Patent US3714956A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3714956A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Aseptic storage and valving system
Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
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Filing: 1972-05-18
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Granted: 1973-02-06
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Expires: 1992-05-18
Abstract
Abstract A plurality of storage tanks for bulk storage of materials under aseptic conditions in which valves associated with the tanks have chambers filled with liquid chemical sterilant surrounding movable valve actuators for preventing the influx, via the valve actuators, of contaminants to the material stored in the tanks. The chemical sterilant is unheated to prevent the transfer of heat from the sterilant to the stored material. The sterilant chambers are connected serially to form a cascade between a source of fresh sterilant and a chemical analyzer, with the chambers which become more contaminated in use being connected in the cascade more remote from the fresh sterilant supply. The sterilant chambers are recharged with fresh sterilant by a flow of fresh sterilant from the supply through the cascade, which flow is terminated when the sterilant leaving the last chamber of the cascade upon analysis by the chemical analyzer has reached a sterile level indicating that the fresh sterilant has propagated through the cascaded chambers successively flushing the chambers in the cascade of inactive, or stale, sterilant and replenishing the chambers with fresh sterilant. Each sterilant chamber is provided with an inlet passage and an outlet passage located at the bottom and top of the chambers, respectively, such that fresh sterilant enters the bottom of the chamber, forcing inactive, or stale, sterilant from the chamber through the top, insuring complete recharging of the entire chamber with fresh sterilant.
Inventors
- 👤 P Nelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:23
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B7/00; A23B7/14; A23B7/153; A23B7/154; A23B7/157; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/4238; Y10T137/4245
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of recharging with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from sterilant-containing chambers which surround movable actuators of aseptic valves, comprising the steps of connecting the chambers in series to form a cascade, and pumping fresh sterilant from a source thereof to the first chamber of said serially connected cascade of said chambers while exhausting stale sterilant from the last chamber of said cascade.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of recharging with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from sterilant-containing chambers which surround movable actuators of aseptic valves, comprising the steps of connecting the chambers in series to form a cascade, and pumping fresh sterilant from a source thereof to the first chamber of said serially connected cascade of said chambers while exhausting stale sterilant from the last chamber of said cascade.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of recharging with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from sterilant-containing chambers which surround movable actuators of aseptic valves, comprising the steps of connecting the chambers in series to form a cascade, and pumping fresh sterilant from a source thereof to the first chamber of said serially connected cascade of said chambers while exhausting stale sterilant from the last chamber of said cascade.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
66 words
A method of recharging with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from sterilant-containing chambers which surround movable actuators of aseptic valves, comprising the steps of connecting the chambers in series to form a cascade, and pumping fresh sterilant from a source thereof to the first chamber of said serially connected cascade of said chambers while exhausting stale sterilant from the last chamber of said cascade.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said connecting step includes connecting an output passage of each of said chambers located in the top thereof to an input passage of the successive chamber in said cascade located in the bottom thereof, and said pumping and exhausting step includes pumping sterilant from said source into the input passage of said first chamber and draining sterilant from the output passage of said last chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 further including the step of analyzing the sterilant exhausted from said last chamber and terminating said pumping when the analysis indicates fresh sterilant is being exhausted from said last chamber.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of maintaining in an aseptic condition material stored in a tank having an aseptic valve, the method comprising the steps of charging a chamber surrounding a movable actuator of said valve with a chemical sterilant prior to the time said tank is filled with the material to be stored, thereafter periodically recharging said sterilant-containing chamber with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from said sterilant-containing chamber, and after said material has been loaded into said tank, draining said sterilant-containing chamber.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
83 words
A method of maintaining in an aseptic condition material stored in a tank having an aseptic valve, the method comprising the steps of charging a chamber surrounding a movable actuator of said valve with a chemical sterilant prior to the time said tank is filled with the material to be stored, thereafter periodically recharging said sterilant-containing chamber with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from said sterilant-containing chamber, and after said material has been loaded into said tank, draining said sterilant-containing chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 4 comprising the further step of recharging said chamber with fresh chemical sterilant prior to and during the removal of a sample from said tank and subsequently draining said chamber after said sample has been withdrawn.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 4 comprising the further step of recharging said sterilant-containing chamber with fresh chemical sterilant prior to and during the period in which a portion of the contents of said tank are withdrawn and emptying said sterilant-containing chamber after the said portion of the contents has been withdrawn, whereby the remaining contents of said tank are maintained in sterile condition.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of maintaining in an aseptic condition material stored in a plurality of tanks each having an aseptic valve, the method comprising the steps of charging a chamber surrounding a movable actuator of each said valve with a chemical sterilant prior to the time said tanks are filled with the material to be stored, thereafter pEriodically recharging said sterilant-containing chambers with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from said sterilant-containing chambers, and after said material has been loaded into said tank, draining said sterilant-containing chambers.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of maintaining in an aseptic condition material stored in a plurality of tanks each having an aseptic valve, the method comprising the steps of charging a chamber surrounding a movable actuator of each said valve with a chemical sterilant prior to the time said tanks are filled with the material to be stored, thereafter pEriodically recharging said sterilant-containing chambers with fresh chemical sterilant and flushing stale sterilant from said sterilant-containing chambers, and after said material has been loaded into said tank, draining said sterilant-containing chambers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 7 comprising the further step of recharging said chambers with fresh chemical sterilant prior to and during the removal of a sample from said tanks and subsequently draining said chambers after said sample has been withdrawn.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-02-06 | 1976-08-07 | 1977-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-02-06 | 1980-08-07 | 1981-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-02-06 | 1984-08-07 | 1985-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |