Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SPILLAGE COLLECTION BAG FOR DEVICES THAT BLEND THE
CONTENTS OF A SAMPLING BAG
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for
blending, mixing and/or homogenizing the contents of a
bag and, more particularly, of a sterile plastic bag
holding clinical samples, for instance used in
laboratories, in hospitals, in the food industry, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to provide sterile plastic
bags for holding samples, such as the plastic bag
disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,564,829 issued on
October 15, 1996 to Lafond. In this patent a disposable
sterile plastic bag is disclosed for holding samples in
blenders during the mixing thereof, the bag B comprising
a two-ply sheet flexible material integrally joined at
opposed side edges thereof (or the bag may be made from a
tube) and joined at the upper and lower ends thereof
respectively by upper and lower heat seals with a sealed
sample receiving chamber being defined between the two
plastic sheets inwardly of the bag's side edges and upper
and lower sealed ends. Inwardly of the upper seal, there
is defined a tear-off line transversely across the two
sheets and parallelly to the upper seal thereby forming a
detachable strip outwardly of the tear-off line. tnlhen the
sample is ready to be introduced in the bag, the
detachable strip is removed from the bag by pulling it so
as to cause rupture of the two sheets at the tear-off
line. The bag's chamber is thus sterile when the sample
is introduced therein and the bag and its contents can
then be inserted in a blending machine, also called a
homogenizer or a mixer. The bag's sterility does not
depend on how the bag is packaged or on the integrity of
the packaging's seal as the bag is itself sterile until
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the detachable strip is removed therefrom, that is until
the bag is ready to be used.
Generally, commercial homogenizers or blenders
used in laboratories to mix samples include a casing
having a door which i.s pivoted to the casing and which,
when open, reveal a chamber in the casing. In this
chamber, there is provided paddles that are adapted to be
repeatedly displaced by a motor. When the contents of a
bag are to be mixed or blended, the door of the
homogenizer is opened and the plastic bag and its
contents are inserted into the homogenizer's chamber and
the door is then closed such as to trap the upper end of
the bag between the door and the casing while a lower
portion of the bag and its contents are located in the
chamber. The door, when closed, traps the upper end of
the bag and thus firmly secures the same in a generally
upright position in the homogenizer. The homogenizer is
then switched on and the paddles, in a reciprocating
movement, repeatedly pound the plastic bag and thus cause
its contents to mix. After the homogenizer has been
switched off, the door is opened and the bag is removed
therefrom with the blended sample being now appropriately
mixed and, for instance, ready for analysis.
In most homogenizers or blenders, the pivotable
door cannot be removed from the rest of the blender.
Furthermore, any rupture of the bag in the blender causes
its contents to flow into the chamber of the blender and
possibly onto the surface on which the homogenizer rests.
This requires that the blender be extensively cleaned and
there are some contamination risks in the laboratory.
To overcome this shortcoming, U.S. Patent No.
6,267,498 issued on July 31, 2001 15, 1996 to Lafond et
al. discloses a blending device for mixing the contents
of a plastic bag that comprises a casing defining a
mixing chamber in which are disposed paddles or the like
for acting on the bag and mix the contents thereof, and
having a pivotable door for providing access to the
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chamber and positioning a bag and its contents in this
chamber. The door includes a lower container which
extends inwardly towards the casing such as to be located
in the casing's mixing chamber when the door is in a
closed position such that spillage resulting from a
rupture of the bag in the blending machine is collected
in the door's lower container. The door can be easily and
completely disconnected from the casing for facilitating
the cleaning thereof, for instance following a collection
by the lower container thereof of a spillage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention
to provide an improved device for mixing or blending the
contents of a bag and having a collecting member adapted
to collect the bag's contents in the event of a rupture
thereof.
It is also an aim of the present invention to
provide a spillage collection member adapted to be
installed on a blending or mixing device and to receive a
bag having a content, such that spillage from the bag
while in the device is collected in the spillage
collection member.
Therefore, in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a blending device for mixing
a content of a bag, comprising a casing defining a
chamber and comprising a mixer and a door, in combination
with a collection member adapted to receive therein a bag
with a content to be mixed by said blending device and
adapted to be installed in said blending device, wherein
when said collection member and the bag are at least
partly positioned in said chamber and said door is
closed, said mixer may be operated to act on the bag and
cause the content of the bag to be mixed, whereby at
least most of the content of the bag spilling therefrom
while the bag is in said blending device and said door is
closed will be collected by said collection member.
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Also in accordance with the present invention,
there is provided a collection member for use with a
blending device adapted to mix the contents of a bag,
comprising an enclosure defining an opening for allowing
a bag to be inserted therein and also defining a chamber
for receiving the bag, wherein when said collection
member and the bag are at least partly positioned in the
blending device, said blending device may be operated to
act on the bag and cause the content of the bag to be
mixed, whereby at least most of the content of the bag
spilling therefrom while the bag is in the blending
device will be collected by said collection member.
Further in accordance with the present
invention, there is provided a method for mixing a
content of a bag in a blending device, comprising the
steps of:
(a) providing a blending device defining a mixing
chamber and having a mixer;
(b) providing a collection member adapted to receive
therein a bag with a content. to be mixed by said blending
device;
(c) positioning said collection member at least
partly in ,said blending device, wherein the bag is
positioned in said collection member before step (d) and
either before or after step (c); and
(d) operating said mixer such that said mixer acts on
the bag and cause the content of the bag to be mixed;
whereby at least most of a spillage from the bag,
while the bag is in said blending device, is collected by
said collection member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of
the invention, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a
preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional
device for blending the contents of a bag with a
pivotable door thereof being shown in an open position
thereof and with a bag being illustrated as it is
positioned in the blending device;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1
but showing the conventional blending device with its
door in a closed position thereof, an upper portion of
the bag extending outwardly of the blending device with a
lower portion thereof and the bag's contents being
located in the blending machine;
Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the door
of the conventional blending device of Fig. l;
Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of a door of
another conventional blending machine, this door having
an inner collection container; and
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a spillage
collection bag in accordance with the present invention,
shown prior to receiving therein a sampling bag and prior
to being installed on a blending machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a blending device D of
the prior art and comprising a casing 10 defining an
inner chamber 12 in which are located a pair of paddles
14. The paddles 14 are actuated such as to displace in a
reciprocating manner for reasons which will become
apparent hereinbelow. Access to the chamber 12 is
provided by a door 16 which is pivotally mounted at its
bottom around a rod 18, as seen in Fig. 3. The upper end
of the door 16 is pivotally mounted to the casing 12 by
way of a pair of articulated linkages 20 which allow the
door 16 to be pivoted about the rod 18 between open and
closed positions, as shown respectively in Figs. 1 and 2.
When the door 16 is open, a flexible bag B may be
introduced in the chamber 12 , between the paddles 14 and
the door 16, as well illustrated in Fig. 1. The bag B has
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a content C that is located opposite the paddles 14. When
the door 16 is closed, as in Fig. 2, an upper portion 22
of the bag B is trapped between the door 16 and the
casing 10 with a lower portion 24 of the bag B (see Fig.
1) including its content C being located in the chamber
12. Therefore, switching on the blending device D results
in the displacement of the paddles 14 which repeatedly
pound on the bag B such as to mix the contents C thereof.
As seen in Fig. 3, the door 16 is fixedly
mounted to the linkages 20 (only part of one of which is
shown in Fig. 3) by way of a pin 26, or rivet, which
engages a hole 28 defined in the linkage 20 and which
also engages a hole 30 defined in a respective one of the
two side flanges 32 of the door 16. The lower end of the
door 16 defines a fold 34 which engages by gravity the
rod 18. It is therefore possible to displace the door 16
and the linkages 20 pivotally attached thereto in such a
manner as to raise the door 16 out of engagement with the
rod 18 with the door 16 being then pivoted above the
blending device D. In this position, which is not
illustrated, easy access is provided to the paddles 14
and to the blending chamber 12 and this also allows the
blending device D to be easily cleaned.
It must be noted that the above conventional
blending device D becomes dirtied and possibly
contaminated by any accidental spillage of the contents C
of the bag B while the latter is in the blending device
D. Indeed, if for instance during the blending of the
contents C of the bag B under the repeated action of the
reciprocating paddles 14, the bag B tears or ruptures,
its contents C, or a portion thereof, may spill in the
blending device D and also possibly on the surface onto
which rests the blending device D and this may cause the
contamination of the blending device D and/or the room in
which it is located. Furthermore, the door 16 cannot be
completely detached from the casing 10.
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Fig. 4 shows a variant door, wherein the door
16 and the linkages 20 of the conventional blending
device of Figs. 1 to 3 have been modified. More
particularly, Fig. 4 shows a new door 40 (made of
stainless steel) and associated linkages 42. Each linkage
42 defines at its end 44 which connects to the door 40 a
notch 46 such that the linkage end 44 has the form of a
hook open at its bottom. The door 40 defines a front wall
48 and a pair of side walls 50 extending inwardly, that
is towards the casing 10, from the front wall 48. It must
be noted that Fig. 4, as in Fig. 3, is a perspective view
which considers the door 40 from the inside, that is
outwardly from the casing 10. At the upper end of each
side wall 50, there extends inwardly and horizontally a
pin 52 provided with a head 54 which is spaced apart from
the side wall 50. Therefore, the cylindrical stem of the
pin 52 located between the side wall 50 of the door 40
and the head 54 of the pin 52 can be received in the
notch 46 of the linkage 42, such that the linkages 42 can
be selectively disconnected from the pins 52 and thus
from the door 40.
The door 40 also includes a bottom wall 56 and
a rear wall 58 that, with a lower portion 60 of the front
wall 48 and lower portions 62 of the side walls 50,
define a collection container 64 at the lower end of the
door 40. When the bag B is in the blending device adapted
with the present door 40 and with this door 40 being in a
closed position similar to that shown in Fig. 2, the
lower portion of the bag B and its contents C positioned
in the mixing chamber 12 of the blending device are
located above the bottom wall 56 of the container 64.
An elongated nylon member 68 is secured to the
underside of the bottom wall_ 56 and defines on a lower
surface thereof a semi-circular trough 70 which engages
the rod 18 fixed to the casing 10. Alternatively, the
elongated nylon member 68 could take the form of a steel
bar welded to the casing. As for the door 16 of Figs. 1
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to 3 , the rod 18 , albeit shown in both Figs . 3 and 4 , is
not part of the door 40 (and of the door 16) as it is
fixedly mounted to the casing 10, but is shown herein in
Figs. 3 and 4 for clearly illustrating the engagement of
the doors 16 and 40 to this support rod 18. The present
door 40 engages by gravity the support rod 18 such that
the door 40 can be completely disconnected from the
casing 10 by disengaging the linkages 42 from the pins 52
of the door 40 and by elevating the door 40 and thus the
elongated member 68 out of engagement with the support
rod 18.
Typically, the co:Llection container 64 will be
dimensioned such as to be able to collect the full
contents of the bag B; for instance, the bags are filled
to contain often at most 400 ml substance to be blended,
whereby the container 64 is configured to contain
slightly more than 400 ml.
Fig. 5 shows part of a blending device D'
having a door 100 thereof in an open position such that a
sampling bag B', containing a substance to be mixed by
the blending device D', can be inserted in the device D'.
In accordance with the present invention, Fig. 5 also
illustrates a spillage collection member in the form of a
collection bag C that is adapted to be installed in the
blending device D' and to hold therein the sampling bag
B'. The collection bag C is open-ended at its upper end
so as to define a chamber 102 that receives the sampling
bag B'. As, when the sampling bag B' is in the blending
device D', it is carried by the collection bag C, any
spillage from the sampling bag B' is collected in the
collection bag C rather than spilling into the blending
device D'.
The collection bag C may be provided with
sides. It is made of a resistant material, which is
capable of resisting to the mixing/pounding action
imparted by the blending device D' to mix the contents of
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the sampling bag B', as well as to a cleaning process, to
an autoclave, etc.
When positioned in the blending device D', the
collection bag C is located between the inside of the
door 100 and the paddles (e.g. paddles 14 in Fig. 1) of
the blending device D', with the sampling bag B' being
located inside the collection bag C, i . a . in the chamber
102 thereof.
The collection bag C can be made of various
materials, and can adopt various shapes. The collection
bag C is made of a tight material to prevent any leakage
therefrom. It can be made, for instance, of a rubber
material that offers a very good resistance to
perforation and a good resistance to solvents.
The main advantage of the collection bag C over
the collection container 64 of the door 40 of Fig. 4 lies
in that the collection bag C of the present invention can
be used with any type of blending device, whereas the
collection container 64 is integral to a given blending
device.
The collection bag C can be installed to the
blending device D' using various means to ensure its
stability in the device D' during the mixing process,
including an attachment system to detachably secure an
upper end 104 of the collection bag C to the outside of
the blending device D' (e.g. at location 106 and 108
respectively on the casing of the device D' and on the
door 100 thereof in Fig. 5). Such an attachment system
can comprise cooperating VelcroTM strips provided on one
and the other of the upper end 104 of the collection bag
C and the outside of the casing of the device D'.
Detachable adhesives, double-sided tapes, as well as
other systems, can also be contemplated. The upper end
104 could also be slidably inserted in a member that
defines a groove and that is permanently affixed to the
blending device D', parallelly to a handle 110 located
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atop the device D', with a screw, or any other suitable
anchoring system.
More particularly, a rear portion 112 of the
upper end 104 can be detachably secured (with any of the
attachment means mentioned above, as well as with any
other suitable ones) to the device D' generally at
location 106 thereof. A front portion 114 of the upper
end 104 can be detachably secured (with any of the
attachment means mentioned above, as well as with any
other suitable ones) to the outside of the door 100 of
the device D', e.g. generally at location 108 thereof,
when the front portion can extend outwardly of the device
D', or directly to the inside of the door 100. When the
front portion 114 extend outwardly of the device D', it
can .also be held in place by imprisonment when the door
100 is closed.
Therefore, the collection bag C of the present
invention can be adapted so that it can be used with any
blending device.
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