Biological culture unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12584087-B2
Application number	US-202418625358-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2024
Priority date	Aug 27, 2019
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A biological culture unit comprises a chamber body and a valve plate. The chamber body has defined therein a growth chamber and an aliquot chamber. The valve plate is disposed on the top surface of the chamber body and is movable to define selectable configurations of the biological culture unit for: (1) loading the growth chamber; (3) transferring an aliquot from the growth chamber to the aliquot chamber via a path defined within the biological culture unit in the transfer position; and (4) extracting the aliquot from the aliquot chamber. The selectable positions may further include (2) a growth position, and (5) a termination position for putting a termination agent into the growth and aliquot chambers. The valve plate may further include a neutralizer port that is aligned with the aliquot chamber in the loading position, for loading a neutralizing agent into the aliquot chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A biological culture unit, comprising:
a chamber body having defined therein a growth chamber and an aliquot chamber; and a valve plate disposed on a top surface of the chamber body and connected to the top surface of the chamber body via a central bolt defining a rotation axis, the valve plate being rotatable about the rotation axis to define selectable configurations of the biological culture unit for: loading the growth chamber; and transferring an aliquot from the growth chamber to the aliquot chamber via a path defined in the valve plate in a transfer position.

2 . The biological culture unit of claim 1 , wherein the valve plate is rotatable about the rotation axis to define a further selectable configuration that includes an extraction position for extracting the aliquot from the aliquot chamber.

3 . The biological culture unit of claim 1 , wherein the valve plate is rotatable about the rotation axis to define a further selectable configuration that includes a growth position that separates the growth chamber and the aliquot chamber.

4 . The biological culture unit of claim 1 , wherein the valve plate further includes a neutralizer port that is aligned with the aliquot chamber, the neutralizer port being configured to load a neutralizing agent into the aliquot chamber when the valve plate is in the selectable configuration for loading the growth chamber.

5 . The biological culture unit of claim 1 , wherein the valve plate further includes first and second terminator ports and the valve plate is rotatable about the rotation axis to define further selectable configurations that include a termination position in which the first terminator port is aligned with the access opening of the growth chamber and the second terminator port is aligned with the access opening of the aliquot chamber.

6 . The biological culture unit of claim 1 , wherein, in the transfer position, a transfer actuator is aligned with an access opening of the growth chamber.

7 . The biological culture unit of claim 6 , wherein the transfer actuator comprises a plunger that is operable when the valve plate is in the transfer position to increase pressure in the growth chamber; or
wherein the transfer actuator comprises a gas coupling.

8 . The biological culture unit of claim 1 , wherein:
a top surface of the chamber body has defined therein an annular gasket seat around an access opening of the growth chamber, an annular gasket seat around an access opening of the aliquot chamber, an annular gasket seat around an opening of a first fluid path at the top surface, and an annular gasket seat around an opening of a second fluid path at the top surface; and gaskets disposed in the respective annular gasket seats.

9 . The biological culture unit of claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the chamber body has formed therein a growth chamber heater post receptacle aligned with the growth chamber and an aliquot chamber heater post receptacle aligned with the aliquot chamber.

10 . The biological culture unit of claim 9 , further comprising:
a heater adapter having a top surface including two heater posts, each sized and shaped to mate into either the growth chamber heater post receptacle or the aliquot chamber heater post receptacle, and further having a bottom surface configured to mate with an associated temperature controller.

11 . A biological culture unit, comprising:
a chamber body having defined therein a growth chamber and an aliquot chamber; and a valve plate connected to the chamber body via a central bolt defining an axis, the valve plate movable about the axis to define selectable configurations of the biological culture unit for: loading the growth chamber; and transferring an aliquot from the growth chamber to the aliquot chamber via a path defined in the valve plate in a transfer position.

12 . The biological culture unit of claim 11 , wherein the central bolt defines a rotation axis about which the valve plate is rotatable.

13 . The biological culture unit of claim 11 , wherein the axis is a rotatable axis, and the valve plate is rotatable about the rotation axis relative to the chamber body.

14 . The biological culture unit of claim 11 , wherein the valve plate is movable about the axis to further define selectable configurations including:
an extraction position for extracting the aliquot from the aliquot chamber; or a growth position that separates the growth chamber and the aliquot chamber.

15 . The biological culture unit of claim 11 , wherein the valve plate further includes a neutralizer port that is aligned with the aliquot chamber, the neutralizer port being configured to load a neutralizing agent into the aliquot chamber when the valve plate is in the selectable configuration for loading the growth chamber.

16 . The biological culture unit of claim 11 , wherein the valve plate further includes first and second terminator ports and the valve plate is rotatable about the rotation axis to define further selectable configurations that include a termination position in which the first terminator port is aligned with the access opening of the growth chamber and the second terminator port is aligned with the access opening of the aliquot chamber.

17 . The biological culture unit of claim 11 , wherein, in the transfer position, a transfer actuator is aligned with an access opening of the growth chamber.

18 . The biological culture unit of claim 17 , wherein the transfer actuator comprises a plunger that is operable when the valve plate is in the transfer position to increase pressure in the growth chamber; or
wherein the transfer actuator comprises a gas coupling.

19 . The biological culture unit of claim 11 , wherein a bottom surface of the chamber body has formed therein a growth chamber heater post receptacle aligned with the growth chamber and an aliquot chamber heater post receptacle aligned with the aliquot chamber.

20 . The biological culture unit of claim 19 , further comprising:
a heater adapter having a top surface including two heater posts, each sized and shaped to mate into either the growth chamber heater post receptacle or the aliquot chamber heater post receptacle, and further having a bottom surface configured to mate with an associated temperature controller.

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Desanti Charles L
• Daly Ryan W
• Seibert Jr David Charles
• Norris Patrick
• Bartholomew John
• Blight Sherry K

Classifications

• C12M41/46

  of cellular or enzymatic activity or functionality, e.g. cell viability · CPC title

• C12M29/10

  Perfusion · CPC title

• C12M27/18

  Flow directing inserts · CPC title

• C12M23/40

  Manifolds; Distribution pieces (fluid transfer means B01L3/563) · CPC title

• C12M23/34

  Internal compartments or partitions · CPC title