Housing for holding a flexible bioprocess bag and method for assembling the bag in the housing
A support housing for a flexible bioprocess bag, the housing comprising at least one side wall having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment movable in relation to the second segment between an open and a closed position, wherein at least a supporting part of the housing is translatable from an operating position to a bag loading position, wherein the supporting part comprises one or more retainers for holding the flexible bioprocess bag upon re-translation of the supporting part to the operating position and movement of the first segment to the closed position, and wherein the first segment comprises a first drive unit for connecting and driving a first mixing unit in the flexible bioprocess bag.
1. A support housing for a flexible bioprocess bag, comprising:
a housing body having a top surface, a bottom wall, and a sidewall extending between the bottom wall to the top surface, the sidewall including a first sidewall segment, a second sidewall segment, and a third sidewall segment disposed about the first sidewall segment and the second sidewall segment to support the flexible bioprocess bag, the third sidewall segment having a main wall configured to receive the flexible bioprocess bag thereon and a base wall perpendicular to the main wall with an opening therein to receive an end portion of the flexible bioprocess bag, wherein the third sidewall segment is connected to the housing body for tiltable translation of the third sidewall segment in relation to the first sidewall segment and the second sidewall segment, wherein the third sidewall segment is configured to tiltably translate between a horizontal orientation defining a loading position for the main wall of the third sidewall segment to receive the flexible bioprocess bag thereon with the end portion of the flexible bioprocess bag in the opening of the base wall of the third sidewall segment and a vertical orientation defining an operation position to operate the flexible bioprocess bag in an inner region of the housing body, wherein the main wall of the third sidewall segment is coincident with a horizontal plane normal to a longitudinal axis extending through the inner region of the housing body in the loading position and the base wall of the third sidewall segment is positioned vertically between the first sidewall segment and the second sidewall segment in the loading position.
2. The support housing of claim 1 , further comprising one or more retainers to hold the flexible bioprocess bag in place against the main wall and the end portion of the flexible bioprocess bag in the opening of the base wall.
3. The support housing of claim 2 , wherein the one or more retainers comprises at least one interface retainer provided in the third sidewall segment, wherein the at least one interface retainer is positioned on the third sidewall segment and attachable to the flexible bioprocess bag.
4. The support housing of claim 1 , wherein the third sidewall segment is hingedly connected to the housing body by a hinged mechanism for tiltable translation of the third sidewall segment in relation to the first sidewall segment and the second sidewall segment.
5. The support housing of claim 1 , wherein the base wall includes a surface area that is less than a surface area of the main wall.
6. The support housing of claim 1 , wherein the third sidewall segment is tiltably translatable at an angle to the longitudinal axis extending through an internal volume of the housing body, the angle of translation of the third sidewall segment extending between the horizontal orientation that is parallel with a horizontal axis extending away from the bottom wall of the housing body and the vertical orientation that is parallel with the longitudinal axis.
7. The support housing of claim 1 , wherein the base wall protrudes outward from the main wall to the inner region of the housing body when the third sidewall segment is in the vertical orientation to form a part of the bottom wall.
8. The support housing of claim 1 , wherein the third sidewall segment is rotatably connected with the first sidewall segment to move away from and towards the second sidewall segment, wherein rotation of the third sidewall segment away from the second sidewall segment provides access to the inner region of the housing body, while the rotation of the third sidewall segment towards the second sidewall segment to abut therewith precludes access to the inner region.
9. The support housing of claim 8 , wherein the main wall of the third sidewall segment is in a tiltable connection with the base wall of the third sidewall segment.
10. The support housing of claim 1 , wherein the main wall of the third sidewall segment is collapsible and extendible in one of a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction.
11. The support housing of claim 1 , wherein the housing body further comprises sliding rails to facilitate sliding of the first sidewall segment relative to the second sidewall segment, wherein the first sidewall segment is configured to slide along the sliding rails to cover the second sidewall segment and the third sidewall segment for the operation position and move along the sliding rails away from the second sidewall segment and the third sidewall segment to uncover the second sidewall segment and the third sidewall segment.