All Cylindrical Membranes Are Parallel Patents (Class 210/321.8)
  • Patent number: 11845059
    Abstract: A chromatographic cassette includes a cassette including a chamber, chromatographic media disposed within the cassette chamber, a distribution network fluidly coupled to the chromatographic media and an inlet port and an outlet port coupled to the distribution network. A hyper-productive chromatography technique includes providing a scalable and stackable chromatographic cassette, loading a sample to be processed, operating the scalable chromatographic cassette having an adsorptive chromatographic bed having a volume greater than 0.5 liter by establishing a flow at a linear velocity greater than 500 cm/hr with a residence time of the loading step of less than one minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SPF TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventor: Gaston de los Reyes
  • Patent number: 11795432
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to passively replacing media in a closed cell expansion system to reduce or prevent the dilution of chemical signaling used to inhibit signaling pathways that keep a cell population in the lag phase of cell growth. To prevent such dilution, active inlet fluid flow to the system may be halted. To replace fluid lost by the system, a bag containing media may be attached to the waste line in replacement of the waste or outlet bag connected thereto. By turning off one or more pumps, media from the replacement bag is added to the system at the rate of evaporation. Chemical signaling dilution may be prevented while conserving system resources. Enhancement of chemical signaling to reduce the lag phase of cell growth may further be accomplished by adding molecules, such as chemical-signaling proteins, from a direct source to the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Terumo BCT, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian J. Nankervis
  • Patent number: 11701622
    Abstract: A cartridge is provided for dialysis or other blood processing therapy. In the cartridge, fibers may be substantially uniformly distributed near a midplane, but near an end, in the inter fiber space, there may be void flow channels, which may cause fluid flow in the inter fiber space to transition within a short region to uniform flow with minimal stagnation zones. Void flow channels may be be radially oriented, introducing fluid from the outer circumference, or axially oriented, introducing fluid along the axial direction through passageways through the potting material. The fluid flow in the inter fiber space may be perpendicular to the fibers, or radial with respect to a cartridge longitudinal axis. The cartridge may have blood flow in the inter fiber space, and flow of dialysate or ultrafiltrate in the lumens of the fibers, or the opposite situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Novaflux Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed E. Labib, Stanislav S. Dukhin, Jeffrey C. Robertson
  • Patent number: 11612861
    Abstract: A crossflow filtration unit for continuous diafiltration of a feed fluid for obtaining a retentate and a permeate, a corresponding method for diafiltration and the use of the crossflow filtration unit are provided. The crossflow filtration unit includes a diafiltration channel, a flat first filter material, a retentate channel, a flat second filter material, and a permeate collection channel, arranged such that the flat first filter material delimits the diafiltration channel and the retentate channel from one another, and the flat second filter material delimits the retentate channel and the permeate collection channel from one another. The diafiltration channel is fluidly connected to at least one inlet for the diafiltration medium, the retentate channel is fluidly connected to at least one inlet for the feed fluid and to at least one outlet for the retentate. The permeate collection channel is fluidly connected to at least one outlet for the permeate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: SARTORIUS STEDIM BIOTECH GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Leuthold, Ulrich Grummert, Peter Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11607647
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices and processes for the production of hollow fiber membrane bundles. The bundles are used for the manufacture of filtration and/or diffusion devices, e.g., capillary dialyzers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventors: Franz Baumeister, Ulrich Bauer, Christian Hirssig
  • Patent number: 11577203
    Abstract: A planar membrane cartridge includes a support and a semi-permeable membrane layer. The support includes a first layer attached to a second layer and defining a front face and a back face of the support. At least one of the first layer and the second layer form a first embossment and a second embossment. Respective back faces of the first layer and the second layer are attached to each other along edges of the first embossment and of the second embossment, such that the first embossment defines a fluid compartment between the first layer and the second layer and the second embossment defines an internal channel between the first layer and the second layer which is isolated from the fluid compartment. An area of the first layer corresponding to the first embossment is covered by the semi-permeable membrane layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: VITO NV (VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK NV)
    Inventors: Bart Molenberghs, Chris Dotremont
  • Patent number: 11565216
    Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane module (100) of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of hollow fiber membranes (10); a binding portion (20) binding the plurality of hollow fiber membranes (10) at one end portions thereof; and a cap (30) having an internal space (30s) that communicates with each of the plurality of hollow fiber membranes (10), the cap (30) being integrated with the binding portion (20). Specifically, no other component is present between the binding portion (20) and the cap (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki Yamane, Hiroki Fujioka, Toshiaki Suga
  • Patent number: 11446419
    Abstract: In embodiments of the invention, there is provided a dialyzer or filter comprising hollow fibers, in which blood flows on the exterior of the hollow fibers, and dialysate or filtrate may flow on the inside. The external surfaces of the hollow fibers may have properties of smoothness and hemocompatibility. The fiber bundle may have appropriate packing fraction and may have wavy fibers. Optimum shear rates and blood velocities are identified. Geometric features of the cartridge, such as pertaining to flow distribution of the blood, may be different for different ends of the cartridge. Air bleed and emboli traps may be provided. Lengthened service life may be achieved by combinations of these features, which may permit additional therapies and applications or better economics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Novaflux Inc.
    Inventors: Mohamed E. Labib, Stanislav S. Dukhin
  • Patent number: 11413384
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to capillary dialyzers for blood purification, in particular, capillary dialyzers suitable for home hemodialysis systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventors: Joachim Loercher, Juergen Eichinger, Reinhold Buck, Arnd Wochner
  • Patent number: 11338242
    Abstract: Provided is a method for removing CO2 comprising: supplying a gas to be processed containing CO2, N2 and O2 to a feed side of a CO2/O2 selective permeation membrane within a temperature range of 15° C. to 50° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: Renaissance Energy Research Corporation, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Osamu Okada, Masaaki Teramoto, Tamotsu Nonouchi, Nobuaki Hanai, Junya Miyata, Yasato Kiyohara, Masato Sakurai, Shinichi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11148100
    Abstract: The present invention provides an intrinsically anti-microbial hollow fiber membrane for filtration of liquids. The membrane comprises a plurality of porous hollow bilayer membrane fibers wherein the liquid enters from outside of the fiber, passing through the porous membrane into the lumen of the fiber and coming out from the hollow ending of the fiber, wherein this configuration provides a liquid outside-in arrangement and retains the filtrate outside. It means that membrane of the invention has built in characteristics to act against microbes in order to provide the use with a safe liquid free from microbes. The outer side or outer wall of the hollow fibers may be configured to become hydrophobic whereas inner side or inner wall of the hollow fiber membrane may be configured to become hydrophilic to enhance the water permeability to a great extent. The hollow fiber membrane may be configured to give it an intrinsic anti-microbial capability. A device containing above said membrane has also been disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Pak Vitae (Private) Limited
    Inventors: Shayan Sohail, Arslan Ahmed, Hafiz Usama Tanveer
  • Patent number: 11141700
    Abstract: A membrane filter for filtering a liquid to be filtered, having a downwardly open base element through which flow can pass and which has a tubular shell and precisely one membrane carrier arranged therein, wherein the membrane carrier is connected to the shell by way of at least one anchoring point, having hollow fiber-type membranes fastened at the top in the membrane carrier, having a circumferentially closed pipe which, adjoining the top of the shell of the base element, surrounds the hollow fiber-type membranes, having a gas inlet into the base element, having at least one permeate collecting chamber, having at least one permeate outlet, and having at least one downwardly open flow chamber between the shell and the membrane carrier, which flow chamber has an outlet at the top, wherein the at least one flow chamber, in every horizontal section, adjoins both the shell and the membrane carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: MEMBION GMBH
    Inventors: Dirk Volmering, Klaus Vossenkaul
  • Patent number: 11123692
    Abstract: Hollow-fibre membrane having at least one first curl in the form of a first wave which is characterized by a first oscillation plane and a first wavelength and at least one second curl in the form of a second wave which is characterized by a second oscillation plane and a second wavelength, characterized in that the first oscillation plane and the second oscillation plane confine an angle with one another which is different from zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Armin Lang, Dieter Bechtel
  • Patent number: 11104874
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for introducing a first fluid into a bioreactor and while introducing the first fluid into the bioreactor, circulating a second fluid with a reagent at a first flow rate through the bioreactor. The bioreactor may be maintained in a first orientation for a first period of time to allow at least a first portion of the reagent to coat the bioreactor. The second fluid may then be circulated at a second flow rate slower than the first flow rate to allow a second portion of the reagent to coat the bioreactor. Introduction of the first fluid may promote coating of the bioreactor by ultrafiltration. The introduction of the first fluid may be stopped. A third fluid may be circulated through the bioreactor to remove a portion of the reagent not coated on the bioreactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Terumo BCT, Inc.
    Inventors: Nathan D. Frank, Brian J. Nankervis, Dennis J. Hlavinka, Thomas G. Dilorenzo
  • Patent number: 11013847
    Abstract: An external functional means comprises at least one housing body, at least one chamber integrated into the housing body for receiving medical fluids, at least one passage integrated into the housing body for receiving and/or conducting a medical fluid, and at least one valve means completely or partly integrated into the housing body for controlling or regulating a fluid flowing through the external functional means. The invention further specifies a blood treatment apparatus and methods which may be carried out by means of the external functional means of the invention and by means of the blood treatment apparatus, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Soeren Gronau, Goetz Guenther, Juergen Haecker, Martin Lauer, Joachim Manke, Dejan Nikolic, Manfred Weis
  • Patent number: 11014841
    Abstract: The invention provides a domestic appliance (100) configured to provide descaled water (2) during operation, wherein the domestic appliance (100) comprises (i) a descaling unit (200) for the production of descaled water (2), wherein the descaling unit (200) comprises a descaling reactor (210), a descaling unit inlet (201) for introduction of water (1) into the descaling reactor (210) and a descaling unit outlet (202) for release of descaled water (2) from the descaling reactor (210), and (ii) a scale inhibitor dosing unit (300) configured to provide a scale inhibitor (310) to the descaling reactor (210), wherein the scale inhibitor (310) comprises a phosphonate; wherein the descaling unit (200) further comprises an outlet unit (220) comprising (i) said descaling unit outlet (202) and (ii) a scale inhibitor adsorbent (230) configured upstream of said descaling unit outlet (202), wherein the scale inhibitor adsorbent (230) is selective for said scale inhibitor (210).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus Hendrikus Maria Bruggink, Shary Bonbon
  • Patent number: 10987636
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to filtration systems and methods for production of biologically-produced products, which may include pharmaceutical and/or protein products. Certain biomanufacturing systems described herein comprise a bioreactor (e.g., a perfusion bioreactor, a chemostat) and a filter probe comprising a filter bundle comprising a plurality of hollow fibers (e.g., longitudinally aligned hollow fibers). According to some embodiments, a center-to-center distance between any two hollow fibers within the fiber bundle at one or more points along a length of the fiber bundle is relatively large (e.g., greater than or equal to an average outer diameter of the hollow fibers of the fiber bundle, greater than or equal to 1.1 times a minimum diameter of the two hollow fibers). In some embodiments, the hollow fibers within the fiber bundle are arranged in an array (e.g., a hexagonal, linear, annular, or square array).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: J. Christopher Love, Craig A. Mascarenhas, Amos Enshen Lu, Richard Dean Braatz
  • Patent number: 10940444
    Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a membrane are described. The method includes causing a nanomaterial to contact at least a portion of a wall of at least on channel extending through a membrane, and causing the nanomaterial to adhere to the portion of the wall of the at least one channel. A fluid filtration system is also described. The filtration system includes a housing and a filter membrane. The housing may have a reservoir and a filter compartment. The filter membrane may have a channel extending therethrough. The channel may have a plurality of micropores along a wall thereof. The filter compartment may be configured to receive the filter membrane therein, the filter membrane configured to guide fluid thereacross to remove substances from the fluid or to modify substances in the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: University of Maryland, College Park
    Inventors: Liangbing Hu, Fengjuan Chen, Amy Gong
  • Patent number: 10898858
    Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane distillation apparatus that comprises an evaporation part comprising a liquid phase part 1 in which water to be treated flows, a gas phase part 1, and a hydrophobic porous membrane that separates the liquid phase part 1 and the gas phase part 1, a condensation part comprising a liquid phase part 2 in which cooling water flows, a gas phase part 2, and a cooling member that separates the liquid phase part 2 and the gas phase part 2, and a gas phase part 3 connecting the gas phase part 1 with the gas phase part 2, wherein the pressure of the gas phase parts 1 to 3 is 1 kPa or higher and the saturated steam pressure of water at the temperature of water to be treated or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuto Nagata, Hiroyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 10894117
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hollow molded article which has an opening portion communicating with a flow channel and which can be manufactured simply. The hollow molded article includes a panel and flow channels. The panel includes a first resin sheet and a second resin sheet partly welded with the first resin sheet. The flow channels are disposed between the first resin sheet and the second resin sheet, and include connection portions for external connection which are disposed on a peripheral edge of the panel. The connection portions are formed by the first resin sheet and the second resin sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Kyoraku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Yamazaki, Ryosuke Oki, Tomohiro Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10828583
    Abstract: A device is provided that provides an unbiased filtration effect and an effect of removing captured substances through backwashing by causing a fluid to uniformly pass through a filter element over the entire length in an axial direction at the time of backwashing so as to efficiently rotate a captured-substance removal tool in a filtration unit 1 which includes the captured-substance removal tool 20 axially supported inside the tubular filter element 2 to be rotatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI FILTER MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuichi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10792414
    Abstract: Manifolds suitable for use in hemodialysis, hemofiltration, hemodiafiltration, and peritoneal dialysis are provided. One or more of the manifolds can include a manifold body and an external tube. The manifold body can include at least one conduit including a first conduit and at least one port including a first port in fluid communication with the first conduit. The external tube can be in fluid communication with the first port and can include a main segment, a first branch segment, and a second branch segment containing at least one bacterial filter. The first branch segment and/or second branch segment can include at least one flow restrictor. Dialysis machines, systems, and kits including one or more such manifolds are also provided, as are methods of performing hemodiafiltration using such manifolds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Palmer David Updyke, Barry Fulkerson, Amaury De Leon De Leon, Michelle Bayly
  • Patent number: 10773212
    Abstract: A method of recovering one or more insoluble oils from a liquid source using one or more membrane or membrane contactors, comprising the steps of: pumping the liquid source comprising the one or more oils to the membranes or membrane contactors, contacting the liquid source with a first surface of the membrane or membrane contactors, coalescing the one or more oils within the liquid source onto the first surface of the membrane contactors, pumping one or more recovery fluids through the membrane or membrane contactors in contact with the second surface of the membrane or membrane contactors, and removing a first stream of oil coalesced from the second surface of the membranes or membrane contactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Frank Seibert, Stacy S. Truscott, Stephen William Briggs, Peter B. Kipp
  • Patent number: 10710865
    Abstract: This invention is a method by which four separate variables are manipulated in a manner that creates a process to force nitrogen into non-alcoholic carbonated beverages in a pressure rated vessel that is equipped to introduce the gas through the bottom of the pressure rated vessel. The four separate elements in this invention are Temperature, Pressure, Time, and Agitation. The purpose of this invention is to achieve a total of 30% total gas absorption of Carbon Dioxide and 70% total gas absorption of Nitrogen into Non-Alcoholic beverages including but not limited to Soda, Tea, Energy Drinks, Horchata, Fruit Juices, Water, Mineral Water, Fruit Juice Cocktails, Cocktail Mixers, Switchel, Lemonade, Limeade, vitamin drinks, orangeade, hang over remedies, and sports drinks, excluding all coffee and flavored coffee drinks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Inventor: Levi Travis Beckley
  • Patent number: 10618021
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to converting equilibrium-limited reactions. Various embodiments may include methods and apparatus for such reactions, such as a method for converting equilibrium-limited reactions comprising: delivering a catalyst material to a reaction zone of a reactor; delivering starting materials into the reaction zone; reacting the materials to form a product; introducing a sorbent into the reactor; taking up the products with the sorbent; and collecting the sorbent once it is loaded with products in a collection zone of the reactor. In some embodiment, the reaction zone is separated from the collection zone in the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jakob Albert, Manfred Baldauf, Jenny Reichert, Alexander Tremel, Peter Wasserscheid
  • Patent number: 10577393
    Abstract: A porous hollow fiber membrane is provided for the treatment of a protein-containing liquid, which can effectively separate and remove a substance such as a small diameter virus, and which can allow effective permeation of a useful substance to be recovered such as protein in high concentration. The porous hollow fiber membrane has an asymmetric structure having a dense layer in an outer layer only and contains a hydrophobic polymer and a first hydrophilic polymer, the surface and the porous part of the hollow fiber membrane are coated with a second hydrophilic polymer, the hydrophobic polymer is a polysulfone-type polymer, the first hydrophilic polymer is a copolymer of vinylpyrrolidone with vinyl acetate, and the second hydrophilic polymer is a polysaccharide or a polysaccharide derivative. The porous hollow fiber membrane is obtained by co-dissolving the hydrophobic polymer and the first hydrophilic polymer and then the second hydrophilic polymer is coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOBO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Ashitaka, Toru Uenishi, Noriko Monden, Noriaki Kato
  • Patent number: 10526299
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a conduit with two process fluid inlets at one end of the conduit, one process fluid outlet at an opposing end, a heat exchange medium inlet, and a heat exchange medium outlet. One of the fluid inlets includes a tube extending into the conduit and a perforated node at the end of the tube, and the other of the fluid inlets is arranged up stream of the perforated node. The apparatus further includes hollow tubes positioned longitudinally within the conduit between the two process fluid inlets, the process fluid outlet, the heat exchange medium inlet and the heat exchange medium outlet. In addition, the apparatus includes a collection vessel positioned proximate the fluid outlet and fibers extending through each of the hollow tubes, wherein one end of the fibers is secured to the perforated node and the other end of the fibers extends into the collection vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Chemtor, LP
    Inventor: John Lee Massingill
  • Patent number: 10512717
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a device and method to clear solutes from a patient's blood while maintaining fluid balance. In some implementations, the device and method is used to assist the filtration functions of a patient's liver or kidney. The device includes a plurality of hollow fibers that pass through a sequence of alternating filtration chambers and infusion chambers. The filtration chambers filter the patient's blood while the infusion chambers rehydrate the filtered blood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Charest, Christopher M. DiBiasio, Violet G. Finley, Jose A. Santos
  • Patent number: 10493407
    Abstract: A filtration device (1) has a housing (4) and a filter module (2) with hollow fibers (32) surrounded by an outer shell (5). The hollow fiber bundle (6) is sealed to the outer shell (5) at each end by an adhesive (11) transverse to the longitudinal direction (10). Each end of the hollow fibers (32) is unclosed. An unfiltered product chamber (20) is between the outer shell (5) and a wall (19) of the filter housing (4) and a filtered product chamber (13) is inside the filter module (2). The bottom end of the filter module (2) connects with an intermediate section (3) that connects with a receptacle (17) of a bottom portion (15) of the filter housing (4). The intermediate section (3) forms a connection chamber (26) facing the hollow fiber ends (29) and radial feed channels (28) connect the connection chamber (26) with the unfiltered product chamber (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Sartorius Stedim Biotech GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Requate, Gerid Hellwig
  • Patent number: 10251989
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a pulmonary assist device comprising a housing having tapered inlets and outlets to distribute blood evenly over a fiber bundle. The fiber bundle has a relatively low packing density to prevent the formation of clots. The invention is adapted to be used with a pump or without a pump, in which the heart supplies the necessary blood flow. Moreover, the device can be used as a single module or as multiple modules arranged in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Keith E. Cook, David Skoog
  • Patent number: 10213759
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of biological and chemical transformation as well as physical and chemical trapping. More specifically, the invention relates to a new reactor arrangement for performing, by means of at least one solid reaction member, biological or chemical transformation, or physical or chemical trapping from or release of agents to, a fluidic medium. The reactor arrangement is comprised of an auxiliary reactor having a transformation device and a main reactor. The invention also provides an auxiliary reactor adapted for being connected to a main reactor, a method of using such a reactor arrangement, as well as a process involving the reactor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SPINCHEM AB
    Inventors: Emil Byström, Henrik Scherman, Lars Eklund, Knut Irgum
  • Patent number: 10213543
    Abstract: A blood purification column includes an adsorbent and a casing whose two ends are open ends, wherein the adsorbent is housed inside the casing, and wherein one of two casing ends is a blood inflow-side end portion and another is a blood outflow-side end portion, and wherein a filter is disposed at the blood inflow-side end portion and/or the blood outflow-side end portion of the casing, and wherein the filter satisfies (1)-(3): (1) an opening rate thereof is greater than or equal to 5% and less than or equal to 80%; (2) an equivalent diameter of an aperture thereof is greater than or equal to 1 ?m and less than or equal to 5000 ?m; (3) a ratio of the equivalent diameter of the aperture thereof to an average circle equivalent diameter of void spaces of the adsorbent is greater than or equal to 45%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Fujieda, Yoshiyuki Ueno, Kazumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10201649
    Abstract: An extracorporeal blood treatment system including a gas exchange module operatively associated with a gas supply unit and optional pump for removing CO2 from blood. The gas exchange module includes a plurality of short conduits that are uniquely configured and arranged in a gas exchange mat to for efficient CO2 diffusion under conditions of low blood flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: MAQUET CARDIOPULMONARY GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Haag, Oliver Möllenberg, Ralf Thölke, Mathias Nakel, Rudolf Kober
  • Patent number: 10136635
    Abstract: A blood storage system comprising: a collection vessel for red blood cells; an oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device; a storage vessel for red blood cells; tubing connecting the collection vessel to the oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device and the oxygen or oxygen and carbon dioxide depletion device to the storage vessel; and a gamma or X-ray irradiating device is used to irradiate red blood cells stored in the vessel, storing red blood cells under anaerobic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: New Health Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Yoshida, Paul J. Vernucci
  • Patent number: 10113144
    Abstract: In a method for producing a cell concentrate using a cell suspension treatment system including a storage container of a cell suspension, which has a solution inlet port, a circulation outlet port, and a circulation inlet port, a cell suspension treatment device for concentrating the cell suspension by separating liquid from the cell suspension by filtration, the device including a container having a cell suspension introduction port, a cell suspension lead-out port, and a filtrate outlet, which is filled with a hollow fiber separation membrane, a circulation circuit for concentrating the cell suspension while circulating the cell suspension between the storage container and the cell suspension treatment device, a collection container of a cell concentrate obtained by concentration, a collection path for feeding the cell concentrate to the collection container, an injection path for injecting a solution into the solution inlet port of the storage container, and a detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: KANEKA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei Taniguchi, Nobuyoshi Umeda, Takaaki Sakashita, Hiroshi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 10099181
    Abstract: In a hollow fiber membrane module including a housing case, potting material loaded into the housing case, a cap attached to each of both ends of the housing case, and an O-ring closely held by the potting material and the cap, a whole area of the O-ring between a first contact point and a second contact point is exposed when the area is viewed from a central axis passing through a center of the ring shape of the O-ring, the first contact point being a point of contact between the O-ring and the cap, which faces inner cavity defined by an end surface of the potting material facing the cap, an inner circumferential surface of the O-ring and an inner circumferential surface of the cap, and the second contact point being a point of contact between the O-ring and the potting material, which faces the inner cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: ASAHI KASEI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tohru Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 10046277
    Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane module and a method for preparing a hollow fiber membrane module. A hollow fiber membrane module includes a header, and a sheet block inserted into the header, and the sheet block includes a hollow fiber membrane block, wherein the hollow fiber membrane block comprises a plurality of hollow fiber membranes arranged at regular intervals in a vertical direction of the header; and a resin block formed at an end of the hollow fiber membrane blocks and contacting an inner wall of the header to be secured thereto, and a potting agent is filled between hollow fiber membranes of the hollow fiber membrane blocks in a space between an upper side of the resin block to an inlet of the header to secure the hollow fiber membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: LOTTE ADVANCED MATERIALS CO., LTD., LOTTE CHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hyoung Wook Ahn, Young Lim Koo
  • Patent number: 10017373
    Abstract: A system and method to supply nitrogen gas is provided. Ambient air is compressed and stored in a storage receiver and then nitrogen is separated from the compressed air in a nitrogen membrane separation unit. The separated nitrogen is stored in a nitrogen storage tank under pressure and released through a pressure control valve. The system is confined to a small footprint and is useful as a nitrogen source where conventional compressed nitrogen tanks are a safety or space issue. Systems to prepare nitrogen infused beverages are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Automatic Bar Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Kleinrichert
  • Patent number: 10010665
    Abstract: An air separator (1) comprises a first chamber (2) where blood or other fluid can be received, an inlet and an outlet port associated to the bottom wall (4) and in fluid communication with the first chamber. A first channel (14) extending along the lateral wall of the separator and has a first and a second portion (16 and 18). The channel second portion (18) terminally forms an orifice (15) facing the chamber and extending in an area closer to a top wall (5) of the chamber (2) than to the bottom wall of the same chamber. The orifice faces the top of the separator and has a flow passage cross section greater than that of a first portion (16) of the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: GAMBRO LUNDIA AB
    Inventors: Luca Caleffi, Francesco Ribolzi, Ranko Sakota
  • Patent number: 9878085
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for reducing the number of leukocytes in blood through treating the blood in an arrangement of a plurality of fibers based on organic polymers, whereby the blood is channeled along the fibers and whereby the reduction in leukocytes from the blood occurs essentially through adsorption on the fibers, characterized in that the plurality of fibers based on organic polymers is fixed in a housing with an inlet arrangement and an outlet arrangement, and that the blood is channeled via the inlet arrangement into the housing, flows through the housing with the plurality of fibers made from organic polymers, and exits the housing via the outlet arrangement, that the arrangement of the fibers shows a high degree of order, that the blood flows along the external surface of the fibers, and that the fibers cause a generation of the complement activation product C5a in a concentration of at least 10 ?g per m2 of fiber surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Horst-Dieter Lemke, Frank Wiese, Bodo von Harten, Martin Konig, Wolfgang Ramlow
  • Patent number: 9814821
    Abstract: A method for removal of at least a portion of carbon dioxide from an aqueous fluid such as a blood fluid includes placing a first surface of at least one membrane through which carbon dioxide and at least one acid gas other than carbon dioxide can pass in fluid in contact with the fluid. The membrane limits or prevent passage of the fluid therethrough. A carrier or sweep gas including the acid gas other than carbon dioxide is passed over a second surface (which is typically opposite the first surface) of the membrane so that the acid gas other than carbon dioxide can pass through the membrane into the fluid, and carbon dioxide from the fluid can pass from the liquid, through the membrane, and into the sweep gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: William J. Federspiel, David T. Arazawa, Jeremy D. Kimmel
  • Patent number: 9808566
    Abstract: An external functional means comprises at least one housing body, at least one chamber integrated into the housing body for receiving medical fluids, at least one passage integrated into the housing body for receiving and/or conducting a medical fluid, and at least one valve means completely or partly integrated into the housing body for controlling or regulating a fluid flowing through the external functional means. The invention further specifies a blood treatment apparatus and methods which may be carried out by means of the external functional means of the invention and by means of the blood treatment apparatus, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Soeren Gronau, Goetz Guenther, Juergen Haecker, Martin Lauer, Joachim Manke, Dejan Nikolic, Manfred Weis, Andrea Günther, Richard Robert Bernd Günther, Gesa Dagmar Günther
  • Patent number: 9764289
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects and embodiments of an apparatus for securing hollow fiber filtration membranes in a filtration module. In one example, the apparatus comprises a restraining structure engaging elongate portions of the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers and an anchor formation engaging the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers and positioned closer to eye portions of the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers than at least a portion of the restraining structure. Neither the anchor formation nor the restraining structure sealingly engage open ends of the plurality of hollow porous membrane fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Tomasz Swiatek, Michael Collignon, Bruce Gregory Biltoft, Robert James McMahon
  • Patent number: 9713521
    Abstract: The invention provides a highly aligned and closely packed hollow fiber assembly, wherein the assemblies of fibrous membrane has a width-to-fiber diameter ratio (W/d) larger than 10 and the orientation of the fibers is no larger than +/?10°. Also provided is an electrospinning process for the preparation of the fiber assembly of the invention and its applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: TAIPEI MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chien-Chung Chen, Jen-Chang Yang, Jen-Chieh Lu, Sheng-Yang Lee
  • Patent number: 9687794
    Abstract: A polysulfone-based hollow fiber membrane that purifies blood preparations, including a hydrophilic polymer on a surface thereof which contacts the blood preparation, wherein an abundance ratio of the hydrophilic polymer is from 40 to 60% by mass, and porosity at the surface is 8 to 30%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Osabe, Tatsuya Kishikawa, Yoshiyuki Ueno, Masaaki Shimagaki
  • Patent number: 9616163
    Abstract: A method of sorbent dialysis is provided for enhanced removal of uremic toxins, such as toxic anions and/or organic solutes, from spent dialysate. More highly adsorbable zirconium polymeric complexes of these anions and/or organic solutes can be initially formed in spent dialysate by treatment with zirconium salt solution or other zirconium cation source, and then removed with adsorbent to provide purified or regenerated dialysate. Sorbent dialysis systems for detoxifying spent dialysate containing toxic anions and organic solutes are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond J. Wong, Lucas Fontenelle
  • Patent number: 9598717
    Abstract: Provided are an enzyme treatment apparatus for proteins using a hollow fiber membrane and an on-line proteomics method using same. The enzyme treatment apparatus for proteins according to the present invention can increase a recovery rate of peptides, which are recovered through an enzyme treatment process, by basically solving the problem of low reproducibility of an enzyme activity which may occur during a conventional enzyme treatment process, and can also reduce a time for purification and provide higher yield by performing separation and purification through a single step. In particular, the present invention can be usefully applied for developing a disease-specific protein biomarker through a statistical analysis method having highly efficient detectability for proteins in research for finding biomarkers related to human diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND SCIENCE
    Inventors: Duk Jin Kang, Sang Ryoul Park, Sook-Kyung Kim
  • Patent number: 9568460
    Abstract: A liquid phase microextraction (LPME) method was developed for the determination of sulfur compounds in crude oils and its fractions (e.g diesel). Wide ranges of sulfur compounds including benzothiophene, dibenzothiophene and their derivatives were used as model compounds for extraction. After extraction, the analyses were performed by gas chromatography equipped with sulfur chemiluminescence detector (GC-SCD). Various experiments conditions influencing the extraction such as extraction times, extraction solvents, solvent volume and quantitative parameters were optimized to achieve higher extraction efficiency and high accuracy. The optimized conditions were applied to the determination of sulfur compounds in crude oil and diesel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
    Inventors: Basheer Chanbasha, Ibrahim Mohammed Al-Zahrani, Than Htun
  • Patent number: 9533261
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are aspects and embodiments of filtration membrane modules including porous membranes and methods and structures associated with potting ends of the porous membranes in the membrane modules. In one example, there is provided a method of forming a filtration module. The method comprises securing a portion of a porous membrane in a pre-pot, positioning at least a portion of the pre-pot in a potting mold, introducing a pot forming substance into the potting mold, the pot forming substance surrounding at least a portion of the pre-pot and at least a portion of the porous membrane, curing the second pot forming substance to form a membrane pot, and separating the membrane pot from the potting mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Ying Hao Teo, Michael Collignon, Robert J. McMahon
  • Patent number: 9469353
    Abstract: A tarpaulin support device for an open top of a trailer or vehicle. The device has a flexible and resilient tube assembly bowed from a normally straight position under tension to an arched position outwardly from the trailer or vehicle. The tube assembly may be removably mounted to the side walls of the trailer or vehicle via brackets with angled bores therethrough. The tube assembly comprises an outer tube, an inner tube located substantially within an outer tube, a rod located substantially within an outer tube, or a rod located substantially within an inner tube located substantially within an outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Inventor: Clifford O. McWilliams