U.S. patent application number 13/537693 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-25 for method and apparatus for filtrate storage handling.
This patent application is currently assigned to ROUSH LIFE SCIENCES, LLC. Invention is credited to Jeffrey F. Kane, Vito Lore, Sean Landis Phillips, Thomas Taylor.
Application Number | 20120267301 13/537693 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39386455 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120267301 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kane; Jeffrey F. ; et
al. |
October 25, 2012 |
Method and Apparatus for Filtrate Storage Handling
Abstract
A method of removing a filtrate storage bottle from a water bath
includes inserting at least two finger underneath a radially
protruding lip of a filtrate storage bottle sealing cap and raising
the at least two fingers to lift the bottle from the water bath. A
side wall portion of the filtrate storage bottle sealing cap is
smaller in perimeter than a circle surrounding the radially
protruding lip. The cap creates a liquid tight seal with the
filtrate storage bottle.
Inventors: |
Kane; Jeffrey F.;
(Worcester, MA) ; Taylor; Thomas; (Windham,
NH) ; Lore; Vito; (Somerville, MA) ; Phillips;
Sean Landis; (Lancaster, MA) |
Assignee: |
ROUSH LIFE SCIENCES, LLC
Livonia
MI
|
Family ID: |
39386455 |
Appl. No.: |
13/537693 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12023757 |
Jan 31, 2008 |
8231012 |
|
|
13537693 |
|
|
|
|
60952010 |
Jul 26, 2007 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
210/257.1 ;
215/316; 215/329; 215/352 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D 2201/204 20130101;
B01D 29/085 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
210/257.1 ;
215/329; 215/316; 215/352 |
International
Class: |
B65D 41/04 20060101
B65D041/04; B65D 41/02 20060101 B65D041/02; B01D 35/30 20060101
B01D035/30 |
Claims
1. A storage bottle sealing cap comprising: an upper portion having
a top surface and a radially protruding lip; a side wall portion
connected to the upper portion, the side wall portion having an
outer surface with a smaller perimeter than the radially protruding
lip and an inner surface including a thread forming a helical
ridge; and a plurality of ribs having a concave profile, the
plurality of ribs connected to the sidewall portion and the
radially protruding lip.
2. A sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the outer edge
includes surface ridges thereon.
3. A sealing cap according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing
ring extending from a bottom surface of the upper portion.
4. A sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of
the side wall portion decreases in perimeter away from the upper
portion.
5. A sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of
the side wall portion concaves radially inward.
6. A sealing cap according to claim 5, wherein a section of the
side wall outer surface has a constant perimeter.
7. A sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of
the upper portion is flat.
8. A sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the top surface of
the upper portion is specially adapted to receive labeling
information.
9. A sealing cap according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of
ribs has a concave profile.
10. A liquid filtration kit comprising: a reservoir, a filtrate
storage bottle; a filter for use in between the reservoir and the
filtrate storage bottle; and a filtrate storage bottle sealing cap
including: an upper portion having a top surface and a radially
protruding lip comprising an outer edge; and a side wall portion
connected to the upper portion, the side wall portion having an
outer surface with a smaller perimeter than the radially protruding
lip.
11. A liquid filtration kit according to claim 10, wherein the
outer edge includes surfaces ridges thereon.
12. A liquid filtration kit according to claim 10, further
comprising: a vacuum collar, for coupling a vacuum source such that
a pressure differential is created that draws a sample from the
reservoir through the filter and into the filtrate storage
bottle.
13. A filtrate storage system comprising: a filtrate storage
bottle; and a filtrate storage bottle sealing cap characterized by:
an upper portion having a top surface and a radially protruding lip
comprising an outer edge; and a side wall portion connected to the
upper portion, the side wall portion having an outer surface with a
smaller perimeter than the radially protruding lip.
14. A filtrate storage system according to claim 13, wherein the
outer edge includes surface ridges thereon.
15. A filtrate storage system according to claim 13, wherein the
outer surface of the side wall portion decreases in perimeter away
from the upper portion.
16. A filtrate storage system according to claim 13, wherein the
outer surface of the side wall portion concaves radially
inward.
17. A filtrate storage system according to claim 16, wherein a
section of the side wall outer surface has a constant
perimeter.
18. A filtrate storage system according to claim 13, wherein the
top surface of the upper portion is specially adapted to receive
labeling information.
19. A filtrate storage system according to claim 13, further
comprising a plurality of ribs connected to the sidewall portion
and the radially protruding lip.
20. A filtrate storage system according to claim 13, further
comprising a sealing ring extending from a bottom surface of the
upper portion.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/023,757, entitled "Method and Apparatus for
Filtrate Storage Handling," filed Jan. 31, 2008, assigned attorney
docket number 3427/116, and naming Jeffrey F. Kane, Thomas Taylor,
Vito Lore, and Sean Landis Phillips as inventors, the disclosure of
which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference.
[0002] U.S. application Ser. No. 12/023,757, in turn, claims
priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/952,010,
entitled "Vacuum Bottle," filed Jul. 26, 2007, and naming Thomas
Taylor and Jeffrey F. Kane as inventors, the disclosure of which is
hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0003] The present application is related to applications with the
following titles and attorney docket numbers: "Vacuum Base and
Related Methods and Apparatus for Vacuum Filtration," docket no.
3427/115, U.S. application Ser. No. 12/023,711; "Methods and
Apparatus for Foam Control in a Vacuum Filtration System," docket
no. 3427/114, U.S. application Ser. No. 12/023,685, now U.S. Pat.
No. 8,158,009; "Methods and Apparatus for Supporting a Vacuum
Filtration Device," docket no. 3427/117, U.S. application Ser. No.
12/023,820, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,157,104 all filed on Jan. 31, 2008,
the full disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference
herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention relates to liquid filtration systems,
and particularly to caps used during the storage of filtrated
liquids.
BACKGROUND ART
[0005] Entities such as pharmaceutical companies and university
research labs commonly use vacuum filtration sterilization of
biological fluids such as cell culture media and buffer solutions.
This typically involves what are referred to as bottle-top filters
such as the three-piece example shown in FIG. 1. A bottle-top
filter device 10 includes an upper unfiltered sample reservoir 11,
which is removable and disposable. On the bottom there is a
filtrate storage bottle 13 for collecting the liquid filtrate and a
vacuum collar 14 with a vacuum port for manual coupling of a vacuum
source in between reservoir 11 and storage bottle 13. Vacuum is
applied downstream of the filter 12 to create a pressure
differential, which draws the sample liquid through the filter into
storage bottle 13. The neck of storage bottle 13 may be adapted to
receive a cap to close the bottle after filtering is complete and
the bottle is disconnected from vacuum collar 14. The components
used in the sterilization process are normally sold
pre-sterilized.
[0006] However, such components and the associated processes have
various inherent challenges. For example, potential spills are a
significant concern. A spill can disrupt production for up to an
entire day and require use of a sanitizing laminar hood. Such
spills may occur at any point throughout the filtration process,
including after the filtration is complete and the filtrate storage
bottle is being handled during further associated tasks.
[0007] In addition to the risk of spills and contamination, there
are other problems with existing filtration products, particularly
with the filtrate storage components. Some of the problems may
include difficulties in handling a storage bottle, especially when
the bottle is slippery as may be the case when one is removed from
a water bath, trouble reading or providing adequate packaging
information, and/or storage bottle caps cracking when
tightened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present
invention a method of removing a filtrate storage bottle from a
water bath is provided. The method includes the steps of: inserting
at least two fingers (including the thumb) underneath a radially
protruding lip of a filtrate storage bottle sealing cap and raising
the at least two fingers to lift the bottle from the water bath.
The radially protruding lip has a larger perimeter than a side wall
portion of the cap. The cap creates a liquid tight seal with the
filtrate storage bottle.
[0009] The method may further include the step of reading labeling
information on a top surface of the filtrate storage bottle sealing
cap.
[0010] In accordance with other embodiments of the present
invention a method of obtaining a filtered liquid sample is
provided. The method includes the steps of: providing a liquid
filtration system that includes a reservoir, a filter, and a
filtrate storage bottle, filling the reservoir with a liquid
medium, creating a pressure differential such that the liquid
medium moves through the filter and into the storage bottle,
removing the filtrate storage bottle from the liquid filtration
system, engaging a filtrate storage bottle sealing cap with the
filtrate storage bottle to create a liquid tight seal between the
filtrate storage bottle sealing cap and the filtrate storage
bottle, depositing the filtrate storage bottle into a water bath,
inserting at least two fingers underneath the radially protruding
lip of the filtrate storage bottle sealing cap, and raising the at
least two fingers to lift the bottle from the water bath. The
filtrate storage bottle sealing cap has an upper portion that
includes a radially protruding lip.
[0011] In another embodiment of the present invention a liquid
filtration kit is provided. The kit includes a reservoir, a
filtrate storage bottle, a filter for use in between the reservoir
and the filtrate storage bottle, and a filtrate storage bottle
sealing cap. The filtrate storage bottle sealing cap includes an
upper portion have a top surface and a radially protruding lip
comprising an outer edge and a side wall portion connected to the
upper portion. The side wall portion has an outer surface with a
smaller perimeter than the radially protruding lip.
[0012] The outer edge of the upper portion of the filtrate storage
bottle sealing cap may include surface ridges.
[0013] The liquid filtration kit may also include a vacuum collar
for coupling a vacuum source such that a pressure differential is
created that draws a sample from the reservoir through the filter
and into the filtrate storage bottle.
[0014] In accordance with other embodiments of the present
invention a filtrate storage system is provided. The filtrate
storage system includes a filtrate storage bottle and a filtrate
storage bottle sealing cap. The filtrate storage bottle sealing cap
is characterized by an upper portion and a side wall portion
connected to the upper portion. The upper portion has a top surface
and a radially protruding lip having an outer edge. The side wall
portion has an outer surface with a smaller perimeter than the
radially protruding lip.
[0015] The outer surface of the side wall portion may decrease in
perimeter away from the upper portion, which may be provided with a
side wall portion that concaves radially inward. A section of the
side wall outer surface may have a constant perimeter.
[0016] The top surface of the upper portion may be flat and may be
specially adapted to receive labeling information.
[0017] The inner surface of the side wall may include threads
forming a helical ridge.
[0018] The filtrate storage system may include a plurality of ribs
connected to the sidewall portion and the radially protruding lip.
The plurality of ribs may have a concave profile.
[0019] The filtrate storage bottle sealing cap of the filtrate
storage system may include a sealing ring extending from a bottom
surface of the upper portion.
[0020] In accordance with yet other embodiments of the present
invention a filtrate storage bottle sealing cap is provided. The
cap generally includes an upper portion and a side wall portion
connected to the upper portion. The upper portion has a top surface
and a radially protruding lip. The side wall portion has an outer
surface with a smaller perimeter than the radially protruding lip
and an inner surface that includes a thread forming a helical
ridge. The cap also includes a plurality of ribs connected to the
side wall portion and the radially protruding lip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 shows an example of a bottle-top filter device
according to the prior art.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a liquid filtration system for
which an embodiment of the present invention may be provided.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a filtrate storage system in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIGS. 4A-4D show an embodiment of a filtrate storage cap
according to the present invention engaged with a filtrate storage
bottle.
[0025] FIGS. 5A-5C show solid model views of a filtrate storage cap
according to the present invention engaged with a filtrate storage
bottle.
[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a method of removing a filtrate storage
bottle from a water bath according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a liquid filtration system 20 used to produce
filtrate that may be stored using an embodiment of the present
invention. The filtration system generally includes a vacuum bottle
23 connected by a vacuum collar 24 to an upper sample reservoir 21,
together forming a unified filter assembly. The sample reservoir 21
receives a volume of unfiltered sample liquid and has on its inner
bottom a sample filter 22 for mechanically filtering the sample
liquid. The vacuum collar 24 is disposed between the sample
reservoir 21 and the storage bottle 23 for applying a vacuum to an
underside of the sample filter 22, which draws sample liquid
through the sample filter into the storage bottle. The storage
bottle 23 receives filtered sample liquid from the sample reservoir
21.
[0028] The storage bottle 23 may have features to minimize spills
and accidents such as a weighted base. The sides of the storage
bottle may include opposing flat gripping surfaces 232 for secure
handling. After a sample has been filtered, the storage bottle 23,
containing the filtrate, may be disconnected from the filtration
system and may be covered with a bottle cap 300.
[0029] FIG. 3 shows a filtrate storage system according to an
embodiment of the present invention that includes filtrate storage
bottle cap 300, which has an upper portion 301 that has a radially
protruding lip 303. The lip extends outward such that a circle
about its outermost extension has a larger perimeter than side wall
304 of the cap. The outer edge of the lip may be coextensive with a
circle or it may be discontinuous. By extending radially outward
beyond side wall 304, lip 303 enables easy vertical pick-up and is
particularly useful, for example, when storage bottle 23 is placed
in a water bath. As illustrated in FIG. 3, cap 300 is particularly
suited to be handled in a manner that reduces slippage problems
because lip 303 enables a grasping position that causes normal
forces applied to the cap by fingers 306 underneath the lid to
translate more efficiently or directly into opposing the
gravitational forces on the bottle.
[0030] The filtrate storage bottle cap may be provided in a form
suitable for grasping underneath the cap through various cap
embodiments that require the lip of the upper portion of the cap to
have a larger perimeter than the side wall of the cap. For example,
the side wall may gradually decrease in perimeter further way from
the lip providing, for example, a side wall having a concave
profile or an inwardly curving profile relative to the center of
the cap. Alternatively, the cap may be provided with a side wall
whose perimeter is reduced from the perimeter of the lip portion in
a step function manner and remains constant at that reduced
perimeter for a length of the side wall. The side wall could also
be some hybrid of the two configurations described.
[0031] Additionally, the top surface 302 of the filtrate storage
bottle cap 300 is flat and easy to use for writing and labeling.
Top surface 302 may be textured from the manufacturing process. For
example, the cap may be molded with a textured top surface. The
front of storage bottle 23 may also contain accurate, easy to read
graduation marks 231. The top of storage bottle 23 is adapted
(e.g., threaded) to be easily connected to and disconnected from
the vacuum collar 24.
[0032] FIGS. 4A-4D show an embodiment of a filtrate storage cap
according to the present invention engaged with a filtrate storage
bottle. FIG. 4A is a sectional view of a storage cap 400 according
to the present invention installed on bottle 23. Storage cap 400
has an upper section 401 that includes a flat top surface 402 and a
radially protruding lip 403. In this embodiment, the lip 403 has an
outer edge 408 that includes ridges 407. Ridges 407 provide
increased grip when installing or removing cap 400 from bottle 23.
Cap 400 further includes sidewall 404 and ribs 406. Ribs 406 are
interconnected between sidewall 404 and lip 403 providing increased
strength and stiffness to the cap that decreases the likelihood of
the cap cracking. The ribs also reinforce lip 403. The ribs may be
provided with a concave or an inwardly curving profile.
[0033] FIG. 4B provides a magnified view of cap 400 engaged with
bottle 23. The connection of ribs 406 between sidewall 404 and
outer edge 408 of lip 403 is further illustrated in this magnified
view. The inner surface of sidewall 404 includes a thread 409 that
forms a helical ridge on inner surface 404 so that cap 400 can be
rotatably engaged with bottle 23 at the neck of the bottle. The
neck of the bottle has a thread 410 that interlocks with thread
409. The interlocking threads 409 and 410 help seal the contents
within bottle 23 from the contents outside of the bottle. Cap 400
may also include a sealing ring 405 extending from bottom surface
412 of cap 400. Sealing ring 405 also helps provide a liquid tight
seal, preventing the contents within bottle 23 from interacting
with the contents outside of the bottle.
[0034] FIG. 4C is a projection view from above of bottle 23 engaged
with cap 400. In this view the top flat surface 402 of cap 400 is
further illustrated. Additionally, a plurality of ridges 407
located on lip 403 is further illustrated.
[0035] FIG. 4D is a projection view from below of bottle 23 engaged
with cap 400. The plurality of ridges 407 are shown in this figure
along with the plurality of ribs 406 interconnected between lip 403
and sidewall 404.
[0036] FIGS. 5A-5C show solid model views of a filtrate storage cap
according to the present invention engaged with a filtrate storage
bottle. FIG. 5A shows a profile view of bottle 23 engaged with cap
400. FIG. 5B shows a projection view from above of FIG. 5A. FIG. 5C
illustrates a semitransparent bottle 23 and provides a 3-D view of
thread 409 that forms a helical ridge on the inner surface of
sidewall 404.
[0037] FIG. 6 shows an example of a filtrate storage bottle 23
having a filtrate storage cap thereon being removed from a water
bath 603. The cap includes a label 601 on flat top surface 402 that
allows the bottle to be easily identified even when in a water
bath. Once a bottle has been identified, for example, by a user
reading the labeling information, a user may grab the bottle cap by
placing at least 2 fingers 602, including a thumb, underneath the
radially protruding lip 403, which has a larger perimeter than side
wall 404 of cap 400. The user may now easily lift bottle 23 from a
location such as the water bath 603 illustrated. The water bath is
just one example illustrating where the features of the current
invention enhance a filtration storage system, particularly because
a water bath is a system where filtered biological fluids might be
temporarily stored. The cap further allows the filtrate stored
within bottle 23 to remain uncontaminated or commingled even in a
liquid environment such as a water bath.
[0038] The filtrate storage cap described herein may be produced
from a material such as polypropylene. The cap may be manufactured
or produced through a process such as injection molding. Other
materials and methods of manufacturing may also be used in the make
and manufacture of an embodiment of the present invention.
[0039] The apparatus described herein is particularly suitable for
use in the filtration of cell culture mediums. For example, if a
liquid cell culture medium requires some form of filtration to
separate particular components out of the medium, a filtration
system that includes at least a reservoir, a filter, and a filtrate
storage bottle may be provided for the filtration process. The
liquid cell culture medium requiring filtration is placed in the
reservoir. A pressure differential may then be provided, typically
by attaching a vacuum source, to cause the liquid to move from the
reservoir through the filter and into the storage bottle. The
storage bottle may then be removed from the system and a filtrate
storage bottle sealing cap having an upper portion, which includes
a radially protruding lip, may then be engaged with the storage
bottle, for example, by screwing the lid onto the bottle, to create
a liquid tight seal between the filtrate storage bottle sealing cap
and the filtrate storage bottle. Labeling information may be
applied to the top surface of the cap either by writing directly on
the surface or by adhering a label. The bottle may then be placed
into a water bath to maintain the filtered liquid at a specific
temperature. Once the filtered liquid is ready for further
processing, a lab technician, for example, may insert at least two
fingers underneath the radially protruding lip of the filtrate
storage bottle sealing cap engaged with the filtrate storage bottle
and proceed to raise those two fingers in such a manner that the
bottle is lifted from the water.
[0040] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the
filtration system may be provided in the form of a kit with
disposable components. For example, if a user has a vacuum base
adapted for receiving a filtrate storage bottle and applying a
vacuum to the filtrate storage bottle, the user may use a kit of
disposables provided in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention that includes the following components: a
reservoir, a filtrate storage bottle, a filter for use in between
the reservoir and the filtrate storage bottle, and a filtrate
storage bottle sealing cap that has an upper portion with a top
surface and a radially protruding lip with an outer edge as well as
a side wall portion connected to the upper portion having an outer
surface with a smaller perimeter than the radially protruding lip.
All of these components may be provided in a sterilized disposable
kit so that the user can use the components as described herein
with a vacuum base to filter a particular sample and then dispose
of the kit components after the requisite information is gathered.
The kit may also include a vacuum collar having a port that mates
with a port on the vacuum base to couple a vacuum source through
the vacuum base into the vacuum collar and the filtrate storage
bottle. The user may proceed to use a new kit, as required, for the
filtration of another specimen. This embodiment provides an
efficient means of using sterilized components to filter a specimen
of interest provided in a liquid medium.
[0041] Although various exemplary embodiments of the invention have
been disclosed, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art
that various changes and modifications can be made that will
achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing
from the true scope of the invention.
* * * * *