Container for accommodating at least one of at least one biologically active fluid and at least one preparatory fluid, and a method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016297152-A1
Application number	US-201514680180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 7, 2015
Priority date	Apr 7, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sterilizable container for accommodating at least one of at least one biologically active fluid and at least one preparatory fluid has an area within the container configured to accommodate at least one sterilizable three-dimensional printer assembly. The sterilizable three-dimensional printer assembly includes at least one printing platform; at least one printer head for dispensing structural material onto the at least one printing platform to form thereon a three-dimensional structure; and a moving mechanism for providing a relative displacement between the at least one printer head and the at least one printing platform. The area is configured so that the fluid can reach the printer assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sterilizable container for accommodating at least one of at least one biologically active fluid and at least one preparatory fluid, comprising:
an area within the container configured to accommodate at least one sterilizable three-dimensional printer assembly; a sterilizable three-dimensional printer assembly including: at least one printing platform; at least one printer head for dispensing structural material onto the at least one printing platform in order to form thereon a three-dimensional structure; and a moving mechanism for providing a relative displacement between the at least one printer head and the at least one printing platform, wherein the area is configured such that the fluid can reach the printer assembly.

2 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the printer assembly comprises a printer assembly housing which encloses at least partly the printer assembly in a sterile manner.

3 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the moving mechanism comprises at least one curved arm, which is supported by a supporting surface arranged adjacent to the at least one printing platform, wherein at least one printer head is attached to the curved arm.

4 . The container of claim 3 , wherein the curved arm is movable between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the supporting surface.

5 . The container of claim 4 , wherein the curved arm extends through a through hole in the supporting surface.

6 . The container of claim 3 , wherein the at least one printer head is at least one of movable along the curved arm and pivotable with respect to the curved arm.

7 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the printer head has at least one dispenser for dispensing the structural material onto the at least one printing platform, wherein the dispenser is fixed or movable with respect to the printer head.

8 . The container of claim 3 , wherein the supporting surface is movable or stationary.

9 . The container of claim 3 , wherein a driving assembly is arranged at an underside of the printer assembly for actuating at least one of the at least one curved arm and the at least one printing platform and the supporting surface, wherein the underside of the printer assembly is sealed with respect to an upper side of the printer assembly where the three-dimensional structure is formed.

10 . The container of claim 9 , wherein a feed assembly is arranged at the underside of the printer assembly, which is connected to the at least one printer head via at least one conduit extending through the at least one curved arm for feeding the at least one printer head with the structural material.

11 . The container of claim 2 , wherein the printer assembly housing comprises at least one of at least one controlled fluid inlet port and at least one controlled fluid outlet port for allowing a fluid exchange between the printer assembly housing and the container.

12 . The container of claim 2 , wherein the printer assembly housing is openable.

13 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the container is one of a bioreactor and a mixing container.

14 . A sterilizable three-dimensional printer assembly including:
at least one printing platform; at least one printer head for dispensing structural material onto the at least one printing platform in order to form thereon a three-dimensional structure; and a moving mechanism for providing a relative displacement between the at least one printer head and the at least one printing platform; wherein the moving mechanism comprises at least one curved arm, which is supported by a supporting surface arranged adjacent to the at least one printing platform, where at least one printer head is attached to the curved arm.

15 . The printer assembly of claim 14 , wherein the moving mechanism comprises at least one curved arm, which is supported by a supporting surface arranged adjacent to the at least one printing platform, wherein at least one printer head is attached to the curved arm.

16 . A method of forming a three-dimensional structure in a container for accommodating at least one of at least one biologically active fluid and at least one preparatory fluid, comprising:
providing a sterilizable printer assembly in a sterile manner in an area in the container; and forming a three-dimensional structure in the container by means of at least one printer head and at least one printing platform of the printer assembly, which are relatively displaced with respect to each other.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of forming a three-dimensional structure comprises moving at least one curved arm of the printer assembly, which is supported by a supporting surface of the printer assembly adjacent to the at least one printing platform, between a retracted position and an extended position with respect to the supporting surface,
wherein at least one printer head is attached to the at least one curved arm for dispensing structural material to the at least one printing platform.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of forming a three-dimensional structure comprises moving the at least one printer head along the at least one curved arm.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of opening at least one controlled fluid inlet port in a printer assembly housing, which encloses the printer assembly, for supplying the fluid contained in the container into the printer assembly housing after the three-dimensional structure has been formed.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of opening at least one controlled fluid outlet port in the printer assembly housing for allowing a gas exhaust of the printer assembly housing.

Assignees

• Sartorius Stedim Biotech Gmbh

Inventors

• Maggiore Frank

Classifications

• A61L2103/23

  Containers other than laboratory or medical, e.g. bottles or mail · CPC title

• B29C64/35

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B29C64/25

  Housings, e.g. machine housings · CPC title

• B29C64/379

  Handling of additively manufactured objects, e.g. using robots · CPC title

• C12M33/00

  Means for introduction, transport, positioning, extraction, harvesting, peeling or sampling of biological material in or from the apparatus (chemical or physical laboratory apparatus in general B01L, devices for taking cell samples A61B10/0045, withdrawing or distributing predetermined quantities of fluid B01L99/00) · CPC title