Granted Patent B2

US 12,571,587 · App. 18/467,130 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Inventors: Kyle D. Erickson (Melrose, MA); William J. Merritt (Danvers, MA)

Assignee: Velico Medical, Inc.

F26B3/12A61K35/16

Abstract

Claims (39)

1 . A spray drying finishing apparatus for converting a spray drying disposable having a spray drying head, a drying chamber, and a dried plasma into a dried plasma container having the dried plasma, the spray drying finishing apparatus comprising:

A) an impactor configured to move the dried plasma within the drying chamber;

B) a sealer configured to seal the spray dried plasma within a portion of the drying chamber to thereby create the dried plasma container having the dried plasma; and

C) a separator configured to separate the dried plasma container having the dried plasma from the drying chamber.

2 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

A) at least one rail; and

B) a shuttle that is slidably attached to the rail.

3 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a shuttle that comprises:

A) a spray drying head receiver configured to secure the spray drying head of the spray drying disposable;

B) a locator that aligns the spray drying head within the spray drying head receiver;

C) an upper stationary shuttle frame;

D) a lower movable shuttle frame having one or more positioning arrangements for receiving an outer edge of the spray drying disposable, and a gas outlet receiver.

4 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the spray drying head receiver further comprising spring activated detents.

5 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a tensioner configured to stretch the spray drying disposable during sealing, separating or both.

6 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the tensioner is mounted to a lower movable shuttle frame.

7 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 5 , wherein when in use, the tensioner is configured to interact with a ramp on the sealer, separator, or both, whereby the spray drying disposable is stretched during sealing, separating, or both.

8 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the shuttle slides along the rail with a guide, wherein the rail is fixed.

9 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the shuttle slides along the rail using a lead screw and a motor.

10 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sealer comprises an impulse sealer, a heat sealer, electric heater, radio frequency sealer, or a combination thereof.

11 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the separator comprises, cut wire or heat cutter or a combination thereof.

12 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the impactor moves dried plasma within the spray drying disposable using mechanical force created electrically, pneumatically, or with magnets or an ultrasound source.

13 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the impactor comprises a magnet plate arrangement, a pneumatic cylinder plate arrangement, or combination thereof.

14 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 1 , further including one or more sensors for determining one or more locations of the shuttle as it slides along at least one rail.

15 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the locator comprises a recess/projection arrangement, a complementing shape arrangement, a hook/receiver arrangement, a channel and groove arrangement, a latch and catch arrangement, or a combination thereof.

16 . The spray drying finishing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the one or more positioning arrangements comprise a pin and opening arrangement, a hook/receiver arrangement, channel and groove arrangement, a latch and catch arrangement or a combination thereof.

17 . A method for converting a spray drying disposable into a dried plasma container having a dried plasma, the spray drying disposable having a spray drying head, a drying chamber, and the dried plasma, wherein the method uses a spray drying finishing apparatus that comprises an impactor, a sealer, and a separator; wherein the method comprises the steps of;

A) moving the dried plasma within the drying chamber;

B) sealing a portion of the drying chamber to thereby create the dried plasma container having the dried plasma; and

C) separating the dried plasma container having the dried plasma from the drying chamber.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein moving the dried plasma within the drying chamber includes impacting the drying chamber to move the dried plasma into a desired compartment.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein step A) occurs two or more times, step B) occurs two or more times, the step C) occurs two or more times, or a combination thereof.

20 . A method for converting a spray drying disposable into a dried plasma container having a dried plasma, the spray drying disposable having a spray drying head, a drying chamber, and the dried plasma, wherein the method uses a spray drying finishing apparatus that comprises an impactor, a sealer, and a separator; wherein the method comprises the steps of:

A) moving the dried plasma within the drying chamber into a first desired compartment located at a bottom portion of the spray drying disposable;

B) sealing at a first location of the drying chamber to thereby create a sealed spray drying disposable having dried plasma;

C) separating the sealed spray drying disposable at or near the first location to thereby create a modified spray drying disposable;

D) rotating the modified spray drying disposable to thereby obtain a rotated modified spray drying disposable;

E) moving the dried plasma within the drying chamber into a second desired compartment located at a portion of the spray drying disposable to form the dried plasma container;

F) sealing the rotated modified spray drying disposable at a second location to thereby create a dried plasma container within the rotated modified spay drying disposable;

G) separating the dried plasma container from the rotated modified spay drying disposable at or near the second location to thereby create a dried plasma container having the dried plasma.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (1)

US 12,747,915