High surface area to compartmental volume diffusion and dialysis cell

Claim 2

In a diffusion cell system, the combination comprising: housing means having opposed end walls and defining a generally cylindrical opening extending between said opposed end walls and clamp means associated with said housing means for holding a membrane in a position spaced between said end walls to divide said opening into first and second diffusion chambers; a rotatable shaft projecting through one of said end walls into the corresponding one of said chambers and having its axis positioned perpendicularly to the plane defined by said membrane when said membrane is in operating position within said clamp means; and an agitator on said shaft having a substantially planar surface adjacent to and parallel with said plane, said agitator having peripheral and outer end surfaces disposed near the perimeter of said chamber and said one end wall, respectively.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said agitator is of generally cylindrical shape including a series of slots through at least a portion of its circumferential surface which slots are arranged parallel with the axis of said shaft.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 wherein said slots project through said surface of said agitator which is adjacent said first-mentioned plane.

Claim 5

The device of claim 3 wherein said surface of said agitator defines an unbroken plane excepting for interruptions thereto provided by said slots.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1 having a second shaft rotatably mounted within said housing for projecting into said second chamber and having an agitator thereon likewise positioned close to and when rotating defining a plane parallel with the adjacent surface of said membrane, said first and second shafts being coaxial.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1 in which said housing means comprises two cup-shaped housings having the open ends thereof opposed to each other, said membrane being disposed between said opposed ends of said housings, one of said housings being externally threaded, and further including an internally threaded ring receivable over said housings for clamping said housings against said membrane to sandwich the latter therebetween and effecting a uniform clamping force throughout the periphery of said membrane.

Claim 8

A diffusion cell system comprising in combination: a receptacle adapted to hold a temperature controlling fluid; a pair of brackets within said receptacle; driving means and a gear system; at least one gear and a first shaft mounted for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said brackets, said one gear being drivable by said gear system; housing means defining a hollow chamber and adapted for holding a membrane therein for dividing said chamber into first and second diffusion chambers, a second shaft extending into at least one of said diffusion chambers and positioned for rotation about an axis arranged perpendicularly to said membrane when same is in operating position and an agitator on saId second shaft; driven gear means fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith; said housing means having a mating relationship with said brackets whereby said housing may be manually dropped into or withdrawn from said brackets with said driven gear meshing with said one gear when said housing is received into said brackets; and whereby said diffusion cell system may be readily placed into and removed from operating position within a temperature control fluid in said receptacle.

Claim 9

A diffusion cell system comprising in combination: a receptacle adapted to hold a temperature controlling fluid; a pair of brackets within said receptacle; driving means and a gear system; at least one gear and a first shaft mounted for rotation about an axis fixed with respect to said brackets, said one gear being drivable by said gear system; housing means defining a hollow chamber and adapted for holding a membrane therein for dividing said chamber into first and second diffusion chambers, a second shaft extending into at least one of said diffusion chambers and positioned for rotation about an axis arranged perpendicularly to said membrane when same is in operating position and an agitator on saId second shaft; driven gear means fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith; said housing means having a mating relationship with said brackets whereby said housing may be manually dropped into or withdrawn from said brackets with said driven gear meshing with said one gear when said housing is received into said brackets; and whereby said diffusion cell system may be readily placed into and removed from operating position within a temperature control fluid in said receptacle.

Claim 10

The device of claim 7, wherein said housing has a pair of noncircular portions thereon and said brackets have recesses for engaging said noncircular portions in nonrotating relationship therewith whereby said housing means can be manually dropped into or lifted out from said bracket without the necessity for manipulating releasable parts.

Claim 11

In a diffusion cell system, the combination comprising: means including a membrane defining first and second diffusion chambers, said membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber; a shaft extending through a wall of one of said chambers with the axis of said shaft being positioned perpendicularly to the plane of said membrane; an agitator on said shaft having surface means opposed to said membrane and defining, as said agitator rotates, a plane close spaced and parallel to said membrane for controlling the thickness and configuration of the diffusion layer at said membrane, in which said surface means comprises the end surface of said agitator closest to the membrane, said end surface being of diameter closely approaching that of said membrane so as to control diffusion layer thickness substantially across the entire face of the membrane and cause said diffusion layer to be substantially constant in shape.

Claim 12

In a diffusion cell system, the combination comprising: means including a membrane defining first and second diffusion chambers, said membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber; a shaft extending through a wall of one of said chambers with the axis of said shaft being positioned perpendicularly to the plane of said membrane; an agitator on said shaft having surface means opposed to said membrane and defining, as said agitator rotates, a plane close spaced and parallel to said membrane for controlling the thickness and configuration of the diffusion layer at said membrane, in which said surface means comprises the end surface of said agitator closest to the membrane, said end surface being of diameter closely approaching that of said membrane so as to control diffusion layer thickness substantially across the entire face of the membrane and cause said diffusion layer to be substantially constant in shape.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9, in which said end surface is substantially radially planar and positively located with respect to said membrane providing a substantially disk shaped space between said membrane and agitator for causing diffusion liquid to pass across the membrane in a uniform manner and substantially avoid axial movement of diffusion liquid by said agitator.

Claim 14

The device of claim 9, in which said chamber and agitator are substantially cylindrical and are of substantially circular cross section, said agitator having a peripheral wall including axial slots for circumferential agitation of diffusion liquid in contact therewith and avoiding axial agitation.

Claim 15

In a diffusion cell system, the combination comprising: means including a membrane defining first and second diffusion chambers, said membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber; a shaft extending through a wall of one of said chambers with the axis of said shaft being positioned perpendicularly to the plane of said membrane; an agitator on said shaft having surface means opposed to said membrane and defining, as said agitator rotates, a plane close spaced and parallel to said membrane for controlling the thickness and configuration of the diffusion layer at said membrane, in which said agitator conforms closely in size and shape to said one chamber and makes relatively small the volume left in said one chamber for diffusion liquid, providing a high membrane surface area to chamber volume ratio for maximizing cell sensitivity.

Claim 16

In a diffusion cell system, the combination comprising: means including a membrane defining first and second diffusion chambers, said membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber; a shaft extending through a wall of one of said chambers with the axis of said shaft being positioned perpendicularly to the plane of said membrane; an agitator on said shaft having surface means opposed to said membrane and defining, as said agitator rotates, a plane close spaced and parallel to said membrane for controlling the thickness and configuration of the diffusion layer at said membrane, in which said agitator conforms closely in size and shape to said one chamber and makes relatively small the volume left in said one chamber for diffusion liquid, providing a high membrane surface area to chamber volume ratio for maximizing cell sensitivity.

Claim 17

In a diffusion cell system, the combination comprising: means including a membrane defining first and second diffusion chambers, said membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber; a shaft extending through a wall of one of said chambers with the axis of said shaft being positioned perpendicularly to the plane of said membrane; an agitator on said shaft having surface means opposed to said membrane and defining, as said agitator rotates, a plane close spaced and parallel to said membrane for controlling the thickness and configuration of the diffusion layer at said membrane; an upwardly opening receptacle adapted to hold a temperature Controlling fluid, said means defining first and second diffusion chambers comprising an elongate, cylindrical and substantially horizontal housing, said first and second diffusion chambers being at opposite ends of said housing, brackets within the receptacle for supporting the ends of said housing for at least partial housing immersion in such temperature controlling fluid, bearing and seal means in the end wall of said one chamber for receiving said shaft therethrough, said shaft extending into said receptacle for being rotatably driven, and immersible in such temperature controlling fluid.

Claim 18

In a diffusion cell system, the combination comprising: means including a membrane defining first and second diffusion chambers, said membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber; a shaft extending through a wall of one of said chambers with the axis of said shaft being positioned perpendicularly to the plane of said membrane; an agitator on said shaft having surface means opposed to said membrane and defining, as said agitator rotates, a plane close spaced and parallel to said membrane for controlling the thickness and configuration of the diffusion layer at said membrane; an upwardly opening receptacle adapted to hold a temperature Controlling fluid, said means defining first and second diffusion chambers comprising an elongate, cylindrical and substantially horizontal housing, said first and second diffusion chambers being at opposite ends of said housing, brackets within the receptacle for supporting the ends of said housing for at least partial housing immersion in such temperature controlling fluid, bearing and seal means in the end wall of said one chamber for receiving said shaft therethrough, said shaft extending into said receptacle for being rotatably driven, and immersible in such temperature controlling fluid.

Claim 19

The device of claim 13, including inlet and outlet conduits for diffusion liquid communicating through the peripheral wall of said housing at least with said one chamber and axially spaced from said membrane, said conduits being closely circumferentially spaced on said housing and extending substantially upwardly therefrom toward the open top of said receptacle.

Claim 20

The device of claim 13, including a second shaft and a second agitator mounted thereon and located in the other of said chambers, liquid inlet and outlet conduits communicating through the peripheral wall of said housing with said other chamber in laterally opposed relation to an axially intermediate portion of said second agitator, said second agitator having a circumferential groove opposed to said inlet and outlet conduits.

Claim 21

The device of claim 13, including a cover removably locatable on top of said receptacle, a drive motor and control means therefore mounted on and above said cover and means defining a drive train connecting said motor and said shaft, said drive train having drivingly engagable but freely separable portions to avoid interference by said drive train with removal of said cover from said receptacle.