Disposable filter unit

Claim 2

An integral structure for laboratory use in filtering biological fluids, characterized by (a) an upper container having a substantially vertical wall defining a first liquid receiving chamber; (b) a lower container having a substantially vertical wall and a closed bottom integral therewith defining a second filtrate receiving chamber; (c) said upper chamber having an open top and a substantially closed bottom wall; (d) said closed bottom wall of said upper chamber being a bottom wall integral with said vertical wall of said upper container; (e) said integral bottom wall of said upper chamber having an opening disposed centrally thereof, said opening providing flow communi­cation between said first and second chambers; (f) said integral bottom wall of said upper chamber having a flat surface adjacent to said vertical wall of said upper container and substantially perpendicular thereto; (g) a filter membrane positioned on said upper container bottom wall; (h) first cooperating opposed joined surfaces between said upper container and said bottom container; (i) second cooperating joined surfaces between the outer edge of said filter membrane and said flat surface of said integral bottom wall; and (j) a pour spout in said vertical wall of said lower container; (k) said pour spout being dimensioned to allow simultaneously the pouring of liquid from said lower chamber and the introduction of replace­ment air into said lower chamber.

Claim 3

The structure of Claim 1, further charac­terized by (a) said first and second cooperating joined surfaces being joined by sonic welding.

Claim 4

The structure of Claim 1, further charac­terized by (a) said first cooperating opposed surfaces being a flange integral with the bottom edge of said vertical wall of said upper container, and a flange integral with the top edge of said vertical wall of said bottom container.

Claim 5

The structure of Claim 1, further charac­terized by (a) said integral bottom wall of said upper container including a plurality of spaced apart ribs extending between said flat surface and said centrally disposed opening.

Claim 6

The structure of Claim 1, further charac­terized by (a) an adapter for said pour spout; and (b) said adapter being for connecting said pour spout to a vacuum source.

Claim 7

The structure of Claim 1, further charac­terized by (a) a cap for closing said open end of said upper container.

Claim 8

The structure of Claim 4, further charac­terized by (a) said integral bottom wall of said upper container diverging downwardly from said flat surface to said central opening in the areas between said spaced apart ribs.

Claim 9

The structure of Claim 1, further charac­terized by (a) a flange integral with said upper chamber bottom wall, surrounding said central opening, and depending downwardly therefrom; and (b) said flange defining a flow passage from said central opening into said lower container.

Claim 10

A process for producing a three-component integral structure for laboratory use in filtering biological fluids in a single step characterized by the steps of (a) placing in a first placing step, the portion forming the lower chamber of said unit in an assembly fixture, said lower chamber portion having an integral spout and an inte­gral upper annular flange; (b) placing in a second placing step, the portion forming the upper chamber of said unit in said assembly fixture of said first placing step, said upper chamber portion having an integral lower annular flange; (c) said first and second placing steps serving to place said integral upper annular flange of said lower chamber adjacent said integral lower annular flange of said upper chamber in face-to-face relation; (d) placing in third placing step a membrane filter adjacent the bottom surface of said upper chamber; (e) said upper chamber bottom surface having a second flange for engaging the outer annular edge of said membrane filter in said third placing step; (f) said upper chamber bottom surface having a central opening providing flow communication between said upper and lower chambers; (g) applying in a first applying step a vacuum source to said spout for maintaining the opposed surfaces of said integral flanges and said filter membrane from said first, second and third placing steps in engagement with each other; (h) applying in a second applying step sonic energy to said opposed surfaces of said inte­gral flanges and said filter membrane from said first, second and third placing steps to join together said opposed surfaces; and (i) removing said three component integral structure from said assembly fixture.

Claim 11

A process for producing a three-component integral structure for laboratory use in filtering biological fluids in a single step characterized by the steps of (a) placing in a first placing step, the portion forming the lower chamber of said unit in an assembly fixture, said lower chamber portion having an integral spout and an inte­gral upper annular flange; (b) placing in a second placing step, the portion forming the upper chamber of said unit in said assembly fixture of said first placing step, said upper chamber portion having an integral lower annular flange; (c) said first and second placing steps serving to place said integral upper annular flange of said lower chamber adjacent said integral lower annular flange of said upper chamber in face-to-face relation; (d) placing in third placing step a membrane filter adjacent the bottom surface of said upper chamber; (e) said upper chamber bottom surface having a second flange for engaging the outer annular edge of said membrane filter in said third placing step; (f) said upper chamber bottom surface having a central opening providing flow communication between said upper and lower chambers; (g) applying in a first applying step a vacuum source to said spout for maintaining the opposed surfaces of said integral flanges and said filter membrane from said first, second and third placing steps in engagement with each other; (h) applying in a second applying step sonic energy to said opposed surfaces of said inte­gral flanges and said filter membrane from said first, second and third placing steps to join together said opposed surfaces; and (i) removing said three component integral structure from said assembly fixture.

Claim 12

The process of Claim 9, further charac­terized by (a) said second applying step being carried out with a sonic energy horn with a knurled energy directing surface.

Claim 13

The process of Claim 9, further charac­terized by (a) said second applying step being carried out with a sonic energy horn with an energy directing surface having at least one annular ring positioned thereon.

Claim 14

The process of Claim 9, further charac­terized by (a) at least one energy director incorporated into at least one of the opposed flange sur­faces from said first and second placing steps.

Claim 15

A two-step process for producing a three-­component integral structure for laboratory use in filtering biological fluids, characterized by the steps of (a) placing in a first placing step the portion forming the upper chamber of said unit in an assembly fixture; (b) said upper portion having a substantially closed bottom wall with a central opening, an annular integral inner flange, and an annular integral outer flange; (c) placing in a second placing step a mem­brane filter adjacent said bottom wall so that the outer annular edge of said membrane filter engages said integral inner flange; (d) applying in a first applying step a vacuum source to said central opening for holding said membrane filter to said inner annular flange; (e) applying in a second applying step sonic energy to the opposed surfaces of said inner flange and said membrane filter for the joining of said upper chamber and said membrane filter into a single unit; (f) placing in a third placing step the portion forming the lower chamber of said unit in an assembly fixture, said lower chamber portion having an integral spout and an upper annular flange; (g) placing in a fourth placing step the single unit formed in said second applying step in said assembly so that the outer annular flange of said bottom wall of said single unit engages the upper annular flange of said lower chamber portion; (h) applying in a third applying step a vacuum to said integral spout; (i) applying in a fourth applying step sonic energy to the opposed flange surfaces of said fourth placing step to join said unit from said second applying step to said lower chamber; and (j) removing said single integral unit from said fourth applying step from said assembly fixture.

Claim 16

A two-step process for producing a three-­component integral structure for laboratory use in filtering biological fluids, characterized by the steps of (a) placing in a first placing step the portion forming the upper chamber of said unit in an assembly fixture; (b) said upper portion having a substantially closed bottom wall with a central opening, an annular integral inner flange, and an annular integral outer flange; (c) placing in a second placing step a mem­brane filter adjacent said bottom wall so that the outer annular edge of said membrane filter engages said integral inner flange; (d) applying in a first applying step a vacuum source to said central opening for holding said membrane filter to said inner annular flange; (e) applying in a second applying step sonic energy to the opposed surfaces of said inner flange and said membrane filter for the joining of said upper chamber and said membrane filter into a single unit; (f) placing in a third placing step the portion forming the lower chamber of said unit in an assembly fixture, said lower chamber portion having an integral spout and an upper annular flange; (g) placing in a fourth placing step the single unit formed in said second applying step in said assembly so that the outer annular flange of said bottom wall of said single unit engages the upper annular flange of said lower chamber portion; (h) applying in a third applying step a vacuum to said integral spout; (i) applying in a fourth applying step sonic energy to the opposed flange surfaces of said fourth placing step to join said unit from said second applying step to said lower chamber; and (j) removing said single integral unit from said fourth applying step from said assembly fixture.

Claim 17

The process of Claim 13, further charac­terized by (a) said second and fourth applying steps being carried out with a sonic energy horn with a knurled energy directing surface.

Claim 18

The process of Claim 13, further charac­terized by (a) said second and fourth applying steps being carried out with a sonic energy horn with an energy directing surface having at least one annular ring positioned thereon.

Claim 19

The process of Claim 13, further charac­terized by (a) at least one energy director incorporated into at least one of the opposed flange sur­faces from said fourth placing step.

Claim 20

An integral structure for laboratory use in filtering biological fluids having an upper and lower chamber with a central opening therebetween, said opening having an integral membrane filter thereover, said lower chamber having a large pour spout, and said integral structure produced by the process of Claim 9.

Claim 21

An integral structure for laboratory use in filtering biological fluids having an upper and lower chamber with a central opening therebetween, said opening having an integral membrane filter thereover, said lower chamber having a large pour spout, and said integral structure produced by the process of Claim 13.