EP0635713A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automatic dissolution testing system
Assignee: Zymark Corp
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Filing: 1994-07-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A dissolution testing system including a base (26); a plurality of vessels (31) mounted on the base; an agitation mechanism (33-35) for agitating a liquid content (32) of the vessels; and a head (38) supported above each of the vessels and operable to automatically inject a liquid media into the vessel. Retained by the control head (38) is a spray wash tube (39) connected to the spray wash line (16), a media fill tube (41) connected to the fill line (19), an aspiration probe (42) connected to the aspirate line (18), a sampling probe (43) connected to the sampling line (17), a pH adjustment and media replacement tube (44) connected to a pH adjustment and media replacement line (45) and a temperature detector (46). Also retained by the control head (38) is an aspiration probe drive mechanism (48), a sample probe drive mechanism (49) (Fig.3), a stepping motor (51) (Fig.4) and an interconnect board (52). Connected to the interconnect board (52) is a cable connector (53) that receives a plug (54) (Fig.5) on the electrical cable (21). The head is covered by a cover (50). A sample tablet dispenser (57) is mounted on the control head (38) and is coupled to the stepping motor (51).
Inventors
- 👤 Burleigh M. Hutchins
- 👤 Randall B. Rubinstein
- 👤 Barry T. Hixon
- 👤 William J. Buote
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 03:48
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/15; G01N13/00; G01N2013/006; G01N35/00; G01N2035/00178; G01N2035/00188; G01N2035/00198; G01N2035/00346; G01N2035/00356; G01N2035/00465; G01N2035/00534; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T436/00; Y10T436/25; Y10T436/2575
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
51 words
A dissolution testing system comprising: base means; a plurality of vessels mounted on said base means; agitation means for agitating a liquid content of said vessels; and head means supported above each of said plurality of vessels and comprising fill means operable to automatically inject a liquid media into said vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said fill means comprises a fill nozzle disposed to inject the liquid media into said vessel and fill tubing providing communication between said fill nozzle and a source of liquid media.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 2 wherein said fill nozzle is disposed to direct the liquid media against a sidewall portion of said vessel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 2 wherein said head means further comprises wash means for automatically introducing a cleaning liquid into said vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 4 wherein said wash means comprises a spray nozzle disposed to spray the cleaning liquid into said vessel and wash tubing providing communication between said spray nozzle and a source of cleaning liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 5 wherein said head means further comprises an adjustment means for automatically injecting a pH adjustment solution into said vessel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein said adjustment means comprises an adjustment nozzle disposed to inject the adjustment solution into said vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 7 wherein said adjustment nozzle is disposed to direct the adjustment solution against a sidewall portion of said vessel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 8 wherein said head means further comprises wash means for automatically introducing a cleaning liquid into said vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said head means further comprises an adjustment means for automatically injecting a pH adjustment solution into said vessel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 10 wherein said head means further comprises wash means for introducing a cleaning liquid into said vessel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said head means further comprises sampling means for automatically withdrawing a liquid sample from said vessel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 12 wherein said sampling means comprises a sampling probe for withdrawing the liquid sample and sampling drive means for moving said sampling probe into and out of said vessel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said head means further comprises aspiration means for automatically removing the liquid content of said vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 14 wherein said aspiration means comprises an aspiration probe for removing the liquid content and aspiration drive means for moving said aspiration probe into and out of said vessel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said head means further comprises detector means for detecting the temperature of a liquid content of said vessel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 16 wherein said detector means comprises a temperature sensor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 1 wherein said head means further comprises dispenser means for automatically dispensing a solid sample into said vessel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 18 wherein said head means further comprises sampling means for withdrawing a liquid sample from said vessel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 19 wherein said head means further comprises detector means for detecting the temperature of a liquid content of said vessel.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein said sampling means comprises a sampling probe for withdrawing the liquid sample and sampling drive means for moving said sampling probe into and out of said vessel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 21 wherein said detector means comprises a temperature sensor mounted on said sampling probe.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 20 wherein said head means further comprises aspiration means for automatically removing the liquid content of said vessel.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 21 wherein said head means further comprises wash means for automatically introducing a cleaning liquid into said vessel.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 22 wherein said head means further comprises an adjustment means for automatically injecting a Ph adjustment solution into said vessel
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 25 including a media source, and multiple port fill valve means connecting said media source to said fill means in each said head means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 26 including analyzer means, and multiple port sample valve means connecting said analyzer means to said sampling means in each of said head means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system according to claim 27 including a cleaning liquid source connected to said spray nozzle in each of said head means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system according to claim 28 including a pH adjustment solution source and multiple port adjustment valve means connecting said solution source to said adjustment means in each of said head means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
A dissolution testing system comprising: base means; a plurality of vessels mounted on said base means; agitation means for agitating a liquid content of said vessels; and head means supported above each of said plurality of vessels and comprising sampling means for automatically withdrawing a liquid sample from said vessel.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 30 wherein said sampling means comprises a sampling probe for withdrawing the liquid sample and sampling drive means for moving said sampling probe into and out of said vessel.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
49 words
A dissolution testing system comprising: base means; a plurality of vessels mounted on said base means; agitation means for agitating a liquid content of said vessels; and head means supported above each of said plurality of vessels and aspiration means for automatically removing the liquid content of said vessel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 32 wherein said aspiration means comprises an aspiration probe for removing the liquid content and aspiration drive means for moving said aspiration probe into and out of said vessel.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
53 words
A dissolution testing system comprising: base means; a plurality of vessels mounted on said base means; agitation means for agitating a liquid content of said vessels; and head means supported above each of said plurality of vessels and comprising a temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of a liquid content of said vessel.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 34 wherein said head means further comprises sampling means for automatically withdrawing a liquid sample from said vessel.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
A system according to claim 35 wherein said sampling means comprises a sampling probe for withdrawing the liquid sample and sampling drive means for moving said sampling probe into and out of said vessel.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 36 wherein said temperature sensor is mounted on said sampling probe.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
49 words
A dissolution testing system comprising: base means; a plurality of vessels mounted on said base means; agitation means for agitating a liquid content of said vessels; and head means supported above each of said plurality of vessels and dispenser means for automatically dispensing a solid sample into said vessel.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system according to claim 38 wherein said dispenser means comprises a receptacle for a plurality of solid samples, and release means for sequentially and selectively moving each of said solid samples into said vessel.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of dissolution testing in a system including a base means, a plurality of vessels mounted in situ on said base means, and agitation means for agitating a liquid content of said vessels; said method including the following steps: automatically filling each of said vessels in situ with a media liquid; automatically dispensing a solid sample into each of said vessels in situ; withdrawing liquid samples from each of said vessels in situ; simultaneously removing the liquid content of all said vessels in situ; and automatically washing each of said vessels in situ.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 40 wherein said liquid samples are sequentially withdrawn.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 40 wherein said liquid samples are simultaneously withdrawn.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 40 including the steps of sequentially injecting a pH adjustment solution into said vessels.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 40 including the steps of sequentially injecting doses of replacement liquid media into said vessels.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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