Automated visual inspection system for the detection of microbial growth in solutions
US7391515B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 5, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jun 24, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2015/1493
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Essential prerequisites for any injectable product are its sterility, its freedom from pathogens and its freedom from visible particle contamination . . . . These requirements must be satisfied prior to the release of an injectable product batch for sale and use.A major difficulty in responding to these assay requirements is the need for a size sensitivity difference of 100 or greater in determining the presence of viable pathogenic organisms and of non-viable random particle contaminants. The wide dynamic testing range cannot be satisfied in current art with a single non-destructive testing station. The present invention uses a special agitation procedure to generate separate liquid volumes containing the small viable and larger non-viable particle contaminants. This separation makes possible the introduction of sensing systems that have been optimized for each size range and that can operate in parallel without interference.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.