Disposable Bag Alignment Plate for Biopharmaceutical Port Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for processing and storing pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals in stainless steel containers are time-consuming and expensive due to the need for cleaning and sterilization, and the alignment of disposable bags in holders is often incorrect, leading to inefficiencies and the need for new bags.
Innovation Solution
An alignment device with a unique plate design that attaches to the bag or its ports, featuring holes, graphical indicators, or asymmetrical shapes to ensure correct orientation within the holder, preventing incorrect alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If disposable bags are used instead of stainless steel containers, then cleaning time and sterilization costs are reduced, but the risk of incorrect bag alignment in holders increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment feature is pre-attached to the bag during manufacturing, enabling proper alignment to be established before the bag is placed in the holder. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming cleaning and sterilization of reusable containers while ensuring correct alignment from the start, thus resolving the contradiction between reduced cleaning time and maintained alignment accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment feature may incorporate visual indicators such as colored markers, printed patterns, or contrasting colors that make it easily visible during the placement process. This visual differentiation helps operators quickly identify and achieve correct alignment without requiring complex procedures, thereby maintaining high alignment accuracy while using disposable bags that eliminate cleaning time.
2Ease of manufacture
If ports on the bag are unmarked and indistinguishable, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but alignment errors occur during insertion
Solution Approach 1:
Different ports on the bag can be marked with distinct colors, patterns, or visual indicators that are printed or attached during manufacturing. This allows operators to easily identify and correctly position each port during insertion without adding significant manufacturing complexity, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment feature may incorporate asymmetric port arrangements or asymmetric visual markers that make correct orientation obvious. This asymmetric design provides intuitive guidance for proper port alignment during insertion, improving ease of operation without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the holder has large rectangular or circular openings for port insertion, then adaptability to different bag types is improved, but alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment feature acts as an intermediary element between the holder opening and the bag ports. It provides a reference framework that guides the bag into correct alignment as it is inserted through the holder opening. This intermediary alignment feature enables precise port alignment even when the holder has large, versatile openings that must accommodate different bag types.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an alignment device for a bag containing one or more ports. The alignment device is attached to either the one or more ports or to the bag adjacent the one or more ports. The plate has an indicator or a unique outer edge shape that is designed to fit into a corresponding unique opening in a holder to ensure proper alignment of the bag and its port(s) in the holder. The plate is has a series of holes equal to and in alignment with the one or more ports of the bag and the port(s) extend through the holes of the plate.