Gas spargers and related container systems
AssigneeLife Technologies Corporation
InventorsMichael E. Goodwin, Nephi D. Jones, Jeremy K. Larsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A container system includes a bag comprised of one or more sheets of flexible polymeric material, the bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid. A flexible sparging sheet is secured to the interior surface of the bag so that a compartment is formed between the interior surface of the bag and the sparging sheet, at least a portion of the sparging sheet allowing gas to pass therethrough. A tubular port or tube is secured to the bag so that a passage bounded by the tubular port or tube communicates with the compartment. A mixing element is disposed within the chamber of the bag, the mixing element being spaced apart from the flexible sparging sheet.
Claims24
A container system comprising:
- a bag comprised of one or more sheets of flexible polymeric material, the bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid;
- a flexible sparging sheet secured to the interior surface of the bag so that a compartment is formed between the interior surface of the bag and the sparging sheet, at least a portion of the sparging sheet allowing gas to pass therethrough;
- a tubular port or tube secured to the bag so that a passage bounded by the tubular port or tube communicates with the compartment;
- and
- means for mixing fluid within the chamber of the bag, the means for mixing the fluid being separate from the flexible sparging sheet.
A container system comprising:
- a bag comprised of one or more sheets of flexible polymeric material, the bag having an interior surface at least partially bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid;
- a flexible sparging sheet secured directly to the interior surface of the bag so that a compartment is formed between the interior surface of the bag and the sparging sheet, at least a portion of the sparging sheet allowing gas to pass therethrough;
- a tubular port or tube secured to the bag so that a passage bounded by the tubular port or tube communicates with the compartment;
- and
- a mixing element disposed within the chamber of the bag, the mixing element being spaced apart from the flexible sparging sheet.
A method for sparging a fluid with a gas, the method comprising:
- dispensing a fluid into a chamber of a bag, a flexible sparging sheet being secured to an interior surface of the bag so that a compartment is formed between the interior surface of the bag and the sparging sheet, at least a portion of the sparging sheet allowing gas to pass therethrough;
- delivering a gas to the compartment so that the gas passes through the at least a portion of the sparging sheet and into contact with the fluid in the chamber;
- and
- mixing the fluid within the chamber of the bag while delivering the gas to the compartment, the mixing being accomplished by a mixing element spaced apart from the sparging sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.