Method for potting filtration device and a piston device for potting filtration device

Abstract

A method for sealing a filter device and a piston device for sealing the filter device are provided. The method for sealing the filter device includes: using the piston device to adhere an adhesive to an end of the filter device; and curing the adhesive adhered to the end of the filter device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for sealing a filter device and a piston device for sealing a filter device. Prior Technology

[0002] Hollow fiber membranes are membranes with hollow fiber structures, used to separate different components of liquids for filtration, purification, or concentration. Filtration devices using hollow fiber membranes typically consist of multiple hollow fiber membranes housed within a casing. Adhesive is filled into the gaps between the membranes and between the membranes and the casing to seal the filtration device. When filtering, purifying, or concentrating liquids, the liquid flows into the casing from one side of the hollow fiber membranes, passes through the membranes, and then flows out from the other side. If the adhesive filling is ineffective, liquid may flow through the casing without passing through the hollow fiber membranes, reducing the filtration efficiency of the device.

[0003] Existing sealing methods for filtration devices involve immersing the device in an adhesive, allowing it to cure, and then removing the device. However, this method only works with low-viscosity adhesives, as high-viscosity adhesives struggle to flow into the gaps between the multiple hollow fiber membranes, or they may cure before reaching these gaps, resulting in poor filling. Conversely, low-viscosity adhesives may penetrate the hollow fibers, reducing the filtration efficiency. This method distributes the adhesive by gravity (i.e., the adhesive flows under gravity), making the cured adhesive itself prone to porosity. Furthermore, this method requires a large amount of adhesive, hindering cost control.

[0004] Another existing sealing method for filter devices is to use centrifugal equipment to distribute the adhesive through centrifugal force. However, the centrifugal force in this method is difficult to control precisely. If the centrifugal force is too low, the adhesive will not be able to enter the gaps, resulting in poor filling effect. If the centrifugal force is too high, the adhesive will penetrate into the hollow fiber, reducing the filtration effect of the filter device. In addition, the centrifugal equipment required for this method is expensive, which is not conducive to cost control.

[0005] Therefore, how to improve existing sealed filtration devices is a problem that the industry urgently needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention relates to a method for sealing a filter device and a piston device for sealing a filter device, which can improve the filling effect of the adhesive.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for sealing a filter device is provided. The method includes: using a piston device to attach an adhesive to one end of a filter device; and curing the adhesive attached to the end of the filter device.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a piston device for sealing a filter apparatus is provided. The piston device includes a tube, a piston, and a push rod. The tube includes a cavity. The cavity is used to contain an adhesive for sealing a filter apparatus. The piston is movably disposed in the cavity of the tube. The push rod is connected to the piston to drive the piston to move along an axial direction of the tube.

[0009] To provide a better understanding of the above and other aspects of the present invention, specific embodiments are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a piston device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a piston device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a piston device and a filter device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a piston device and a filter device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for sealing a filter device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for sealing a filter device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0011] Please refer to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a piston device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the piston device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The piston device 100 can be used to seal a filter device. The piston device 100 can be used to seal a filter device comprising a hollow fiber membrane.

[0012] The piston assembly 100 includes a tube 101, a piston 102, a push rod 103, and a support 104. The tube 101 may be a hollow cylinder. The tube 101 may have two opposing ends 101E1 and 101E2. Ends 101E1 and 101E2 may be open ends. The tube 101 includes a cavity 101S. The piston 102 is movably disposed within the cavity 101S of the tube 101. The push rod 103 is disposed on a first surface 102A of the piston 102. The push rod 103 may be fixed to or connected to the piston 102 to drive the piston 102 to reciprocate relative to the tube 101 along an axial direction (e.g., direction D1 or direction D2 in Figure 1). A portion of the push rod 103 is disposed within the cavity 101S of the tube 101, and another portion of the push rod 103 is disposed outside the tube 101 to facilitate operation of the push rod 103. A support 104 is disposed at the end 101E1 of the pipe 101. The support 104 can connect to the pipe 101. A portion of the support 104 can be disposed in the cavity 101S of the pipe 101, and another portion of the support 104 can cover the end 101E1 of the pipe 101 and be outside the pipe 101. The support 104 may include a hole 114 through the support 104. A push rod 103 can pass through the hole 114 of the support 104.

[0013] In one embodiment, the push rod 103 includes an external thread structure (not shown), and the support 104 includes an internal thread structure that matches the external thread structure of the push rod 103. The internal thread structure may be provided on the sidewall of the hole 114. The push rod 103 can be engaged with the support 104 through the external thread structure. The pitch of the internal thread structure of the support 104 and the external thread structure of the push rod 103 may vary depending on the actual application. Rotation of the push rod 103 relative to the support 104 can cause the piston 102 to move relative to the tube 101 along the axial direction (e.g., direction D1 or direction D2 in Figure 1). In other embodiments, the push rod 103 does not include an external thread structure, the support 104 does not include an internal thread structure, and the push rod 103 and the piston 102 are movable relative to the tube 101 along the axial direction.

[0014] Specifically, the piston 102 disposed in the cavity 101S of the tube 101 divides the cavity 101S into a first cavity portion 111S and a second cavity portion 112S, which are located on opposite sides of the piston 102. The first surface 102A of the piston 102 faces the first cavity portion 111S, and the second surface 102B of the piston 102 faces the second cavity portion 112S, with the second surface 102B opposite to the first surface 102A. The piston 102 isolates the first cavity portion 111S from the second cavity portion 112S. The first cavity portion 111S can be isolated from the second cavity portion 112S. The first cavity portion 111S is used to accommodate the push rod 103. The second cavity portion 112S of the cavity 101S is used to contain the adhesive used to seal the filter device. The piston 102 and the push rod 103 can move along the axial direction of the tube 101 to push the adhesive in the second cavity portion 112S. For example, the adhesive can be moved toward the end 101E2 of the tube 101 or toward the end 101E2 away from the tube 101.

[0015] The tube 101 may be made of a material that is not easily adhered to by adhesives. The tube 101 may be made of a material with low surface energy, high hydrophobicity, or high chemical inertness. For example, the tube 101 may be made of at least one selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and rubber. The polyethylene (PE) may be high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or low-density polyethylene (LDPE). In one embodiment, the tube 101 may be made of at least one selected from the group consisting of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The piston 102, push rod 103, and support 104 may be made of metal, but the invention is not limited thereto.

[0016] The following description, with reference to Figures 3 through 6, illustrates a method for sealing a filter device using a piston assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the piston assembly 100 and the filter device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram illustrating the piston assembly 100 and the filter device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for sealing the filter device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for sealing the filter device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] The filtration device 200 may include a housing 201 and a hollow fiber bundle 202 disposed within the housing 201. The hollow fiber bundle 202 includes a plurality of hollow fiber membranes 212. The plurality of hollow fiber membranes 212 may be arranged parallel to each other. The housing 201 may be a hollow cylindrical container. The housing 201 has an opening 201H. A portion of the hollow fiber bundle 202 is disposed within the housing 201, and another portion of the hollow fiber bundle 202 protrudes from the opening 201H of the housing 201. In this embodiment, the ends of each hollow fiber membrane 212 protruding from the opening 201H of the housing 201 may be aligned with each other, but the invention is not limited thereto. The filtration device 200 can be used for the filtration, purification, or concentration of liquids, such as water, blood, etc.

[0018] The method for sealing the filter device 200 includes steps S1 and S2. Step S1: Using the piston device 100, the adhesive 30 is attached to the end 200E of the filter device 200. Step S1 may include steps S11 to S13.

[0019] Step S11: Fill the piston device 100 with adhesive 30 (as shown in Figures 3 and 4). The adhesive 30 is filled into the second cavity 112S of the cavity 101S of the tube 101 of the piston device 100. For example, the end 101E2 of the tube 101 of the piston device 100 can be facing upwards, and then the adhesive 30 can be poured from the end 101E2 of the tube 101 into the second cavity 112S. The adhesive 30 may contain or be polyurethane.

[0020] Step S12: Connect the end 200E of the filter device 200 to the end 101E2 of the tube 101 of the piston device 100 (as shown in Figures 3 and 4). In this embodiment, the end 200E of the filter device 200 is also the end of each hollow fiber membrane 212 protruding from the opening 201H of the housing 201, but the present invention is not limited thereto. At this time, the tube 101 of the piston device 100 is connected to the opening 201H of the housing 201 of the filter device 200, and the portion of the hollow fiber bundle 202 protruding from the opening 201H of the housing 201 is disposed in the second cavity portion 112S of the cavity 101S of the tube 101. The tube 101 of the piston device 100 may cover the opening 201H of the housing 201 of the filter device 200, as shown in Figure 4.

[0021] Step S13: The piston 102 is moved along the axial direction of the tube 101 (e.g., direction D1 in Figure 4) by the push rod 103, so that the adhesive 30 is attached to the end 200E of the filter device 200. The piston 102 moves toward the filter device 200 and pushes the adhesive 30 toward the filter device 200. The pressure of the piston device 100 pushes the adhesive 30 into the space between the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 212 and the space between the housing 201 and the hollow fiber bundle 202, so that the adhesive 30 can be attached to the space between the plurality of hollow fiber membranes 212 and the space between the housing 201 and the hollow fiber bundle 202. In one embodiment, the push rod 103 may be connected to a drive member (not shown), which can drive the push rod 103 to move or rotate and drive the piston 102 to move along the axial direction of the tube 101 to move the adhesive 30; the drive member is, for example, a motor. In one embodiment, the user can apply force to the push rod 103 to move or rotate the push rod 103, and drive the piston 102 to move along the axial direction of the tube 101 to move the adhesive 30.

[0022] Step S2: Curing the adhesive 30 attached to the end 200E of the filter device 200. In one embodiment, the adhesive 30 is cured at room temperature, that is, the piston device 100, the filter device 200 and the adhesive 30 can be left to stand at room temperature for a period of time until the adhesive 30 is cured. In one embodiment, the adhesive 30 can be cured by light or heat.

[0023] The method for sealing the filter device 200 may further include step S3. Step S3 is performed after steps S1 and S2. Step S3: After the adhesive 30 has cured, the filter device 200 and the adhesive 30 attached to the filter device 200 are removed from the piston device 100 to obtain a sealed filter device 200. In one embodiment, the filter device 200 and the adhesive 30 attached to the filter device 200 may be moved away from the piston device 100 to remove them from the piston device 100. In one embodiment, the tube 101 is composed of multiple components, each of which can be individually removed from the support 104, thereby allowing the multiple components of the tube 101 to be removed sequentially to remove the filter device 200 and the adhesive 30 attached to the filter device 200 from the piston device 100.

[0024] Other steps may be inserted between the aforementioned steps, and the steps may be performed in the above order or in different orders.

[0025] According to the above embodiments, the present invention provides a method for sealing a filter device and a piston device for sealing the filter device. The piston device applies pressure to fill the space between a plurality of hollow fiber membranes in the filter device, and the space between the filter device's housing and the hollow fiber bundles, thereby achieving a seal. Compared to sealing the filter device by immersion or centrifugation, the pressure and speed (e.g., piston movement speed) of the piston device of the present invention can be easily and precisely adjusted according to the viscosity of the adhesive and / or the type of filter device. This effectively controls the distribution of the adhesive, ensuring that the adhesive fills the space between the hollow fiber membranes and the space between the housing and the hollow fiber bundles without excessively penetrating into the hollow fibers. The filling effect of the adhesive is good, and the amount of adhesive used can be reduced. Moreover, the filter device and the method for sealing the filter device of the present invention are applicable to adhesives of various viscosities. The filter device and the method for sealing the filter device of the present invention can be applied to various types of filter devices and hollow fiber membranes of various pore sizes. Furthermore, the piston device of the present invention has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture, which is beneficial for cost control.

[0026] In summary, although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

[0027] 30: Adhesive 100: Piston assembly 101: Pipe 101E1, 101E2: Endpiece 101S: Cavity 102: Piston 102A: First Surface 102B: Second Surface 103: Putter 104: Support 111S: First cavity section 112S: Second cavity section 114: Hole 200: Filtering device 200E: End 201: Shell 201H: Opening 202: Hollow fiber bundle 212: Hollow fiber membrane D1, D2: Direction S1, S2, S3, S11, S12, S13: Steps

Claims

1. A method for sealing a filter device, comprising: providing a piston device, wherein the piston device comprises: a tube having a cylindrical wall and including a cavity, the cylindrical wall having two open ends, a first end and a second end open relative to the first end, wherein the cylindrical wall has no openings other than the first end and the second end; a piston disposed in the cavity of the tube; and a push rod connected to the piston; filling the cavity of the tube from the second end of the piston device into the tube cavity; after filling the adhesive, connecting an end of a filter device to the second end of the tube of the piston device; moving the piston from the first end toward the second end via the push rod, such that the adhesive is hermetically surrounded by the piston, the cylindrical wall and the filter device, thereby adhering the adhesive to the end of the filter device; and curing the adhesive adhering to the end of the filter device.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filtering device includes a housing and a hollow fiber bundle disposed in the housing, the housing having an opening, a portion of the hollow fiber bundle protruding from the opening of the housing, the tube of the piston device being connected to the opening of the housing, and the portion of the hollow fiber bundle being disposed in the cavity.

3. The method as described in claim 2, wherein the hollow fiber bundle comprises a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, the adhesive is attached to a space between the plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a space between the housing and the hollow fiber bundle.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprises: removing the adhesive and the filter device from the piston device after the adhesive has cured.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises polyurethane, and the tubing of the piston device is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and rubber.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the adhesive comprises polyurethane.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the adhesive attached to the end of the filter device is cured at room temperature.

8. A piston device for sealing a filter, comprising: a tube having a cylindrical wall and including a cavity for receiving an adhesive for sealing a filter, the cylindrical wall having a first open end and a second open end opposite to the first end, the second end for connecting the filter and for filling the adhesive, wherein the cylindrical wall has no openings other than the first end and the second end; a piston movably disposed in the cavity of the tube, wherein the adhesive is hermetically surrounded by the piston, the cylindrical wall and the filter; and a push rod connected to the piston to drive the piston to move along an axial direction of the tube.

9. The piston device as claimed in claim 8 further includes a support disposed at the first end of the tube, through which the push rod passes.

10. The piston assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the push rod includes an external thread structure and the support includes an internal thread structure that matches the external thread structure of the push rod.

11. The piston device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the tubing is made of at least one selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and rubber.

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