Clean transportation system

• US 8,182,769 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Biologics LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chavarria, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMMOND, CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US12/062,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20090253566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 422547-550, 422/561, 494/43
• US Class Current: 422/547
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/025 Align devices or objects to ensure defined positions relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/041 Connecting closures to device or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0409 centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5021 Test tubes specially adapted for centrifugation purposes centrifuges B04B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/508 rigid containers not provided for above
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 9/06 Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/00 Unpacking of articles or materials, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2525 Stabilizing or preserving
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]

Abstract

A transportation system for transporting a biological material container between a sterile field and a nonsterile field and substantially maintaining sterility of the biological material container includes a housing assembly that removably houses the biological material container. The system also includes a port defined by the housing assembly, and the port provides communication into the biological material container from outside the housing assembly. The housing assembly includes a first member that covers a first portion of the biological material container such that a second portion of the biological material container extends from the first member. The housing assembly also includes a second member that covers the second portion of the biological material container. The second member is removably coupled to the first member to expose the second portion of the biological material container. A keying member that keys the transportation system in a centrifuge is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A transportation system for transporting a biological material container between a sterile field and a nonsterile field and substantially maintaining sterility of the biological material container, the transportation system comprising:

a housing assembly that removably houses the biological material container;

a port defined by the housing assembly, the port providing communication into the biological material container from outside the housing assembly; and

a coupling member;

the housing assembly including a first member with an open end and a closed end, the first member at least partially covering a first portion of the biological material container such that a second portion of the biological material container extends from the open end of the first member, the housing assembly further including a second member that at least partially covers the second portion of the biological material container, the second member continuously surrounding the first member adjacent the open end, the second member including a first open end and a second open end, the coupling member removably coupling the second member to the first member such that the second member can be moved relative to the first member by moving the second member away from the open end and toward the closed end of the first member such that the second member receives the first member to thereby expose the second portion of the biological material container, the second member being slidable away from the open end and slidable over the first member such that the first and second open ends receive the first member to expose the second portion of the biological material container.

2. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the coupling member is a breakable bonded coupling.

3. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the housing assembly further includes a cap member that at least partially covers a third portion of the biological material container.

4. The transportation system of claim 3, wherein the cap member defines the port.

5. The transportation system of claim 3, further comprising a tab coupled to the cap member, the tab enabling removal of the cap member from the housing assembly.

6. The transportation system of claim 3, wherein the cap member is removably coupled to the second member, and the second member is disposed between the cap member and the first member.

7. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the housing assembly is substantially shaped according to an outer shape of the biological material container.

8. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the housing assembly is substantially rigid.

9. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the housing assembly is insertable into a centrifuge, and further comprising a keying member that keys the housing assembly in the centrifuge to maintain a predetermined orientation of the housing assembly in the centrifuge.

10. The transportation system of claim 9, wherein the centrifuge includes a bucket that receives the housing assembly, wherein the bucket includes a projection, and wherein the keying member is a recess that receives the projection.

11. The transportation system of claim 9, wherein the housing assembly defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the keying member is at least partially offset from the longitudinal axis.

12. The transportation system of claim 1, wherein the second member receives the first member by moving over an outer surface of the first member to thereby expose the second portion of the biological material container.

13. A biological material container system comprising:

a biological material container that includes a first portion and a second portion; and

a transportation system for transporting the biological material container between a sterile field and a nonsterile field and substantially maintaining sterility of the biological material container, the transportation system comprising;

a housing assembly that removably houses the biological material container;

a port defined by the housing assembly, the port providing communication into the biological material container from outside the housing assembly; and

a coupling member;

the housing assembly including a first member with an open end and a closed end, the first member at least partially covering the first portion of the biological material container such that the second portion of the biological material container extends from the open end of the first member, the housing assembly further including a second member that at least partially covers the second portion of the biological material container, the second member continuously surrounding the first member adjacent the open end, the second member including a first open end and a second open end, the coupling member removably coupling the second member to the first member such that the second member can be moved relative to the first member by moving the second member away from the open end and toward the closed end of the first member such that the second member receives the first member to thereby expose the second portion of the biological material container, the second member being slidable away from the open end and slidable over the first member such that the first and second open ends receive the first member to expose the second portion of the biological material container.

14. The biological material container system of claim 13, wherein the second member receives the first member by moving over an outer surface of the first member to thereby expose the second portion of the biological material container.