Gas spargers and related container systems

• US 8,603,805 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hyclone Laboratories, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Goodwin, Michael E., Jones, Nephi D., Larsen, Jeremy K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ketter, James S
• Application Number:
  US11/385,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20060270036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,822 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/296.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/44 Mixing of ingredients for microbiology, enzymology, in vitro culture or genetic manipulation
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231231 the outlets being in the form of perforations
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231233 comprising foam-like gas outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23124 consisting of flexible porous or perforated material, e.g. fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231241 the outlets being in the form of perforations
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231243 comprising foam-like gas outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231245 Fabric in the form of woven, knitted, braided, non-woven or flocculated fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/23125 characterised by the way in which they are assembled or mounted; Fabricating the parts of the diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231262 having disc shape
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231264 being in the form of plates, flat beams, flat membranes or films
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/231266 being in the form of rings or annular elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2319 Methods of introducing gases into liquid media
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/2366 Parts; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/30 Injector mixers mixing by creating vortex flow B01F25/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/113 Propeller-shaped stirrers for producing an axial flow, e.g. shaped like a ship or aircraft propeller
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/91 with propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/441 performing a rectilinear reciprocating movement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/406 in receptacles with gas supply only at the bottom B01F33/405 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/513 Flexible receptacles, e.g. bags supported by rigid containers
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/14 Bags
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/20 : Material Coatings immunocoatings C12M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/24 : Gas permeable parts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/26 : flexible flexible containers for laboratory use B01L3/505
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 27/04 : with introduction of gas through the stirrer or mixing element
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/06 : Nozzles; Sprayers; Spargers; Diffusers per se B01F23/231, B01J19/26
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 37/00 : Means for sterilizing, maintaining sterile conditions or avoiding chemical or biological contamination C12M23/38 takes precedence; filtration in general and filters per se B01D24/00-B01D41/00; autoclaves B01J3/04; treatment of microorganisms with electrical or wave energy C12N13/00

Abstract

A sparger includes a body bounding a compartment. A tubular port or tube is coupled with the body. The tubular port or tub bounds a passage that communicates with the compartment of the body. At least a portion of the body includes of a first sparging sheet. The first sparging sheet includes a flexible sheet of a gas permeable material such that a gas passing into the compartment of the body through the passage can exit the compartment by permeating through the first sparging sheet.

Claims

1. A sparger comprising:

a base having a tubular member extending therefrom, the tubular member having an interior surface bounding a passage;

a sparging sheet comprised of a flexible sheet of a gas permeable material; and

a flexible transition member secured to and extending between the sparging sheet and the base, the transition member comprising an annular ring having an inside first end and an outside second end, the inside first end being mounted to the sparging sheet and the outside second end being mounted to the base such that no portion of the sparging sheet is mounted directly to the base, the base being comprised of a substantially non-porous material and the transition member being in the form of a flexible sheet, the transition member being comprised of a different material than the sparging sheet.

2. The sparger as recited in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a flange radially outwardly projecting from the tubular member.

3. The sparger as recited in claim 1, wherein the base comprises a ring shaped member having an inside edge bounding an opening and an encircling outside edge.

4. The sparger as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a ring shaped second transition member secured to and extending between the sparging sheet and the base.

5. The sparger as recited in claim 1, wherein the base is comprised of an extruded sheet of polymeric material.

6. The sparger as recited in claim 1, wherein the tubular member comprises a port, a stem, or an elongated tube integrally formed with or connected to the base.

7. The sparger as recited in claim 1, wherein the sparging sheet is comprised of a polymeric nonwoven fabric, a solvent cast polymeric film, an open cell foamed polymer sheet, or a perforated polymer sheet.

8. The sparger as recited in claim 1, further comprising a check valve coupled with the tubular member.

9. A container assembly comprising:

a flexible polymeric bag having an interior surface bounding a chamber; and

a sparger comprising;

a base having a tubular member extending therefrom, the tubular member having an interior surface bounding a passage;

a sparging sheet comprised of a flexible sheet of a gas permeable material; and

a flexible transition member secured to and extending between the sparging sheet and the base, the transition member being comprised of a different material than the sparging sheet, the sparger being at least partially disposed within the chamber of the polymeric bag, the base of the sparger being secured to the polymeric bag.

25. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the sparging sheet is disposed completely within the chamber of the polymeric bag.

26. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the tubular member is integrally formed with the base out of a single piece of material.

27. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the base is substantially planar.

28. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the base is comprised of a flexible material.

29. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the base comprises a flange radially outwardly projecting from the tubular member.

30. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the base comprises a ring shaped member having an inside edge bounding an opening and an encircling outside edge.

31. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the transition member comprises an annular ring having an inside edge and an outside edge, the inside edge being mounted to the sparging sheet and the outside edge being mounted to the base.

32. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the sparger further comprises a ring shaped second transition member secured to and extending between the sparging sheet and the base.

33. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the tubular member comprises a port, a stem, or an elongated tube integrally formed with or connected to the base.

34. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the sparging sheet is comprised of a polymeric nonwoven fabric, a solvent cast polymeric film, an open cell foamed polymer sheet, or a perforated polymer sheet.

35. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, further comprising a check valve coupled with the tubular member.

36. The container assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein the tubular member is integrally formed with the base out of a single piece of material.

10. A sparger comprising:

a base having a tubular member extending therefrom, the tubular member having an interior surface bounding a passage, the base and the tubular member each being comprised of a flexible polymeric material having a durometer on Shore A scale with a value of less than 90; and

a sparging sheet comprised of a flexible sheet of a gas permeable material secured to the base.

11. The sparger as recited in claim 10, wherein the base comprises a flange radially outwardly projecting from the tubular member.

12. The sparger as recited in claim 10, wherein the tubular member comprises a port, a stem, or an elongated tube integrally formed with or connected to the base.

13. The sparger as recited in claim 10, wherein the sparging sheet is welded to the base.

14. The sparger as recited in claim 10, further comprising a flexible transition member secured to and extending between the sparging sheet and the base, the transition member being comprised of a different material than the sparging sheet.

15. The sparger as recited in claim 10, wherein the sparging sheet is connected to the base at a location spaced apart from the tubular member so that a compartment is formed between the base and the sparging sheet.

16. The sparger as recited in claim 10, wherein the sparging sheet is comprised of a nonwoven fabric, a solvent cast polymeric film, an open cell foamed polymer sheet, or a perforated polymer sheet.

17. A container assembly comprising:

a container having an interior surface bounding a chamber, the chamber being adapted to hold a fluid, the container comprising a bag that is comprised of one or more sheets of flexible polymeric material; and

a sparging sheet comprised of a flexible sheet of a gas permeable material secured to the interior surface of the container either directly or through a flexible transition member so that a compartment is formed between the interior surface of the container and the sparging sheet, the sparging sheet being disposed completely within the chamber of the container.

18. The container assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the bag comprises an open topped liner.

19. The container assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the container is disposed within a rigid support housing.

20. The container assembly as recited in claim 17, further comprising a tubular port, stem, or tube coupled with the container so that a passage bounded by the tubular port, stem, or tube communicates with the compartment.

21. The container assembly as recited in claim 20, further comprising a check valve coupled with the tubular port, stem, or tube.

22. The container assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the transition member has a substantially ring shaped configuration that is secured to and extends between the sparging sheet and the interior surface of the container, the transition member being comprised of a different material than the sparging sheet.

23. The container assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the sparging sheet is comprised of a nonwoven fabric, a solvent cast polymeric film, an open cell foamed polymer sheet, or a perforated polymer sheet.

24. A sparger comprising:

a base having a tubular member extending therefrom, the tubular member having an interior surface bounding a passage;

a sparging sheet comprised of a flexible sheet of a gas permeable material;

a flexible ring shaped first transition member secured to and extending between the sparging sheet and the base, the base being comprised of a substantially non-porous material and the first transition member being in the form of a flexible sheet, the first transition member being comprised of a different material than the sparging sheet; and

a ring shaped second transition member secured to and extending between the sparging sheet and the base.