Torsionally flexible, sealed drive

摘要

A simple, robust and low-cost torsionally flexible, sealed drive that allows external drives to provide agitation within a container. A torsionally flexible tube is sealed to a torsionally rigid portion of a container. A second end of the tube is sealed to a driven element within the container. The driven element is coupled to a drive-shaft that is partly contained within the tube. Motion of the protruding end of the drive shaft imparts a corresponding motion to the driven element, while maintaining a water-tight seal between container and drive-shaft. One useful motion is a rotary oscillation. A stepper motor may operate via such a drive to impart a rotary oscillation to an impellor in a bioreactor, or mixing container, suitable for agitating a cell culture in a nutrient medium or hydrating a powdered media in water. The drive is suited to use in disposable bioreactors and mixers.

主权项

1. A torsionally flexible, sealed drive apparatus, comprising:
a torsionally flexible tube having a first end in fixed sealed cooperation with an aperture in a substantially torsionally rigid barrier element, and a second end in fixed sealed cooperation with a first end of a drive shaft, and wherein said drive shaft is partially disposed within said torsionally flexible tube and said second end of the flexible tube is rotatable relative to the first end of the flexible tube about a central axis such that said drive shaft is rotationally oscillatable about the central axis.