VESSEL CLOSURES AND METHODS FOR USING AND MANUFACTURING SAME
FIG22 is an exploded view of the fluid transfer hub
To help create a seal between the two tri-clamp vessel closures 6010, 6015, a gasket 6020 is provided. Gaskets 6020 are available in standard sizes that corresponding with the standard dimensions of tri-clamps and their corresponding fittings. Gaskets 6020 are available in several materials, including copolymers of acrylonitrile and butadiene (BUNA-N), VITON®, fluoroelastomers as defined by ASTM D1418 (FKM), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), silicone, and others. An open gasket 6020 is illustrated in FIG22, but other types of gaskets are available that may be used within the fluid transfer hub 6000. Alternative gaskets 6020 include orifice gaskets, screen gaskets, and perforated plate gaskets that may control flow of a fluid through the fluid transfer hub 6000, or provide a filtering function. Each of these alternative gaskets are available in several sizes, or can be customized, based upon the dimensions of the fittings, the orifice diameter through the gasket, or the pore size of the perforated plate or screen gaskets. Suitable gaskets 6020 are available from Flow Smart Inc. and others.
exploded view
22
filed June
6005
tri-clamp
6000
fluid transfer hub
6025
body bodies
6030
cast seal
6035
insert inserts
6020
gasket
6015
second tri-clamp vessel closure
6010
vessel closure vessel closures
6055
anchor anchors
['1. A fluid transfer hub, comprising: a first vessel closure; a second vessel closure; a gasket arranged between the first vessel closure and the second vessel closure; and a clamp at least partially surrounding the first vessel closure, the second vessel closure and the gasket, wherein the first vessel closure comprises: a first body, one or more apertures extending axially through the first body, one or more first inserts extending axially through the one or more apertures, and a cast seal disposed within the first body and surrounding each first insert, wherein the second vessel closure comprises: a second body, one or more apertures extending axially through the second body, one or more second inserts extending axially through the one or more apertures, and a cast seal disposed within the second body and surrounding each second insert.', '10. The fluid transfer hub of claim 9, wherein the silicone tubes are adhesively attached to one or more anchors, preferably wherein the one or more anchors are constructed from material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, glass-filled plastic, ceramics, and composites.']