Three-dimensional bioprinter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12384098-B2
Application number	US-202117201892-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2021
Priority date	Oct 21, 2010
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

Described herein are bioprinters comprising: one or more printer heads, wherein a printer head comprises a means for receiving and holding at least one cartridge, and wherein said cartridge comprises contents selected from one or more of: bio-ink and support material; a means for calibrating the position of at least one cartridge; and a means for dispensing the contents of at least one cartridge. Further described herein are methods for fabricating a tissue construct, comprising: a computer module receiving input of a visual representation of a desired tissue construct; a computer module generating a series of commands, wherein the commands are based on the visual representation and are readable by a bioprinter; a computer module providing the series of commands to a bioprinter; and the bioprinter depositing bio-ink and support material according to the commands to form a construct with a defined geometry.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A three-dimensional bioprinter, comprising:
one or more printer heads;
a pipette for dispensing a bio-ink and support material to a receiving surface, wherein the receiving surface's topography influences one or more of the size, shape, or texture, or geometry of a tissue construct formed from the bio-ink;
a means for determining a position of the printhead in space;
a light exposure source to provide photocrosslinking of the support material; and
a programmable computer processor for regulating the bio-ink, the processor communicatively coupled to the means for determining a position of the printer head.

2. The bioprinter of claim 1 , further comprising a means for applying a wetting agent, utilizing a sprayer or a pipette, to one or more of:
the receiving surface; and
the bio-ink,
wherein the wetting agent is applied at one or more time points selected from: before the bio-ink is cured by the bioprinter, substantially concurrently with curing,
and after the bio-ink is cured by the bioprinter.

3. The bioprinter of claim 1 , wherein a means for calibrating the position of the at least one printer head calibrates along a x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis.

4. The bioprinter of claim 1 , wherein the computer processor is programmable by:
a graphical user interface that is capable of receiving input of a visual representation of a desired tissue construct; and
generating a series of commands, wherein the commands are based on the visual representation, inputted via the graphical user interface.

5. The bioprinter of claim 4 , wherein the visual representation comprises identification of one or more elements of a desired tissue construct as one or more of:
the bio-ink; and
a specific composition of the bio-ink.

6. The bioprinter of claim 1 , wherein the one or more printer heads are moved relative to a receiving surface, utilizing a laser, to produce a desired tissue construct of a particular three dimensional geometry, inputted via a graphical user interface, on the receiving surface.

7. The bioprinter of claim 1 , wherein the receiving surface is moved relative to the one or more printer heads to produce a desired tissue construct of a particular three dimensional geometry, inputted via the graphical user interface, in the bio-ink.

8. The bioprinter of claim 1 , wherein solid or semi-solid aggregates of living cells within the bio-ink are substantially elongate.

9. The bioprinter of claim 8 , wherein the solid or semi-solid aggregates of living cells are substantially in the form of cylinders or ribbons.

10. The bioprinter of claim 1 , wherein solid or semi-solid aggregates of living cells within the bio-ink are substantially spheroid.

Assignees

• Organovo Inc

Inventors

• Murphy Keith
• Dorfman Scott
• Smith Nathan
• Bauwens Larry
• Sohn Ian
• Mcdonald Tim
• Leigh-Lancaster Chris
• Law Richard Jin

Classifications

• B01L3/0268

  using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries · CPC title

• B33Y70/00

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B33Y50/02

  for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes · CPC title

• B33Y30/00

  Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor · CPC title

• B28B1/001

  Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material (selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00) · CPC title