Beta container for an alpha-beta port system

Abstract

A beta container for an alpha-beta port system includes a sheath for receiving transport material and a flange part having a through opening for transferring the transport material from and/or into the sheath, a first interface for a reversible connection to an alpha connection of the port system, and a second interface for releasable attachment of a beta cover for closing the through opening. An edge of the sheath is connected with a first surface of a ring which encompasses a jacket surface of the flange part, the first surface and the jacket surface having different materials. An elastic bellows may be fastened to the flange part such that, in the relaxed state, it engages over the second interface and/or projects out of the through-opening on the side facing away from the sheath, and such that it can be compressed. At least one transponder for transmitting an identification may be arranged on the flange part.

Claims

1. A beta container for an alpha-beta port system, the beta container comprising: a sheath for receiving a transport material; and a flange part, the flange part comprising: a through opening for transferring the transport material into or out from the sheath, a first interface designed for reversible connecting to an alpha connection of the alpha-beta port system, and a second interface designed for releasably attaching a beta cover that closes the through opening; wherein at least one of: an edge of the sheath is connected in a material-fitting manner to a first surface of a ring that encompasses around a jacket surface of the flange part, the first surface and the jacket surface comprising different materials, or at least one transponder designed for transmitting an identification is arranged at the flange part.

2. The beta container of claim 1, further comprising a connecting body fixing the bellows in the through opening in at least one of a frictionally manner, a form-fitting manner, or a material-fitting manner.

3. The beta-container of claim 1, wherein at least one of: the ring and the sheath are welded together; the flange part has a higher heat distortion temperature according to DIN EN ISO 75-1, -2, -3 than at least one of the ring or the sheath; the jacket surface of the flange part and an inner circumferential surface of the ring opposite thereto are not weldable to one another; at least one of the flange part, the jacket surface of the flange part, or the beta cover comprises polycarbonate; at least one of the ring, the first surface of the ring, or the sheath comprises polyethylene; or the transponder is an RFID transponder.

4. The beta container of claim 2, wherein the connecting body comprises polycarbonate.

5. The beta container of claim 1, further comprising the beta cover detachably attachable to the second interface.

6. An alpha-beta port system, comprising: at least one beta container according to claim 1; and at least one alpha port having a mating interface for reversibly connecting the beta container via the first interface.

7. The beta container of claim 1, wherein an elastic bellows is fastened to the flange part in such a way that, in a relaxed state, the bellows is compressible and at least one of engages over the second interface or projects out of the through opening on a side facing away from the sheath.

8. The beta container of claim 7, wherein at least one of: the sheath is flexible; the elastic bellows is fastened to the flange part in the through opening; the elastic bellows is compressible by the beta cover that is fastened to the second interface, or the elastic bellows is compressible to a side of the second interface facing toward the sheath; the transponder is a passive transponder; or the transponder is arranged in the flange part.

9. A beta container for an alpha-beta port system, the beta container comprising: a sheath for receiving a transport material; a flange part, the flange part comprising: a through opening for transferring the transport material into or out from the sheath, a first interface designed for reversible connecting to an alpha connection of the alpha-beta port system, and a second interface designed for releasably attaching a beta cover that closes the through opening; wherein an edge of the sheath is connected in a material-fitting manner to a first surface of a ring that encompasses around a jacket surface of the flange part, the first surface and the jacket surface comprising different materials; and a first seal arranged between the ring and the jacket surface.

10. The beta container of claim 9, wherein: the first seal is attached to at least one of the ring or the jacket surface; and the first seal is attached in at least one of a form-fitting manner or a material-fitting manner.

11. The beta container of claim 9, wherein at least one of: at least one of the first seal and at least one surface of the ring, or the first seal and the sheath surface are formed from different materials; a second seal is arranged on a side of the second interface facing away from the sheath in order to seal off a beta cover fastened to the second interface.

12. The beta container of claim 11, wherein at least one of: the first seal and the first surface of the ring are formed from different materials; the second seal is arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the flange part; or the second seal surrounds the beta cover fastened to the second interface.

13. The beta container of claim 11, wherein the second seal is connected to the first seal.

14. The beta container of claim 13, wherein at least one of: the second seal is connected to the first seal by at least one web; or the second seal is formed together with the first seal.

15. The beta container of claim 14, wherein the at least one web extends through a channel of the flange part.

16. The beta container of claim 15, wherein the transponder is arranged in at least one of: the first seal; the second seal or the at least one web; or a channel of the flange part.

17. The beta container of claim 15, wherein the transponder is arranged in the channel of the flange part.

18. The beta container of claim 14, wherein at least one of the first seal, the second seal, the web, or the bellows comprises EPDM or silicone.

19. A method of sterilely transferring material from a container interior into or out from an isolation space of an alpha-beta port system, the method comprising: obtaining beta container, wherein the beta container comprises: a sheath for receiving a transport material, and a flange part, the flange part comprising: a through opening for transferring the transport material into or out from the sheath, a first interface designed for reversible connecting to an alpha connection of the alpha-beta port system, and a second interface designed for releasably attaching a beta cover that closes the through opening, wherein at least one of: an edge of the sheath is connected in a material-fitting manner to a first surface of a ring that encompasses around a jacket surface of the flange part, the first surface and the jacket surface comprising different materials, an elastic bellows is fastened to the flange part in such a way that, in a relaxed state, the bellows is compressible and at least one of engages over the second interface or projects out of the through opening on a side facing away from the sheath, or at least one transponder designed for transmitting an identification is arranged at the flange part; and at least one of: transmitting an identification by the transponder, reversibly connecting the beta container via its first interface to an alpha port of the alpha-beta port system, connecting a beta cover of the beta container to an alpha door of the alpha port, and opening the beta cover, or relaxing the bellows such that the bellows at least one of overlaps the second interface or protrudes from the through opening.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of: the beta container is connected to the alpha port before, during and/or after transmitting the identification by the transponder; relaxing the bellows is caused by opening the beta cover.

21. A method of manufacturing a beta container for an alpha-beta port system, the beta container including a sheath coupled with a flange part, the flange part including a through opening for transferring a transport material into or out from the sheath, a first interface designed for reversible connecting to an alpha connection of the alpha-beta port system, and a second interface designed for releasably attaching a beta cover that closes the through opening, the method comprising at least one of: connecting in a material-fitting manner an edge of the sheath to a ring that encompasses around a jacket surface of the flange part; or arranging at least one transponder at the flange part.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of: the ring is spaced from or joined to the flange part; a first seal is arranged between the jacket surface and the ring; the first seal is formed between the jacket surface and the ring; the at least one transponder is arranged in the flange part; or the at least one transponder is at least one of arranged in the flange part or arranged before producing a web that connects the second seal to the first seal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of: the first seal is at least one formed together with a second seal or formed before or after connecting the edge of the sheath to the ring; or the at least one transponder is arranged in a channel of the flange part.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a beta container according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a section through a flange part of the container with the beta cover attached and the bellows compressed;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the section of the FIG. 2 with the cover removed and the bellows relaxed;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the flange part; and

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates an alpha-beta port system with the beta container according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a beta container according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprising a flange part 1, which has a first interface 1.1 for a reversible connection to an alpha connection 10 of an alpha-beta port system in a manner known per se, and a through opening 1.3, a sheath 6, the edge 6.1 of which is or will be welded to a first surface 2.1 of a ring 2, a first seal 3, which is or will be arranged between an inner circumferential surface 2.2 of the ring 2 and a jacket surface 1.4 of the flange part 1 and thereby connects the jacket surface and the inner circumferential surface or the flange part and the ring with each other, a second seal 4 which is or will be manufactured together with the first seal, a beta cover 5, which is detachably fastened in a manner known per se by means of or to a second interface 1.2 of the flange part 1 or which is arranged for this purpose, an elastic bellows 8, which is fastened in the through opening via a connecting body 7, and an RFID chip 9 which is or will be molded into a web 34 connecting the first and second seals and arranged or made in a channel 1.34 of the flange part 1.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a section through the flange part of the container with the beta cover attached to the second interface, thereby compressing the bellows to a sheath facing side of the second interface (left in the FIG. 2).

(9) FIG. 3 shows the section of the FIG. 2 with the cover removed. The bellows thus relaxed overlaps the second interface and protrudes from the through opening on the side facing away from the sheath (right in the FIG. 3).

(10) In addition, a weld seam 26 is indicated between the sheath edge 6.1 and the ring surface 2.1 in the FIG. 3.

(11) In the perspective flange part view of the FIG. 4, the flange part is shown transparent to illustrate the first seal 3 and the second seal 4 as well as the four webs 34 connecting them and distributed over the circumference, with the RFID chip 9 being molded into one of the webs. For this purpose, silicone is injected in one shot so that the second seal 4 is produced at the same time, the RFID chip is fixed and the ring is connected to the flange part.

(12) Although exemplary embodiments have been explained in the foregoing description, it should be noted that a variety of variations are possible. Furthermore, it should be noted that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples that are not intended to limit the scope of protection, the applications and the configurations in any way. Rather, the foregoing description provides the person skilled in the art with a guide for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein various modifications, particularly with respect to the function and the arrangement of the components described, may be made without departing from the scope of protection as it results from the claims and the equivalent feature combinations.

(13) While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments, and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. The various features shown and described herein may be used alone or in any combination. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative example shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit and scope of the general inventive concept

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(14) 1 flange part 1.1 first interface 1.2 second interface 1.3 through opening 1.4 jacket surface 1.34 channel 2 ring 2.1 first surface 2.2 inner circumferential surface 3 first seal 4 second seal 5 beta cover 6 sheath 6.1 edge 7 connecting body 8 bellows 9 transponder 10 alpha port 26 weld seam 34 web