US 12,259,074 B2
Sterile connector for the sterile transfer of a liquid medium
Mario Deuse, Bovenden (DE)
Assigned to Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, Goettingen (DE)
Appl. No. 17/600,729
Filed by Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH, Goettingen (DE)
PCT Filed Apr. 2, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/059437
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/201445, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 108 664.7 (DE), filed on Apr. 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0178482 A1, Jun. 9, 2022
Int. Cl. F16L 37/373 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC F16L 37/373 (2013.01) [B01L 3/523 (2013.01); B01L 2200/026 (2013.01); B01L 2400/0616 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sterile connector for the sterile transfer of a liquid medium from a liquid container to a bioprocess engineering system,
wherein the sterile connector has two coupling devices,
wherein the coupling devices each have a housing having a housing interior and a control element which is adjustably mounted in the housing interior and forms a channel, wherein the channel extends through the control element from a control element inlet opening to a control element outlet opening,
wherein the housing of one coupling device is configured to be mechanically connected to the housing of the other coupling device,
wherein each housing has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet which connect the housing interior to the surroundings, wherein, in the mechanically connected state of the housings, the fluid outlet of one housing and the fluid inlet of the other housing overlap,
wherein, to produce a sterile fluid connection, in the mechanically connected state of the housings, the control elements are adjustable from a starting position, in which a fluid connection between the channel and the control element inlet opening on the one hand and between the channel and the control element outlet opening on the other hand is blocked, into an operating position, in which the control element inlet opening is fluidically connected to the fluid inlet and the control element outlet opening is fluidically connected to the fluid outlet,
wherein, in the mechanically connected state of the housing, an adjusting movement of one of the control elements between the starting position and the operating position is accompanied by a corresponding adjusting movement of the other control element,
wherein a gear train is provided, which, in the mechanically connected state of the housings, effects a synchronous adjustment of the two control elements between the starting positions and the operating positions.