FILTERING DEVICE

Abstract: A filtering device for fluids which includes a barrel (1) with an open end (3) and a flow discharge end (5). A plunger (21) is slidable disposed in the barrel through the open end toward the discharge end and an exhaust nipple (15) projects from the discharge end. The nipple is in communication with the interior of the barrel. A filter (15a) is disposed adjacent the barrel inwardly of and adjacent to the discharge nipple, and an annular, integral support stand (7) is disposed at the discharge end of the barrel and surround the nipple. The nipple terminates at a point spaced from a planar surface defined by the support stand, which surface is normal to the axis of the barrel and the direction of movement of the plunger whereby the device will stand on a surface with the exhaust nipple spaced from said surface.

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a filtering device and particularly to a disposable filtering device suitable for use in filtering dissolved and undissolved materials from chemical and biological samples. Especially, the device is useful for use in conjunction with automatic testing and evaluation equipment wherein the sample to be tested is automatically transferred to a test vial which is housed in a base. Description of the Prior Art In the past, it has been conventional to filter specimens with filtering devices that include a barrel, a plunger slidably disposed in the barrel, and a filter removably disposed on a nipple which is attached to the discharge end of the barrel. The filters which have been conventionally used have a female member which removably engages the nipple. The barrel has usually included a flange at the entry end, that is the end opposite the end having the nipple. This flange aids the user in grasping the barrel to enable the exertion of pressure on the plunger whereby the sample can be urged through the filter and the nipple. Moreover, the inner diameter of the barrel has closely approximated the diameter of the plunger over the entire length of the barrel. Additionally, the top of the nipple has always been exposed so that the filtering device could only rest on its side or in a clamp or stand. Summary of the Invention The invention provides an improvement in the basic design of the filtering device of the prior art whereby it is easier to handle, and more easily used with automatic equipment. The invention provides a filtering device for fluids comprising a plunger axially movable in a barrel to force fluid that was in the barrel to flow through a filter and through a discharge nipple both at a discharge end of the barrel, characterized in that the filter, the barrel and the nipple are pre-assembled as an integral unit with the filter being held between a mounting flange of the nipple and a peripheral support surface of the barrel; and an annular, integral support stand is formed around the discharge end of the barrel and positioned around the nipple, the discharge end of the nipple terminating at a point spaced above a planar bottom surface of the support stand on which the device can be rested. The support stand around the discharge end of the barrel provides protection for the filter, and enables the filtering device to be stood on its end on a planar surface, with the nipple raised clear of that surface. Moreover, when the support stand is of the same external diameter as a flange at the opposite end of the barrel, the filtering device can be more easily used with automatic equipment in that the filtering device can be made to roll in a straight line on its side. Thus, the filtering device of the present invention can be either stood on its end, or allowed to roll on its side. Additionally, we have found that if the internal diameter of the entry end of the barrel is enlarged somewhat, or if a vent is disposed in it, the insertion of the plunger is easier and drool from the discharge end of the nipple is inhibited since entrapped air is allowed to escape through the entry end rather than forcing the sample through the filter prematurely. In addition, we have found that through the use of a nipple with a support stand of a specific configuration around it, then the sample can be easily transferred to a sample vial, and vials of many different sizes can be accomodated in a base that is used to support them. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the plunger which is used with the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines II-II of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the barrel of the dispenser. Figure 4 is a top plan view of the barrel. Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the joint between the barrel and the support stand shown in Figure 7 showing a groove and ring that is used for welding the parts of the dispenser together. Figure 6 is a side elevational view of a nipple used for retaining the filter in the dispenser. Figure 7 is an elevational view showing the plunger disposed within the barrel. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the dispenser ready to be disposed over the mouth of a sample vial that is housed in a cavity in a base. Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring now to Figures 1 to 7, the filtering device is formed of polypropylene and includes a barrel 1 with an open end 3 and a flow discharge end 5. A support stand 7 is disposed on the bottom of the barrel 1. The support stand 7 is preferably of a diameter larger than the diameter of the barrel 1 so as to provide for a groove 9 and an internal annular ring 11 that will be used to attach a nipple 15 to the filtering device. Attachment of the nipple 15 to the ring 11 is best accomplished by ultrasonic welding in which the plastic of the ring 11 bonds with the plastic that forms the edge 15c of the nipple 15. Such bonding occurs through a layer of filter media 15a. The filter medium 15a that is selected may be made from any of the filter media conventionally used in the art. The filter medium 15a is disposed inwardly beneath a stop 17 which is molded into the flow discharge end 5 of the barrel 1. In the preferred embodiment, the stop 17 includes an annular flange 17a and a pair of intersecting members 17b, best arranged in a grid cruciform shape. As can be seen in Figures 3 and 7, the open end 3 of the barrel has a vent area 1b which has a diameter that is larger than the rest of the barrel 1. While the depicted embodiment shows an enlargement of the entire diameter of the open end 3, it may be possible to use one or more slots in a barrel of uniform diameter. The function of either of these embodiments is to enable the user to insert the plunger easily into the open end 3 of the barrel 1 and enable air that becomes entrapped inside to escape easily, without forcing the fluid sample in the filtering device to ooze into the filter. Either of these types of vent ports will enable the users to initially insert the plunger into the barrel 1. For some applications, it may be desirable further to increase the internal diameter of the barrel 1 at the open end 3 to enable a user to easily introduce the plunger 21 into the barrel 1 (not shown). In any event, whether a two-tier diameter barrel or a three-tier diameter barrel is used, a flange 19 having a predetermined diameter is disposed around the mouth M of the barrel 1. The diameter of the flange 19 is the same as the outer diameter of the support stand 7. In this way, when the filtering device is laid on its side, it will roll in a straight line, which is especically useful with some automatic equipment. For example, when a group of filtering devices is stacked in a container prior to automatic handling, they can roll on a Z-shaped ramp so thay they are easily arranged and dispensed while occupying a small area. A plunger 21 is disposed in the barrel 1 and can be urged by applying force to the top 21a. In the preferred embodiment, the body of the plunger is formed of two intersecting members 21b and 21c. A channel 21e is disposed in the lower end 21d and an O-ring 22 is seated in it. The O-ring 22 will engage the interior of the barrel 1 and prevent discharge of the ample (after the plunger is urged past the vent area 1b). The face of the lower end 21d of the plunger can engage air which engages the fluid sample. While O-ring 22 is the preferred means to prevent discharge, it is also possible to mold one or more flexible flanges on the lower end 21d which will exert a wiping action against the inner walls of the barrel 1. The use of an O-ring or similar sealing means on the lower end 21d enables a simplification of manufacture and of sterility in the sample being tested. In many of the devices of the prior art, the sealing is accomplished with a separately attached rubber wiper. Such wipers are more expensive and they also can contaminate certain samples in that the solvents used for the samples can leach some of the constituents of the rubber. As previously mentioned, the filter medium is disposed between the nipple 15 and the stop 17. The nipple 15 can be formed of a disc with a series of radial flow channels which lead into a central port 15b. The exterior of the central port 15b of the nipple 15 can be configured to match standard Luer specification but may be adjusted as required by the task to be performed. As can be seen most clearly in Figure 7, the end of a nipple 15 terminates at a point spaced from a planar surface defined by the support stand 7 which is normal to the axis of the barrel 1 and the direction of movement of the plunger 21, whereby the device will stand on a surface with the exhaust nipple 15 spaced from the surface. In other words, the nipple 15 is wholly enclosed within the support stand 7. While the plunger 21 and the barrel 1 have been described as being cylindrical, it will be understood that they can assume other cross-sectional shapes as well. For example, they could have a triangular, rectangular, hexagonal or any other polygonal section. The cylindrical form is preferred because of ease of manufacture, as long as the plunger and barrel each have the same cross-sectional configuration (the piston being smaller, of course), with their walls being parallel or symmetrical to their axis respectively. Turning now to Figure 8, the filtering device is shown poised over a base member 30 with the nipple (not shown) in axial alignment with a vial 31 that is held within a cavity 33. Upon downward movement of the filtering device, the nipple will enter the mouth of the vial 31 to dispense a filtered sample for testing. The perimeter of the support stand 7 engages the insides of a centring device that can be formed of upstanding legs 32 that are equidistantly spaced from the axis of the cavity 33. Any of a wide variety of sample vials can be disposed within the cavity 33, and axial alignment is assured through the use of an insert 34. Insert 34 has a central cavity 34a (which can have a base not shown) to elevate the vial 31 to a predetermined height to receive the nipple 15. The space between insert 34 and centring devices 32 can be concave so as to accommodate any spills that may occur. An array of cavities 33 with a plurality of inserts can be disposed in the base 30 with similar centring devices 32 that can be disposed on the base so as to receive a plurality of vials 31. In operation of the filtering device, a sample of fluid is poured into the barrel 1. The sample to be filtered is disposed over the filter medium 15a. The filter medium can be any of those well known to the art in chemical and biological processes. For example, Teflon or Nylon having a predetermined porosity of between about 0.001 to 200 µm is satisfactory for the filter medium. The Teflon is available from W.L. Gore and Associates and the Nylon is available from Cumo Laboratories Inc. After the sample is poured in, the plunger 21 is grasped and inserted into the barrel 1. Initial entry of the face 21d of the plunger does not force the fluid sample through the filter medium 15a or the nipple 15 because of the vent port 1b. When the O-ring 22 engages the inside of the barrel 1, the fluid will be forced into the inside of the central port 15b of the nipple 15. The air which is entrapped after the plunger passes by the vent 1b will urge against the sample in the barrel 1 and force the sample through the filter 15. When the lower end of the plunger 21d encounters the stop 17, the air cushion will have urged all remaining sample in the barrel 1 through the filter medium 15a and into the nipple 15. The nipple of the filtering device is preferably located within a sample vial 31 which is held in the base 30. The bottom 7a of the support stand 7 rests upon the edge of the cavity 33 in the base 30, located between four upstanding centring legs 32. The sample will have been fully filtered and dispensed when the face 21d of the plunger engages the stop 17. When the plunger is fully depressed, the sample will have been full eliminated from the barrel and passed into the test vial 31.

Claims: A filtering device for fluids comprising a plunger axially movable in a barrel (1) to force fluid that was in the barrel to flow through a filter (15a) and through a discharge nipple (15) both at a discharge end of the barrel (1), CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the filter (15a), the barrel (1) and the nipple (15) are pre-assembled as an integral unit with the filter (15a) being held between a mounting flange (15c) of the nipple (15) and a peripheral support surface (11) of the barrel (1); and an annular, integral support stand (7) is formed around the discharge end of the barrel (1) and positioned around the nipple (15), the discharge end of the nipple (15) terminating at a point spaced above a planar bottom surface of the support stand (7) on which the device can be rested. A filtering device according to claim 1, wherein the barrel (1) has formed therein a stop means (17) disposed between the filter (15a) and a fluid-engaging end (21d) of the plunger (21). A filtering device according to claim 2, wherein the stop means (17) is an apertured web of cruciform shape across the discharge end (5) of the barrel (1), and the filter (15a) is held fast between the nipple (15) and the stop means (17). A filtering device according to any preceding claim, wherein the preassembly of the filter (15a), the barrel (1) and the nipple (15), the mounting flange (15c) of the nipple (15) is secured to the peripheral support surface (11) through the filter (15a). A filtering device according to claim 4, wherein the mounting flange (15c) is affixed to the peripheral support surface (11) by ultrasonic welding through the filter (15a). A filtering device according to any preceding claim, further characterized by having relief means (1b) formed in the inner wall of the barrel (1) adjacent the open end (3) thereof, for venting air from the barrel (1) when the plunger (21) is first inserted therein. A filtering device according to claim 6, wherein the relief means (1b) is a larger diameter portion of the barrel (1). A filtering device according to any preceding claim, wherein the plunger (21) has a fluid-engaging end (21d) which is flat but around which is recessed an O-ring seal (22) in sealing engagement with an inner wall of the barrel (1). A filtrate dispensing and receiving assembly comprising: a filtering device according to any preceding claim; a base (30) defining at least one cavity (33) for receiving a vial (31), and guide means (32) around the cavity (33) for centring the filtering device over the cavity (33) with the mouth of the vial (31) around the nipple (15). A filtrate dispensing and receiving assembly according to claim 9, wherein the guide means (32) comprises at least one upstanding peripheral engagement member for engaging the outer side-wall of the support stand. A filtrate dispensing and receiving assembly according to claim 9 or claim 10, further comprising a hollow sleeve (34) within the cavity (33) to locate, centrally of the cavity (33), vials (31) of a diameter smaller than that of the cavity (33). A filtering device according to claims 1 to 8, wherein the support stand (7) has an external diameter identical to that of a flange (19), at the opposite end of the barrel (1), enabling the filtering device to roll in a straight line on its side.

Inventors: BOUDREAU, RONALD RENE, KIGER, VIRGINIA SHIMER, SAVAS, PETER GEORGE
Applicants: WHATMAN INC.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B01D29
IPC codes: G01N1, B01D29, B01D35