvanced Scientific Corp.
InventorRudolf Pavlik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portable test device and related method are disclosed for conducting integrity testing of flexible containers. The test is particularly useful for testing aseptic flexible film bags in a manner that maintains the sterile nature of the container and removes crinkles by inflating the containers to remove crinkles and establish an inflation set point. The decay in pressure is measured over a predetermined period of time; if pressure loss does not exceed a predetermined threshold the integrity of the bag is confirmed and it can be filled without further manipulation of the container that may result in introducing flaws.
Claims19
A method comprising:
- inflating a flexible container with a sterile gas until a predetermined pressure set point is reached within the flexible container;
- allowing the sterile gas to settle for a first predetermined period of time after the step of inflating so that there is a pressure drop within the flexible container;
- reinflating the flexible container until the predetermined pressure set point is reached within the flexible container;
- thereafter
- measuring a subsequent pressure within the flexible container after a second predetermined period of time;
- and
- comparing the measured subsequent pressure of the flexible container to a predetermined threshold.
A method comprising:
- inflating a flexible container with a sterile gas until a predetermined pressure set point is reached within the flexible container;
- allowing the sterile gas to settle to settle for a first predetermined period of time after the step of inflating;
- wherein after the first predetermined period of time for settling there is a reduction in the pressure of greater than 30%, then reinflating the flexible container until the predetermined pressure set point is reached within the flexible container;
- thereafter,
- measuring a subsequent pressure within the flexible container after a second predetermined period of time;
- and
- comparing the measured subsequent pressure of the flexible container to a predetermined threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.