Container for blood component cooling and freezing

Inventors

Zimenkov, Yuri • Piazzarolo, Bruno • Kommireddy, Dinesh • Yue, Shinji • Fallon, Tim

Assignees

Haemonetics Corp

Abstract

A blood component cooling container includes a body portion having a proximal end and a distal end. The body portion defines an interior volume, and includes a plurality of cooling vanes that extend radially outward from the body portion. The cooling vanes increase the external surface area of the blood component cooling container. The blood component cooling container also has an opening within the body portion and configured to receive collected plasma.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a blood component cooling container for collected plasma. The container includes a body portion having an axial length, a proximal end, and a distal end defining an interior volume, with an opening located at or near the proximal end configured to receive collected plasma. The body portion further includes a plurality of cooling vanes extending along a majority of the axial length and radially outward from the body portion to increase external surface area and define a vane internal volume.

A key feature is that the blood component cooling container is tapered from the distal end to the proximal end so that a diameter of the proximal end is greater than a diameter of the distal end, and the container has a generally frustum shape. The container is configured to be opened with an automatic bottle opener. The tapered, frustum shape is described as preventing frozen plasma from getting stuck inside the blood component cooling container during removal when opened.

The invention also includes convection features that increase external surface area to shorten cooling/freezing and defrosting times, including cooling vanes and alternative convection features such as indents, optionally including slits. The external heat exchange features are described as reducing distance to a center of the container and increasing surface area, thereby reducing cooling/freezing time and defrosting time. Optional flexible metallic frames and coatings are described as further enhancing heat exchange and aiding plasma release.

Claims Coverage

The document includes three independent claims that cover three inventive features: a blood component cooling container with cooling vanes and a tapered frustum shape, a method of storing plasma using that container and automated opening with freezer transfer and defrosting, and an alternative container using convection members with indents and optional slits instead of the plurality of cooling vanes.

Across the independent claims, the core claimed inventive approach combines an opening at or near the proximal end for receiving collected plasma with a tapered, generally frustum shape. Increased external surface area is achieved either by a plurality of radially outward cooling vanes extending along a majority of the axial length or by at least one convection member including indents extending along a majority of the axial length. Both container embodiments are configured to be opened with an automatic bottle opener, and the tapered geometry is described as preventing frozen plasma from getting stuck inside the container during removal. The method claim further ties these container features to plasma transfer from a plasmapheresis system, freezer storage, partial defrosting, automated opening, and plasma removal.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications