Single-Piece Bottom Gate for Media Bag Tubing Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing biopharmaceutical processing methods for media bags with tubing configurations are inflexible, difficult to access, and require cumbersome clamping devices, limiting adaptability and ease of installation.
Innovation Solution
A single-piece bottom gate with recessed structure and locking tabs that allows for secure retention and positioning of tubing, enabling multiple configurations and easy installation, while providing alignment features and a permanent indication of correct orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fixed holes in the bottom of the bag holder are used, then the structure is simple, but it allows only one configuration of media bag tubing
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom gate is divided into multiple positionable openings that can be selectively activated. Each opening can independently accommodate tubing, allowing the same gate structure to adapt to different tubing configurations by simply repositioning which openings are used, rather than requiring multiple custom-designed gates.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom gate is designed to be moveable within the bag holder, transitioning from a fixed structure to a dynamic one. The gate can be repositioned to different locations and orientations, enabling the same component to serve multiple tubing configuration needs throughout the media bag's lifecycle.
2Ease of operation
If clamping devices are placed on the bottom of the bag holder, then tubing can be secured, but it requires reaching underneath the bag holder which is difficult to see and access
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing clamping devices underneath the bag holder as in traditional designs, the retention features are integrated into the bottom gate itself, which is accessible from the top. The gate's opening structure provides inherent retention capability, eliminating the need for separate under-holder clamping mechanisms that are hard to access.
3Adaptability or versatility
If two moveable bottom pieces are used, then various tubing configurations can be accommodated, but locking devices must be placed on the bottom of the bag holder which are difficult to see and access
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom gate combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides the opening for tubing passage, the retention mechanism through its positioning features, and the locking capability through interaction with the bag holder's locking tabs. This eliminates the need for separate locking devices placed on the bottom of the holder.
4Device complexity
If a single-piece bottom gate is used, then installation is simplified, but it must accommodate multiple tubing configurations and positions
Solution Approach 1:
The single-piece bottom gate is designed with multiple openings and positioning features that enable it to perform multiple functions: accommodating different tubing diameters, supporting various tubing positions, and providing retention for different bag orientations. This universal design allows one component to replace what would traditionally require multiple specialized parts.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus to retain and position tubing of media bags with a bottom gate made of a single piece, with features to hold and retain media bag tubing, a recessed structure where the bottom gate is positioned when installed that places the top of the gate flush with the inside surface of the media bag holder, and locking tabs on the inside surface of the media bag holder that prevent the bottom gate from lifting and allow it to be installed in only the correct orientation.