Aseptic Transfer Port With Extendable Conduit and Seal-Free Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transfer devices for aseptic material transfer in manufacturing processes face challenges in maintaining sterility due to potential contamination from seals and are often cumbersome and difficult to maneuver, requiring heavy lifting equipment.
Innovation Solution
A transfer device comprising an active and passive member with a moveable conduit and a locking mechanism that allows for secure sealing and easy opening, reducing the need for heavy equipment and minimizing contamination risks, with features like a hexagonal drive for simplified door operation and a replaceable elastomer liner for effective sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional transfer ports with seals are used for aseptic material transfer, then material can be transferred between enclosures, but the exposed seal perimeters create potential contamination areas that compromise sterility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional seal component entirely from the transfer port design. Instead of using seals that create exposed perimeters, the invention uses a flanged interface with a door mechanism that closes off the port opening, eliminating the contamination source while maintaining the transfer function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a disposable liner that is inserted into the transfer port and discarded after use. This single-use component ensures sterility by being replaced for each transfer operation, eliminating the need for complex reusable sealing mechanisms that require maintenance and cleaning.
2Reliability
If known transfer ports are designed to ensure sealing, then material transfer between enclosures is enabled, but the ports become large and cumbersome requiring complex lifting equipment that is difficult to manoeuvre
Solution Approach 1:
The transfer device is divided into separate components: a stationary transfer port with a door mechanism and a mobile container with a flanged opening. This segmentation allows the mobile container to be smaller and easier to manoeuvre while the stationary port provides the sealing interface, eliminating the need for heavy lifting equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a door mechanism that can dynamically open and close the port opening. This dynamic element allows the port to transition between sealed and open states without requiring the entire transfer device to be moved or repositioned, improving ease of operation while maintaining sealing capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A transfer device having an active member 10 comprising a main body 12 having an inlet 14 and an outlet 16 that can communicate with one another such that material may pass therethrough by means of a moveable/extendable conduit 18 moveable between a stowed configuration in which the inlet 14 and outlet 16 are not directly linked and an extended configuration in which the conduit extends between the outlet 16 and inlet 14 and in which the outlet 16 and inlet 14 are in communication with one another via the conduit 18 and material may pass therebetween via the conduit 18.