IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0021115
(2008-01-28)
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등록번호 |
US-7850051
(2011-02-10)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Py, Daniel
- Chan, Julian V.
- Adamo, Benoit
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Medical Instill Technologies, Inc.
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
27 인용 특허 :
99 |
초록
▼
A device including a valve body defining a first passageway, a valve seat, and a flow aperture extending through the valve body and coupled in fluid communication with the first passageway. A valve member formed of an elastic material overlies the valve seat, defining a normally closed, axially-exte
A device including a valve body defining a first passageway, a valve seat, and a flow aperture extending through the valve body and coupled in fluid communication with the first passageway. A valve member formed of an elastic material overlies the valve seat, defining a normally closed, axially-extending valve opening therebetween. The valve member is movable between a normally closed position engaging the valve seat, and an open position with at least a segment of the valve member spaced away from the valve seat to connect the valve opening in fluid communication with the flow aperture. A hermetically sealed variable-volume storage chamber stores therein multiple portions of the fluid and is connectible in fluid communication with the one-way valve assembly. A pump pumps discrete portions of fluid from the chamber, through the flow aperture and through the valve opening to dispense the portions of fluid therethrough.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A device for aseptically storing fluid and dispensing multiple portions of the stored fluid therefrom, comprising: a sealed, sterile, hermetically sealed variable-volume storage chamber, wherein the variable-volume storage chamber includes multiple portions of a fluid stored
What is claimed is: 1. A device for aseptically storing fluid and dispensing multiple portions of the stored fluid therefrom, comprising: a sealed, sterile, hermetically sealed variable-volume storage chamber, wherein the variable-volume storage chamber includes multiple portions of a fluid stored therein in an aseptic condition and sealed with respect to ambient atmosphere; a pump defining an inlet connectible with the variable-volume storage chamber and an outlet for pumping multiple portions of the fluid from the variable-volume storage chamber; and a one-way valve assembly including a valve seat and an elastic valve member overlying the valve seat and defining a normally closed valve opening defining an inlet at an interior portion of the valve member and an outlet at an exterior portion of the valve member and device that is axially spaced relative to the inlet, wherein the inlet is connectable in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber, the elastic valve member is movable in response to pumped fluid at the inlet exceeding a valve opening pressure between (i) a normally closed position, and (ii) an open position with at least a segment of the elastic valve member spaced away from the closed position to allow passage of fluid though the valve opening, and the pump is configured to pump the fluid from the variable-volume storage chamber through the valve opening and dispense discrete portions of the fluid through the outlet of the valve opening at the exterior of the device, and wherein the elastic valve member and variable-volume storage chamber maintain the remaining portions of the fluid in an aseptic condition and sealed with respect to the ambient atmosphere throughout a shelf life and dispensing of the fluid. 2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the elastic valve member and variable-volume storage chamber maintain the remaining portions of the fluid substantially at ambient temperature throughout a shelf life and dispensing of the fluid. 3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the variable-volume storage chamber is defined by one of (i) a flexible pouch, and (ii) a rigid body including a piston slidably received within the body, and forming a fluid-tight seal between a peripheral portion of the piston and the body. 4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the fluid is at least one of a milk-based product, a baby formula, and a water-based product. 5. A device as defined in claim 4, wherein the milk-based product, baby formula, or water-based product is substantially preservative-free. 6. A device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a flexible tube coupled on one end in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber and coupled on another end in fluid communication with the one-way valve assembly, and wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump that engages an external portion of the flexible tube and pumps discrete portions of the fluid therethrough. 7. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the pump is a manually-engageable pump including a compression chamber, a compressive surface in fluid communication with the compression chamber, and a manually-engageable or pedal actuator that is at least one of engageable with and coupled to at least one of the compression chamber and compressive surface, wherein the manually-engageable or pedal actuator is movable with at least one of the compressive surface and compression chamber between a rest position and at least one actuated position to pressurize fluid within the compression chamber and dispense fluid through the one-way valve assembly. 8. A device as defined in claim 7, wherein the manually-engageable or pedal actuator is manually engageable and movable with at least one of the compressive surface and compression chamber between (i) a first position with the compression chamber coupled in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber and receiving fluid from the variable-volume storage chamber into the compression chamber, and (ii) a second position with the compressive surface received within the compression chamber and the compression chamber substantially sealed with respect to the variable-volume storage chamber and the fluid within the compression chamber pressurized to, in turn, dispense the pressurized fluid through the one-way valve assembly. 9. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the pump, the elastic valve member, and a surface defining the variable-volume storage chamber comprises a substantially transparent needle penetrable and thermally resealable portion that includes (i) a styrene block copolymer, (ii) an olefin; (iii) and pigment defined by a substantially transparent near infrared absorber added in an amount of less than about 150 ppm; and (iv) a lubricant. 10. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the fluid is maintained in the variable-volume storage chamber substantially airless during the shelf life and dispensing of fluid through the one-way valve assembly. 11. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the fluid is maintained in the variable-volume storage chamber sterile during the shelf life and dispensing of fluid through the one-way valve assembly. 12. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve member forms an interference fit with the valve seat. 13. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the variable-volume storage chamber, pump and one-way valve assembly includes a needle penetrable and thermally resealable portion, wherein the needle penetrable and thermally resealable portion is penetrable with a needle for introducing the fluid through the needle and into the variable-volume storage chamber, a resulting needle hole in the needle penetrable and thermally resealable portion is resealable by applying thermal energy thereto for storing multiple portions of the fluid in the variable-volume storage chamber sealed with respect to ambient atmosphere. 14. A device as defined in claim 3, wherein the variable-volume storage chamber is defined by a rigid body including a piston slidably received within the body, and forming a fluid-tight seal between a peripheral portion of the piston and the body. 15. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein an energy required to open segments of the valve portion decreases in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet of the respective valve. 16. A device as defined in claim 12, wherein the valve member and valve seat define a decreasing degree of interference therebetween in a direction from an upstream end toward a downstream end of the valve opening. 17. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve member defines a dimension that is less than a dimension of the valve seat to form an interference fit with the valve seat in at least one location where the valve member overlies the valve seat. 18. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a segment of the valve member engages the valve seat substantially throughout any period of dispensing fluid through the valve opening. 19. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the valve opening is axially-extending. 20. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein valve member is movable radially between the normally closed position and the open position. 21. A device for aseptically storing fluid and dispensing multiple portions of the stored fluid therefrom, comprising: a sealed, sterile, hermetically sealed variable-volume storage chamber, wherein the variable-volume storage chamber includes multiple portions of at least one of a milk-based product, a baby formula product, and a non-acid product stored therein in an aseptic condition and sealed with respect to ambient atmosphere; a pump defining an inlet connectible with the variable-volume storage chamber and an outlet for pumping multiple portions of the product from the variable-volume storage chamber; and a one-way valve assembly including a valve seat and an elastic valve member overlying the valve seat and defining a normally closed valve opening defining an inlet at an interior portion of the valve member and an outlet at an exterior portion of the valve member and device that is axially spaced relative to the inlet, wherein the inlet is connectable in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber, the elastic valve member is movable in response to pumped fluid at the inlet exceeding a valve opening pressure between (i) a normally closed position, and (ii) an open position with at least a segment of the elastic valve member spaced away from the closed position and thereby allow passage of fluid though the valve opening, wherein the pump is configured to pump the product from the variable-volume storage chamber through the valve opening and dispense discrete portions of the product through the outlet of the valve opening at the exterior of the device, and wherein the elastic valve member and variable-volume storage chamber maintain the remaining portions of the product in the aseptic condition sealed with respect to the ambient atmosphere and substantially at ambient temperature throughout a shelf life and dispensing of the fluid. 22. A device as defined in claim 21, further comprising a flexible tube coupled on one end in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber and coupled on another end in fluid communication with a one-way valve assembly, wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump that engages an external portion of the flexible tube and pumps discrete portions of the product therethrough. 23. A device as defined in claim 21, wherein the pump is a manually-engageable pump including a compression chamber, a compressive surface in fluid communication with the compression chamber, and a manually-engageable or pedal actuator that is at least one of engageable with and coupled to at least one of the compression chamber and compressive surface, wherein the manually-engageable or pedal actuator is manually engageable and movable with at least one of the compressive surface and compression chamber between a rest position and at least one actuated position to pressurize the product within the compression chamber and dispense the product through the one-way valve assembly. 24. A device as defined in claim 21, wherein the product is selected from the group including milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cream, half-and-half, baby formula, yogurt, coffee, coffee concentrate, coffee aroma, mayonnaise, cheese sauce, milk sauce, and soup. 25. A device as defined in claim 21, wherein the elastic valve member in the normally closed position prevents the ingress of at least one of bacteria, micro-organisms, and contamination through the one-way valve assembly and into the product in the variable-volume storage chamber throughout the shelf-life and dispensing of the product. 26. A device as defined in claim 21, wherein the one-way valve assembly includes a valve body defining the valve seat and a flow aperture extending through at least one of the valve body and valve seat, the valve member defines a predetermined radial thickness and forms an interference fit with the valve seat, and the valve member is movable relative to the valve seat between the normally closed position with the valve member engaging the valve seat, and the open position with at least a segment of the valve member spaced away from the valve seat to connect the valve opening in fluid communication with the flow aperture and thereby allow the passage of the fluid from the flow aperture through the valve opening. 27. A device as defined in claim 21, further comprising a relatively rigid housing, and wherein the variable-volume storage chamber is defined by a flexible pouch received within the relatively rigid housing. 28. A device for aseptically storing fluid and dispensing multiple portions of the stored fluid therefrom, comprising: first means forming a sealed, sterile, hermetically sealed variable-volume storage chamber for storing therein multiple portions of a fluid in an aseptic condition and sealed with respect to ambient atmosphere; second means defining an inlet connectible with the variable-volume storage chamber and an outlet for pumping multiple portions of the fluid from the variable-volume storage chamber; and third means for dispensing discrete portions of the pumped fluid therethrough and maintaining the remaining portions of the fluid in the aseptic condition sealed with respect to the ambient atmosphere throughout a shelf life and dispensing of the fluid, wherein the third means includes fourth means and fifth means overlying the fourth means for elastically defining a normally closed axially-extending opening defining an inlet at an interior portion of the fifth means and an outlet at an exterior portion of the fifth means and device that is axially spaced relative to the inlet, and for moving in response to pumped fluid at the inlet exceeding an opening pressure between (i) a normally closed position, and (ii) an open position with at least a segment of the fifth means spaced away from the closed position to allow passage of fluid though the axially-extending opening. 29. A device as defined in claim 28, wherein the first means is defined by one of (i) a flexible pouch, and (ii) a rigid body including a piston slidably received within the body, the second means is a pump, the third means is a one-way valve assembly, the fourth means is a valve seat, and the fifth means is an elastic valve member. 30. A device as defined in claim 28, wherein the fluid is at least one of a milk-based product, a baby formula, and a water-based product. 31. A device as defined in claim 30, wherein the milk-based product, baby formula, or water-based product is substantially preservative-free. 32. A device as defined in claim 29, further comprising a flexible tube coupled on one end in fluid communication with the variable-volume storage chamber and coupled on another end in fluid communication with the one-way valve assembly, and wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump that engages an external portion of the flexible tube and pumps discrete portions of the fluid therethrough. 33. A device as defined in claim 29, wherein the pump is a manually-engageable pump including a compression chamber, a compressive surface in fluid communication with the compression chamber, and a manually-engageable or pedal actuator that is at least one of engageable with and coupled to at least one of the compression chamber and compressive surface, wherein the manually-engageable or pedal actuator is movable with at least one of the compressive surface and compression chamber between a rest position and at least one actuated position to pressurize fluid within the compression chamber and dispense fluid through the one-way valve assembly. 34. A device as defined in claim 28, wherein the fifth means in the normally closed position prevents the ingress of at least one of bacteria, micro-organisms, and contamination through the third means and into the fluid in the variable-volume storage chamber throughout the shelf-life and dispensing of the fluid. 35. A device as defined in claim 28, wherein at least one of the first and third means maintains the remaining portions of the fluid substantially at ambient temperature throughout a shelf life and dispensing of the fluid. 36. A device as defined in claim 29, wherein the first means is defined by a rigid body including a piston slidably received within the body.
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