A cell culture device

Abstract

The utility model relates to cell culture field especially, and cell culture device, including culture bottle, set up in the culture bottle inside setting up the stretchable and contractible stretch mechanism, the top of culture bottle is inserted with upper cover board, the stretch mechanism includes two -way screw rod, at least two threaded bushings of screw connection on two -way screw rod, and multiple culture plates are connected in series through flexible connecting piece, part culture plate with threaded bushing fixed connection, two -way screw rod rotatably set up on the inner wall of culture bottle, the cell culture device provided by the utility model, through the rotation of two -way screw rod, drive threaded bushing moves along its axial movement, and then make culture plate realize stretch or shrink action through flexible connecting piece, and this cooperation can be adjusted flexibly, thereby initiatively changes the spatial distribution in culture bottle, creates the most suitable space environment for different operation in the cell culture process such as liquid adding, sampling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of cell culture, and in particular to a cell culture device. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of cell culture principles and methods, large-scale cell culture technology has matured. The demand for biological products such as growth hormones, interferons, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and interleukins has surged. Traditional methods of obtaining biological products from animal tissues cannot meet this demand, prompting the continuous development of cell culture technology to achieve large-scale production of biological products.

[0003] Traditional cell culture devices typically use flat culture flasks or dishes, which have limited surface area, restricting cell growth density and culture volume. To increase cell culture volume, various methods have been explored in existing technologies, such as the use of microcarriers and three-dimensional culture scaffolds.

[0004] Frequently required procedures in cell culture include sampling and testing, adding reagents, changing culture medium, and finally, cell digestion and collection. In existing fixed culture devices, instruments are prone to contact with the flask walls or internal supports during these procedures, leading to inconvenience and the risk of contamination. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a cell culture device with a flexible internal layout that provides a convenient and safe operating platform for various operations. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a cell culture device to solve the technical problems such as inconvenience of operation, poor flexibility, and risk of contamination caused by the fixed internal space of traditional culture flasks.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] This utility model improves a cell culture device, including a culture flask, and also includes an extension mechanism that can extend and retract inside the culture flask, and a top cover plate is inserted into the top of the culture flask.

[0008] The extension mechanism includes a bidirectional threaded rod, at least two threaded sleeves threadedly connected to the bidirectional threaded rod, and multiple culture plates connected in series by flexible connectors; some of the culture plates are fixedly connected to the threaded sleeves; the bidirectional threaded rod is rotatably disposed on the inner wall of the culture flask.

[0009] In this technical solution, a rotating bidirectional threaded rod is used to convert rotational motion into linear motion via a screw-nut mechanism. The bidirectional threaded rod ensures that when it rotates, the two threaded sleeves can move synchronously in opposite directions. The linear movement of the threaded sleeves drives the movement of some culture plates. All culture plates are moved synchronously by flexible connectors that are tensioned or relaxed, allowing the entire mechanism to unfold like an accordion to increase the culture area or retract to create more operating space.

[0010] This technical solution allows for adjustment and sterilization before cell inoculation. Specifically, the bidirectional threaded rod is rotatably mounted on the inner wall of the culture flask and can be removed when not in use.

[0011] Alternatively, the flexible connector may be a connecting rope or strap made of a biocompatible material.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the extension mechanism further includes a fixed insert rod, which is fixed to the inner wall of the culture flask, and the end of the bidirectional threaded rod is rotatably connected to the fixed insert rod by means of a bearing or a shaft hole.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, the bottom of the culture flask is provided with a driving assembly, which includes a driven gear fixedly connected to the end of the bidirectional threaded rod, a driving gear meshing with the driven gear, and a driving shaft fixedly connected to the driving gear.

[0014] Alternatively, the outer end of the drive shaft may be provided with a knob for easy manual rotation or an interface for connecting an electric drive.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, to achieve aseptic operation, the drive assembly further includes a sterile drive handle. The sterile drive handle includes a handle, a rod, and a drive head located at the end of the rod. The cross-sectional shape of the drive head matches the interface at the top of the drive shaft, and is preferably a non-standard shape.

[0016] The sterile drive handle is designed for single use only.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the culture plates located at both ends of the bidirectional threaded rod are fixedly connected to the threaded sleeve; at least one culture plate located at the middle of the bidirectional threaded rod is slidably sleeved on the bidirectional threaded rod.

[0018] In this implementation scheme, the two end culture plates are directly driven by threaded sleeves and are the active components. The middle culture plate is pulled by a flexible connector and slides along a bidirectional threaded rod, making it the driven component.

[0019] Alternatively, the surface of the culture plate is coated with an attachment layer of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins or other molecules;

[0020] or

[0021] The culture plate is made of a material whose surface is hydrophilic;

[0022] or

[0023] The surface of the culture plate has a microporous structure.

[0024] This utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] The cell culture device provided by this utility model drives the threaded sleeve to move along its axial direction by rotating the bidirectional threaded rod, thereby enabling the culture plate to extend or contract through the flexible connector. This coordination can be flexibly adjusted, thereby actively changing the spatial distribution inside the culture flask and creating the most suitable spatial environment for different operations in the cell culture process, such as adding liquid and taking samples. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a cell culture device proposed in this utility model;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the extension mechanism structure of a cell culture device proposed in this utility model;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the insert structure of a cell culture device proposed in this utility model;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connecting plate structure of a cell culture device proposed in this utility model;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment mechanism of a cell culture device proposed in this utility model.

[0031] Legend:

[0032] 1. Culture flask; 2. Bottle cap; 3. Top cover plate; 4. Extension mechanism; 411. Fixed insertion rod; 412. Bidirectional threaded rod; 413. Threaded sleeve; 415. Culture plate; 416. Connecting rope; 417. Connecting plate; 418. Support rod; 419. Rotating rod; 4111. Driven gear; 4112. Driven gear; 4113. Insert block; 4114. Drive shaft; 5. Adjustment mechanism; 511. Wavy groove; 512. Horizontal plate; 513. Vertical rod; 514. Locking block. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] Reference Figures 1-3 This utility model provides an embodiment of a cell culture device, including a culture flask 1 for containing cell culture medium and cells, providing a cell growth environment, and an extension mechanism 4 disposed inside the culture flask 1. The extension mechanism 4 is used to adjust the position or shape of relevant components during cell culture to meet the spatial and operational requirements of cell culture. The extension mechanism 4 includes a bidirectional threaded rod 412, at least two threaded sleeves 413, and multiple culture plates 415 connected by connecting ropes 416. The culture plates 415 are connected by connecting ropes 416 to transmit and distribute extension force, allowing the extension mechanism 4 to extend. The bidirectional threaded rod 412 is rotatably mounted on the inner wall of the culture flask 1, enabling uniform extension operations. A threaded sleeve 413 is threadedly connected to the bidirectional threaded rod 412. When the bidirectional threaded rod 412 rotates, it drives the threaded sleeve 413 to move axially, adjusting the position of the culture plate 415. This, in turn, causes the connecting rope 416 to extend or retract, completing the function of the extension mechanism 4. The culture plate 415 is fixedly connected to the threaded sleeve 413. The threaded sleeve 413 converts the rotation of the bidirectional threaded rod 412 into its own axial movement, driving the culture plate 415 to move, thus realizing the position adjustment function of the extension mechanism 4. The connecting rope is made of a biocompatible polymer material that can withstand high-temperature sterilization.

[0036] Example 2

[0037] Reference Figures 1-3 In this embodiment, compared to the extension mechanism 4 in embodiment 1, a fixed insert rod 411 is also included. The fixed insert rod 411 provides fixed support for the extension mechanism 4, enabling it to perform the extension operation stably. The outer side of the fixed insert rod 411 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the culture bottle 1. One end of the fixed insert rod 411 is inserted with an insert block 4113. The insert block 4113 connects to and supports the bidirectional threaded rod 412. Through the rectangular hole, it cooperates with the bidirectional threaded rod 412 to realize the installation of the bidirectional threaded rod 412 on the inner wall of the culture bottle 1. The end of the insert block 4113 away from the fixed insert rod 411 is rotatably connected to the bidirectional threaded rod 412. The inner wall of the insert block 4113 has a rectangular hole.

[0038] Example 3

[0039] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that a driving assembly is provided inside the culture flask 1. The driving assembly includes a support rod 418, a connecting plate 417, a rotating rod 419, and a driven gear 4111.

[0040] The bottom of the support rod 418 contacts the inner wall of the culture flask 1, and its top is fixedly connected to the connecting plate 417, providing stable support for the entire drive assembly. A rotating rod 419 is rotatably connected to the middle of the connecting plate 417, and this rotating rod 419 is fixedly connected to the bidirectional threaded rod 412. A driven gear 4111 is fixedly installed on the outer wall of the rotating rod 419.

[0041] The working principle of the drive assembly is as follows: when the drive shaft 4114 rotates, it drives the drive gear 4112 to rotate. Through the meshing transmission between the drive gear 4112 and the driven gear 4111, the power is transmitted to the rotating rod 419, which in turn drives the bidirectional threaded rod 412 to rotate, and finally realizes the extension or retraction action of the extension mechanism 4.

[0042] This device is equipped with two symmetrically distributed extension mechanisms 4, located at both ends inside the culture flask 1. Each extension mechanism 4 is equipped with an independent drive assembly, and driven gears 4111 are fixedly installed on the outer walls of the two rotating rods 419. The connecting plate 417 also provides rotational support for the drive shaft 4114, ensuring that the driving gear 4112 and the driven gear 4111 maintain a stable meshing relationship, thus completing the power transmission and position adjustment from the drive shaft 4114 to the rotating rods 419.

[0043] In some other embodiments, the outer end of the drive shaft is provided with a knob for easy manual rotation or an interface for connecting an electric drive.

[0044] In some other embodiments, to achieve aseptic operation, the drive assembly further includes a sterile drive handle. The sterile drive handle includes a handle, a rod, and a drive head located at the end of the rod. The cross-sectional shape of the drive head matches the interface at the top of the drive shaft, and is preferably a non-standard shape.

[0045] In use, the drive head of the sterile drive handle is connected to the drive shaft, and the extension mechanism can be driven by rotating the handle. It can be removed after operation. Since the structure of the sterile drive handle has been extensively described, those skilled in the art can clearly understand its structure through the above description. It is not shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0046] Working principle: Before use, the staff opens the bottle cap 2 to check whether the inside of the culture bottle 1 is clean and free of impurities and contamination. The adherent cell suspension is evenly inoculated onto the inner wall of the culture bottle 1 to ensure that the cells can be evenly distributed and grow. The bottle cap 2 is closed to ensure that the culture bottle 1 is well sealed to prevent external contamination. The operation of the extension mechanism 4 is as follows: according to the needs of cell culture, the drive shaft 4114 is rotated to drive the driven gear 4111 to rotate. The rotation of the driven gear 4111 is transmitted to the bidirectional threaded rod 412 through the rotating rod 419. The rotation of the bidirectional threaded rod 412 causes the threaded sleeve 413 to move along its axial direction. The movement of the threaded sleeve 413 drives the culture plate 415 to move. Then, the extension mechanism 4 is extended or retracted through the connecting rope 416, thereby changing the spatial distribution inside the culture bottle 1 and providing a more suitable environment for cell growth. The extension mechanism 4 can be removed from the culture bottle 1 when not in use.

[0047] Example 4

[0048] The difference between this embodiment and embodiments 1-3 is that the upper cover plate 3 is provided with an operating hole. This operating hole is sealed by a repeatedly puncturable silicone diaphragm. Furthermore, the operating hole is surrounded by a screw that fits tightly with a sealing screw cap to ensure sterility of the culture flask.

[0049] When sampling or adding reagents is required, it can be done through the operating holes on the top cover plate 3. Instruments such as pipette tips can be gently placed against the horizontal plate 512 for stable support, greatly reducing the risk of contamination caused by instruments touching the bottle wall or internal structure. After cell culture is complete, the cells can be digested and collected.

[0050] The drive head of the sterile drive handle passes through the silicone diaphragm of the sterile operating port and is connected to the drive shaft 4114. The extension mechanism can be driven by rotating the handle. After the operation is completed, the handle is removed and the silicone diaphragm automatically resets and seals.

[0051] Example 5

[0052] To prevent cell adhesion from affecting the transmission function, this embodiment differs from embodiments 1-4 in that a sealed gearbox is integrated at the bottom of the culture flask 1. Both the driving gear 4112 and the driven gear 4111 are encapsulated inside this gearbox. The bidirectional threaded rod 412 passes through the side wall of the gearbox via a first sealed bearing. The drive shaft 4114 passes through the side wall of the gearbox via a second rotary seal. This arrangement ensures complete isolation of the driving gear 4112 and the driven gear 4111 from the cell culture environment.

[0053] Example 6

[0054] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 5The culture flask 1 provided in this embodiment is equipped with an adjustment mechanism 5. In this embodiment, the volume of the culture chamber of the culture flask 1 is significantly enlarged to meet the cell scaling-up needs of a medium-sized laboratory. This type of culture scale is typically between conventional basic research (such as T-75 culture flasks) and industrial production (such as large bioreactors), with a volume range of 1 liter to 10 liters, used for small-batch production of proteins, viral vectors, or for process development and scale-up research.

[0055] More specifically, the adjustment mechanism 5 includes a corrugated groove 511 formed on the inner wall of the culture bottle 1, a locking block 514 adapted to the corrugated groove 511, a vertical rod 513 fixedly connected to the locking block 514, and a horizontal plate 512 fixedly connected to the vertical rod 513. The corrugated groove 511 positions and supports the locking block 514, so that the locking block 514 can be stably adjusted and fixed inside the culture bottle 1.

[0056] Reference Figures 1-3 A vertical rod 513 is fixedly connected to the top of the locking block 514. The position of the vertical rod 513 can be adjusted by moving and fixing it in the wavy groove 511, which in turn drives the horizontal plate 512 to move, thus realizing the function of the adjustment mechanism 5. The horizontal plate 512 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the vertical rod 513, providing support and positioning for related operations during cell culture. The culture plates 415 at both ends of the bidirectional threaded rod 412 are threadedly connected to the outer wall of the bidirectional threaded rod 412 through the threaded sleeve 413. The inner wall of the culture plate 415 at the middle end is slidably connected to the outer wall of the bidirectional threaded rod 412.

[0057] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 There are two sets of adjustment mechanisms 5, which are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the inner wall of the culture bottle 1. The top of the culture bottle 1 is connected to the top cover plate 3, and the outer wall of the culture bottle 1 is fixedly connected to the bottle cap 2. The bottle cap 2, together with the top cover plate 3, further seals and protects the internal environment of the culture bottle 1 to prevent impurities from entering.

[0058] The horizontal plate 512 of the adjustment mechanism 5 can serve as a liftable "operation deck". The experimenter can pre-adjust it to a specific height (e.g., close to the cell sedimentation layer or the depth where sampling is required), thereby providing stable support for long-term or complex operations (such as multiple sampling or gradient drug administration), ensuring the accuracy and repeatability of the operation, which is crucial for process research that requires precise control.

[0059] The operation of the adjustment mechanism 5 is based on the required operating space before the cell culture process. The position of the card block 514 in the wavy groove 511 is manually moved. The vertical rod 513 and the horizontal plate 512 are connected to the card block 514. The movement of the card block 514 controls the depth change of the wavy groove on the inner wall of the culture bottle 1, optimizing the adaptation requirements of the cells inside the culture bottle 1. Before putting in the cells to be cultured, the extension mechanism 4 and the adjustment mechanism 5 are manually adjusted in advance. When the growth environment of the cells to be cultured is adjusted, the top cover plate 3 of the culture bottle 1 does not need to be opened throughout the process, ensuring that the cells inside do not come into contact with external microorganisms. If ventilation is required, the bottle cap 2 needs to be loosened manually by about 1 / 4 turn.

[0060] When pipetting is needed, take a sterile pipette and attach a sterile tip. Insert the pipette tip into the culture flask through the operating port on the top cap. Gently rest the pipette tip against the upper edge of the height-adjusted horizontal plate 512. Use this as a fulcrum to stabilize the pipette.

[0061] During cell culture, the culture medium is changed regularly to ensure sufficient nutrients and maintain normal cell growth. Once the cells have reached the expected growth target, the cap 2 is opened, the culture medium is aspirated, and the adherent cells are treated with cell digestion solution to detach them from the inner wall of the culture flask 1. The cell suspension is then collected for subsequent cell experiments or preservation.

[0062] The adjustment structure in this embodiment can, but does not necessarily have to, be based on embodiments 1-5. However, since the extension mechanism has the functions of extension and contraction, the adjustment structure and the extension mechanism can operate in coordination with each other.

[0063] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model. Although the present utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A cell culture device comprising a culture flask (1), characterized in that: It also includes an extension mechanism (4) that can extend and retract inside the culture bottle (1), and a top cover plate (3) is inserted into the top of the culture bottle (1). The extension mechanism (4) includes a bidirectional threaded rod (412), at least two threaded sleeves (413) threadedly connected to the bidirectional threaded rod (412), and a plurality of culture plates (415) connected in series by a flexible connector; some of the culture plates (415) are fixedly connected to the threaded sleeves (413); the bidirectional threaded rod (412) is rotatably disposed on the inner wall of the culture bottle (1).

2. The cell culture device of claim 1, wherein: The flexible connector is a connecting rope or strap made of biocompatible material.

3. The cell culture device of claim 1, wherein: The extension mechanism (4) also includes a fixed insert rod (411), which is fixed to the inner wall of the culture bottle (1). The end of the bidirectional threaded rod (412) is rotatably connected to the fixed insert rod (411) by means of bearing or shaft hole.

4. The cell culture device of claim 1, wherein: The bottom of the culture flask (1) is provided with a drive assembly, which includes a driven gear (4111) fixedly connected to the end of the bidirectional threaded rod (412), a driving gear (4112) meshing with the driven gear (4111), and a drive shaft (4114) fixedly connected to the driving gear (4112).

5. The cell culture device of claim 4, wherein: The outer end of the drive shaft (4114) is provided with a knob for easy manual rotation or an interface for connecting an electric drive.

6. The cell culture device of claim 1, wherein: The culture plates (415) located at both ends of the bidirectional threaded rod (412) are fixedly connected to the threaded sleeve (413); at least one culture plate (415) located in the middle of the bidirectional threaded rod (412) is slidably sleeved on the bidirectional threaded rod (412).

7. The cell culture device of any one of claims 1-6, wherein: The surface of the culture plate (415) is coated with an attachment layer comprising extracellular matrix components, including proteins. or The culture plate (415) is made of a material whose surface is hydrophilic; or The surface of the culture plate (415) is provided with a microporous structure.

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