Circuit for biological liquid

• US 9,051,929 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Cirou, Sebastien, Weissenbach, Jean-Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer, Devon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamo, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US13/004,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20120018018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 417/479, 417/474, 417/478, 137/565.01, 137/565.11, 137/565.13, 137/561.R, 137/597, 137/884, 604/28, 604/29, 604/33, 604/410, 251/61, 251/61.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/043 Micropumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/14 having plate-like flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85978 With pump

Abstract

The invention concerns a circuit comprising a bag (111) comprising two flexible films (145, 146) and routing network connectors, and a press (110) comprising a first shell (114) and a second shell (113) clamping the bag to form pipes (104) between the films, the first shell comprising a pinch valve (120) which comprises an actuator (121) comprising a movable member (124) and in register with the moveable member an elastically compressible pad (131) which, when the valve is in an open position, has a resting configuration in which a second face (33) of the pad is concave and locally delimits a shaping channel (118), and, when the valve is in a closed position, has a pinching configuration in which the second face (133) is convex, with the pipe and the pad sandwiched between a shaping channel (116) and the moveable member.

Claims

1. A circuit for biological liquid, comprising a plurality of routing connectors (2) and a network (3;

103) for routing liquid between said connectors, comprising;

a bag (11;

111) comprising two flexible films (45, 46;

145, 146) and said routing network connectors (2); and

a press (10;

110) comprising a first shell (14;

114) and a second shell (13;

113) clamping said bag (11;

111) in a state in which pipes (4;

104) of said liquid routing network (3;

103) are formed between said films (45, 46;

145, 146), said first shell (14;

114) comprising for each of said pipes (4;

104) a shaping channel (18;

118), said second shell (13;

113) comprising for each of said pipes (4;

104) a shaping channel (16;

116) facing a corresponding shaping channel (18;

118) of the first shell (14;

114);

with said first shell (14;

114) comprising at least one pinch valve (20;

120) for one of said pipes (4;

104), wherein the valve (20;

120) comprises an actuator (21;

121) comprising a moveable pinching member (24;

124), wherein the valve (20;

120) has an open position in which the moveable member (24;

124) is in a retracted position in which it does not pinch the pipe (4;

104) and has a closed position in which the moveable member (24;

124) is in an extended position in which it pinches the pipe (4;

104);

said valve (20;

120) further comprising, in register with said moveable pinching member (24;

124), an elastically compressible pad (31;

131), wherein the pad (31;

131) has a first face (32;

132) nearest the moveable member (24;

124) and a second face (33;

133) nearest the pipe corresponding to said pinching member (4;

104), wherein the pad (31;

131), when the valve (20;

120) is in an open position, has a resting configuration in which said second face (33;

133) is concave and locally delimits the first shell shaping channel (18;

118) of the pipe to pinch (4;

104), and, when the valve (20;

120) is in said closed position, has a pinching configuration in which said second face (33;

133) is convex, with said pipe (4;

104) and said pad (31;

131) sandwiched between the second shell shaping channel (16;

116) of the pipe to pinch (4;

104) and the moveable pinching member (24;

124).

2. A circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that said pipe corresponding to said pinching member (4;

104) has an elliptical contour.

3. A circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said pad (31) forms part of a common sheet (30) covering several pipes (4).

4. A circuit according to claim 3, wherein said common sheet (30) comprises at least one stiffening projection (38) close to the pad (31).

5. A circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first shell (114) comprises a recessed accommodation (160) adapted to receive said pad (131) at least partially.

6. A circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said pad (31;

131) is fastened to said first shell (14;

114).

7. A circuit according to claim 6, wherein said pad (31;

131) comprises fastening lugs (34, 35;

173) which fasten by complementarity of shape in corresponding apertures (36, 37;

164) of said first shell (14, 114).

8. A circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said pad (31;

131) is formed from elastically compressible flexible plastic molded in one piece.

9. A circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said pad (31;

131) is made of silicone.

10. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein the moveable member of the actuator (21) comprises a pneumatic membrane (24) adapted to push said pad (31) towards the second shell shaping channel (16).

11. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein the moveable member of the actuator (121) comprises a finger (124) having an end shaped like the second shell shaping channel (116).

12. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the shells (14) comprises at least one sensor (22) of a physico-chemical quantity.

13. A circuit according to claim 12, wherein said sensor (22) and said pad (31) are disposed on said first shell (14).