METHODS FOR MAKING A HOUSINGLESS HOLLOW FIBER FILTRATION APPARATUS

• US 20110139345A1
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hutchinson, Ryan Austin, Quirion, Owen Scott, Williams, Eric Douglas, Wood, Nichole Lea, Shoemaker, Philip Alexander, White, James Mitchell, Griffin, Weston Blaine
• Granted Patent: US 8,216,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/145
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/34 Filtering material out of the blood by passing it through a membrane, i.e. hemofiltration or diafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3403 Regulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/20 Specific housing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/21 Specific headers, end caps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/50 Specific extra tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/501 Permeate storage tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/021 Manufacturing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/022 Encapsulating hollow fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/0223 by fixing the hollow fibres prior to encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/0233 forming the bundle
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/024 with a single potted end
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/0241 being U-shaped

Abstract

The invention provides a method of manufacturing a housingless hollow fiber filtration apparatus using batch, continuous, and semi-continuous processes. Also provided is manufacturing methods to increase rigidity of the apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a housingless hollow fiber filtration apparatus comprising the steps of:

compressing, cutting, and heat-sealing the ends of a bundle of hollow fibers;

inserting both ends of the cut hollow fiber bundle into separate potting cups that are filled with curable potting material;

curing the potting material;

cutting the potting cups and bundle of hollow fibers to expose open hollow fibers while retaining a portion of the potting cups;

attaching end cap housings to the retained portion of the potting cups;

providing two thermoplastic parts wherein said thermoplastic parts have matching apertures along the edges of the thermoplastic parts to form inlet and outlet ports when sealed;

positioning the hollow fiber unit between two thermoplastic parts such that the end cap housings are inserted into the apertures; and

sealing the peripheral edges of the two thermoplastic parts together to form a closed filtration apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic parts comprise planar flexible films.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

forming additional melt seals longitudinally along opposing sides of the flexible films to form a flexible bag having two additional compartments along the peripheral edges of said flexible bag; and

filling said compartments with at least one of air, liquid, or foam.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the inlet and outlet ports are in juxtaposition along one edge of the flexible bag and the two planar flexible films are melt sealed along the opposing side of the inlet and outlet ports to form a compartment along the lower edge of the flexible bag and wherein said compartment if filled with at least one of air, liquid, or foam.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermoplastic parts comprise rigid three dimensional parts.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the potting material comprises a UV cured adhesive, visible light cured adhesive, heat cured adhesive, thermoplastic resin, thermoset resin, or combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the ends cap housing has a tapered design such that the inner diameter of said end cap housing, on the side opposite the hollow fiber bundle, is reduced.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the potting cup is designed so the closed portion is cylindrical and the open portion has a funnel shape.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the end cap housing is independently attached to the potting sleeves, inlet port, and outlet port by an adhesive, solvent bond, threaded seal, retaining clip, melt seal, compression seal, pressure fit, or a combination thereof.

10. A method of manufacturing a housingless hollow fiber filtration apparatus comprising the steps of:

forming a continuous bundle of hollow fibers aligned longitudinally along a winding apparatus;

applying a potting material to the bundle of hollow fibers at a set position along the winding apparatus;

curing the potting material to form a potting sleeve;

cutting the potting sleeves and bundle of hollow fibers to expose open hollow fibers while retaining a portion of the potting sleeves;

attaching end cap housings to the retained portion of the potting sleeves;

providing two thermoplastic parts wherein said thermoplastic parts have matching apertures along the edges of the films to form inlet and outlet ports when sealed;

positioning the hollow fiber unit between two thermoplastic parts such that the end cap housings are inserted into the apertures; and

sealing the peripheral edges of the two thermoplastic parts together to form a closed filtration apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the thermoplastic parts comprise planar flexible films.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

forming additional melt seals longitudinally along opposing sides of the planar flexible films to form a flexible bag having two additional compartments along the peripheral edges of said flexible bag; and

filling said compartments with at least one of air, liquid, or foam.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the inlet and outlet ports are in juxtaposition along one edge of the flexible bag and the planar flexible films are melt sealed along the opposing side of the inlet and outlet ports to form a compartment along the lower edge of the flexible bag and wherein said compartment if filled with at least one of air, liquid, or foam.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the thermoplastic parts comprise rigid three-dimensional parts.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the potting material comprises a UV cured adhesive, visible light cured adhesive, heat cured adhesive, thermoplastic resin, thermoset resin, or combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the ends cap housing has a tapered design such that the inner diameter of said end cap housing, on the side opposite the hollow fiber bundle, is reduced.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the end cap housing is independently attached to the potting sleeves, inlet port, and outlet port by an adhesive, solvent bond, threaded seal, retaining clip, melt seal, compression seal, pressure fit, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of applying a sealant coating to the bundle of hollow fibers to provide adhesion between fibers.

19. A method of manufacturing a housingless hollow fiber filtration apparatus comprising the steps of:

forming a continuous bundle of hollow fibers aligned longitudinally along a winding apparatus;

attaching end cap housings to the bundle of hollow fibers at a set position along the winding apparatus wherein the end cap housing comprises an exterior fill port;

injecting a potting material into the exterior fill port such that potting material contacts the bundle of hollow fibers;

curing the potting material to form a potting sleeve;

cutting the end cap housings to expose open hollow fibers while retaining a portion of the end cap housings;

providing two thermoplastic parts wherein said thermoplastic parts have matching apertures along the edges of the thermoplastic parts to form inlet and outlet ports when sealed;

positioning the hollow fiber unit between the two thermoplastic parts such that the end cap housings are inserted into the apertures; and

melt sealing the peripheral edges of the two thermoplastic parts together to form a closed filtration apparatus.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the end cap housings are attached using a two part locking connection, overmolding, or a combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the potting material comprises a UV cured adhesive, visible light cured adhesive, heat cured adhesive, thermoplastic resin, thermoset resin, or combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of applying a sealant coating to the bundle of hollow fibers to provide adhesion between fibers.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the thermoplastic parts comprise planar flexible films.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of:

forming additional melt seals longitudinally along opposing sides of the planar flexible films to form a flexible bag having two additional compartments along the peripheral edges of said flexible bag; and

filling said compartments with at least one of air, liquid, or foam.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the inlet and outlet ports are in juxtaposition along one edge of the flexible bag and the planar flexible films are melt sealed along the opposing side of the inlet and outlet ports to form a compartment along the lower edge of the flexible bag and wherein said compartment if filled with at least one of air, liquid, or foam.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the thermoplastic parts comprise rigid three-dimensional parts.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the end cap housing is attached to the inlet port and outlet port by an adhesive, solvent bond, threaded seal, retaining clip, melt seal, compression seal, pressure fit, or a combination thereof.

28. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of applying a sealant coating to the bundle of hollow fibers to provide adhesion between fibers.