Dissolution testing with in-situ gravimetric volume measurement
First Claim
1. A dissolution test apparatus, comprising:
- a vessel support member including a plurality of vessel mounting sites for supporting a plurality of vessels, each vessel mounting site having an aperture for receiving a vessel;
a plurality of weight sensors, at least one weight sensor located at each vessel mounting site, each weight sensor positioned to contact a vessel received in the respective aperture and configured to transmit a measurement signal indicative of the weight of the vessel and any contents therein;
a movable component positioned above the vessel support member;
a media transport cannula supported by the movable component and movable thereby to at least one selected vessel mounting site;
a pump assembly communicating with the media transport cannula and configured to establish media flow between the media transport cannula and a vessel mounted at the aperture of the selected vessel mounting site; and
an electronic controller communicating with the plurality of weight sensors, the electronic controller configured to receive the measurement signals from the weight sensors and, based on the received measurement signals, calculate volumes of media in the vessels associated with the received measurement signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dissolution test apparatus includes a vessel support member, weight sensors, a movable component, a media transport cannula, a pump, and an electronic controller. The vessel support member receives vessels. A weight sensor is located at each vessel site. Each weight sensor contacts a vessel and transmits a measurement signal indicative of the weight of the vessel and any contents therein. The movable component moves the media transport cannula toward a vessel site. The pump establishes media flow between the media transport cannula and the selected vessel. The controller communicates with the weight sensors and may also communicate with the pump. Based on the measurement signals received from the weight sensors, the electronic controller may calculate the volume of media in a given vessel. The electronic controller may also control media flows to or from the vessels by transmitting control signals to the pump assembly.
42 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A dissolution test apparatus, comprising:
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a vessel support member including a plurality of vessel mounting sites for supporting a plurality of vessels, each vessel mounting site having an aperture for receiving a vessel; a plurality of weight sensors, at least one weight sensor located at each vessel mounting site, each weight sensor positioned to contact a vessel received in the respective aperture and configured to transmit a measurement signal indicative of the weight of the vessel and any contents therein; a movable component positioned above the vessel support member; a media transport cannula supported by the movable component and movable thereby to at least one selected vessel mounting site; a pump assembly communicating with the media transport cannula and configured to establish media flow between the media transport cannula and a vessel mounted at the aperture of the selected vessel mounting site; and an electronic controller communicating with the plurality of weight sensors, the electronic controller configured to receive the measurement signals from the weight sensors and, based on the received measurement signals, calculate volumes of media in the vessels associated with the received measurement signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for making a volumetric measurement of media contained in a vessel of a dissolution test apparatus, the method comprising:
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mounting the vessel at the dissolution test apparatus such that the vessel contacts a weight sensor of the dissolution test apparatus; transmitting one or more measurement signals from the weight sensor to an electronic controller of the dissolution test apparatus; based on the one or more transmitted measurement signals, operating the electronic controller to calculate the volume of media contained in the vessel; and controlling a flow of media between the vessel and a media transport cannula of the dissolution test apparatus by operating the electronic controller to control a pump communicating with the media transport cannula based on the calculated media volume. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification