Ovum or embryo freezing plate

By designing cryopreservation plates for eggs or embryos and optimizing the operating space, the problem of limited operating space in traditional four-well plates has been solved, improving processing efficiency and survival rate, reducing the risk of operational errors, and achieving more efficient cryopreservation.

CN223844786UActive Publication Date: 2026-01-30HAINAN WOMEN & CHILDRENS MEDICAL CENT
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202520171354.6
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Utility models(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-01-24
Publication Date
2026-01-30
Estimated Expiration
2035-01-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Traditional four-well plates have limited operating space during oocyte and embryo freezing, resulting in low processing efficiency, increased operational complexity and risk of error, and impact on survival rate and freezing quality.

Method used

Design an oocyte or embryo freezing plate, including a freezing plate body and a cover plate. The freezing plate body has a first hole, a second hole and a droplet groove. The droplet groove is located between the first hole and the second hole. A waste liquid hole is added to facilitate waste liquid discharge. Multiple droplet areas are set in the droplet groove and numbered to optimize the operating space.

Benefits of technology

By optimizing the operating space, the processing efficiency of eggs or embryos has been improved, the risk of operational errors has been reduced, and the survival rate and freezing quality have been increased.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The utility model discloses an ovum or embryo freezing plate which comprises a freezing plate body, the freezing plate body comprises a first hole, a second hole and a liquid drop groove, and the liquid drop groove is adjacently arranged between the first hole and the second hole; the cover plate is connected with the freezing plate body in a buckled mode so as to cover the first hole, the second hole and the liquid drop groove. Compared with a traditional four-hole plate, the four-hole plate has the advantages that more plate surface space is directly released due to the design that hole sites are reduced, and a larger degree of freedom is provided for operation. More importantly, the liquid drop groove is ingeniously additionally arranged between the first hole and the second hole, the liquid drop groove not only expands the area for cleaning and replacing the cryoprotectant, but also enables an operator to treat a plurality of ova or embryos at the same time, and the working efficiency is greatly improved.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of frozen embryo related technology especially to an ovum or embryo freezing plate. BACKGROUND

[0002] In assisted reproductive technology, the cryopreservation of ova and embryos is a crucial link that directly affects the success rate of future embryo transplantation and the treatment effect of patients. In the traditional freezing process of ova and embryos, a four-well plate is commonly used as a freezing plate. This design aims to accommodate and process different ova or embryos in separate well positions to avoid cross-contamination. However, with the continuous progress of reproductive medical technology and the growing clinical needs, the design of the four-well plate gradually reveals its limitations.

[0003] Specifically, the compact structure of the four-well plate occupies most of the plate surface with four independent well positions, resulting in limited space for the operator during actual operation, especially during critical steps such as washing and freezing protectant replacement of ova or embryos. This design not only limits the number of ova or embryos processed at a time, increases the operation complexity, but also significantly reduces the overall processing efficiency due to frequent changes in operating objects. In addition, the narrow operating space may increase the risk of operation errors, affecting the survival rate and freezing quality of ova and embryos. SUMMARY

[0004] To overcome at least one of the above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art, the utility model provides an ovum or embryo freezing plate. It solves the problem of limited operation space and low processing efficiency of traditional four-well plates, and provides a more efficient and safe technical solution for the cryopreservation of ova and embryos.

[0005] The utility model adopts the technical scheme that:

[0006] An ovum or embryo freezing plate, comprising: a freezing plate body, the freezing plate body comprising a first well, a second well, and a droplet groove, the droplet groove being provided between the first well and the second well; a cover plate, the cover plate being connected with the freezing plate body by snap-fit connection to cover the first well, the second well, and the droplet groove.

[0007] Compared with the traditional four-well plate, the design of reducing well positions directly releases more plate surface space, providing more freedom for operation. More importantly, the invention ingeniously adds a droplet groove between the first well and the second well. This droplet groove not only expands the area for washing and replacing freezing protectant, but also allows the operator to handle multiple ova or embryos simultaneously, greatly improving work efficiency.

[0008] Further, the freezing plate body further comprises a waste liquid hole, which is located on the side of the droplet groove away from the first hole and the second hole, and is spaced apart from the droplet groove.

[0009] By adopting the above scheme, during the washing and cryoprotectant replacement of the ova or embryos, waste liquid containing impurities or excess cryoprotectant is generated. The design of the waste liquid hole allows the waste liquid to be temporarily stored by suction, and the waste liquid is discharged in time, avoiding the accumulation of waste liquid in the droplet groove and maintaining the cleanliness of the operation area.

[0010] Further, the area of the waste liquid hole is smaller than the area of the first hole and the area of the second hole.

[0011] By adopting the above scheme, the space of the freezing plate can be more effectively utilized. The smaller waste liquid hole not only meets the demand for waste liquid discharge, but also does not occupy too much plate surface space, thereby maintaining the spaciousness and flexibility of the operation area, and the relatively compact opening edge helps to reduce the contact area with the external environment, thereby reducing the risk of contamination.

[0012] Further, a plurality of droplet zones are arranged in the droplet groove, and the droplet zones are arranged at equal intervals.

[0013] By adopting the above scheme, the arrangement of multiple droplet zones allows the operator to simultaneously process ova or embryos in different areas, improving the overall operation efficiency, and the equally spaced droplet zones can avoid cross contamination.

[0014] Further, the droplet volume of the droplet zone is 50 microliters.

[0015] By adopting the above scheme, the droplet volume of 50 microliters is moderate, which can fully cover the ova or embryos and ensure their full contact with the washing liquid, and also does not cause inconvenience or waste due to excessive volume.

[0016] Further, a plurality of the droplet zones are provided with numbers, and the numbers are sequentially increased.

[0017] By adopting the above scheme, the introduction of numbers allows each droplet zone to have a unique identifier, which helps the operator to maintain orderliness when processing ova or embryos. They can operate according to the order of the numbers to avoid missing or repeatedly processing ova or embryos in a certain droplet zone. It can quickly locate the target droplet zone, reduce the time for searching and confirming, and thus improve the operation efficiency.

[0018] Further, the first hole and the second hole have the same hole diameter.

[0019] By adopting the above scheme, the consistent pore size means that the same tools and equipment can be used by the operator to handle the ova or embryos in the two holes, and the production of the freezing plate body is facilitated.

[0020] Further, the first hole and the second hole have a pore size of 1-2 cm.

[0021] By adopting the above scheme, the common ova or embryo size can be accommodated while ensuring sufficient space for movement and development. This design helps to maintain the comfort and survival rate of the ova or embryos during processing, and the moderate pore size allows the operator to easily place or remove the ova or embryos from the holes without difficulty or damage to the ova or embryos due to the small pore size. At the same time, this size also helps the operator to clearly observe the status of the ova or embryos in the holes.

[0022] Further, the freezing plate body has a side length ratio of 1:1 and a side length of 5-8 cm.

[0023] By adopting the above scheme, the square shape allows the freezing plate body to have the same size in four directions, which helps to maximize space utilization. Whether in storage, transportation or during use, the square freezing plate can more efficiently utilize the available space, reducing waste.

[0024] Further, the freezing plate body has a height of 1-2 cm.

[0025] By adopting the above scheme, the thinner design allows the freezing plate to respond more quickly to temperature changes, thereby more effectively maintaining the frozen state of the ova or embryos. This allows the freezing plate to occupy less space when stored. This is particularly important in situations where laboratory or storage facilities have limited space, helping to improve space utilization and storage efficiency.

[0026] In summary, the ova or embryo freezing plate provided by the present application has the following technical effects:

[0027] 1. By reducing the design of the hole site, more plate space is released, providing the operator with greater freedom of operation. This helps the operator to operate more calmly when performing key steps such as cleaning and cryoprotectant replacement, reducing the inconvenience caused by limited space;

[0028] 2. By adding a droplet groove between the first hole and the second hole, not only does it expand the area available for cleaning and replacing the cryoprotectant, but it also provides the operator with more options for operation. The operator can more flexibly use the droplet groove to process multiple ova or embryos simultaneously, further improving work efficiency;

[0029] 3. Due to the optimization of the operation space and the addition of the droplet groove, the operator can process multiple ova or embryos at the same time, thereby significantly improving the work efficiency. This helps to shorten the processing time, reduce the time of ova or embryos exposed in vitro, and thereby improve the survival rate and freezing quality;

[0030] 4. The operator can more conveniently perform various operations such as cleaning, replacing the cryoprotectant, etc. when processing ova or embryos. This helps to simplify the operation process, reduce the operation complexity, and reduce the risk of operation errors. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the vertical structure of the freezing plate body of the embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the vertical structure of the freezing plate body of the embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the vertical structure of the freezing plate body of the embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 4 Figure 3 It is a sectional view of the A-A position.

[0035] Among them, the meaning of the reference signs is as follows: 1, freezing plate body; 11, first hole; 12, second hole; 13, droplet groove; 131, droplet area; 14, waste liquid hole; 2, cover plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In order to better understand and implement, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described and discussed clearly and completely below in combination with the drawings of the present application. Obviously, only some examples of the present application are described here, not all examples. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0037] In order to facilitate the understanding of the embodiments of the present application, the following will be further explained and described in specific embodiments as examples in combination with the drawings, and each embodiment does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present application.

[0038] In the description of the utility model, it needs to explain, the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer" and so on indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawing, just for the convenience of describing the utility model and simplifying the description, and not indicate or imply that the indicated device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, therefore, it cannot be understood as a limitation on the utility model.

[0039] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the utility model belongs. The terms used in the specification of the utility model herein are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the utility model.

[0040] Embodiment 1 of the utility model refers to Figures 1-4 As shown in the figure, a kind of ova or embryo freezing plate is disclosed, including: freezing plate body 1 and cover plate 2, the freezing plate body 1 includes first hole 11, second hole 12 and liquid drop groove 13, the liquid drop groove 13 is temporarily arranged between the first hole 11 and second hole 12, the first hole 11 and second hole 12 are preferably columnar, and the aperture size of two is consistent, and the aperture size is consistent means that operator can use the same tool and equipment to handle the ova or embryo in the two holes, and it is advantageous to the production of freezing plate body 1.The cover plate 2 is connected with the freezing plate body 1 buckle, to cover the first hole 11, second hole 12 and liquid drop groove 13.The shape of the liquid drop groove 13 is not specifically limited, which can avoid the first hole 11, second hole 12.The utility model compared with traditional four-hole plate, the design of hole site directly releases more plate surface space, provides greater freedom for operation.More importantly, a liquid drop groove 13 is ingeniously added between the first hole 11 and second hole 12, which not only enlarges the area for cleaning and replacing cryoprotectant, but also enables the operator to handle multiple ova or embryos simultaneously, greatly improving work efficiency.It needs to be explained that the bottom of the first hole 11 and second hole 12 does not penetrate, for containing balance liquid and freezing liquid, the depth of the liquid drop groove 13 is not limited, it can be consistent with the depth of the first hole 11 and second hole 12, also can be shallower than the depth of the first hole 11 and second hole 12.

[0041] Optionally, to make operator operation more convenient, mark can be set beside the first hole 11 and second hole 12, such as ES mark is set beside the first hole 11, for containing balance liquid, VS mark is set beside the second hole 12, for containing freezing liquid.

[0042] In use, the ova or embryos are sucked through a sterile Pasteur pipette into the balancing liquid in the first well 11, then at least three drops of washing liquid are dropped into the liquid drop channel 13, and the ova or embryos are dehydrated and contracted in the balancing liquid, and the volume is restored after the balancing liquid is completely absorbed. The ova or embryos in the first well 11 are sucked through a sterile Pasteur pipette into the washing liquid to wash away the balancing liquid, and finally the ova or embryos are sucked through a sterile Pasteur pipette into the freezing liquid in the second well 12 for freezing, and the process needs to minimize the amount of liquid sucked. Since the liquid drop channel 13 can drop multiple drops of washing liquid, and the ova or embryos in the balancing liquid have a certain time sequence, multiple ova or embryos can be processed and frozen at the same time, improving the operation efficiency.

[0043] In some embodiments, in order to improve the assembly stability of the freezing plate body 1 and the cover plate 2, a clamping structure or a sealing strip can be arranged between the two to improve the connection friction between the freezing plate body and the cover plate 2, thereby improving the connection stability of the two.

[0044] In some embodiments, in order to be able to timely process the waste liquid drops of the washing balancing liquid, a waste liquid hole 14 is further arranged on the freezing plate body 1, and the waste liquid hole 14 is located on the side of the liquid drop channel 13 away from the first well 11 and the second well 12. In other embodiments, the position, shape and depth of the waste liquid hole 14 are not specifically limited, as long as the waste liquid can be accumulated. The waste liquid hole 14 is arranged separately from the liquid drop channel 13. During the washing and freezing protectant replacement process of the ova or embryos, waste liquid containing impurities or excess protectant will be generated. The design of the waste liquid hole 14 makes it convenient to temporarily store the waste liquid by suction, and the waste liquid is discharged in time, avoiding the accumulation of waste liquid in the liquid drop channel 13 and maintaining the cleanliness of the operation area. Preferably, the area of the waste liquid hole 14 is smaller than the area of the first well 11 and the area of the second well 12. Such arrangement can more effectively utilize the space of the freezing plate. The smaller waste liquid hole 14 meets the demand of waste liquid discharge, and does not occupy too much plate surface space, thereby maintaining the spaciousness and flexibility of the operation area, and the opening edge is relatively compact, which helps to reduce the contact area with the external environment, thereby reducing the risk of pollution.

[0045] In some embodiments, to facilitate operators in accurately judging the spacing when dripping the cleaning solution, multiple dripping zones 131 are provided within the dripping tank 13. These dripping zones 131 are annular, serving to guide the operator in determining the dripping position. The dripping zones 131 are evenly spaced, allowing the operator to process eggs or embryos simultaneously in different areas, improving overall operational efficiency. The spaced-out dripping zones 131 also prevent cross-contamination and provide clearer droplet placement. Preferably, the area of ​​each dripping zone 131 is large enough to handle 50 microliters of liquid. This 50-microliter volume is moderate, sufficient to fully cover the eggs or embryos, ensuring adequate contact with the cleaning solution, without being too large and causing operational inconvenience or waste.

[0046] In some embodiments, to facilitate operators in recording the sequence of different oocytes or embryos processed, multiple droplet zones 131 can be numbered sequentially. The numbering ensures that each droplet zone 131 has a unique identifier, helping operators maintain order during oocyte or embryo processing. They can operate according to the numbered sequence, avoiding oocytes or embryos in a particular droplet zone 131 being missed or processed repeatedly. This allows for faster location of the target droplet zone 131, reducing search and confirmation time and thus improving operational efficiency.

[0047] It should be noted that the diameter of the first hole 11 and the second hole 12 is 1-2 cm. This 1-2 cm range can accommodate common egg or embryo sizes while ensuring they have sufficient space to move and develop. This design helps maintain the comfort and survival rate of the eggs or embryos during processing. The moderate hole size allows operators to easily place or remove eggs or embryos without causing operational difficulties or damage due to excessively small holes. Simultaneously, this size also helps operators clearly observe the state of the eggs or embryos within the holes. Preferably, in this embodiment 1, the diameter of the first hole 11 and the second hole 12 is 1.3 cm. In other embodiments, the diameters of the first hole 11 and the second hole 12 may not be the same; they can be any of the following sizes: 1 cm, 1.1 cm, 1.2 cm, 1.3 cm, 1.4 cm, 1.5 cm, 1.6 cm, 1.7 cm, 1.8 cm, or 2 cm.

[0048] Preferably, to facilitate storage of the freezing plate body 1, its side length ratio is designed to be 1:1. The square shape ensures that the freezing plate body 1 has the same dimensions in all four directions, which helps maximize space utilization. Whether in storage, transportation, or use, the square freezing plate can utilize available space more efficiently and reduce waste. Preferably, the side length is 5-8cm, and the height of the freezing plate body 1 is 1-2cm. In this embodiment 1, the side length of the freezing plate body 1 is designed to be 6.6cm, and the height is set to 1.4cm. In other embodiments, the side length can be any value from 5-8cm, and the height can be any value from 1cm, 1.1cm, 1.2cm, 1.3cm, 1.4cm, 1.5cm, 1.6cm, 1.7cm, 1.8cm, 1.8cm, or 2cm. Thus, the thinner design allows the freezing plate to respond to temperature changes more quickly, thereby more effectively maintaining the frozen state of eggs or embryos. This also allows the freezing plate to occupy less space during storage. This is especially important in situations where laboratory or storage facilities have limited space, as it helps improve space utilization and storage efficiency.

[0049] In summary, the egg or embryo freezing plate provided by this utility model has the following technical effects:

[0050] 1. By reducing the number of holes, more board space is freed up, providing operators with greater operational freedom. This allows operators to perform critical steps such as cleaning and refrigerant replacement more easily, reducing operational inconvenience caused by space constraints;

[0051] 2. By adding a droplet tank 13 between the first hole 11 and the second hole 12, not only is the area available for cleaning and replacing cryoprotectant expanded, but it also provides operators with more operational options. Operators can more flexibly utilize the droplet tank 13 to process multiple eggs or embryos simultaneously, further improving work efficiency;

[0052] 3. Due to the optimized operating space and the addition of the droplet tank 13, operators can process multiple eggs or embryos simultaneously, significantly improving work efficiency. This helps to shorten processing time, reduce the time eggs or embryos are exposed in vitro, and thus improve their survival rate and freezing quality;

[0053] 4. It allows operators to perform various procedures more conveniently during egg or embryo processing, such as cleaning and replacing cryoprotectants. This helps simplify the process, reduce complexity, and minimize the risk of errors.

[0054] The technical means disclosed in this utility model are not limited to those disclosed in the above embodiments, but also include technical solutions composed of any combination of the above technical features. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications are also considered within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate, characterized in that, Comprising: A freezing plate body (1) comprising a first hole (11), a second hole (12) and a droplet groove (13) located between the first hole (11) and the second hole (12); A cover plate (2) connected with the freezing plate body (1) to cover the first hole (11), the second hole (12) and the droplet groove (13).

2. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 1, wherein, The freezing plate body (1) further comprises a waste liquid hole (14) located on the side of the droplet groove (13) away from the first hole (11) and the second hole (12), and the waste liquid hole (14) is spaced apart from the droplet groove (13).

3. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 2, wherein, The area of the waste liquid hole (14) is smaller than the area of the first hole (11) and the area of the second hole (12).

4. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 1, wherein A plurality of droplet zones (131) are provided in the droplet groove (13), and the droplet zones (131) are equally spaced apart.

5. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 4, wherein, The droplet volume of the droplet zone (131) is 50 microliters.

6. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 4, wherein, A plurality of the droplet zones (131) are provided with numbers, and the numbers are sequentially increased.

7. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 1, wherein The hole diameters of the first hole (11) and the second hole (12) are consistent.

8. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 7, wherein, The hole diameters of the first hole (11) and the second hole (12) are 1-2 cm.

9. An oocyte or embryo freezing plate according to claim 1, wherein, The side length ratio of the freezing plate body (1) is 1:1, and the side length is 5-8 cm.

10. The oocyte or embryo freezing plate of claim 1, wherein, The height of the freezing plate body (1) is 1-2 cm.