Circuit for biological liquid comprising a pinch valve

• US 9,777,847 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2013
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Tuccelli, Ronald, Cirou, Sebastien, Buisson, Virginie, Abouayad El Idrissi, Christine, Kelly, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): Venkatesan, Umashankar
• Application Number:
  US14/413,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20150204450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• Field of Search: 251 17, 251 7, 417479, 604 29, 604 28, 13756501
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0861 Configuration of multiple channels and/or chambers in a single devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0655 pinch valves
• 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: B01L 3/561 Tubes; Conduits in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/565 Seals in general F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/567 Valves, taps or stop-cocks in combination with burettes B01L3/0203; in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 49/0691 using sheet like material, e.g. sheet blow-moulding from joined sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/14 Filters optical filters B29L2011/0066, sieves or screens B29L2031/737
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/06 by means of a screw-spindle, cam, or other mechanical means F16K7/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/123 the seat being formed on the bottom of the fluid line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/85954 Closed circulating system

Abstract

The invention concerns a circuit comprising a bag (11) comprising two flexible films (45, 46) and a press (10) comprising a first (14) and a second (13) shell clamping the bag to form pipes having a passage and edges (41); the first shell comprising a valve (20) which comprises a movable member (24) and a pad (31), which pad has a resting configuration in which a second face (33) of the pad is concave and locally delimits a channel (18) and a pinching configuration in which the second face (33) is convex; said movable member and said pad being configured so that, when said valve is in closed position and said pad in pinching configuration, said passage is pinched by said movable member against said second shell channel and said edges (41) are pinched flat by said movable member against said second shell (13).

Claims

1. A circuit for biological liquid, comprising a plurality of connectors, a network for routing liquid between said connectors, a bag comprising two flexible films and said routing network connectors, and a press comprising a first shell and a second shell clamping said bag in a state in which pipes of said liquid routing network are formed between said films, said first shell comprising for each said pipe a shaping channel, said second shell comprising for each said pipe a shaping channel facing said corresponding shaping channel of the first shell;

said first shell comprising at least one pinch valve for a said pipe, which valve comprises an actuator comprising a movable pinching member and has an open position in which the moveable member is in a retracted position in which it does not pinch said pipe as well as a closed position in which the moveable member is in an extended position in which it pinches said pipe;

said movable pinching member moving between said open position and said retracted position along an axial moving axis and comprising a finger comprising a body provided with a pointed end, at least one pinching arm which extends laterally along said body and which is provided with a flat end that is perpendicular to said moving axis and at least one lateral pinching wall which extends along said body and has a beveled end meeting said pointed end;

said valve further comprising, in register with said moveable pinching member, an elastically compressible pad, which pad has a first face adjacent the moveable member and a second face adjacent the pipe to pinch, and, when said valve is in an open position, has a resting configuration in which said second face is concave and locally delimits said first shell shaping channel of said pipe to pinch, and, when said valve is in a closed position, has a pinching configuration in which said second face is convex, with said pipe and said pad sandwiched between said second shell shaping channel of said pipe to pinch and said moveable pinching member;

wherein said pipe to pinch has a routing passage for said biological liquid and edges formed on each side of said passage delimiting the latter;

said movable pinching member and said elastically compressible pad being configured such that, when said pinch valve is in a closed position and said pad in a pinching configuration, said routing passage of said pipe to pinch is pinched by said movable pinching member against said second shell shaping channel and said edges of said pipe to pinch are pinched flat by said flat end of said pinching arm of said movable pinching member against said second shell.

2. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said passage of said pipe to pinch has an elliptical outline and both said flexible film meet and are sealed to each other at the location of said edges of said passage.

3. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said pad forms part of an individual local plate.

4. A circuit according to claim 3, wherein said pad forms a central portion of said individual local plate, which comprises lateral and transverse walls which surround said central portion.

5. A circuit according to claim 4, wherein said lateral walls are flat whereas said central portion and said transverse walls are arcuately curved, with said transverse walls having a first section referred to as wide and said central portion which has a second section referred to as smaller relative to said first section.

6. A circuit according to claim 5, wherein said second shell shaping channel of said pipe to pinch has a central portion of smaller cross-section opposite said central portion of said individual local plate and two lateral portions of wide cross-section formed on respective opposite sides of said smaller cross-section central portion and opposite said transverse walls of said individual local plate.

7. A circuit according to claim 3, wherein said local individual plate comprises several transverse walls which meet at the location of a distinct junction of said central portion.

8. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said first shell comprises a recessed accommodation configured to receive said pad at least partially.

9. A circuit according to claim 8, wherein said individual local plate comprises at least one fastening device fastened by shape complementarity in at least one corresponding aperture provided in the recessed accommodation of said first shell.

10. A circuit according to claim 9, wherein said individual local plate comprises two fastening lugs forming said fastening device, said fastening lugs projecting from the transverse walls.

11. A circuit according to claim 9, wherein said individual local plate comprises a peripheral curb forming said fastening device, said curb being provided with a periphery on which is formed at least one positioning rib.

12. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said pad is formed from elastically compressible flexible plastic molded in one piece, in particular of silicone.

13. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said finger has a first distal end shaped like the second shell shaping channel and a second distal end shaped like said second shell, outside of and in immediate proximity to said second shell shaping channel, said finger being configured to push said pad and said passage of said pipe towards said second shell shaping channel and said edges of said pipe towards said second shell, outside of and in immediate proximity to said second shell shaping channel.

14. A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said finger further comprises a base from which extends said body, at the location of an opposite end of said body to said pointed end, said at least one pinching arm and/or said at least one lateral pinching wall resting on said base.

15. A circuit according to claim 13, wherein said first shell comprises a window opening into a recessed accommodation formed in said first shell, said window being configured to allow said movable pinching member to pass when the latter is in its extended position.

16. A circuit according to claim 2, wherein said pad forms part of an individual local plate.

17. A circuit according to claim 16, wherein said pad forms a central portion of said individual local plate, which comprises lateral and transverse walls which surround said central portion.

18. A circuit according to claim 17, wherein said lateral walls are flat whereas said central portion and said transverse walls are arcuately curved, with said transverse walls having a first section referred to as wide and said central portion which has a second section referred to as smaller relative to said first section.

19. A circuit according to claim 18, wherein said second shell shaping channel of said pipe to pinch has a central portion of smaller cross-section opposite said central portion of said individual local plate and two lateral portions of wide cross-section formed on respective opposite sides of said smaller cross-section central portion and opposite said transverse walls of said individual local plate.

20. A circuit according to claim 16, wherein said local individual plate comprises several transverse walls which meet at the location of a distinct junction of said central portion.

21. A circuit according to claim 2, wherein said first shell comprises a recessed accommodation configured to receive said pad at least partially.

22. A circuit according to claim 21, wherein said individual local plate comprises at least one fastening device fastened by shape complementarity in at least one corresponding aperture provided in the recessed accommodation of said first shell.

23. A circuit according to claim 2, wherein said pad is formed from elastically compressible flexible plastic molded in one piece.

24. A circuit according to claim 2, wherein said movable pinching member of said actuator comprises a finger having a first distal end shaped like the second shell shaping channel and a second distal end shaped like said second shell, outside of and in immediate proximity to said second shell shaping channel, said finger being configured to push said pad and said passage of said pipe towards said second shell shaping channel and said edges of said pipe towards said second shell, outside of and in immediate proximity to said second shell shaping channel.

25. A circuit according to claim 23, wherein said pad is formed from silicone.