Device and Method for Automatically Opening and Closing a Material Container During a Lyophilization Process
First Claim
1. A device for storing a material to be lyophilized, the device comprising:
- a support panel;
a sidewall extending transverse to the support panel, the sidewall and the support panel defining a storage space for accommodating a material;
an opening defined by a rim of the sidewall that is spaced away from the support panel;
a cover removably disposed adjacent to the rim of the sidewall for closing the opening; and
at least one lifter device disposed between the support panel and the cover and comprising a reservoir and at least one movable wall, the reservoir defining a sealed cavity containing a fluid, the at least one movable wall in operable communication with the fluid in the sealed cavity and engaging the cover to displace the cover away from the rim when the at least one lifter device is subject to an ambient pressure that is less than the pressure of the fluid in the sealed cavity.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for storing a material to be lyophilized includes a support panel, a sidewall, an opening, a cover, and at least one lifter device. The sidewall and the support panel define a storage space for accommodating a material. The opening is defined by a rim of the sidewall. The cover is removably disposed adjacent to the rim of the sidewall for closing the opening. The lifter device is disposed between the support panel and the cover and includes a reservoir and at least one movable wall. The reservoir defines a sealed cavity containing a fluid. The movable wall is in operable communication with the fluid in the sealed cavity and engaging the cover to displace the cover away from the rim when the lifter device is subject to an ambient pressure that is less than the pressure of the fluid in the sealed cavity.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A device for storing a material to be lyophilized, the device comprising:
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a support panel; a sidewall extending transverse to the support panel, the sidewall and the support panel defining a storage space for accommodating a material; an opening defined by a rim of the sidewall that is spaced away from the support panel; a cover removably disposed adjacent to the rim of the sidewall for closing the opening; and at least one lifter device disposed between the support panel and the cover and comprising a reservoir and at least one movable wall, the reservoir defining a sealed cavity containing a fluid, the at least one movable wall in operable communication with the fluid in the sealed cavity and engaging the cover to displace the cover away from the rim when the at least one lifter device is subject to an ambient pressure that is less than the pressure of the fluid in the sealed cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of facilitating the lyophilization of a material, the method comprising:
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loading the material into a material container having a rim and a removable cover disposed adjacent to the rim; loading the material container into a lyophilization chamber of a freeze drying machine while the removable cover is in a closed position engaging the rim; lyophilizing the material; automatically lifting the cover into an opened position spaced from the rim of the container by reducing the ambient pressure in the lyophilization chamber while lyophilizing the material to allow at least one component of the material to exhaust from the container; and automatically returning the cover to the closed position engaging the rim of the container after lyophilizing the material by raising the ambient pressure in the lyophilization chamber. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification