Patent Publication Number: US-10766666-B2

Title: Device for a biological liquid treatment installation

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/872,248 filed Apr. 29, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/153,804, filed Jun. 6, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,205,955 issued Dec. 8, 2015), which claims priority of French Patent Application No. 1054517 filed Jun. 8, 2010. 
    
    
     The invention relates to a device for a biological liquid treatment installation, particularly but not exclusively, for purifying a biopharmaceutical liquid in order to obtain products such as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines or recombinant proteins. 
     It is known that biopharmaceutical liquids are in general obtained by culture in a bioreactor and that they must then be treated to achieve the required characteristics of purity, concentration, absence of viruses, etc. 
     The purification is carried out by means of a succession of treatments such as clarification, to eliminate the residues from the bioreactor culture, and viral filtration sometimes followed by diafiltration and concentration by tangential flow filtration (TFF). Other operations exist concerning purification, such as chromatography. 
     A number of types of container containing liquids can be connected to the inlet of the circuit, such as the source container that contains the product to be treated, but also the containers containing a cleaning liquid such as sodium hydroxide, a rinsing liquid such as pure water or a buffer liquid such as a saline solution. In addition to the container for collecting the treated liquid, various other containers for collecting cleaning, rinsing or buffer liquid, or for collecting residues, can be connected to the outlet of the circuit. 
     In a production context the liquid treatments can be carried out sequentially, the collecting container for the first treatment potentially becoming the source container for the next treatment, and so on until the last treatment is carried out. 
     These treatments are conventionally carried out in dedicated installations comprising stainless steel pipes and other parts such as tanks or filter housings, which necessitate operations before and after the actual treatment, which are relatively onerous, in particular operations of cleaning after use. 
     Within the last few years, these treatments have alternatively been carried out in installations in which the components in contact with the liquid are single-use components. 
     The invention aims to provide a device enabling the simple, economical and convenient implementation of treatments for biological liquid. 
     For this, the invention concerns a device for an installation for biological liquid treatment comprising:
         a base having a front face;   a moveable or removable door, said device having a closed door position;   in the closed door position, a circuit comprising a plurality of connectors and a network for conveying liquid between said connectors, which circuit comprises a bag comprising two flexible films and said conveying network connectors, which circuit further comprises a press comprising a first shell disposed on said front face of said base and a second shell disposed in said door; and   a hinge system hinging said door relative to said base, said hinge system being disposed only on one side of said door so as to form, in the closed door position, lateral clearances between said door and said base over the rest of a perimeter of said door, so as to enable free access to the connectors of said bag.       

     By virtue of the invention, it is possible to very simply and rapidly connect the connectors of the bag of the circuit to surrounding treatment components. 
     To be precise, in addition to the device according to the invention, the biological liquid treatment installation comprises, depending on the treatments carried out, one or more other devices, for example juxtaposed to the device according to the invention. 
     This or these other device or devices is or are provided with those above-mentioned surrounding treatment components, formed in particular by one or more pumps, for example of the diaphragm type, and/or by a source container containing the product to treat and/or by a treated liquid collecting container and/or by a chromatography column, these surrounding treatment components each being connected to the bag, directly or not. 
     By virtue of the arrangement of the hinge system enabling the hinging of the door relative to the base on one side only of the door, lateral clearances are advantageously formed over a major part of the outer perimeter of the door, between that door and the base. 
     Thus, the bag of the circuit may comprise connectors emerging to the exterior of a major part of its outline with free access thereto by virtue of the lateral clearances, to connect pipes thereto coming from the surrounding treatment components (pump(s) and/or container(s) and/or column). 
     Moreover, by virtue of the lateral clearances formed according to the invention, the routing of the pipes which connect the circuit to the surrounding treatment components is simplified, while avoiding the pipes passing in front of the door. 
     By virtue of the invention, it is also possible to change the bag very simply and very rapidly and if necessary the first shell and the second shell so as to perform a new treatment, whether of the same type or a different type. 
     To be precise, for this it suffices to actuate the passage from the closed door position to the other position, that is to say to open or remove the door from the device, to remove the bag, before or after having disconnected tubes coming from surrounding treatment components and that were connected beforehand onto connectors emerging from the bag, then, if necessary, to remove the first and second shells respectively from the base and from the door. Lastly, it suffices to install in the device first and second shells as well as a bag for the second treatment, to control the passage from the other position to the closed door position, and to connect tubes to the connectors emerging from the bag. 
     Where the door is moveable relative to the base, it suffices first of all to open it then close it again on the base. 
     Where the door is removable, it suffices first of all to remove it then to put it back on the base. 
     In this way, it is possible to pass from a first treatment, for example a treatment by tangential filtration, to a second treatment of another type, for example a treatment by chromatography, in a simple, economical, convenient and efficient manner. 
     Of course, where the following treatment is different from the previous one, the bag and the first and second shells for the second treatment have features (conduits of the conveying network, connectors) that are different from the bag and the first and second shells for the previous treatment, so as to form a circuit adapted to the following treatment. 
     The invention furthermore makes it possible to have a device provided with a base and a single door for carrying out different types of treatments, by virtue of a modular circuit of which the modules (bag, first shell and second shell) are interchangeable depending on the treatments carried out. 
     Optionally, said hinge system comprises a single hinge disposed at a corner of said door, and said hinge comprises a first hinge portion fastened to said corner of said door and a second hinge portion fastened to a lateral face of said device, which lateral face is connected to said front face. 
     Also optionally, the axis of said hinge is offset from a joining plane formed between said first shell and second shell in the closed door position. 
     According to preferred, simple, convenient and economical features of the device according to the invention:
         said base of said device comprises, on its front face, a console-forming inclined chassis on which is disposed the first shell, which chassis comprises hooking claws, and the first shell comprises dowels engaged in said hooking claws;   said device comprises a first locking system for fastening said second shell into a frame of said door, which first locking system comprises:   at least one jack disposed in said frame;   at least one spring disposed in said frame;   at least one rod linked to said at least one jack by a first end and to at least one spring by a second end that is an opposite end to the first end, said at least one rod comprising at least one locking bolt and having an unlocked position and a locked position; and   at least one lock strike arranged in a recess of said second shell;       

     said at least one jack being configured to actuate the passage of said at least one rod between its locked position and its unlocked position; 
     said at least one spring being configured to actuate the passage of said at least one rod between its unlocked position and its locked position; and
         said at least one locking bolt being engaged in said at least one lock strike in the locked position of said rod and being disengaged from said at least one lock strike in the unlocked position of said rod;   said device comprises a second locking system configured such that it locks together said first shell and said second shell when said door is in the closed door position;   said second shell has a first hole, said bag comprises at least one second through aperture in a treatment zone of said liquid, and said second locking system comprises at least one ball-lock pin provided with a body, a head and balls and having an unlocked state and a locked state, said ball-lock pin being fastened to said first shell, said head passing through said first shell and said second through aperture and emerging into said first hole of said second shell in the closed door position, said balls entering said head in said unlocked state of said pin and projecting from said head in said locked state of said pin;   said circuit comprises instruments necessary for the treatment of said biological liquid, in particular valves to allow or prevent the passage of said liquid in said conduits, and/or sensors of physico-chemical values of said liquid, and said instruments are integrated into said first shell;   said first shell comprises a first connector at the back, and said base of said device comprises a second connector configured such that it connects to said first connector to power said instruments integrated into said first shell;   said front face of said base comprises a frame provided with an opening, and said second connector is configured such that it passes through said opening to connect to said first connector;   in the closed door position, said bag is clamped between the first and second shells in a state in which conduits of said network for conveying liquid are formed between said films.   said device has a position other than said closed door position in which said bag is carried only by the first shell;   the two said flexible films of said bag are joined to each other and delimit a zone for treatment of said liquid according to a closed outline, said conveying network connectors emerging on the inside and on the outside of at least one side of said outline;   said bag comprises first through apertures on a side of said bag for its positioning, and said first shell comprises studs for hooking said bag which pass through said first through apertures of said bag; and   said bag comprises at least one third through aperture on a side of said bag, said first shell comprises at least one dowel and said second shell comprises at least one second hole, wherein, in the closed door position, said at least one dowel passes through said third through aperture of said bag and said at least one second hole receives said dowel of said first shell.       

    
    
     
       The disclosure of the invention will now be continued with the description of embodiments, given below by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a device for a biological liquid treatment installation according to a first embodiment example of the invention, without the bag; 
         FIG. 2  is a similar view to  FIG. 1 , with the bag; 
         FIG. 3  is a view from the right side of the device, with a right lateral panel partially torn away; 
         FIG. 4  is a view from the left side of the device, in closed door position; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross-section view showing a hinging system linking the door to a base of the device; 
         FIG. 6  is a view of the interior of the door, in isolation, without the second shell, and showing the locking system of that second shell in that door; 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  are cross-section views on VII-VII of  FIG. 2 , showing the locking system of the second shell in the door, respectively in an unlocked and in a locked state; 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  are cross-section views respectively on IX-IX and X-X of  FIGS. 7 and 8  respectively; 
         FIG. 11  is an isolated perspective view of the system for locking the first and second shells together; 
         FIGS. 12 and 13  are cross-section views partially showing the first and second shells, with the locking system respectively in an unlocked and in a locked state; 
         FIG. 14  is a view from behind of the first shell, with a back panel removed; 
         FIG. 15  is a similar view to  FIG. 14 , with the back panel; 
         FIG. 16  is a partial view from the font of the device, with the first shell removed; 
         FIGS. 17 and 18  are partial cross-section views of the device, diagrammatically showing the male and female connectors respectively in a non-connected and connected state; 
         FIG. 19  is a diagrammatic view of the biological liquid treatment circuit of the installation; and 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of the bag; 
     
    
    
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate a device  1  for a biological liquid treatment installation (not shown). 
     The device  1  is of generally parallelepiped form. 
     This device  1  comprises a base  2  having a first lateral face  3 , a second lateral face  4  which is an opposite face to the first lateral face  3 , a front face  5  meeting the first and second lateral faces  3  and  4 , and a back face  6  which is an opposite face to the front face  5  and which meets the first and second lateral faces  3  and  4 . 
     The device  1  further comprises a circuit  8  provided with a press  9  and a bag  10 , which comprises a plurality of connectors  11  for liquid and a network  12  for conveying liquid between those connectors  11  of which the conduits  13  can be seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     The press  9  comprises two shells  16  and  17  each formed from a solid block of rigid material. 
     Here, the shells  16  and  17  are of polyoxymethylene (POM), also called acetal, and each has a generally parallelepiped form. 
     The shell  16  is mounted on the front face  5  of the base  2 . 
     The device  1  further comprises a door  20  hinged to the base  2 . 
     The shell  17  is mounted in that door  20 . 
     The device  1  has a closed door position in which the door  20  is closed and covers the shell  16 , and another position in which the bag  10  is carried only by the shell  16 . 
     In this other position, the shell  17  is away from the shell  16 . 
     In the closed door position, the bag  10  is inserted between the two shells  16  and  17 . 
     The device  1  is provided, at the bottom, with a closed bay  186  intended to receive one or more tanks (not shown) comprising a sachet, which tanks form for example a container for collecting treated liquids or a waste container. 
     This bay  186  is closed by a sliding panel  7  disposed on the front face  5  of the device  1 , which panel  7  is adapted to be moved in translation downwardly then towards the back of the device  1  (see the arrows in  FIG. 1 ) so as to insert and withdraw the tanks. 
     A control panel  14  is arranged at the top of the front face  5  of the device  1 . 
     This control panel  14  is provided with a graphical touch interface  15  enabling the biological liquid treatment process to be verified and controlled. 
     This control panel  14  is thus arranged at a height enabling a user to make use of it. 
     In order to make it easier to move, the device  1  is in the form of a cart mounted on four castors  18  (of which three can be seen in  FIG. 1 ), with two castors situated under the front face of the device  5  which comprises a brake  19 , and with the device  1  furthermore having two handles  21  on respective opposite sides of the front face  5 , in the vicinity of the respective lateral faces  3  and  4 . 
     The device  1  comprises a chassis  25  at its front face  5 . 
     As can be seen more particularly in  FIG. 3 , this chassis  25  is inclined. 
     The chassis  25  has an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter that are delimited by four sides, of which a left side  140  (visible in  FIG. 16 ) and a right side  141  which are opposite sides, and a top side  143  and a bottom side  142  (visible in  FIG. 16 ) which are opposite sides. 
     The left  140  and right  141  sides each comprise two superposed L-shaped hooking claws  26  emerging from the respective side and extending upwardly. 
     A support plate  27  is fastened to the right side  141  of the chassis  25 , between the two hooking claws  26 . 
     This support plate  27  is disposed in the immediate vicinity under the hooking claw  26  situated higher on the right side  141 , so as to leave free access to the hooking claw  26  situated lower down on that same right side  141 . 
     The support plate  27  comprises two fastening heads  28  on which a platform (not shown) is adapted to be fastened so as to dispose thereon instruments that may be necessary for the treatment of the biological liquid. 
     These instruments may for example be optional kits such as sensors measuring pH or conductivity and are chosen by the user according to the type of treatment to carry out. 
     The base  2  of the device  1  further comprises devices  29  which, with complementary devices  40  of the door  20 , enable the positioning and the locking of that door  20  in the closed door position. 
     There are three of the devices  29 , which are situated at the corners of the chassis  25 , respectively at top right, bottom right, and bottom left, as can be seen particularly in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     These devices  29  each comprise a body, an annular shoulder (not shown), a head connected to that annular shoulder, that head having the form of a conical tube ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) and being provided internally with a rod  30  with a conical tip. The body comprises a pneumatic chamber, a piston that is mechanically linked to the rod  30  with a conical tip, which rod  30  is adapted to extend within the head. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the door  20  comprises a frame  35  having a generally rectangular outline. 
     This frame  35  has a first side  36 , a second side  37  that is an opposite side to the first  36 , a third side  38  meeting the first and second sides  36  and  37  and a fourth side  39  that is an opposite side to the third side  38  and that meets the first and second sides  36  and  37 . 
     The frame  35  comprises three complementary devices  40  adapted to cooperate with the devices  29  of the base  2 , which complementary devices  40  are respectively situated at the upper left, bottom left, and bottom right corner, as can be seen in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . 
     These complementary devices  40  are provided with a first cylindrical portion  155  and a second cylindrical portion  156  that is hollow and connected to the first portion  155  by a shoulder  157  ( FIG. 16 ). This second portion  156  is of smaller diameter than the diameter of the first portion  155 . Furthermore, the second portion  156  is provided with three apertures  158  on its outer surface. 
     These complementary devices  40  further comprise three balls (not shown) each able to project from the second portion  156  by passing through a respective aperture  158 . 
     In the closed door position, each second portion  156  of a respective complementary device  40  of the door  20  is inserted into a respective head of a respective device  29  of the base  2 . 
     The devices  29  and complementary devices  40  form, in pairs, a ball-lock pin system provided with a pneumatic jack of double-acting type with a spring (not shown), having an extended position and a retracted position, the operation of which is well-known. 
     The rod  30  of the device  29  is adapted to be introduced into the hollow second cylindrical portion  156  when the jack is in its extended position. 
     In this position of the jack, the rod  30  pushes the balls until each of them passes through an aperture  158 , so blocking movement of door  20  relative to the base  2 . 
     The device  1  further comprises a hinge system by virtue of which the door  20  is hinged to the base  2 . 
     This hinge system is provided with a single hinge  42  comprising a first hinge portion  43  fastened to the top right corner of the frame  35  of the door  20 , and a second hinge portion  44  fastened to the lateral face  3  of the base  2  of the device  1 . 
     The hinge portion  43  is fastened to the first side  36  of the frame  35  via three fastening screws  158  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     As can be seen in more detail in  FIG. 5 , the hinge portions  43  and  44  respectively of the door  20  and of the base  2  are joined together by a rod  45  forming a pivotal link. 
     The hinge portion  44  of the base  2  is fastened via six fastening screws  46  to the lateral face  3  of the base  2 . 
     An adjusting shim (not shown) situated behind that hinge portion  44  enables the latter to be adjusted as well as possible. 
     Furthermore, at the bottom of  FIG. 5  it can be seen that the handle  21  is indirectly fastened to that hinge portion  44  via a bent plate  41  and fastening screws  185 . 
     On the upper part of the hinge portion  44  a mechanical spring  48  is arranged with a plastic stop  160  to facilitate the opening and closing of the door  20 . 
     The device also includes a position sensor  162  to verify and provide security for the opening and closing of the door  20 , by detecting the closed door position and the other position. 
     A pneumatic system  49  is also arranged on the upper part of the hinge portion  44  so as to supply a system (described later) for locking the shell  17  and which is situated in the door  20 . 
     For this, that system  49  comprises a connector  50  connected both to the pneumatic power supply (not shown) and to an aperture  51  formed in the rod  45 , which aperture  51  extends in the rod  45  from the connector  50  to the hinge portion  43  which is in the door  20 . 
     In the closed door position, as is illustrated more particularly in  FIG. 4 , the rotational axis X about which the hinge portion  43  of the door  20  pivots is offset relative to a parting surface P formed between the shells  16  and  17  when they clamp the bag  10  between them. 
     This axial offset towards the front of the device  1  of the axis X relative to the parting surface P enables lateral clearances  53  to be formed between the door  20  and the base  2  at the outer perimeter of the door  20 . 
     Thus, the access for example to the connector  11  of the bag  10  illustrated in  FIG. 4  is greatly facilitated. 
     The door  20  further comprises, in its frame  35 , a system  55  for locking the shell  17  ( FIG. 6 ). 
     This system  55  comprises two jacks  56  disposed on respective opposite sides of the frame  35 , on its top portion, and rods  57  which extend over a major portion of the height of the frame  35 . 
     The jacks  56  are of single-acting pneumatic type with a spring, which is not integrated into the jack  56 , and are supplied by the connector  50  which can be seen in  FIG. 5 . 
     These jacks  56 , as will be seen in more detail below, are each connected to a rod  57  and are each adapted to push that rod  57  between a locked position and an unlocked position of the system  55 . 
     Each rod  57  comprises two locking bolts  58 . 
     The system  55  further comprises two springs  59  disposed in the bottom of the frame  35 , each spring  59  being connected to a rod  57  to push that respective rod  57  into its locked position and thus advance the corresponding locking bolt  58 . 
     The bag  10  comprises two flexible films  65  and  66  connected to each other by a seal delimiting a closed contour, and the connectors  11  of the conveying network  12  ( FIGS. 2 and 20 ). 
     Thus, each of the films  65  and  66  is a PureFlex™ film from the applicant. 
     This is a co-extruded film comprising four layers, respectively, from the inside to the outside, a layer of ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE) forming the material for contact with a liquid, a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol (EVOH) forming a barrier to gases, a copolymer layer of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) and a layer of ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE) forming the outer layers. 
     The seal is a weld bead formed at the periphery of the films  65  and  66 . 
     In addition to the films  65  and  66  and the connectors  11  for liquid, the bag  10  comprises a connector for an pneumatic agent (not shown) to form the conduits  13  ( 13 A to  13 F in  FIG. 20 ). 
     The closed contour of the bag  10  forms a liquid treatment zone  67 , in which extend the conduits  13 . 
     The closed contour has a first side  68 , a second side  69  that is an opposite side to the first  68 , a third side  70  meeting the first and second sides  68  and  69  and a fourth side  71  that is an opposite side to the third side  70  and that meets the first and second sides  68  and  69 . The connectors  11  of the conveying network  12  emerge inside and outside the first, second, and third sides  68 ,  69 , and  70 , as can be seen more particularly in  FIG. 20 . 
     The dimensions of the bag  10  correspond to those of the surfaces of the shells  16  and  17 . 
     As will be seen below, the bag  10  is provided for clamping between by the shells  16  and  17  with one of the faces of the bag  10  in contact with the face of the shell  16 , and with the other face of the bag  10  being in contact with a face of the shell  17 . 
     At its fourth side  71 , the bag  10  further comprises three through apertures  73  for positioning. 
     These positioning apertures  73  are aligned and regularly spaced apart, two of the apertures  73  being situated on respective opposite sides of the fourth side  71  of the bag  10 , and the other aperture  73  being situated in the center of the fourth side  71  of the bag  10 . 
     These positioning apertures  73 , as will be seen below, serve for the positioning of the bag  10  on the shell  16 . 
     The bag  10  further comprises, in its treatment zone  67 , two through apertures  75  for locking the shells  16  and  17  together, these locking apertures  75  having a greater diameter than the positioning apertures  73 . 
     These locking apertures  75  are situated in the treatment zone  67  at the locations where there are the most conduits  13 , since it is at these locations where the force of pressure is greatest during the treatment. The locking apertures  75  are thus at least partially surrounded by conduits  13 . 
     It will be seen below how means for locking the shells  16  and  17  together perform this locking and at the same time clamp between them the bag  10  in the circuit  8 . 
     The bag  10  further comprises other positioning apertures  77 . 
     One of the positioning apertures  77  is situated at the fourth side  71  of the bag  10  in the vicinity of the positioning aperture  73  situated at the top left of the bag  10 , and the other positioning aperture  77  is situated at the opposite extreme, that is to say towards the bottom of the bag  10 , in the treatment zone  67 . 
     These positioning apertures  77 , as will be seen below, serve for the positioning of the door  20  in the closed door position of the device. 
     As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the shell  17  has a reference surface  80 , which is flat here, and a plurality of shaping channels  81  recessed into that reference surface  80 . This shell  17  has a first side  82  and a second side  83  that is an opposite side to the first side  82 , a third side  84  and a fourth side  85  that is an opposite side to the third side  84 , these third and fourth sides  84  and  85  each meeting the first and second sides  82  and  83 . 
     On its fourth side  85 , the shell  17  is provided with three positioning holes  86  for positioning the bag  10 , which are arranged, as will be seen below, facing the positioning apertures  73  of the bag  10  in the closed door position, with bag  10  clamped between the shells  16  and  17 . 
     Furthermore, the shell  17  is provided with two other positioning holes  87  for positioning the door  20  in the closed door position, one of which is situated at the first side  82  of the shell  17 , and the other at the other extreme, towards the bottom of the shell  17 . 
     As will be seen below, these two positioning holes  87  are arranged so as to face the positioning apertures  77  of the bag  10  in the closed door position, with the bag  10  clamped between the shells  16  and  17 . 
     In a central zone, the shell  17  further comprises two other locking holes  88  of greater diameter than the positioning holes  86  and  87  of that shell  17 , which locking holes  88  serve for the locking together of the shells  16  and  17  as will be seen below. 
     These locking holes  88  are situated at the locations where there are the most channels  81  serving for the formation of the conduits  13 , since it is at these locations that the force of pressure is greatest during the treatment. The locking holes  88  are thus at least partially surrounded by channels  81 . 
     As will be seen below, these locking holes  88  are arranged so as to face the locking apertures  75  of the bag  10  in the closed door position, with the bag  10  clamped between the shells  16  and  17 . 
     As shown by  FIGS. 7 and 10 , the shell  17  is provided with four lock strikes  89  each formed in a recess of the body of the shell  17 . 
     Two lock strikes  89  are arranged along the first side  82  of the shell  17 , and two other lock strikes  89  are arranged along the second side  83  of the shell  17 , that is to say that the four lock strikes  89  are in opposite pairs. 
     As stated previously, the shell  17  is fastened into frame  35  of door  20 , and the locking of that shell  17  into the door  20  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 7 to 10 . 
     Each jack  56  is provided with a body  90  comprising a pneumatic chamber  91  and a moveable piston  92  extended by a rod, which jack is housed in the frame  35  of the door  20 , each piston  92  having an extended position and a retraced position in which the piston  92  has been moved through a predetermined travel relative to its extended position. 
     Each jack  56  is pneumatically connected to the aperture  51  formed in the rod  45  connecting the hinge portions  43  and  44 . 
     The jacks  56  are illustrated in extended position in  FIG. 7  and in retracted position in  FIG. 8 . 
     Each piston rod  92  is fastened to a rod  57 , which rod  57  is also fastened to a spring  59 . 
     The pneumatic chamber  91 , when it is under pressure, biases the piston  92  against the spring  59 . When the piston  92  is at end of travel the spring  59  is in retracted position ( FIGS. 7 and 9 ) and the piston  92  is in extended position. 
     The rods  57  have thus been moved translationally downward, the shell  17  has been inserted against the sides  36  and  37  of the frame  35  of the door  20 , with its reference surface  80  turned outwardly, and the locking bolts  58  of each rod  57  have been inserted into the corresponding recesses of the shell  17 . 
     When the pneumatic chamber  91  of each jack  56  is at atmospheric pressure, spring  59  urges piston  92  via rod  57  towards the other end of travel position of that piston  92 . When that position has been reached, spring  59  is in extended position, and the piston in retraced position. 
     The rods  57  have thus been moved translationally upward with their locking bolts  58  each having entered into a lock strike  89  of the shell  17  in order to lock that shell  17  in the door  20 . 
     The shell  16  has a flat reference surface  95  and shaping channels  96  recessed relative to the reference surface  95 , each facing a corresponding shaping channel  81 . 
     Generally, the surfaces  80  and  95  have similar dimensions and the arrangement of the shaping channels  96  is the mirror image of the set of the shaping channels  81 . 
     The shaping channels  81  and  96  are of semi-elliptical cross-section. 
     The surfaces  80  and  95  may be applied against each other with the channels  81  and  96  in register with each other to delimit a network of cavities which are each generally tubular. 
     The shell  16  has a first side  145  and a second side  146  that is an opposite side to the first side  145 , a third side  147  and a fourth side  148  that is an opposite side to the third side  147 , which third and fourth sides  147  and  148  each meet the first and second sides  145  and  146 . 
     The shell  16  furthermore has, on the opposite lateral walls  98  and  99 , dowels  100  adapted to be engaged, by virtue of a vertical translational movement from top to bottom when the shell  16  is against the chassis  25 , in the hooking claws  26  disposed on that chassis  25 . 
     Furthermore, on those same opposite lateral walls  98  and  99 , the shell  16  has rods  101  for manipulating the shell  16 , which rods  101  are longer than the dowels  100 . 
     This manipulation is carried out by the user of the device  1 , or with the help of a winch, which may for example be electric. 
     Thanks to the inclination and the weight of the shell  16 , and thanks to the engagement of the dowels  100  in the hooking claws  26 , the shell  16  is securely fastened to the chassis  25 . 
     On its flat reference surface  95 , the shell  16  furthermore has a re-entrant portion  102  which is extended downwardly by a slanting surface  103 , the slant of which is directed inwardly of the device  1 . 
     This slanting surface  103  enables the provision of access to the bay  6  comprising the containers. 
     Pipes (not shown) connected to the connectors  11  of the circuit  8 , and in particular disposed at the location of the third side  147  of the shell  16 , may also be connected to the containers. 
     On a lower face  97 , the shell  16  further comprises a channel  104  of inverted gutter shape emerging on the slanting surface  103  ( FIGS. 1 and 14 ). 
     This channel  104  serves as a fool-proof device on installation of the shell  16  on the chassis  25  of the base  2 , in order for the reference surface  95  to be turned inwardly. 
     The shell  16  further comprises, at the location of its fourth side  148 , three hooking studs  106 , of which two are disposed on respective opposite sides of the shell  16 , the third being disposed substantially at the center of the fourth side  148  of the shell  16 , with those three studs  106  being evenly spaced from each other. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , these studs  106  are adapted pass through the positioning apertures  73  of the bag  10  for the suspension of the latter on the shell  16 . 
     Furthermore, the distal end of these same hooking studs  106  is adapted to be inserted into the positioning holes  86  of the shell  17  in the closed door position. 
     The shell  16  comprises two positioning dowels  107  for positioning the door  20 , one of which is situated on the fourth side  148  of the shell  16  close to a hooking stud  106  situated at the top left of that shell  16 , the other positioning dowel  107  being situated at the other extreme, that is to say at the bottom of the shell  16 , between two shaping channels  96  at the location of the third side  147 . 
     These positioning dowels  107  are adapted to pass through the apertures  77  of the bag  10 , and the distal end of these positioning dowels  107  is adapted to be inserted into the positioning holes  87  of the shell  17 . 
     The shell  16  further comprises two locking holes  108  which are situated at the locations where there are the most channels  96  serving for the formation of the conduits  13 , since it is at these locations that the force of pressure is greatest during the treatment. The locking holes  108  are thus at least partially surrounded by channels  96 . 
     These locking holes  108  are arranged so as to face the locking through-apertures  75  of the bag  10  when it is disposed on the shell  16 , and also to face the corresponding locking holes  88  of the shell  17  in the closed door position. 
     The locking holes  108  of the shell  16  are passed through by the ball-lock pins  110 , of which the details will be provided below, for the locking together of the shells  16  and  17  when the door  20  is in its closed position, and for the clamping of the bag  10  in the circuit  8 . 
     As can be seen more particularly in  FIGS. 11 to 13 , each ball-lock pin  110  comprises a body  111 , and an annular shoulder  112  provided with a transverse face  113  and connected to a head  114 . 
     Four rods  115  project from the transverse face  113  to be inserted into apertures (not shown) formed in the body of the shell  16  in order to fasten the body  111  to the shell  16 . 
     The body  111  comprises a pneumatic chamber  116  and a piston  117 , the piston  117  being mechanically connected to a rod  118  with a conical tip. 
     That rod  118  extends within the head  114  of the pin  110 . 
     Three balls  119  are arranged so as to be able to project from the head  114  by passing through the apertures formed in that head  114 . 
     The pin  110  is similar to a double-acting type jack and this pin  110  comprises two pneumatic connectors  120 . 
     The head  114  of each pin  110  passes through the corresponding locking hole  108  of the shell  16 , head  114  also passes through the corresponding locking aperture  75  of the bag, and head  114  lastly emerges into a corresponding locking hole  88  of the shell  17  in the closed door position. 
     One of the connectors  120  of the pin  110  enables a first portion of the pneumatic chamber  116  to be pressurized, so as to act on the piston  117 . When the piston  117  is at end of travel, the balls  119  are in extended position, that is to say that they project from the head  114  to extend into the locking hole  88  of the shell  17  ( FIG. 13 ). 
     The locking holes  88  are configured such that, when the balls  119  are extended, the shells  16  and  17  are securely locked. 
     For this, the locking holes  88  comprise a first portion having a first diameter, which first portion is adapted to face the bag  10  when that bag is clamped between the shells  16  and  17 , then a recess, and lastly a second portion having a second diameter greater than the first diameter. 
     Thus, in the extended position of the pin  110 , the balls  119  of each pin  110  project into the second portion of the corresponding locking hole  88 , the first portion of that locking hole  88  preventing the pin from disengaging by blocking the balls  119 . 
     The other connector  120  enables a second portion of the pneumatic chamber  116  to be pressurized, this second portion being opposed to the first portion, to urge the piston  117  towards the other end of travel position. When that position is reached, the balls  119  are in retracted position, that is to say they go back into the head  114  ( FIG. 12 ). 
     In addition to the shells  16  and  17 , the circuit  8  comprises, here installed on the back of the shell  16 , as illustrated in  FIG. 14 , instruments required for the treatment of the biological liquid. 
     For example, there are illustrated pinch valves  125  comprising actuators to pinch a conduit  13  so as to prevent or allow the passage of liquid in that conduit  13 , and sensors  126  of a physico-chemical value, for example pressure. 
     Also illustrated are a pneumatic distributor  128  and means for verification and control to perform various treatments of that liquid, which means are formed for example by a verification and command unit  127 . 
     In the example illustrated in  FIG. 14 , the actuators of the valves  125  each comprise for example a body fastened to the shell  16  and a moveable pinching finger having a retracted position when the valve  125  is in open position and an extended position when the valve  125  is in closed position (not shown). 
     In the extended position, the moveable finger projects into one of the channels  96  (not shown). 
     Each sensor  126  is fastened to the shell  16  in register with a channel  96 , with the distal end of the sensor  126  emerging into that channel  96 , without actually having to touch the fluid (not shown). 
     Such sensors are well known and comprise for example pressure sensors which measure the pressure via the outer surface of the bag  10 . 
     The shell  16  further comprises, here installed behind that shell  16 , a female connector  130  enabling power to be supplied to the valves  125 , sensors  126 , the distributor  128  and the verification and control unit  127 , which are integrated into that shell  16 . 
     The supply is thus electrical (for power and control) and pneumatic. 
     This female connector  130  is situated at the bottom right of the shell  16  (viewed from behind). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 15 , when the rear part of the shell  16  is covered by a back panel  132 , only the access to the female connector  130  is possible. 
     A male connector  135  arranged on the base  2  of the device  1  can be connected to the female connector  130  of the circuit  8 . 
     As is illustrated in  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the male connector  135  is moveable, by the action of a pneumatic jack  136  carrying the male connector  135  at its end, and this male connector  135  is adapted to pass through an opening  138  formed in the third side  142  of the chassis  25  for its connection to the female connector  130  ( FIG. 18 ). 
     A description will now be made of the assembly of the circuit  8 . 
     The shell  16  is fastened to the chassis  25  of the base  2 , by virtue of the dowels  100  which locate in the hooking claws  26 . 
     The male and female connectors  135  and  130  are connected together by virtue of the pneumatic jack  136  which makes that male connector  135  moveable, for the electrical and pneumatic supply of the circuit  8 . 
     The bag  10  is next fastened by suspension onto the shell  16 , by virtue of the positioning apertures  73  of that bag  10  which are passed through by the hooking studs  106  of the shell  16 . 
     In the other position of the device in which the shell  17  is away from the shell  16 , the shell  17  is assembled onto the frame  35  of the door  20  then locked by virtue of the system  55  of rods  57  of the door  20 . 
     The door  20  is next closed so as to clamp the bag  10  between the shells  16  and  17 . The device is thus in closed door position. 
     When the door  20  is closed, its positioning is provided in particular by virtue of the dowels  107  of the shell  16 , by virtue of the positioning apertures  77  of the bag  10  and by virtue of the positioning holes  87  of the shell  17 . 
     The door  20  is locked onto the front face  5  of the base  2  via the devices  29  and  40 , respectively of the chassis  35  and of the door  20 . 
     The shells  16  and  17  are next locked via the ball-lock pins  110  which furthermore enable the bag  10  to be clamped between the shells  16  and  17 . 
     The connection of the surrounding treatment components (not shown) to the connectors  11  of the bag  10  is then carried out (if not already done before the mounting of the bag  10 ), via pipes, in particular flexible pipes. 
     These surrounding treatment components are formed in particular by one or more pumps, for example of the diaphragm type, and/or by a source container containing the product to treat and/or by a treated liquid collecting container and/or by a chromatography column. 
     These surrounding treatment components are disposed on one or more other devices, for example juxtaposed to the device  1 . 
     These other devices are advantageously carts like the device  1 . 
     These connections are greatly facilitated by virtue of the lateral clearances formed around the bag  10 . 
     Of course, these connections may be formed before fastening the bag  10  by suspension onto the shell  16 , without being hindered subsequently, that is to say at the time of suspending that bag  10  on the shell  16 , by the hinge system. 
     Bag  10  is then inflated: the connectors  11  for liquid are obturated and a pneumatic agent is injected by the connector provided for that purpose (not shown). 
     The effect of the inflation of the bag  10  is that the films  65  and  66  respectively conform to the face of the shell  16  which presents the surface  95  and the channels  96 , and the face of the shell  17  which presents the surface  80  and the channels  81 . 
     The conduits  13  of elliptical section are formed at the location of the channels  81  and  96 . 
     The press  9  and the bag  10  thus form a circuit  8  for treating biological liquid which is ready to be placed in service. 
     As the biological liquid is treated in the circuit formed by the press  9  and by the bag  10  which have to be protected from contamination, the bag  10  is provided with obturating plugs in place on each of the connectors  11  for liquid and on the connector for a pneumatic agent (not shown) and it is sterilized, for example by gamma irradiation. The pneumatic agent injected inside the bag  11  is purified. 
     For example, the pneumatic agent is compressed air purified by a hydrophobic filter, such as an AERVENT® available from the company Millipore, connected to the inflating connector (not shown). 
       FIG. 19  diagrammatically shows the circuit  8  provided by press  9  and bag  10 . In this circuit the valves  125 A to  125 G are respectively formed by an actuator, and by the portion of the shell  17  against which the conduit  13  presses when it is pinched by the finger. 
     Connector  11 B serves to inject the liquid to treat into a loop formed by conduit  13 E, by the feed container connected to connector  11 C, by the feed pump of which the inlet side is connected to another connector of the feed container and of which the delivery side is connected to the connector  11 A, by the conduit  13 A and by the filter. 
     On injection of the liquid to treat by connector  11 B, all the valves are open, except for the valves  125 E and  125 A. 
     Once the product to treat has been transferred into the feed container, the valves  125 F and  125 C are closed, whereas the other valves are open and the feed pump is put into operation, such that the liquid to treat flows in the aforementioned loop. 
     On passage into the filter, the product to treat is purified with the retentate passing into the conduit  13 E and the filtrate passing into the conduit  13 D, then being evacuated to the drain. 
     When the liquid has sufficiently circulated in the loop and has attained the required characteristics of purity and concentration, its evacuation is performed to the collecting container connected to the connector  11 E, by passing the valve  125 B to the closed position and the valve  125 C to the open position, the treated liquid thus attaining connector  11 E by passing via filter  151  where the liquid undergoes a final filtration. 
     It should be noted that, in addition to the operations described above, the circuit is capable of implementing various other operations by virtue of the conveying network  12  formed by the conduits  13 A to  13 F and the valves  125 A to  125 G. 
     The sensors  126 A to  126 B are all pressure sensors here. They enable the proper operation of the installation to be verified, and in particular to detect any occurrence of excess pressure (sensor  126 A) and to ensure proper operation of the filter (sensors  126 B to  126 D). 
     In a variant not illustrated, the hinge system comprises a door having a horizontal hinging axis rather than a single hinge situated in a corner. This door having a horizontal hinging axis is fastened to the top or bottom of the front face of the base of the device. Like the single hinge, this door having a horizontal hinging axis enables lateral clearances to be created over a major portion of the outline of the bag. 
     In a variant not illustrated, the door is removable, that is to say that it is independent from the base, and it is mounted on the base for its fastening thereto. 
     In a variant not illustrated, the jacks of the rod system are of double-acting type, or are electrical or hydraulic, rather than pneumatic. 
     In a variant not illustrated, the ball-lock pins are of single-acting type, or are electrical or hydraulic, rather than pneumatic. 
     In other variants not illustrated, other mechanisms may be used instead of the rod system, ball-lock pins and hooking claws. 
     In variants not illustrated, the inflation of the bag is carried out prior to the clamping of the bag, or partially before and partially after the clamping of the bag. 
     In still another variant not illustrated, there is no such prior inflation of the bag, since the conduits of the bag are directly formed by the conveying of the fluid into the bag, at the time of treatment. 
     In a variant not illustrated, rather than being dispersed over the same shell, the sensor or sensors of physico-chemical values are disposed on different shells; and/or no sensor is provided. The instrumentation is of course different depending on the treatment to carry out on the biological liquid. 
     In a variant not illustrated, the bag is triangular or circular rather than rectangular, and the case arising the shells are adapted to the shape of the bag, as well as, if desired, the door and the base. For example, in the case of a triangular bag, the door has only three sides and the hinge system is configured such that it forms lateral clearances at least at the location of the remaining two sides. 
     In other variants not represented:
         instead of being in one piece, the shells are formed by a set of modular members associated with each other to delimit the different portions of the circuit, which members are provided with marks or labels to ensure that they are correctly disposed relative to each other. The marks and the labels comprise for example reference numbers or codes and may be of the RFID type;   the shells are of a material other than polyoxymethylene, for example stainless steel, or aluminum, or of another plastics material in particular having a high density, or of ceramic or wood;   the shell  16  only comprises two hooking studs  106 , or more than three, and, the case arising, the bag  10  comprises respectively only two or more than three positioning apertures  73 , and for the shell  17  only comprises two or more than three positioning holes  86 , those studs, apertures and holes being evenly spaced, or not;   the shell  16  comprises more than two positioning dowels  107  and the case arising, the bag  10  comprises more than two positioning apertures  77 , and the shell  17  comprises more than two positioning holes  87 , those studs, apertures and holes being evenly spaced, or not;   the shell  16  comprises more than two locking holes  108  and the case arising, the bag  10  comprises more than two locking apertures  75 , and the shell  17  comprises more than two locking holes  88 ;
           the films of the bags are of a material other than the PureFlex™ film, for example of another film with several layers compatible with biological liquids such as the film HyQ® CX5-14 available from the company Hyclone industries, or the film Platinum UltraPac available from the company Lonza;   
           the physico-chemical value measured by the sensors  126  is temperature and/or pH and/or conductivity in combination or as an alternative to pressure;   the shaping channels are of circular section rather than semi-elliptical cross-section;   the pump or pumps of the other devices are of peristaltic type rather than diaphragm type; and   the device is not in the form of a cart but is placed on another support, for example on a table, and/or   all the surrounding treatment components are disposed with the device on the same cart, or on the same support, which is different from a cart.       

     It should be noted more generally that the invention is not limited to the examples described and represented.