Layered Flask Cell Culture System

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016137961-A2
Application number	US-46026509-A
Country	US
Kind code	A2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2009
Priority date	Jul 16, 2008
Publication date	May 19, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention is a cell cultivating vessel or device, such as a single or multitier flask, including a cover having a top plate, a side wall and a resealable port; an intermediate tray for receiving cells and cell culture media, having a bottom plate, a side wall, and a gap region formed between an interior upwardly angled lip located on an interior portion of the intermediate tray bottom plate and an adjacent outwardly angled side wall portion of the intermediate tray bottom plate, wherein the lip has a outwardly swooping curvilinear edge feature; and a base tray for receiving the cells and cell culture media, including a bottom plate and a side wall. The intermediate tray is positioned between the cover and the base tray, such that the gap region of the intermediate tray bottom plate is in alignment with the port located on the cover, resulting in the port, the intermediate tray and the base tray in fluid communication with one another which provides direct access, such as by a user to remove and/or add cells, cell media, and nutrients located on each of the intermediate and/or the base trays. Alternatively, the cell cultivating flask includes a plurality of intermediate trays stacked on top of one another and the gap regions of each intermediate tray are in alignment with each other and with the port on the cover.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A cell cultivating flask comprising:
a cover including a top plate, a side wall and a resealable port; an intermediate tray for receiving cells and cell media having a bottom plate, an underside, an upperside, a side wall, and a gap region formed between an interior upwardly angled lip having a outwardly curvilinear edge located on an interior portion of the bottom plate and an adjacent outwardly angled side wall portion of the bottom plate; and a base tray for receiving cells and cell media including a bottom plate, an upperside and a side wall, wherein the intermediate tray is positioned between the cover and the base tray, and the gap region of the intermediate tray is in alignment with the port on the cover, resulting in the port, the intermediate tray and the base tray in fluid communication with one another providing direct access to cells and cell media when located on each of the intermediate and base trays.

2 . The flask of claim 1 , further comprising an additional one or more intermediate trays stacked on top of one another, and the gap regions of each intermediate tray are in alignment with each other, and with the port on the cover, resulting in the port, the stacked intermediate trays and the base tray in fluid communication with one another providing direct access to cells and cell media when located on each of the intermediate and base trays.

3 . The flask of claim 2 , wherein the side wall on each intermediate tray stacked on top of one another is fused liquid tight to the underside of the next adjoining intermediate tray.

4 . The flask of claim 2 , wherein the side wall on each intermediate tray stacked on top of one another is ultrasonically welded to the underside of the next adjoining intermediate tray, the side wall of the intermediate tray adjacent the cover is ultrasonically welded to the underside of the cover, and the side wall of the base tray is ultrasonically welded to the underside of the adjoining intermediate tray.

5 . The flask of claim 1 , wherein the resealable port consists of a threaded cap.

6 . The flask of claim 5 , wherein the threaded cap includes an air permeable fabric in communication with the interior space.

7 . The flask of claim 1 , wherein a pipette like device or syringe is used to add or remove cells and cell cultivating media from the intermediate or base trays.

8 . The flask of claim 7 , wherein the flask is made from a polymer, glass or combination thereof.

9 . A cell cultivating flask comprising:
a cover including a top plate, a side wall and a resealable port; a plurality of intermediate trays stacked on top of one another for receiving a cells and cell media, each tray having, a bottom plate, an underside, an upperside, a side wall, and a gap region formed between an interior upwardly angled lip having a curvilinear edge located on an interior portion of the bottom plate and an adjacent outwardly angled side wall portion of the bottom plate; and a base tray for receiving cells and cell media including, a bottom plate, and upperside, and a side wall, wherein the plurality of intermediate trays are positioned between the cover and the base tray, and the gap regions of each intermediate tray are in alignment with each other, and with the port on the cover, resulting in the port, the stacked plurality of intermediate trays and the base tray in fluid communication with one another providing direct access to cells and cell media when located on the intermediate and base trays.

10 . The flask of claim 9 , wherein the side wall on each intermediate tray stacked on top of one another is fused by a liquid tight seal or bond to the underside of the next adjoining intermediate tray; the side wall of the intermediate tray adjacent the cover is fused by a liquid tight seal or bond to the underside of the cover; and the side wall of the base tray is fused by a liquid tight seal or bond to the underside of the adjoining intermediate tray.

11 . The flask of claim 9 , wherein the resealable port consists of a threaded cap.

12 . The flask of claim 11 , wherein the threaded cap includes an air permeable fabric in communication with the interior space.

13 . The flask of claim 9 , wherein a pipette like device or syringe is used to add or remove cells and cell cultivating media from the intermediate or base trays.

14 . The flask of claim 9 , wherein the flask is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a polymer, glass or combination thereof.

15 . The flask of claim 14 , wherein the material is transparent, translucent, opaque, a single color, multicolored or combinations thereof.

16 . A method of using a multitier cell culture flask comprising:
a) providing a multitier cell culture flask including,
i) a cover having a top plate, a side wall and a resealable port;
ii) an intermediate tray for receiving a cell culture media having,
a bottom plate having an underside, an upperside, a side wall, and a gap region formed between an interior upwardly angled lip having a outwardly swooping curvilinear edge located on an interior portion of the bottom plate and an adjacent outwardly angled side wall portion of the bottom plate; and
iii) a base tray for receiving a cell culture media including, a bottom plate and a side wall,
wherein the intermediate tray is positioned between the cover and the base tray, and the gap region of the intermediate tray is in alignment with the port on the cover, resulting in the port, the intermediate tray and the base tray in fluid communication with one another providing direct access to the cell media located on each of the intermediate and base trays; b) providing cells and cell media; c) adding the cells and cell media to the flask through the port by a pipette-like device or a syringe; d) growing the cells in the flask for a desired amount of time and under desired conditions, and e) removing the cells and/or media from the flask through the port via a pipette-like device or a syringe.

Assignees

• Clark Phillip
• Greenizen Kurt
• Scott Christopher A
• Emerick Marc
• Emd Millipore Corp

Inventors

• Clark Phillip
• Greenizen Kurt
• Scott Christopher A
• Emerick Marc

Classifications

• C12M23/04

  Flat or tray type, drawers (C12M23/10, C12M23/12, C12M23/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• C12M21/08

  for producing artificial tissue or for ex-vivo cultivation of tissue (prostheses A61F2/00, grafts A61L27/00) · CPC title

• C12M23/58

  Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel (combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00) · CPC title

• C12M23/08 Primary

  Flask, bottle or test tube · CPC title

• C12M23/22

  Transparent or translucent parts (glassware for laboratory use B01L3/00) · CPC title