Abstract: A bag is disclosed for the collection, freezing, storage, and rapid thawing of fluids, and particularly blood and blood components. Front and back sheets of fluid impervious material are bonded to one another along edge portions thereof to form a bag defining a reservoir. The front and back sheets are further bonded together at a plurality of locations intermediate the edge portions to constrain the distance by which the front and back sheets can separate. The intermediate fastening locations are disposed to permit uniform filling of the reservoir. A port is provided for introducing and discharging fluid into and out of the reservoir. When a fluid is introduced into the reservoir, the front and back sheets are constrained from separating in response to a pressure exerted by the fluid by the intermediate fastenings between the front and back sheets to constrain the thickness of the bag.

Abstract: The temperature of bags of blood or blood components is varied by directing a heated or refrigerated flow of air through vents (138) of pairs of opposing ducts (130A, 130B) longitudinally spaced across gaps to present thermal processing chambers (136) into which the bags are received. The vents are centrally located on vertical tubes (132) laterally separated by vertical air return slots (135), and act to direct the airflow substantially perpendicular and with turbulence against the bags. In a described thermal processing unit (110), the spacings of the vents and tubes are chosen to match the corresponding spacing of vertical tubular chambers (62) of a preferred bag (10) with which the unit (110) can be used.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively shuttering a light aperture or channel which includes a shutter blade that is rapidly moved by magnetic force between spaced apart end positions. The shutter apparatus maintains the shutter blade stable in either of the two end positions by magnetic attraction, and preferably provides a third stable position for the shutter blade which is intermediate the two end positions, such that the shutter blade has three stable positions corresponding to full, partial and no shuttering of the aperture or channel. In one embodiment, the shutter blade is part of a flag carried by a torsion beam which is fixed at one end in a mount in a cantilever arrangement, and is free to twist about its longitudinal axis. An elongated permanent magnet extends transverse to the flag and presents poles of opposite polarity.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively shuttering a light aperture or channel which includes a shutter blade that is rapidly moved by magnetic force between spaced apart end positions. The shutter apparatus maintains the shutter blade stable in either of the two end positions by magnetic attraction, and preferably provides a third stable position for the shutter blade which is intermediate the two end positions, such that the shutter blade has three stable positions corresponding to full, partial and no shuttering of the aperture or channel. In one embodiment, the shutter blade is part of a flag carried by a torsion beam which is fixed at one end in a mount in a cantilever arrangement, and is free to twist about its longitudinal axis. An elongated permanent magnet extends transverse to the flag and presents poles of opposite polarity.