JP3149533B2 - Method for filling liquid into liquid filter and device for filling the same - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention requires that the interior be immersed in a liquid using pure water or the like before use. The operation of filling such a liquid into a liquid filter, which has a filtration membrane arranged transversely, can be performed easily without the need for labor and skill in operation, as well as a liquid filter that is effective for mechanization. And a filling device for the liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a liquid filter used for removing gas or solid particles such as air contained in a target liquid and filtering the solid particles includes, for example, blood cells from blood or blood. Remove the solid particles contained in the separated body fluids such as plasma, like a medical liquid filter used to filter these, for the purpose of sterilization before use and for the purpose of maintaining the sterilized state, There is a case where it is necessary to fill the inside with a liquid using pure water or the like and immerse the inside with such a liquid. In such a liquid filter, due to its nature, a filtration membrane using a filter or the like is disposed transversely, and the target liquid itself to be filtered injected therein can pass therethrough. Gases such as air contained therein and solid particles larger than the aperture of the filter cannot pass through the filter. or,
As such a liquid filter, a type in which nozzles are provided so as to face each other on both sides of a main body, and a filtration membrane as described above is disposed transversely inside the main body is frequently used.

When assembly of the liquid filter is completed, if it is necessary to keep the inside of the liquid filter immersed, a liquid injection tube for injecting the liquid into the nozzle is inserted, and the liquid is supplied to the liquid filter. The filling operation is performed because the filtration membrane is disposed across the inside of the main body, so that the liquid stays inside the main body or air or the like taken in from the outside by the liquid injection operation. It is necessary to carry out while removing the gas bubbles.

[0004] For this reason, the operation of filling the liquid into the liquid filter is performed, for example, by the following operation procedure. First, the liquid filter is held with the central axis of the nozzle oriented in the vertical direction, and a temporary stopper is placed on the opening end of the nozzle facing downward. Thereafter, an injection pipe for injecting the liquid into the nozzle facing upward is inserted, and the liquid is injected into the liquid filter through the injection pipe. At this time, depending on the shape of the nozzle, a gas bubble such as air taken in from the outside by the liquid injection operation adheres to the inside of the liquid filter, particularly at a portion facing upward in the liquid filter. May remain. Therefore, in order to remove this, an operation of applying a slight vibration or impact is performed by, for example, slightly rotating the liquid filter around a nozzle facing downward. Then, as soon as the portion of the liquid filter above the filtration membrane is filled with liquid, the nozzle is closed at the opening end of the nozzle facing upward. Next, the liquid filter is turned upside down, the temporary stopper at the opening end of the nozzle facing upward is removed, and the same operation as described above is repeated.

[0005]

As described above, in the operation of filling the liquid into the liquid filter, not only the operation procedure is complicated, but also the operation requires labor and skill, and furthermore, in order to realize the mechanization, It will be a hindrance.

In view of such conventional problems, the inventor of the present invention requires that the inside be immersed in a liquid using pure water or the like before use. In addition to being able to perform such a work of filling such a liquid into a liquid filter in which a filtration membrane is arranged transversely inside the main body without requiring labor and skill, it is easy to use, To be effective,
As a result of intensive studies, they came to the present invention.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, nozzles are provided on both sides of the main body so as to face each other, and a filtration membrane is disposed inside the main body. When filling the installed liquid filter with liquid, hold the center axes of the nozzles on both sides of the liquid filter in the horizontal direction, and then insert a liquid injection tube for injecting liquid into both nozzles from outside, and perform liquid filtration. The gist of the present invention is a method of filling a liquid filter into a liquid filter by injecting a liquid into a liquid filter through an injection pipe and filling the liquid while rotating the filter about the central axes of both nozzles. Further, in claim 2, after the liquid is filled in the liquid filter, the liquid is sealed in the liquid filter by plugging the opening ends of both nozzles. Further, claim 3 exemplifies that the liquid filter is a medical liquid filter.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for filling a liquid into a liquid filter in which nozzles are provided on both sides of the main body so as to face each other and a filtration membrane is provided inside the main body. A holding gantry for holding the center axes of the nozzles on both sides rotatably in the horizontal direction, two injection pipes inserted into both nozzles from outside to inject liquid into the liquid filter, and a liquid filter There is disclosed an apparatus for filling a liquid filter into a liquid filter, comprising a rotating means for rotating the nozzles about the central axes of both nozzles. In addition, in claim 5, after filling the liquid in the liquid filter, a plugging means for plugging the opening ends of both nozzles is provided.

[0009]

In this manner, when the liquid is filled in the liquid filter in which the nozzles are provided so as to face each other on both sides of the main body and the filtration membrane is provided inside the main body and the filtration membrane is provided transversely,
The liquid injected into the main body from both nozzles through the liquid injection pipe is centrifugally loaded by rotating the main body around the central axis of both nozzles, and sequentially from the outer peripheral side to the central axis side inside the main body. With this, on the other hand, gas such as air which stays inside the main body or is taken in from the outside by this liquid injection operation is concentrated from the outer peripheral side of the main body to the central axis side, and furthermore, From the central axis side, through the gap between the nozzle and the liquid injection pipe, the filled and increased amount of liquid is pressed by the liquid and forcedly discharged, and gas bubbles such as air adhere and remain inside the main body. There is no.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A method for filling a liquid filter with a liquid and a device for filling the liquid according to the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a gas such as air or solid particles contained in a target liquid is removed, and blood or blood cells in the blood are separated in a liquid filter used for filtering the same. A medical liquid filling device used for removing solid particles contained in a body fluid such as plasma and filtering the solid particles will be described in particular. Then, in such a medical liquid filling device, for the purpose of sterilization and maintenance of the sterilized state before use, the inside is filled with a liquid using pure water or the like, and the inside is immersed in such a liquid. Need to be kept.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes such a medical liquid filling device, which has nozzles 5, 6 on both sides of a flat cylindrical body 4 closed on both sides by a pair of side plates 2, 3. A pair of filtration membranes using membrane filters 7 and 8 formed of a fibrous nonwoven fabric or the like are arranged transversely inside the cylindrical main body 4 so as to protrude from each other substantially on the axis. . In the drawings, reference numerals 9 and 10 denote supports for the membrane filters 7 and 8, respectively. These supports 9 and 10 are of a mode in which members arranged concentrically are connected by members arranged radially. Reference numerals 11 and 12 denote support projections of supports 9 and 10 provided on the inner surfaces of the side plates 2 and 3 of the cylindrical main body 4 at substantially the same circumference with an interval therebetween. It shows a locking edge of a plug, described later, provided on the side. In the illustrated medical liquid filter 1, the cylindrical body 4 is formed from two members 4a and 4b with the center of the axis as a boundary,
These two members 4a, 4b have a membrane filter 7,
8, after assembling the supports 9 and 10, they are integrated by interposing an annular packing shown as 15 in the figure between them. The above-mentioned nozzles 5 and 6 each have two members 4
a, 4b are provided integrally, and these are both integrally formed from a synthetic resin body. Further, in the illustrated medical liquid filter 1, of the two nozzles 5, 6, the left nozzle 5 in the drawing is formed to have a larger diameter than the right nozzle 6 in the drawing, and the left nozzle 5 in the drawing flows into the nozzle 5 in the drawing. The nozzle 6 on the right side in the drawing is used as the outflow side. However, it is also possible to form these two nozzles 5, 6 with the same diameter, or to form the inflow side nozzle 5 with a smaller diameter than the outflow side nozzle 6. Then, the solid particles contained in the body fluid such as blood or blood separated from the blood flowed from the inflow side nozzle 5 through the nozzle 5 are removed by a pair of filtration membranes using the membrane filters 7 and 8, These are filtered and discharged from the nozzle 6 on the discharge side. In addition, 16 and 17 are stoppers which are engaged with the locking edges 13 and 14 of the nozzles 5 and 6 to plug the open ends of the nozzles 5 and 6, respectively, which are formed of a soft synthetic resin or rubber. It is.

The medical liquid filter 1 is
When the assembly is completed, the inside is filled with pure water or the like, and the inside is immersed in such a liquid. But,
The operation of filling the medical liquid filter 1 with such a liquid is performed by membrane filters 7 and 8 inside the cylindrical main body 4.
Since a pair of filtration membranes using the liquid crystal are disposed transversely, the filtration membrane stays inside the cylindrical main body 4 or removes gas bubbles such as air taken in from the outside by the liquid injection operation. Conventionally, not only the operation procedure is complicated, but also the operation requires labor and skill, and further hinders the mechanization.

Accordingly, in the present invention, the nozzles 5 and 6 are provided on both sides of the cylindrical body 4 so as to face each other, and a pair of membrane filters 7 and 8 are used inside the cylindrical body 4. When the above-mentioned liquid is filled in the medical liquid filter 1 in which the filtration membrane is disposed transversely, the following operation procedure is performed. Here, the membrane filters 7 and 8 constituting a pair of filtration membranes of the medical liquid filter 1 are each composed of two members 4 a of the cylindrical main body 4,
Before incorporation into the 4b or after completion of the assembly, it is necessary to previously wet the membrane with a hydrophilic aqueous solution, preferably an alcohol aqueous solution, because air bubbles such as air staying in the pores of the membrane filters 7 and 8 It can be said that it is preferable in removing the. However, the operation can be performed while the membrane filters 7 and 8 are in a dry state.

First, as described above, the medical liquid filter 1 is used.
After the assembling, the medical liquid filter 1 is mounted on the holding base 20 with the base ends of the nozzles 5 and 6 on both sides as shown in FIG. To rotate freely. As shown in FIG. 3, the holding gantry 20 has a pair of supporting walls 22 and 22 erected on both sides of the connecting wall 21 and a pair of supporting walls 22 and 22 opposed to the upper ends of the pair of supporting walls 22 and 22 for medical liquid filtration. The supporting recesses 23, 23 which are cut out in a semicircular shape with which the base ends of the nozzles 5, 6 on both sides of the container 1 engage. When the medical liquid filter 1 is rotatably held by the holding base 20, the cylindrical main body 4 is inserted between the pair of supporting walls 22, 22, as shown in FIG. The base ends of the nozzles 5 and 6 on both sides are engaged with the pair of supporting walls 22 and the supporting concave portions 23 and 23 at the upper ends. Next, the medical liquid filter 1 is held on a holding base 20, and the medical liquid filter 1 is rotated about the central axes of the nozzles 5, 6, and FIG. 4 and FIG. Is shown. FIG.
Before holding the medical liquid filter 1 on the holding frame 20, the endless rotary belt 25 is wound between the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 4 and the rotary drive pulley 24 connected to the rotary drive source. Then, after being held on the holding frame 20, the rotary drive source is operated to rotate the medical liquid filter 1 about the central axes of the nozzles 5 and 6. In this case, the endless rotary belt 25 can be wound between the tip ends of the nozzles 5 and 6 and the rotary drive pulley 24.
FIG. 5 shows a configuration in which the medical liquid filter 1 is held on a holding base 20, and a rotary drive roller 26 connected to a rotary drive source is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical body 4 so as to be joined therewith. Is shown. In this case as well, the rotary drive roller 26 can also be disposed so as to be able to be joined to the tip side of the nozzles 5 and 6 and the side surface of the cylindrical main body 4. As these rotary drive sources, rotary power devices such as an electric motor and an air motor are used.
Then, as shown in FIG. 5, when a rotary drive roller 26 connected to a rotary drive source can be joined to the outer periphery of the cylindrical main body 4 of the medical liquid filter 1, the medical liquid filter 1 will be described later. The rotation speed when injecting liquid through the liquid pipe is 10
It can be set within the range of 0 to 2000 rpm. At this time,
From the viewpoint of operation, it can be said that a range of 800 to 1200 rpm is preferable. Next, as shown in FIG. 6, two injection pipes 27 and 28 for injecting liquid into both nozzles 5 and 6 of the liquid filter 1 in a rotating state are inserted from outside. And
The medical liquid filter 1 is rotated as shown in FIG.
, The liquid using pure water or the like as described above is injected into the medical liquid filter 1 through the injection pipes 27 and 28 and filled while rotating about the central axes of both nozzles 5 and 6. I do. Here, the injection pipes 27 and 28 have an outer diameter that is large enough to form a gap between the nozzles 5 and 6 of the medical liquid filter 1 when inserted into the nozzles 5 and 6. On the other hand, the injection pipe 27 from both nozzles 5 and 6 into the cylindrical body 4,
The liquid injected through 28 rotates the cylindrical main body 4 about the central axes of the nozzles 5 and 6 and applies a centrifugal force to move the liquid from the outer peripheral side inside the cylindrical main body 4 to the central axis side. Gas such as air which is sequentially filled and stays inside the cylindrical main body 4 along with this, or is taken in from the outside by the liquid injection operation is moved from the outer peripheral side inside the cylindrical main body 4 to the center shaft side. , And from the central axis side, through the gaps between the nozzles 5, 6 and the injection pipes 27, 28, are sequentially pressed by the filled and increased amount of liquid and forcibly discharged, and the cylindrical main body is discharged. No gas bubbles such as air adhere to and remain inside the 4. By the way, medical liquid filter 1
Is rotated before or after inserting the liquid injection tubes 27 and 28 into the nozzles 5 and 6, and simultaneously or simultaneously with the medical liquid filter 1. It is also possible to start the operation of injecting the liquid through 28 and even slightly later. Then, when the medical liquid filter 1 is filled with the liquid and the inside is immersed in the liquid, the rotation of the medical liquid filter 1 is stopped and the two nozzles 5 and 6 are connected as shown in FIG. Book filling tube
Remove 27 and 28. Thereafter, stoppers 16 and 17 are engaged with the locking edges 13 and 14 of the opening ends of both nozzles 5 and 6 of the medical liquid filter 1 using stoppering means, and are externally fitted. Stopper,
Fill the liquid inside. 8 and 9 show the stopper means of the medical liquid filter 1, respectively. FIG. 8 shows a state in which the medical liquid filter 1 is fixed by fixing means (not shown), and the holding members 29 and 30 holding the stoppers 16 and 17 from one or both sides of the medical liquid filter 1 by using a pneumatic cylinder or the like. The operation of the pushing devices 31 and 32 causes the nozzles 5 and 6 to be pushed toward the open ends thereof as indicated by arrows in the figure, whereby plugging can be performed. FIG. 9 shows stoppers 16 and 17.
Are fixed, and the medical liquid filter 1 is pushed toward them as shown by arrows in the figure, whereby stoppering can be performed. is there.

In such a method of filling a liquid filter with a liquid, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the liquid filter 1 for medical use is filled with a liquid using pure water or the like as described above. This can be adopted when the filter is filled with an appropriate liquid.

In addition to the case where the liquid is sealed in the liquid filter, the present invention can also be used when, for example, the liquid is filled for the purpose of cleaning the inside.

[0018]

According to the method for filling a liquid in a liquid filter according to the present invention as described above, it is necessary to immerse the inside of the liquid filter with a liquid utilizing pure water or the like before use, especially on both sides of the main body. With the nozzles protruding facing each other, the operation of filling such a liquid into the liquid filter, which is disposed across the filtration membrane inside the main body, does not require labor or skill in operation.
Not only can it be easily performed, but it is also effective for mechanization.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a medical liquid filter for explaining a method for filling a liquid into a liquid filter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between a medical liquid filter and a holding frame.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a holding base.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing rotating means of the medical liquid filter.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing rotating means of the medical liquid filter.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a liquid is injected through a liquid injection tube while rotating a medical liquid filter.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a state in which a liquid is filled in a medical liquid filter and a liquid injection tube is removed.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a stopper means of the medical liquid filter.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a stopper means of the medical liquid filter.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Medical liquid filter 2 Side plate 3 Side plate 4 Cylindrical main body 5 Nozzle 6 Nozzle 7 Membrane filter 8 Membrane filter 9 Support 10 Support 11 Support protrusion 12 Support protrusion 13 Locking edge 14 Locking edge 15 Annular packing 16 Plug 17 Stopper 20 Holding frame 21 Connecting wall 22 Mounting wall 23 Mounting recess 24 Rotating drive pulley 25 Rotating belt 26 Rotating drive roller 27 Injection tube 28 Injection tube 29 Holding member 30 Holding member 31 Pushing device 32 Pushing device 33 Holding member 34 Holding member

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] The present invention is characterized in that nozzles are provided on both sides of a main body so as to be opposed to each other, and when a liquid is filled in a liquid filter provided with a filtration membrane traversed inside the main body, the central axes of the nozzles on both sides of the liquid filter are filled. After holding the liquid in the horizontal direction, insert a liquid injection tube for injecting liquid into both nozzles from the outside, and rotate the liquid filter around the central axes of both nozzles, while inserting the liquid filter into the liquid filter. To fill a liquid filter by injecting and filling the liquid through the liquid filter. 2. The method for filling a liquid in a liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein after filling the liquid into the liquid filter, the liquid filters are filled with liquid by plugging the open ends of both nozzles. 3. The method for filling a liquid in a liquid filter according to claim 1, wherein the liquid filter is a medical liquid filter. 4. A device for filling liquid into a liquid filter, in which nozzles are protruded on both sides of the main body so as to face each other, and a filtration membrane is disposed transversely inside the main body. A holding base that holds the shaft rotatably in the horizontal direction, two injection pipes that are inserted into both nozzles from the outside to inject liquid into the liquid filter, and a central axis of the liquid filter for both nozzles A liquid filling device for a liquid filter, comprising a rotating means for rotating the liquid filter around the center. 5. The apparatus for filling a liquid into a liquid filter according to claim 4, further comprising stopper means for plugging the open ends of both nozzles after filling the liquid into the liquid filter.