阅读说明：本技术 冷冻干燥装载托盘组件及系统 (Freeze-drying loading tray assembly and system ) 是由 纳撒尼尔·T·约翰逊 丹尼斯·A·布里奇斯 亚历山大·杜·努伊恩 玛格丽特·V·奎特 科斯塔 于 2020-03-11 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供了用于容纳冷冻干燥容器的装载托盘组件以及相关的系统和方法。该装载托盘组件包括底架,该底架包括接触空隙,该接触空隙被构造成有利于附接的冷冻干燥容器和冷冻干燥机搁板之间的直接接触。该方法包括：将多部分式的冷冻干燥容器固定在冷冻干燥装载托盘组件上,该多部分式的冷冻干燥容器包括可剥离密封件；将液体输入到冷冻干燥容器的不透气部段中；将托盘组件装载到冷冻干燥机中；冷冻液体；施加热量能量和真空,该真空使可剥离密封件打开；以及阻隔冷冻干燥容器以隔离冷冻的液体。(A loading tray assembly for housing freeze-dried containers and related systems and methods are provided. The loading tray assembly includes a chassis including a contact void configured to facilitate direct contact between an attached freeze drying container and a freeze dryer shelf. The method comprises the following steps: securing a multi-part freeze-dried container to a freeze-dried loading tray assembly, the multi-part freeze-dried container including a peelable seal; introducing a liquid into the gas-impermeable section of the freeze-drying vessel; loading the tray assembly into a freeze dryer; freezing the liquid; applying thermal energy and a vacuum, the vacuum causing the peelable seal to open; and blocking the freeze-drying vessel to isolate the frozen liquid.)

1. A loading tray assembly for containing flexible freeze drying containers, the assembly comprising:

a chassis including a contact void configured to facilitate direct contact between an attached container and a freeze dryer shelf.

2. The loading tray assembly of claim 1, further comprising a clamp.

3. The loading tray assembly of claim 2, wherein the clamp is configured to have an open initial bias.

4. The loading tray assembly of claim 2, wherein the clip is a temporary two-part clip comprising a top jaw and a bottom jaw, each comprising two vertical elements and one transverse element, the respective elements of each jaw configured to cooperate to create a barrier.

5. The loading tray assembly of claim 4, wherein a tolerance between the transverse elements of the top jaw and the transverse elements of the bottom jaw is between 80% and 99% of a thickness of two layers of container material secured between the top jaw and the bottom jaw when the clamp is in the closed state.

6. The loading tray assembly of claim 4, wherein a tolerance between the horizontal elements of the top jaw and the bottom jaw is greater than 100% of a thickness of two layers of container material secured between the top jaw and the bottom jaw when the clamp is in the closed state.

7. The loading tray assembly of claim 1, further comprising a shelf spacer.

8. The loading tray assembly of claim 7, wherein the bottom surface of the chassis is offset from the bottom surface of the shelf spacer by a distance of between 0.02mm and 5.0 mm.

9. The loading tray assembly of claim 7, wherein the shelf spacer has a height of between 2.5cm and 4.5 cm.

10. The loading tray assembly of claim 7, wherein the chassis comprises aluminum and the shelf spacer comprises Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS).

11. The loading tray assembly of claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises an attachment device for attaching the freeze-drying container.

12. The loading tray assembly of claim 11, wherein the attachment means is selected from a tab, a rod, and a pin.

13. The loading tray assembly of claim 1, wherein the freeze-dried container is a multi-part container.

14. A freeze drying system, the system comprising:

a multi-part freeze-drying vessel;

a loading tray assembly, the loading tray assembly comprising:

a chassis including a contact void configured to facilitate direct contact between an attached multi-part freeze drying container and a freeze dryer shelf; and

a freeze dryer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the loading tray assembly further comprises a clamp.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the clamp is a temporary two-piece bed clamp or a parallel clamp.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the loading tray assembly further comprises a shelf spacer.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the loading tray assembly further comprises an attachment device for attaching the multi-part freeze-drying container.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the multi-part freeze-drying vessel comprises a barrier region.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the multi-part freeze-dried container comprises a peelable seal.

21. A method of freeze drying a fluid, the method comprising:

securing a multi-part freeze-dried container to a freeze-dried loading tray assembly, the container including a peelable seal;

inputting a liquid into a gas-impermeable section of the freeze-drying vessel;

loading the tray assembly into a freeze dryer;

freezing the liquid;

applying thermal energy and a vacuum that causes a peelable seal of the freeze-dried container to open and enables vapor to be transferred between a gas-impermeable section of the container and a gas-permeable section of the container; and

blocking the multi-part freeze-drying vessel to isolate the frozen liquid.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising inputting a gas into a gas-impermeable section of the vessel to create a vapor space above the input liquid.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising inputting a pH adjusting gas into the gas-impermeable section of the vessel.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising backfilling the freeze drying chamber.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the backfilling of the freeze drying chamber comprises backfilling to only partial atmospheric pressure.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the backfilling of the freeze drying chamber to partial atmospheric pressure is performed using a pH adjusting gas.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising introducing an inert gas to increase the chamber pressure to atmospheric pressure.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming a permanent seam in the gas permeable section of the container when the interior of the gas impermeable section is at partial atmospheric pressure.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising removing a gas permeable section of the flexible container.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the freeze-dried loading tray assembly comprises:

a chassis including a contact void configured to facilitate direct contact between an attached multi-part freeze drying container and a freeze dryer shelf.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the freeze-dried loading tray assembly further comprises a clamp.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the clamp is a temporary two-piece bed clamp or a parallel clamp.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein the freeze-dried loading tray assembly further comprises shelf spacers.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the chassis further comprises an attachment device for attaching the multi-part freeze drying vessel.

Technical Field

The present application describes a loading tray assembly and associated system for loading freeze-dried containers into a freeze-dryer and freeze-drying the fluid. The loading tray assembly is configured to receive a flexible, multi-part freeze-drying container. The apparatus and systems described herein are primarily useful for the freeze-drying of biological fluids, such as human and animal blood and related blood products (e.g., plasma).

Background

Lyophilized plasma has been used for decades. Various benefits associated with freeze-dried plasma are well known, including logistic advantages and storage advantages, as well as the ability to obtain large quantities of commercially active products simply, safely, and quickly. In the art, a flexible multi-part container for freeze-drying plasma comprising a gas permeable membrane is known. In operation, a number of variables may affect the performance of such containers. On the one hand, optimal contact between the container and the freeze dryer shelf may not be achieved or maintained throughout the freeze drying process, resulting in less than optimal container performance and reduced yield of active product. On the other hand, operator error may affect container performance. For example, an operator may fail to create a barrier in the container for isolating the freeze-dried product after sublimation and desorption, resulting in contamination of the gas-permeable membrane or in the ingress of contaminants into the container. For these and other reasons, there remains a need to develop techniques and apparatus that optimize the performance of freeze-dried containers throughout the freeze-drying process and reduce the likelihood of operator error.

While specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been provided for these reasons and others, the specific problems discussed herein should not be construed as limiting the applicability of the embodiments of the disclosure in any way.

Disclosure of Invention

This summary is provided to introduce aspects of some embodiments of the present application in a simplified form and is not intended to include an exhaustive list of all critical or essential elements of the claimed invention nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claims.

Embodiments provide a loading tray assembly for receiving freeze-dried containers. The loading tray assembly includes a chassis including contact voids configured to facilitate direct contact between an attached container and a freeze dryer shelf, between a temporary clamp and a shelf spacer.

In another aspect, a system is provided that includes a multi-part freeze drying container, a loading tray assembly, and a freeze dryer. The freeze-drying loading tray assembly includes a chassis including a contact void configured to facilitate direct contact between an attached multi-part freeze-drying container and a freeze-dryer shelf.

In yet another aspect, a method is provided, the method comprising the steps of: securing a multi-part freeze-drying container to a freeze-drying loading tray assembly, the multi-part freeze-drying container including a peelable seal; introducing a liquid into the gas-impermeable section of the freeze-drying vessel; freezing the liquid; applying thermal energy and a vacuum, the vacuum causing a peelable seal of the freeze-dried container to open and enabling transfer of vapour between the gas-impermeable section of the container and the gas-permeable section of the container; and blocking the multi-part freeze-drying vessel to isolate the frozen liquid.

Further embodiments of the present application include additional methods, apparatus, and systems for freeze drying a fluid. The fluid may be any suitable liquid, including human or animal plasma.

Drawings

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following figures.

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a flexible multi-part freeze-drying container according to the related art;

fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a freeze dryer according to the related art;

fig. 3A and 3B are alternative plan views of a loading tray assembly according to embodiments of the present application;

fig. 4A and 4B are alternative views of a load tray assembly according to embodiments of the present application;

FIG. 5 is a partial exploded view of a loading tray assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a loading tray assembly housing freeze-dried containers according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a temporary clamp according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a temporary clamp according to an embodiment of the present application;

fig. 9 is a schematic representation of a freeze-drying system according to an embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 10 is a schematic workflow diagram according to an embodiment of the present application; and

fig. 11 is a schematic workflow diagram according to another embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description

A further understanding of the principles described herein may be realized by reference to the following detailed description and the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Although specific features are illustrated and described below with respect to particular embodiments, this application is not limited to the specific features or embodiments provided. Furthermore, examples will be described below with respect to freeze-drying and storing human or animal blood or blood components; however, this description is merely illustrative. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that embodiments of the present disclosure may be used to freeze-dry any suitable liquid.

Embodiments of the present application relate to a dedicated tray assembly to load freeze-dried containers into a freeze-dryer and to facilitate the evolution of the containers throughout the freeze-drying process. The tray assembly includes a temporary fixture designed to create a temporary barrier in the freeze-drying vessel after sublimation and desorption to prevent contamination of the freeze-dried product.

The embodiments described in this application can be combined with a number of conventional, commercially available freeze dryers (e.g. of the Millrock technology)Pilot freeze dryer). Thus, the devices and techniques described in this application may be more readily available and widely distributed than existing devices and techniques. Further advantages of the various enumerated embodiments are noted throughout this disclosure.

Fig. 1 is an illustration of a flexible multi-part freeze-drying container according to the related art.

Referring to fig. 1, a freeze-drying container 100 includes: a gas-impermeable section 102 comprising a port region 104; a breathable section 106 comprising a breathable membrane 108; and a barrier region 110.

In operation, the freeze-drying vessel 100 exchanges fluid through a port positioned in the port area 104 of the gas-impermeable section 102. Fluid exchange occurs during initial filling of the container with liquid plasma and during filling of the container with sterile water for reconstitution and transfusion to the patient after lyophilization. The gas-impermeable section 102 and the gas-permeable section 106 are isolated from each other by creating a barrier of the container in a barrier region 110 that surrounds the transition between the gas-impermeable section 102 and the gas-permeable section 106. In this regard, the location of the barriers within the barrier region 110 defines a boundary between the air-impermeable section 102 and the air-permeable section 106.

The freeze-drying vessel 100 is configured to evolve continuously throughout the freeze-drying process. The apparatus and techniques of the present application are designed to facilitate the evolution and achievement of optimal performance of the freeze-drying vessel 100. Thus, the container may also include various conventional locating and securing means for cooperating with complementary features of the load tray assembly. To mate with the loading tray assembly shown and described differently throughout this application, the container 100 will have hanger holes and locating holes (not shown) designed to mate with the hanger tabs and locating tabs, respectively, described below.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of a general freeze dryer according to the related art.

Referring to fig. 2, a freeze dryer 200 includes a timing and temperature controller 202, and a hydraulic shelving system 204.

The freeze dryer shown in fig. 2 is an example of a conventional freeze dryer suitable for use in connection with embodiments of the present application. Typical components of a suitable conventional freeze dryer include timing and temperature controls, refrigeration systems, vacuum systems, condensers, and chambers including hydraulic shelving systems capable of freeze drying and blocking (freezing).

Fig. 3A and 3B are alternative plan views of a loading tray assembly according to embodiments of the present application;

referring to fig. 3A, the loading tray assembly 300 includes: a tray chassis 302; a hanger tab 304; a clamp base 306; a contact void 308; a shelf spacer 310 including a clamp recess 312; a positioning tab 314; and a handle 316. Fig. 3B illustrates an embodiment of the loading tray assembly of fig. 3A including a temporary clamp. Referring to fig. 3B, the loading tray assembly 300 includes: a tray chassis 302; a hanger tab 304; a contact void 308; a shelf spacer 310 including a clamp recess 312; a positioning tab 314; a handle 316; and a two-piece temporary clamp 318.

The loading tray assembly 300 shown in fig. 3A and 3B is substantially rectangular in shape and is configured to secure two flexible, multi-part freeze-drying containers. The tray chassis 302 provides the primary structural support for the loading tray assembly 300. The hanger tabs 304 are rectangular protrusions extending upwardly from the tray assembly 300 and are configured to engage complementary hanger apertures of the freeze-dried containers. The clamp seat 306 is a cut-out or void area of the pallet chassis 302 that is configured such that a bottom portion of the temporary clamp 318 is located therein. The contact void 308 is also a cutout or void area of the tray chassis 302 and is configured to enable direct contact between the stationary freeze drying container and the freeze dryer shelf. Shelf spacers 310 are adhered to the lateral sides of the chassis 302 of the loading tray assembly 300 and support smooth, parallel folding (collapse) and efficient clamp closure of the freeze dryer shelves. The shelf spacer 310 includes a clamp recess 312 adjacent the clamp seat 306 to receive a clamp 318 in place. The positioning tab 314 engages the hanger tab 304. The positioning tabs 314 are rectangular protrusions that extend upward and are configured to engage positioning holes of the freeze-drying container. The handle 316 is a cutout or void area as follows: the cutout or void area is configured to receive an operator's hand to hold the loading tray assembly. Temporary fixture 318 is a two-piece fixture configured to create a barrier in the freeze-drying vessel during freeze-drying.

In fig. 3A and 3B, the dimensions (i.e., length and width) of the tray assembly 300 are denoted as "L" and "W", respectively. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the module is about 60cm and the width of the module is about 30 cm. However, in alternative embodiments, the size of the tray assembly may vary. For example, the module length may be between 45cm and 75cm, such as between 55cm and 65cm, while the width of the tray module may be between 20cm and 40cm, such as between 25cm and 35 cm.

In an embodiment, the design of the tray assembly 300 is non-limiting; the tray assembly 300 and the individual features of the tray assembly may be adapted to a particular application. For example, the contact gap 308 may be enlarged for the purpose of reducing the thermal mass of the chassis 302, and thereby minimizing the effect of the chassis 302 on heat transfer from the freeze dryer shelf to the product. In further embodiments, the handle 316 may be enlarged to accommodate a gloved hand, or may include additional features (e.g., finger grooves) designed to improve grip. In yet a further embodiment, the tray assembly 300 may vary in shape and may be configured to accommodate any number of freeze-dried containers. For example, the tray assembly 300 may be configured to accommodate freeze-dried containers having various sizes, and may accommodate such containers in a front-to-back configuration other than a side-by-side configuration.

As shown in fig. 3A and 3B, the feature groupings for each of the individual containers to be attached (i.e., the hanger tabs 304, the clamp seats 306, the contact voids 308, the clamp recess portions 312, and the positioning tabs 314) are offset from one another. The inclusion of the offset groupings of features enables multiple freeze drying containers to be secured in the tray assembly without any interference between the respective clamps 318. Thus, this configuration also supports a maximum freeze drying vessel width, thereby improving overall system efficiency.

Fig. 4A and 4B are front and side views, respectively, of a loading tray assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to fig. 4A, the tray assembly 400 includes a tray chassis 402, shelf spacers 404, and a two-part clamp 406. Fig. 4B is a side view of the load tray assembly 400 showing the shelf spacers 404.

The height of the shelf spacer 404 (denoted as "H") is approximately 3.5 cm. As shown, the height of the shelf spacer 404 defines the overall height of the tray assembly 400 when the clamp 406 is in the actuated or closed state. In operation, the height of the shelf spacers 404 also defines the minimum distance between freeze dryer shelves during shelf folding. Thus, to achieve optimal clamp closure, the height of shelf spacer 404 must coincide with the height of actuated clamp 406. In various embodiments, the height of the shelf spacer 404 may be between 2.5cm and 4.5cm, such as between 3.0cm and 4.0 cm.

The shelf spacer 404 serves a variety of functions. One function of the shelf spacers 404 is to control the distance between freeze dryer shelves in the folded state. If the shelf spacer 404 is too tall, a complete barrier to the attached freeze-drying vessel may not be achieved. Conversely, if the shelf spacer 404 is too short in height, the two-part clamp 406 may be crushed by the folded freeze dryer shelf. Another function of the shelf spacers 404 is to eliminate shelf tilting and binding that may occur during shelf folding. That is, the freeze dryer shelf is a substantially horizontal plate arranged parallel to one another in a stacked configuration. The freeze dryer shelves fold vertically, under pressure from a hydraulic ram or other drive means, to stack on top of one another. If not kept substantially parallel to each other during folding, the shelf may tilt and become jammed or bound. To address this issue, the shelf spacers 404 provide a solid break over a substantial length of the shelf to ensure that the shelves remain substantially parallel to each other throughout operation. In various embodiments, the location of the shelf spacers is not limiting. For example, embodiments may include a shelving assembly on an alternate side of the tray assembly 400. In yet further embodiments, the shelf spacers 404 may be positioned only on the corners of the tray assembly 400, or positioned around the perimeter of the tray assembly 400.

As shown in fig. 4A, the bottom surface of the tray chassis 402 is not coincident with the bottom surface of the shelf spacer 404. That is, the bottom surface of the tray chassis 402 is offset from the bottom surface of the shelf spacer 404 so as to maintain the space between the tray chassis 402 and the freeze dryer shelf during freeze drying. In an embodiment, the bottom surface of the tray chassis 402 is offset from the bottom surface of the shelf spacer by a distance between 0.02mm to 5.0mm, for example by 1 mm. Maintaining this space eliminates conductive energy transfer between the tray chassis 402 and the freeze dryer shelf, thereby reducing the overall heat transfer to the tray assembly 400 during freeze drying. Reducing the transfer of heat to the tray assembly 400 enables faster freezing and heating and enables more precise control of the freeze-drying process.

Fig. 5 is a partially exploded view of a loading tray assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to fig. 5, the loading tray assembly 500 includes: a tray chassis 502; a hanger tab 504; a clamp seat 506; a contact void 508; a shelf spacer 510 including a clamp recess portion 512; a positioning tab 514; a handle 516; and a two-piece temporary clamp 518.

During initial start-up, the clamp 518 is configured with an open (open) bias. That is, the top jaw of the clip 518 is manually placed against the bottom jaw of the clip 518 by an operator, thereby creating a void space between the top and bottom jaws. In operation, actuation of the clamp 518 occurs when the folded freeze dryer shelf forces the top and bottom clamp jaws into engagement with one another. As described above, shelf spacer 510 assists in the actuation of clamp 518 by providing a blocking mechanism at an elevation that enables clamp 518 to actuate, also prevents the shelf from tilting and binding, and eliminates the possibility of crushing clamp 518 and the container during folding of the shelf.

The embodiment of the clamp shown in fig. 5 is configured to be manually activated, mechanically actuated by a folded freeze dryer shelf, and manually released after a permanent seam is created in the freeze dryer container. Alternative embodiments are not limiting and another clamp or clamping scheme may be used. For example, any of the clamp activation, clamp actuation, or clamp release may be performed using alternative mechanical or electromechanical devices. For example, the top and bottom clamp jaws may be connected by a conventional hinge or by any other suitable means. In a further embodiment, the means for gripper activation or for gripper release may be integrated into a freeze dryer shelf system.

In the configuration shown in fig. 5, the shelf spacer 510 is attached to the tray chassis 502 using conventional screws. However, in alternative embodiments, the assembly 500 may be formed as a single component that includes the shelf spacer 510, or the shelf spacer 510 may be integrated using any other conventional fastener (e.g., adhesive or bolt). A preferred material choice for the tray chassis 502 is aluminum; however, alternative metals, metal alloys, and plastics that provide similar structural rigidity may be used. In the illustrated embodiment, the shelf spacer 510 is injection molded and cored (cored) using conventional techniques to minimize mass. The shelf spacer comprises a blend of Polycarbonate (PC) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). The main advantage of the PC/ABS blend is that the PC/ABS blend can be loaded onto freeze dryer shelves including surface treatments or coatings without scratching. The use of plastic in the shelf spacer also improves heat transfer between the freeze dryer shelf and the product during sublimation and desorption by minimizing heat loss from the load tray assembly. In further embodiments, the material selection is not limiting and may include any material having the desired characteristics and capable of functioning in a freeze dryer.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a loading tray assembly housing freeze-dried containers according to an embodiment of the present application;

referring to fig. 6, the loading tray assembly 600 includes: a tray chassis 602; a hanger tab 604; a clamp seat 606; a contact void 608; a shelf spacer 610 including a clamp recess portion 612; a positioning tab 614; a handle 616; and a two-piece temporary fixture 618.

In fig. 6, a flexible, multi-part freeze-drying container as shown in fig. 1 is disposed between the top and bottom jaws of a clip 618. As shown, clamp 618 is in a closed or actuated state, creating a barrier between the gas permeable section and the gas impermeable section of the freeze-drying vessel. The freeze dryer container is secured to the loading tray assembly 600 using the hanger tab 604 and the positioning tab 614.

The hanger tabs 604 and the positioning tabs 614 engage with hanger holes and positioning holes, respectively, of the freeze-drying containers so that the freeze-drying containers are accurately and securely positioned within the tray chassis 602. Accurate and secure positioning results in optimized container performance. In one aspect, the precise positioning of the freeze-dried container within the tray assembly ensures that a barrier is created in the area of the container designed for the barrier (e.g., the peel seal area or barrier area). In another aspect, the container is securely positioned by engagement of the hanger tabs 602 and positioning tabs 614 of the tray assembly with complementary hanger holes and positioning holes, respectively, of the freeze-dried container, such that optimal longitudinal container tension can be achieved. Optimizing container tension is a factor in optimizing the surface area of the contact patch region between the freeze-drying container and the freeze-dryer shelf by contact gap 608. The optimized surface area of the contact patch region results in improved heat transfer during freezing, primary drying, and secondary drying. Conversely, a less than optimal longitudinal container tension may result in the freeze-drying container being depressed, resulting in an incorrect longitudinal position and possibly creating a blockage in an unsuitable region of the container. A higher than optimal longitudinal container tension may result in the contact patch region having insufficient surface area, resulting in poor conductive heat transfer. Thus, accurate and secure container attachment helps ensure that a barrier is created in the correct area of the freeze-drying container and that the correct amount of contact is created between the freeze-drying container and the freeze-dryer shelf.

In further embodiments, the features of the tray assembly 600 may be varied without departing from the teachings of the present application. For example, the size and shape of the contact void 606 may vary somewhat to fit a particular container configuration. Likewise, the hanger tab 602 or the positioning tab 614 may be positioned differently, may include different shapes, or may include additional features to assist in the engagement between the freeze dryer container and the tray assembly 600.

There are several advantages to using the described loading tray assembly 600 in a freeze drying process. In one aspect, use of the tray assembly 600 results in optimized and consistent loading of the freeze-dried containers. Consistent and optimal loading of containers during a batch process is important to achieve consistent results. In another aspect, automation of the clamping is advantageous. Automation of the clamping reduces operator error, which in turn promotes optimal bag performance, reduces the likelihood of film contamination, and reduces the likelihood of contaminants entering the container.

Fig. 7 is a front view of a temporary, two-piece clip according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to fig. 7, a temporary clamp 700 includes a top jaw 702 having a snap element 704; and a bottom jaw 706 having a snap element 708.

The temporary clamp may be described as a two-piece bed clamp or a parallel clamp. Each of the top jaw 702 and the bottom jaw 706 includes a vertically oriented slide release snap-fit snap element 704, 708, respectively, configured to engage one another. When in the initial position, the bottom jaw is positioned within the clip seat of the pallet assembly and the top jaw 702 rests on the bottom jaw 706. When in the actuated position, the snap-fit snap elements 704 of the top jaw 702 and the snap-fit snap elements 708 of the bottom jaw 706 engage each other. Thus, in the open and closed positions, the top jaw 702 and the bottom jaw 706 are disposed substantially parallel to each other and to the tray assembly.

Preferably, the temporary jig is injection molded with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). However, in alternative embodiments, alternative methods of manufacture and plastics exhibiting similar characteristics may be desirable.

An exemplary clamping workflow is as follows: first, the freeze-dried load tray assembly is partially assembled. In this step, the bottom jaws of the two-part clip are seated in the clip seats of the freeze-drying tray assembly. Next, the freeze-dried container including the peelable seal is loaded onto a tray assembly. In this step, the freeze-drying container rests on the bottom clamp jaws, and each of the hanger tabs and positioning tabs of the tray assembly engage complementary features of the container. Next, the top jaw of the two-part clip is placed against the bottom jaw, forming an "open" clip configuration. In this step, the snap elements 704, 708 are not engaged and the freeze-drying vessel extends longitudinally through the void space between the open clamp jaws. Next, the tray assembly and container are loaded into the freeze dryer. Next, the freeze dryer shelf is folded, forcing the top jaw of the clip to drop onto the bottom jaw, thereby engaging the snap elements 704, 708. In this step, a barrier is created in the container. Next, the freeze dryer shelves are spaced apart. Next, the barrier is removed by manually releasing the snap elements 704, 708, creating a space between the top and bottom clamp jaws.

Fig. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of a temporary clamp according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to fig. 8, the jig 800 includes: a top jaw 802 comprising a horizontal element 804 and a lateral element 806; and a bottom jaw 808 comprising horizontal elements 810 and transverse elements 812.

As shown in fig. 8, the top and bottom jaw elements are configured to cooperate to create a barrier. In this configuration, two barriers are created when the clamp is actuated. That is, upon actuation of the clip, the flexible container material between the top jaw 802 and the bottom jaw 808 is obstructed at both interfaces between the transverse elements 806, 812. Advantageously, the two point barriers create redundancy, thereby improving the reliability and quality of the fixture.

In the actuated or closed state, the tolerances between the transverse elements 806, 812 of the top jaw 802 and the transverse elements 812 of the bottom jaw 808 must reliably obstruct the freeze-dried container, but not damage the container material (i.e., tear or tear). In a preferred embodiment, the tolerance between the transverse elements of the top jaw and the transverse elements of the bottom jaw may be between 80% and 99% of the thickness of the two layers of container material. In the actuated or closed state, the tolerance between the horizontal element 804 of the top jaw 802 and the horizontal element 810 of the bottom jaw 808 does not obstruct the freeze-dried container and should provide space for the container material. In a preferred embodiment, the tolerance between the horizontal element 804 of the top jaw 802 and the horizontal element 810 of the bottom jaw 808 is greater than 100% of the thickness of the two layers of container material being sandwiched, for example between 101% and 120% of the thickness of the two layers of container material being sandwiched.

Fig. 9 is an illustration of a freeze-drying system according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to fig. 9, a freeze-drying system 900 includes: a loading tray assembly 902, a flexible multi-part freeze drying container 904, and a freeze dryer 906.

As shown in fig. 9, the loading tray assembly 902 of the present application is used to house a multi-part freeze-drying container 904 of the related art. Once the freeze-dried containers are received in the tray assembly 902, the tray assembly 902 is loaded into a suitable conventional freeze-dryer 906.

The exemplary workflow included below describes the manner in which: in this manner, the loading tray assembly 902, in conjunction with the shelves of the freeze dryer 906, enables the clamping function to be performed automatically as the container evolves throughout the freeze drying cycle and optimizes the performance of the freeze dried container.

Fig. 10 is a schematic workflow diagram according to an embodiment of the present application.

Referring to the workflow 1000 illustrated in fig. 10, in step 1002 a subject fluid (e.g., plasma) is introduced into an air-impermeable section of a freeze-drying container. In step 1004, a multi-part freeze-dried container is secured to the freeze-dried loading tray assembly, the multi-part freeze-dried container including a peelable seal and a barrier region. In step 1006, the fluid in the container is frozen, creating a thin, uniform ice structure in the air-impermeable section. In step 1008, vacuum and thermal energy are applied. The vacuum removes or "opens" the peelable seal and is used with the thermal energy to effect sublimation and desorption, resulting in a phase transition of the ice structure from the solid phase directly to the vapor phase. The vapor released from the ice structure flows through the container chamber and escapes through the gas permeable section, leaving the freeze-dried plasma cake (i.e., the ice structure now dehydrated as a result of freeze-drying) in the gas impermeable section. In step 1010, the container is blocked due to actuation of the two-part clamp of the loading tray assembly. In step 1012, a permanent seam is created in the gas impermeable material of the gas permeable section. In step 1014, the container is separated at the permanent seam and the gas permeable section is discarded, leaving the freeze-dried product in the gas impermeable section.

In step 1002, the introduction of the fluid may be referred to as pre-loading. During pre-loading, between 250ml and 500ml of fluid (e.g., plasma) is input to the gas-impermeable section of the multi-part freeze-dried container.

In step 1004, securing the freeze-drying container to the loading tray assembly includes disposing the freeze-drying container on the tray assembly through an open space between a top jaw and a bottom jaw of a two-piece clamp that is positioned in the loading tray assembly and that engages complementary locating features built into the tray assembly and the container. In particular, in some embodiments, steps 1002 and 1004 may be reversed.

In step 1008, vacuum pressure and thermal energy are applied. No special vacuum adjustment is required since the vacuum pressure required for freeze drying is lower than the vacuum pressure required to open the peelable seal. That is, upon application of a vacuum to the freeze dryer chamber, the peelable seal is opened prior to reaching the freeze drying pressure. In this regard, the application of vacuum and thermal energy together causes sublimation and desorption to proceed in the usual manner. Preferred drying temperatures may be in the range of-20 ℃ to-40 ℃, for example-25 ℃.

In step 1010, the container is blocked due to actuation of the two-part clamp. The two-part clamp is actuated by folding of the freeze dryer shelf. That is, the folding of the shelf forces the top clip jaw downward to engage the bottom clip jaw. Driving in this manner is possible as long as the initial state of the clamp is the open state. The purpose of creating a barrier in this step is primarily to prevent moisture and oxygen from the air from contaminating the freeze-dried product prior to step 1012.

In step 1012, a permanent seam is created to isolate the freeze-dried cake in the gas-impermeable section. In the schematic shown, the permanent seaming step 1014 is a discreet step. That is, the auxiliary piece of equipment is used to create a permanent seam or seal. In a further example, the permanent seaming step 1014 may be integrated into the blocking step 1012. In such embodiments, the barrier (e.g., a clamp) may comprise a permanent seal.

In step 1014, the complete removal of the gas permeable section represents the final evolution of the container. In particular, steps 1012 and 1014 may be optimally absent in various embodiments.

In a further exemplary workflow, steps may be added to the workflow described in FIG. 10. For example, additional steps may include introducing a gas into the freeze-drying vessel to adjust the pH or create a vapor space on the subject fluid or ice structure. Additional steps may also include backfilling the freeze-drying vessel with an inert gas to regulate the vessel pressure.

Fig. 11 is a schematic workflow diagram according to another embodiment of the present application.

Referring to the workflow 1100 illustrated in FIG. 11, in step 1102, a multi-part freeze-drying container is secured to a freeze-dryerThe multi-part freeze-dried container includes a peelable seal and a barrier region on a dry loading tray assembly. In step 1104, a subject fluid (e.g., plasma) is introduced into the gas-impermeable section. In particular, in certain embodiments, steps 1102 and 1104 may be reversed. In step 1106, air, inert gas, or pH adjusting gas (e.g., CO)₂) Is introduced into the gas-impermeable section of the freeze-drying vessel. In step 1108, the fluid in the container is frozen, creating a thin, uniform ice structure in the air-impermeable section. In step 1110, vacuum and thermal energy are applied. The vacuum removes or "opens" the peelable seal and is used with the thermal energy to effect sublimation and desorption, resulting in a phase transition of the ice structure from the solid phase directly to the vapor phase. The vapor released from the ice structure flows through the container chamber and escapes through the gas permeable section, leaving the freeze-dried plasma cake (i.e., the ice structure now dehydrated as a result of freeze-drying) in the gas impermeable section. In step 1112, the vessel is backfilled with an inert gas to increase the vessel pressure to partial or full atmospheric pressure. In step 1114, the container is blocked due to actuation of the two-part clamp of the loading tray assembly. Optionally, in step 1116, a permanent seam is created in the air impermeable material of the air permeable section. Optionally, in step 1118, the container is separated at the permanent seam and the gas permeable section is discarded, leaving the freeze-dried final product in the gas impermeable section.

Fig. 11 basically shows a workflow which differs from fig. 10 only in additional steps 1106 and 1112. In step 1106, air (nitrogen or another dry inert gas), or a pH adjusting gas (e.g., CO)₂) Is introduced into the freeze-drying vessel. A pH adjusting gas may be introduced into the freeze drying vessel to adjust the pH. In an alternative embodiment, a pH adjusting gas may be introduced during step 1112.

In step 1112, a pH adjusted gas (e.g., CO)₂) The freeze-dried container is backfilled to a partial or full atmospheric pressure. With backfilling to partial atmospheric pressure, once the desired volume is reachedAt sub-atmospheric pressure, the container is blocked. Optionally, the container is then permanently sealed. When the container is exposed to atmospheric pressure, the barrier and/or seal to the container at a pressure below atmospheric pressure causes the container to collapse and the volume of the container to decrease. The process also immobilizes the pH adjusting gas in the gas impermeable section and prevents oxygen and moisture from entering the container. The final freeze-dried product can be more easily stored and transported since the resulting container has been blocked and/or sealed at a pressure less than atmospheric pressure and since the final container volume will be in a reduced volume state once the vacuum of the freeze-dryer is removed. Backfilling in this manner is particularly useful in container embodiments having flexible materials or components, as such a reduction in container volume is not possible with rigid, inflexible freeze-drying containers.

The equipment used in the above workflow may be different. For example, some embodiments may employ an integrated freeze dryer, while other embodiments may use a separate, stand-alone freezer to perform the freezing step. Likewise, there may be some variation in the order of the process steps. For example, securing the flexible container to the loading tray assembly may occur before or after introducing the fluid into the container.

According to the above described workflow, the use of a physical barrier (e.g., a two-piece bed clamp) to isolate the fluid in the gas-impermeable section from the gas-permeable section eliminates the possibility of the pores of the gas-permeable material in the gas-permeable section of the freeze-drying vessel coming into contact with the fluid and becoming contaminated. Contamination can disrupt the sublimation and desorption aspects of freeze-drying, thereby increasing the total freeze-drying time and reducing the ability to obtain an active freeze-dried product. Thus, the possibility of decontamination results in a relative increase in vapor flow, which in turn results in faster freeze drying, lower ice temperature during primary drying due to enhanced sublimation cooling effect, and more retention of proteins and coagulation factors.

Automation of the clamping, as described herein, yields various advantages and benefits. For example, the use of folding shelves to block the freeze-drying container avoids certain operator errors, including inadvertent mistiming or complete omission of the clamping step. Another automation advantage comes from the design of the loading tray assembly itself. For example, the shelf spacer facilitates reliable and error-free folding of a freeze dryer shelf. This in turn results in consistent clamping of each freeze-dried container in the system and further reduces the likelihood of failure or contamination that may be more often associated with manual clamping.

While various specific embodiments have been set forth in the disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and optimizations may be implemented for particular applications. For example, further embodiments of the present application may include a tray assembly as follows: the tray assembly has fewer parts than the tray assembly included in the embodiment shown in fig. 5, for example. As such, the described loading tray assembly may be suitable for loading a variety of freeze-dried containers that are not limited by the description of the freeze-dried containers shown in the figures of the present application. For example, such a container may be rigid, may include one or more portions or compartments, and may use a variety of materials. Thus, embodiments of the loading tray assembly described herein may optionally exclude any of shelf spacers, two-part clamps, or container attachment devices. That is, certain embodiments may not require shelf spacers to adjust shelf folding or clamp actuation. Likewise, certain embodiments may exclude clamps altogether or use another type of clamp, such as using a wirelessly controlled electromechanical clamp. Further embodiments may exclude the container attachment means and thus only include a chassis with contact voids, or only a chassis with contact voids and optionally a clamp and shelf spacer. Furthermore, the present application is not limited to freeze-drying of blood or blood products. That is, the principles of the present application may be applied to the freeze-drying of many fluids. Thus, various modifications and changes may be made in the arrangement, operation and details of the methods and systems of the present application, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.