US4239625A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Potting pleated membrane
Assignee: Terumo BCT Inc
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Filing: 1979-04-25
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Granted: 1980-12-16
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Expires: 1999-04-25
Abstract
Abstract The tips of a pleated membrane are bonded to the interior of the housing of a fluid flow transfer apparatus by positioning support spacers in the membrane folds on the membrane side opposite the side to be bonded, closing the entrances to the spaces between the folds on the bonding side of the membrane, introducing flowable adhesive between the membrane tips and the housing interior while the entrances remain closed, applying a pressure differential across the membrane, with the higher pressure being on the bonding side of the membrane and the differential being large enough to force the membrane folds against their respective support spacers so that the spacers support the membrane, and curing the adhesive to harden it.
Inventors
- 👤 Dennis J. Hlavinka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 20:32
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D63/00; B01D63/14; B01D2313/00; B01D2313/04; B01D2313/041; B01D2313/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
In a method of bonding the tips of a pleated membrane to the interior of the housing of a fluid flow transfer apparatus containing said membrane, said method comprising the steps of: providing a housing for a fluid flow transfer apparatus and a pleated membrane having a plurality of folds, said folds having tips on the ends thereof, spaces including fluid flow passages therebetween, and entrances to said spaces, positioning spacers in the folds of said membrane on the membrane side opposite the side to be bonded, introducing between said membrane tips and said interior of said housing potting material in a flowable state, and curing said potting material to harden it, the improvement which comprises the steps of: maintaining said entrances to said spaces on the membrane side to be bonded closed throughout said introducing step, and applying a pressure differential across said membrane after said introducing step and while said potting material is still flowable, with the higher pressure being on the membrane side to be bonded, said pressure differential being large enough to force said membrane folds against their respective spacers so that said membrane conforms tightly around and is supported by said spacers, whereby forces tending to pull the membrane folds away from the potting material and in toward the spacers are resisted.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
In a method of bonding the tips of a pleated membrane to the interior of the housing of a fluid flow transfer apparatus containing said membrane, said method comprising the steps of: providing a housing for a fluid flow transfer apparatus and a pleated membrane having a plurality of folds, said folds having tips on the ends thereof, spaces including fluid flow passages therebetween, and entrances to said spaces, positioning spacers in the folds of said membrane on the membrane side opposite the side to be bonded, introducing between said membrane tips and said interior of said housing potting material in a flowable state, and curing said potting material to harden it, the improvement which comprises the steps of: maintaining said entrances to said spaces on the membrane side to be bonded closed throughout said introducing step, and applying a pressure differential across said membrane after said introducing step and while said potting material is still flowable, with the higher pressure being on the membrane side to be bonded, said pressure differential being large enough to force said membrane folds against their respective spacers so that said membrane conforms tightly around and is supported by said spacers, whereby forces tending to pull the membrane folds away from the potting material and in toward the spacers are resisted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said maintaining entrances closed step comprises applying a first pressure differential across said membrane with the higher pressure being on the side of said membrane opposite the side to be bonded to the interior of said housing and said pressure differential applied after said introducing step is a second pressure differential.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 2 further including the step, done after introducing said potting material and before applying said second pressure differential, of partially curing said potting material for a time long enough to make said potting material more viscous but not long enough to render it unable to flow, while still maintaining said fold entrances closed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
115 words
The method of claim 3 wherein in said second pressure differential said pressure on the membrane side to be bonded is sufficiently higher than the pressure on the opposite side of the membrane to draw adjacent membrane folds away from each other, thereby reopening said entrances, to permit said potting material to flow partly into said spaces and wherein said partial curing step is long enough to make said potting material too viscous to flow far enough into said fluid flow passages to undesirably interfere with them when said entrances are reopened but not too long to prevent sufficient flow of said potting material into said spaces to increase the bonding surface of said membrane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said first pressure differential is achieved by applying positive pressure to the side of said membrane opposite the side to be bonded.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said positive pressure is 300 mmHg.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said partial curing step is done for 60 minutes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said first pressure differential is achieved by applying positive pressure to the side of said membrane opposite the side to be bonded.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said positive pressure is 300 mmHg.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said potting material is an adhesive.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
106 words
The method of claim 2 wherein in said second pressure differential said pressure on the membrane side to be bonded is sufficiently higher than the pressure on the opposite side of the membrane to draw adjacent membrane folds away from each other, thereby reopening said entrances, to permit said potting material to flow partly into said spaces and wherein said potting material at the time of applying said second pressure differential is sufficiently flowable to flow partly into said spaces to increase the bonding surface of said membrane but is too viscous to flow far enough into said fluid flow passages to undesirably interfere with them.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said first pressure differential is achieved by applying positive pressure to the side of said membrane opposite the side to be bonded.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said positive pressure is 300 mmHg.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said potting material is an adhesive.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said positive pressure is 300 mmHg.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said first pressure differential is achieved by applying positive pressure to the side of said membrane opposite the side to be bonded.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said potting material is an adhesive.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said maintaining entrances closed step comprises applying an adhesive primer to said membrane tips and curing said primer so that adjacent tips are bonded to each other, said primer improving the bond between said potting material and said membrane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said applying a pressure differential step comprises applying negative pressure to said membrane side opposite the side to be bonded.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said negative pressure is from 20 to 24 inches of mercury.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said negative pressure is applied through a 25 gauge one inch long needle to ten apparatus housing connected in parallel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 19 wherein said negative pressure is achieved by evacuating on the membrane side opposite the side to be bonded at a rate which avoids formation of unwanted bubbles in said potting material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said applying a pressure differential step comprises applying positive pressure to the membrane side to be bonded.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said potting material is polyurethane.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said potting material is an adhesive.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
133 words
In a fluid flow transfer apparatus comprising a housing, a pleated membrane contained within said housing and having its tips on at least one side thereof bonded to the interior of said housing by potting material, and spacers positioned within the folds of said membrane opposite the membrane side to be bonded, the improvement wherein there is controlled penetration of potting material into spaces separating said folds on the side which is bonded and said membrane tips are crushed against and conformed to the shape of their respective said spacers so that during operation of the apparatus the tendency of the membrane tips to peel away from the potting material and in toward the spacers is resisted, thereby preventing formation of a fluid-shunting flow passage between the membrane tips and the potting material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
133 words
In a fluid flow transfer apparatus comprising a housing, a pleated membrane contained within said housing and having its tips on at least one side thereof bonded to the interior of said housing by potting material, and spacers positioned within the folds of said membrane opposite the membrane side to be bonded, the improvement wherein there is controlled penetration of potting material into spaces separating said folds on the side which is bonded and said membrane tips are crushed against and conformed to the shape of their respective said spacers so that during operation of the apparatus the tendency of the membrane tips to peel away from the potting material and in toward the spacers is resisted, thereby preventing formation of a fluid-shunting flow passage between the membrane tips and the potting material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said potting penetrates into each of said spaces to generally the same degree.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said potting material is an adhesive.
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) | 1983-12-16 | 1984-06-16 | 1984-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-12-16 | 1988-06-16 | 1988-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-12-16 | 1992-06-16 | 1992-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |