Systems for the transfer between a chamber and a container

• US 9,545,628 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Issued: 01/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech SA (Sartorius AG)
• Original Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech SA (Sartorius AG)
• Inventors: Armau, Stephanie
• Primary Examiner(s): Niesz, Jason K
• Assistant Examiner(s): STCLAIR, ANDREW D
• Application Number:
  US13/503,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20120219388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,309 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/78, 141/94, 141/250, 141/270
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 1/02 Air-pressure chambers; Air-locks therefor
• 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 2300/023 Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/024 Storing results with means integrated into the container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/041 Connecting closures to device or container
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/046 Function or devices integrated in the closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/54 Labware with identification means identification of carriers, materials or components in automatic analysers G01N35/00732

Abstract

The chamber (2) includes a wall (5) having an opening (7) and a connection interface (8), a door (10), joining elements (12), elements for maneuvering the door (10) and actuating elements for control of the maneuvering elements. The container (3) includes a wall (14) having an opening (16), a connection interface (9), a door (18), joining elements (13) and elements for maneuvering the door that are functionally joined to the door, and the system also includes, functionally integrated, marking elements, that rest on the container and that can store data, elements for short-range data reading that are functionally complementary to the marking elements, elements for storing read data, elements for producing an output signal based on read or stored data, and elements for controlling the opening of the first door and thus the second door, that respond to the output signal received from the elements for producing an output signal.

Claims

1. A biopharmaceutical system for transferring a certain content in one direction or another between a chamber and a sterile container that can be moved in relation to the chamber, the system comprising:

a chamber configured to hold the certain content therein, the chamber comprising;

a first wall provided with a first opening and a first connection interface,

a first door configured to be in a closed state in which the first door closes the first opening or in an open state in which the first door opens the first opening,

first joining means,

a first maneuvering device configured to maneuver the first door to move the first door from one state to the other state, and

means for actuating and controlling the first maneuvering device;

a container configured to hold the certain content therein and to be joined with the chamber, the container comprising;

a second wall provided with a second opening that, when the container is joined to the chamber, is in communication with the first opening, and provided with a second connection interface in addition to the first connection interface,

a second door configured to be in a closed state in which the second door closes the second opening or in an open state in which the second door opens the second opening,

second joining means configured to operate with the first joining means to carry out a stationary, detachable, and airtight joining of the container to the chamber, and

a second maneuvering device configured to maneuver the second door to move the second door from one state to the other state, functionally joined to the first door so that the opening or closing of the first door respectively results in the opening or closing of the second door;

a data marking device which rests on the container and which stores data;

a short-range data reader configured to read the data from the data marking device when the container with the data marking device is proximate to the short-range data reader;

a storage configured to store the read data;

a signal production device configured to produce a first output signal based on the read data that is not previously-stored and a second output signal based on the stored data; and

a controller configured to control the opening of the first door and the second door to allow transferring the content from one of the container and the chamber to the other of the container and the chamber, in response to the first output signal received from the signal production device when the container is joined to the chamber and the short-range data reader reads the data from the data marking device, and configured to prevent the first door from being opened to prevent transferring the content from the one of the container and the chamber to the other of the container and the chamber in response to the second output signal, thereby ensuring that the container is single use,

wherein the data marking device, the reader, the storage, the signal production device, and the controller are functionally integrated into the system, and

the data marking device is not in physical contact with the content of the container.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a data writer configured to write data onto the data marking device, functionally joined to the opening and/or closing of the first door of the chamber.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein one or more of the data reader and the data writer are located, at least during operation of the transfer system or in preparation for the operation, a short distance from the marking device.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein one or more of the data reader and the data writer either rest on the chamber or are at least adjacent to the first door of the chamber or to the passage or location area of the container while the container is being joined to the chamber.

5. The system according to claim 2, wherein one or more of the data reader and the data writer do not rest directly on the chamber, but are located apart from the chamber, being either arranged in a stationary manner or movable.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the storage, the signal production device, and the controller rest on the chamber.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data marking device is a read/rewrite type device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data marking device is a transponder or RFID label.

9. The system according to claim 2, wherein one or more of the data reader and the data writer are located, at least during operation of the transfer system or in preparation for the operation, a short distance from the first door or at least from a passage area of the container to join the container to the chamber or to locate the container during the joining.

10. The system according to claim 2, wherein one or more of the data reader and the data writer do not rest directly on the chamber, but are located apart from the chamber, being portable.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the storage, the signal production device, and the controller do not rest on the chamber.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data marking device is a read-only type device.

13. A biopharmaceutical system for transferring a certain content in one direction or another between a chamber and a sterile container that can be moved in relation to the chamber, the system comprising:

a chamber configured to hold the certain content therein, the chamber comprising;

a first wall provided with a first opening and a first connection interface,

a first door configured to be in a closed state in which the first door closes the first opening or in an open state in which the first door opens the first opening,

first joining means,

a first maneuvering device configured to maneuver the first door to move the first door from one state to the other state, and

means for actuating and controlling the first maneuvering device;

a container configured to hold the certain content therein and to be joined with the chamber, the container comprising;

a second wall provided with a second opening that, when the container is joined to the chamber, is in communication with the first opening, and provided with a second connection interface in addition to the first connection interface,

a second door configured to be in a closed state in which the second door closes the second opening or in an open state in which the second door opens the second opening,

second joining means configured to operate with the first joining means to carry out a stationary, detachable, and airtight joining of the container to the chamber, and

a second maneuvering device configured to maneuver the second door to move the second door from one state to the other state, functionally joined to the first door so that the opening or closing of the first door respectively results in the opening or closing of the second door;

a data marking device which rests on the container and which stores data;

a short-range data reader configured to read the data from the data marking device when the container with the data marking device is proximate to the short-range data reader;

a storage configured to store the read data;

a signal production device configured to produce a first output signal based on the read data that is not previously-stored and a second output signal based on the stored data; and

a controller configured to control the opening of the first door and the second door to allow transferring the content from one of the container and the chamber to the other of the container and the chamber, in response to the first output signal received from the signal production device when the container is joined to the chamber and the short-range data reader reads the data from the data marking device, and configured to prevent the first door from being opened to prevent transferring the content from the one of the container and the chamber to the other of the container and the chamber in response to the second output signal, thereby ensuring that the container is single use,

wherein the data marking device, the reader, the storage, the signal production device, and the controller are functionally integrated into the system,

the data marking device is not in physical contact with the content of the container, and

the sterile container is a single-use pouch.

14. A biopharmaceutical system for transferring a certain content in one direction or another between a chamber and a sterile container that can be moved in relation to the chamber, the system comprising:

a chamber configured to hold the certain content therein, the chamber comprising;

a first wall provided with a plurality of first openings and a plurality of first connection interfaces,

a plurality of first doors configured to be in a closed state in which the first doors close the first openings or in an open state in which the first doors open the first openings,

first joining means,

at least a first maneuvering device configured to maneuver one of the first doors to move the one of the first doors from one state to the other state, and

means for actuating and controlling the first maneuvering device;

a plurality of containers, each one of the plurality of containers being configured to hold the certain content therein and to be joined with the chamber, each of the containers comprising;

a second wall provided with a second opening that, when the container is joined to the chamber, is in communication with the first opening, and provided with a second connection interface in addition to the first connection interface,

a second door configured to be in a closed state in which the second door closes the second opening or in an open state in which the second door opens the second opening,

second joining means configured to operate with the first joining means to carry out a stationary, detachable, and airtight joining of the container to the chamber, and

a second maneuvering device configured to maneuver the second door to move the second door from one state to the other state, functionally joined to the first door so that the opening or closing of the first door respectively results in the opening or closing of the second door;

a data marking device which rests on each of the containers and which stores data;

at least a short-range data reader configured to read the data from the data marking device when the respective container with the data marking device is proximate to the short-range data reader;

a storage configured to store the read data;

a signal production device configured to produce a first output signal based on the read data that is not previously-stored and a second output signal based on the stored data; and

a controller configured to control the opening of the first door and the second door to allow transferring the content from one of the respective container and the chamber to the other of the respective container and the chamber, in response to the first output signal received from the signal production device when the respective container is joined to the chamber and the short-range data reader reads the data from the data marking device, and configured to prevent the first door from being opened to prevent transferring the content from the one of the respective container and the chamber to the other of the respective container and the chamber in response to the second output signal, thereby ensuring that the respective container is single use,

wherein the data marking device, the reader, the storage, the signal production device, and the controller are functionally integrated into the system,

wherein the data marking device is not in physical contact with the content of the respective container, and

at least one or more of said sterile containers are single use pouches.