PROCESS CONTROL USING NON-INVASIVE PRINTED PRODUCT SENSORS
First Claim
1. A container apparatus for processing a product, comprising:
- a product containment vial having an interior surface defining a product containment space in communication with an exterior of the product containment vial via a vial opening; and
a plurality of product condition sensors located on the interior surface of the product containment vial incrementally spaced from the vial opening for measuring a condition profile of the product within the product containment space, the product condition sensors each comprising metallic particles in a dried ink suspension deposited as at least one strip on a substrate.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for monitoring a freeze drying process includes product condition sensors for product condition measurement within product vials. The product condition sensors are bimetal junctions deposited on a substrate using an ink jet printing process. The substrate may be a flexible film applied to an interior surface of the product vial, or may be the vial surface itself. The bimetal junction may be printed using a roll-roll inkjet printing process with metallic nanoparticle inks. Multiple closely-spaced bi-metal junctions are provided in each measurement vial. Data from the sensors is transmitted to a data collection point via short range wireless digital communications. The location of a sublimation front may be calculated for each measured vial, and the freeze drying process may be controlled using the data.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A container apparatus for processing a product, comprising:
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a product containment vial having an interior surface defining a product containment space in communication with an exterior of the product containment vial via a vial opening; and a plurality of product condition sensors located on the interior surface of the product containment vial incrementally spaced from the vial opening for measuring a condition profile of the product within the product containment space, the product condition sensors each comprising metallic particles in a dried ink suspension deposited as at least one strip on a substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for preparing a container for measuring a temperature profile in a product contained in the container, comprising:
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directing an ink jet onto a flexible substrate to print strips on the substrate to form a flexible substrate with deposited bimetal thermocouples, the ink jet comprising metallic particles in a liquid suspension; after directing the ink jet onto the flexible substrate, applying the flexible substrate with deposited bimetal thermocouples to an interior surface of the container; and electronically connecting the bimetal thermocouples to electronics for measuring the temperature profile. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A system for aseptic processing of a product, comprising:
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a processing chamber including an arrangement for supporting a plurality of product vials; a measurement product vial assembly comprising; a measurement product vial for containing a portion of the product; a plurality of product condition sensors at a plurality of locations spaced incrementally from an opening of the measurement product vial and attached to an inside surface of the measurement product vial for measuring a condition of the product in the measurement product vial, the product condition sensors comprising first and second metallic strips comprising metal-containing inks printed on a substrate; a processor connected for receiving measurements by the product condition sensor and transmitting measurement data via a local wireless network; and a radio frequency energy harvesting board connected for powering the processor using a received wireless powering signal; a radio frequency power transmission system for powering the radio frequency energy harvesting board within the processing chamber via the wireless powering signal; and a wireless communications transceiver configured for communications with the processor via the local wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification