Flexible housing filter and methods for making such filter

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a blood filter assembly is provided that includes the steps of providing a first housing sheet and a second housing sheet. The method includes locating and sealing at least one port onto each of the first and second housing sheets. The method includes locating the filtration medium between the first housing sheet and the second housing sheet. The method includes applying heat and pressure to form at least one seal that commingles the first and second housing sheets along with the filtration medium, wherein the periphery of the seal commingles only the first and second housing sheets.

1 . A method for manufacturing at least one filter comprising the steps of:
 providing a first housing sheet and a second housing sheet;   positioning and sealing at least one port onto each of the first and second housing sheets;   positioning a filtration medium between said first housing sheet and said second housing sheet;   applying heat and pressure to form a first seal that commingles the first and second housing sheets along with the filtration medium and a second seal, outboard of the first seal, that commingles at least the first and second housing sheets, wherein the periphery of the second seal commingles only the first and second housing sheets, and wherein a non-seal area with a selected gap width is formed between the first seal and the second seal.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first seal and second seal are formed simultaneously. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying heat and pressure to form a peripheral seal that commingles the first and second housing sheets outboard of the second seal. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said peripheral seal comprises a tear seal enabling separation of a plurality of filters formed using the method of manufacturing. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising positioning and sealing a reflector with respect to the filtration medium, the reflector including at least one opening to direct a flow of fluid from a port onto the filtration medium. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of openings arranged around a high pressure point of the filtration medium. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applying heat and pressure to form the first seal and the second seal comprise using radio frequency sealing to form the first seal and second seal. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one port is incorporated into the first seal. 
   
   
       9 . An article of manufacture comprising first and second flexible elements to form a filter housing, each of the first and second flexible elements including a port and a filtration medium to eliminate one or more undesirable components from a fluid introduced to the filtration medium, wherein the first and second flexible elements are sealed by a first main seal formed by commingling the first and second flexible elements with the filtration medium in between the first and second flexible elements and by a second main seal formed outboard of the first main seal by commingling at least the first and second flexible elements, wherein the periphery of the second main seal commingles only the first and second flexible elements, and wherein a non-seal area with a selected gap width is formed between the first main seal and the second main seal. 
   
   
       10 . The article of manufacture of  claim 9 , wherein the first main seal and second main seal are formed simultaneously. 
   
   
       11 . The article of manufacture of  claim 9 , further comprising a peripheral seal that commingles the first and second flexible elements outboard of the second main seal. 
   
   
       12 . The article of manufacture of  claim 11 , wherein said peripheral seal comprises a tear seal enabling separation of a plurality of filters. 
   
   
       13 . The article of manufacture of  claim 9 , further comprising a reflector positioned and sealed with the filter housing with respect to the filtration medium, the reflector including at least one opening to direct a flow of fluid from a port onto the filtration medium. 
   
   
       14 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , wherein the reflector comprises a plurality of openings arranged around a high pressure point of the filtration medium. 
   
   
       15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 9 , wherein the first main seal and the second main seal are formed using radio frequency sealing. 
   
   
       16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 9 , wherein the filter is die cut after the second main seal. 
   
   
       17 . A filter assembly for leuko-reduction of a collected blood product, the filter assembly comprising:
 at least two flexible housing elements forming a filter housing, the flexible housing elements having an inlet and an outlet associated with the housing; and   a filtration medium for eliminating undesirable components from the blood;   wherein the flexible housing elements form a filter housing including the filtration medium by a first main seal formed by integrating the flexible housing elements directly to the filtration medium, the first main seal comprising a commingled melted matrix comprising material of the flexible housing elements and the filtration medium,   a second main seal, outboard of the first main seal, formed by integrating the flexible housing elements directly to the filtration medium, the second main seal comprising a commingled melted matrix comprising material of the flexible housing elements and the filtration medium; and   a non-seal area with a selected gap width between the first main seal and the second main seal.   
   
   
       18 . The filter assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first main seal and second main seal are formed simultaneously. 
   
   
       19 . The filter assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a peripheral seal that commingles the flexible housing elements outboard of the second main seal. 
   
   
       20 . The filter assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a reflector positioned and sealed with the filter housing with respect to the filtration medium, the reflector including at least one opening to direct a flow of fluid from a port onto the filtration medium. 
   
   
       21 . A manufacturing die assembly to form a filter for leuko-reduction of a collected blood product, the die assembly comprising:
 opposed dies accepting at least two flexible housing sheets and a filtration medium to form a filter housing including the filtration medium using heat sealing to commingle the flexible housing sheets and the filtration medium, wherein when moved together, the opposed dies sandwich the flexible housing sheets and filtration medium and apply pressure to press the sheets and media together as heat energy is applied through the dies to commingle the flexible housing sheets with the filtration medium to form a composite seal, and wherein the dies are formed to create first and second commingled seals from the flexible housing sheets and filtration material, the first and second commingled seals spaced apart by a selected gap width.   
   
   
       22 . The die assembly of  claim 21 , further comprising a peripheral seal formed by the opposed dies, the peripheral seal commingling the flexible housing sheets and spaced outboard of the second commingled seal. 
   
   
       23 . The die assembly of  claim 20 , wherein a thickness of each seal is substantially identical.