Flask tray, flask unit, and cell culture system

Abstract

To provide a flask tray that prevents the flask from toppling while facilitating its detachment.SOLUTION: A flask tray comprises: a placement plate that has a placement surface on which the bottom surface of a flask is placed; a plurality of fixing pins provided in the circumferential direction of the flask so as to extend upward from the placement surface; and a toppling prevention member that has an annular shape surrounding the flask at an interval from the outer circumferential side and that has a lower ring engaging with the plurality of pins so as to be capable of engagement and disengagement from above.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a flask tray, a flask unit, and a cell culture system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a culture vessel set having a recess capable of holding a plurality of case-shaped culture vessels containing a culture solution. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4403169 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When culturing cells, a flask may be used as a container for storing a culture medium. When such a flask is used in a cell culture system, if the flask is tipped over, transportation of the flask and various operations are hindered. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of ease of handling the flasks, it is preferable that the flasks can be easily removed from the flask tray.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a flask tray, flask unit, and cell culture system that can prevent flasks from falling over and allow the flasks to be easily removed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the flask tray of the present disclosure comprises a mounting plate having a mounting surface on which the bottom surface of a flask is placed, a plurality of fixing pins arranged circumferentially of the flask and extending upward from the mounting surface, and an anti-tip member having a ring-shaped member surrounding the flask at a distance from the outer periphery and having a lower ring that can be detachably engaged from above with the plurality of pins.

[0007] The flask unit according to the present disclosure comprises the above flask tray and the flask.

[0008] The cell culture system of the present disclosure comprises the above-mentioned flask unit, an incubator forming a culture area in which the flask unit is housed, a clean bench forming a liquid handling area in which dispensing operations are performed on the flask unit, a transport device capable of transporting the flask unit between the culture area and the liquid handling area, and a pass box capable of transferring the flask unit between the incubator and the clean bench. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the flask tray, flask unit, and cell culture system of the present disclosure, processing efficiency can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a schematic configuration of a cell culture system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a flask unit of the cell culture system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of a flask unit of the cell culture system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of a flask unit of the cell culture system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a flask unit of the cell culture system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of a flask unit of the cell culture system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of a main part of a flask unit according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of a key part of a flask unit according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] A longitudinal cross-sectional view of a key part of a flask unit according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the flask of the flask unit according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] A diagram showing a main part of the mounting surface of a flask unit according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, a cell culture system 100 of this embodiment is a system that performs cell culture and cell analysis after culture using a flask unit 1 as a processing unit, and these processes are performed, for example, unmanned and automatically.

[0012] The flask unit 1 has a plurality of flasks 2 (for example, two in this embodiment) The flasks 2 contain cells and a culture solution containing a medium to which nutrients necessary for cell growth and the like have been added.

[0013] <Cell culture system> 1, the cell culture system 100 includes a stocker 110, an incubator 130, a clean bench 140, and a pass box 150. The cell culture system 100 of this embodiment further includes a carry-in booth 120, a measuring device 160, a culture medium supplying device 161, a waste liquid tank 162, and a transporting device 170.

[0014] <Stocker> The stocker 110 is a facility for storing a plurality of flask units 1. The stocker 110 has a stocker body 111, a rack 112, a first stocker door 113, and a second stocker door 114. Stocker body 111 is a housing that forms storage area R1 as a warehouse inside. Stocker body 111 is made of a transparent material such as acrylic or glass. The rack 112 is disposed within the storage area R1 and is capable of storing a plurality of flask units 1 in the horizontal and vertical directions V.

[0015] The first stocker door 113 is a door for carrying in the flask unit 1 and the like from the outside, and can be opened and closed by sliding, for example, horizontally. The second stocker door 114 is a door for carrying the flask unit 1 out to the clean bench 140, and can be opened and closed by, for example, sliding horizontally.

[0016] <Delivery Booth> The loading booth 120 is a booth used for loading the flask unit 1 and the like from outside into the stocker 110. The loading booth 120 has a booth body 121 and a loading door 122. The booth body 121 is a housing arranged adjacent to the stocker 110 and is made of a transparent material. The space inside the loading booth 120 is a loading area R2, which can communicate with the storage area R1 via the stocker second door 114. The loading door 122 is a door for loading flask units 1 and the like into the loading booth 120 from the outside, and can be opened and closed, for example, by sliding up and down. The inside of the loading area R2 is controlled, for example, to a negative pressure lower than the atmosphere in the storage area R1. This prevents outside air and the like from entering the stocker 110 when the loading door 122 is open.

[0017] <Incubator> The incubator 130 is a facility for growing cells in a culture solution. The incubator 130 includes an incubator body 131 and a shaking stage 132. The incubator body 131 is a housing that forms a culture area R3 inside. The culture area R3 is controlled to have a temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration suitable for cell culture. The incubator body 131 is made of a transparent material such as acrylic or glass. The shaking stage 132 is a device for shaking the flask unit 1. A plurality of shaking stages 132 are arranged in the culture area R3, each holding a plurality of flask units 1. The shaking stage 132 is configured to be able to shake the flask unit 1 by, for example, rotating eccentrically about a vertical axis.

[0018] <Clean bench> The clean bench 140 is a facility for performing various operations and treatments on the flask unit 1. The clean bench 140 includes a clean bench main body 141, a dispensing device 142, a waste liquid extracting device 145, and a stage 149.

[0019] The clean bench body 141 is a housing that forms a liquid handling area R4, which is a highly clean and sterile space (bio-clean room) inside. In the clean space, air flows and circulates as a downflow (downward air current) from above to below. The clean bench body 141 is made of a transparent material such as acrylic or glass.

[0020] The dispensing device 142 is provided in the clean room. The dispensing device 142 performs various dispensing operations and other processes for the flask unit 1. It should be noted that not only one but also a plurality of dispensing devices 142 may be provided.

[0021] Waste liquid extractor 145 is provided in liquid handling area R4, and is a device for extracting unused culture liquid from flask 2 of flask unit 1 as waste liquid. A plurality of stages 149 are provided in liquid handling area R4. On stage 149, flask unit 1 is temporarily placed.

[0022] <passbox> The pass box 150 is provided between the incubator 130 and the clean bench 140. The pass box 150 moves the flask unit 1 between the incubator 130 and the clean bench 140. The pass box 150 has a box body 151, a first door 152, and a second door 153.

[0023] The box body 151 is a housing formed so as to be sandwiched between the incubator body 131 and the clean bench body 141 . The first door 152 switches between a communicating state and an unblocked state between the space within the box body 151 and the incubation area R3, for example, by opening and closing in a horizontal direction. Second door 153 switches between a communication state and a non-communication state between the space within box main body 151 and liquid handling area R4, for example, by opening and closing in a horizontal direction. The first door 152 and the second door 153 are never open at the same time. This prevents direct communication between the culture area R3 and the liquid handling area R4. The flask unit 1 is transferred between the culture area R3 and the liquid handling area R4 via this pass box 150.

[0024] In addition, a transport device 170 (not shown) may be provided inside the pass box 150, and the flask unit 1 may be transported via the pass box 150 by the transport device 170. Also, the flask unit 1 may be transferred to the liquid handling area R4 via the pass box 150 by the second transfer robot 172 in the culture area R3. Furthermore, the flask unit 1 may be transferred to the culture area R3 via the pass box 150 by the third transfer robot 173 in the liquid handling area R4. In these cases, both the first door 152 and the second door 153 may be temporarily in an open state. Furthermore, the flask unit 1 may be transferred between the culture area R3 and the liquid handling area R4 via a bus box by cooperation between the second transport robot 172 and the third robot.

[0025] <Measurement equipment> The measuring device 160 is disposed adjacent to the clean bench 140. The measuring device 160 is capable of measuring and analyzing the number of cells in the culture solution. The culture solution dispensed from the flask 2 by the dispensing device 142 is transferred to the measuring device 160 via a tube (not shown).

[0026] <Culture supply device> The culture medium supplying device 161 is disposed adjacent to the clean bench 140. The culture medium supplying device 161 is a device capable of supplying the culture medium contained in the flask. The culture medium supplied from the culture medium supplying device 161 is transferred to the dispensing device 142, and is supplied into the flask of the flask unit 1 in the dispensing device 142.

[0027] <Waste tank> The waste liquid tank 162 is disposed adjacent to the clean bench 140. The waste liquid tank 162 is connected to the waste liquid extractor 145 via a tube (not shown). The waste liquid is transferred from the waste liquid extractor 145 to the waste liquid tank 162 via the tube.

[0028] <Transportation equipment> The transfer device 170 is a device for realizing unmanned transfer of the flask unit 1 within the cell culture system 100. The transfer device 170 has a first transfer robot 171, a second transfer robot 172, a third transfer robot 173, a fourth transfer robot 174, and a conveyor 175.

[0029] <Cell culture system operation> In the cell culture system 100 configured as above, cell proliferation is promoted by shaking the culture solution in the flask unit 1 in the incubator 130. The flask unit 1 in which cell proliferation has progressed is transferred to liquid manipulation area R4 via the second transport robot 172 and the pass box 150. The flask unit 1 transferred to liquid manipulation area R4 is transferred to the dispensing device 142 via the third transport robot 173. In the dispensing device 142, the culture solution is dispensed from the flask of the flask unit 1, and the culture solution is transferred to the measuring device 160. In the measuring device 160, the number of cells in the culture solution is measured, the liquid properties are analyzed, and the like are performed.

[0030] When adding a medium to the flask 2, the flask 2 is transported into the dispensing device 142. Then, in the dispensing device 142, the medium is supplied from the medium supplying device 161 to the flask 2.

[0031] Furthermore, when cell proliferation is carried out using a new flask unit 1, the following procedure is carried out, for example. That is, the first transport robot 171 transports the flask unit 1 on the rack 112 that does not contain culture medium into the liquid handling area R4 via the second stocker door 114. The flask unit 1 is transferred to the dispensing device 142 via the third transport robot 173, and the culture medium is supplied.

[0032] Thereafter, the proliferated flask unit 1 in which cell proliferation has progressed is transported to the dispensing device 142. Then, the culture medium in the flask 2 of this proliferated flask unit 1 is dispensed into the flask 2 of a new flask unit 1. This completes the subculture operation of the cells into the flask 2 of the new flask unit 1. The flask unit 1 that has undergone the subculture operation is transported to the incubator 130, where the cells are proliferated.

[0033] <Detailed structure of flask unit> Next, a detailed structure of the flask unit 1 on which the flask 2 is mounted will be described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 5. The flask unit 1 is composed of the flask 2 and a flask tray 10.

[0034] <Flask> In this embodiment, a flask with a lid is used as the flask 2. The flask 2 has a flask body 3 and a lid 7.

[0035] <Flask body> The flask body 3 is a so-called Erlenmeyer flask. The flask body 3 is a bottomed tubular shape centered on a flask axis O1 extending in the vertical direction V, and is open at the top. That is, the flask body 3 is oriented such that the direction in which the flask axis O1 extends coincides with the vertical direction V. The flask axis O1 is the central axis of the flask 2. The bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 is circular in plan view centered on the flask axis O1. The outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 is provided so as to rise upward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 4. The outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 is conical in shape centered on the flask axis O1, and the diameter of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 decreases as it approaches the top. The upper part of the flask body 3 is provided with a cylindrical mouth portion 6 that is connected to the upper end of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2 and is centered on the flask axis O1. The mouth portion 6 has a male screw formed on the outer peripheral surface 5 that twists around the flask axis O1.

[0036] <Lid> The lid portion 7 is cylindrical with a bottom and a closed upper end, centered on the flask axis O1. The lid portion 7 has a circular outer shape in a cross section (horizontal cross section) perpendicular to the flask axis O1. A female thread that twists around the flask axis O1 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lid portion 7. The female thread of the lid portion 7 is screwed into the male thread of the mouth portion 6, thereby attaching the lid portion 7 to the flask body 3 in an airtight and liquid-tight manner. In other words, the lid portion 7 is configured to be attached to and detached from the flask body 3 by rotating it relative to the flask body 3 about the flask axis O1.

[0037] <Flask tray> The flasks 2 having the above configuration are subjected to various operations and transport while being placed on the flask tray 10 as a set of two flasks 2. 2 to 5, the flask tray 10 has a mounting plate 20, a fixing portion 30, a support portion 40, an upper frame 50, a lid mounting portion 60, and an anti-tip member 70. The components of the flask tray 10 other than the anti-tip member 70 are formed of a highly corrosion-resistant metal material, such as stainless steel, or a synthetic resin material.

[0038] <Placement plate> The mounting plate 20 is a member on which the flask 2 is placed. The mounting plate 20 is flat and extends in the horizontal direction, which is perpendicular to the vertical direction V. The mounting plate 20 is rectangular in plan view. Hereinafter, the short-side direction of the mounting plate 20 in plan view (depth direction in FIG. 2, left-right direction in FIG. 3, vertical direction V in FIG. 4) is referred to as a first direction D1. The long-side direction of the mounting plate 20 in plan view (left-right direction in FIG. 1, depth direction in FIG. 3, left-right direction in FIG. 4) is referred to as a second direction D2.

[0039] The upper surface 51a of the mounting plate 20 is the mounting surface 20a on which the flask 2 is placed. A plurality of flasks 2 (two in this embodiment) are arranged in the second direction D2 with the bottom surface 4 of the flask 2 in contact with the mounting plate 20. In other words, the juxtaposition direction of the plurality of flasks 2 coincides with the second direction D2. A straight line passing through the flask axes O1 of the flasks 2 in a plan view extends so as to coincide with the second direction D2. The plurality of flask bodies 3 are provided at positions biased toward one side of the first direction D1 on the mounting plate 20 (the near side in FIG. 2, the left side in FIG. 3, and the lower side in FIG. 4).

[0040] <Fixed part> The fixing part 30 fixes the flask 2 placed on the mounting surface 20a. A plurality of fixing parts 30 (two in this embodiment) are provided so as to correspond to the respective flasks 2. The fixing part 30 is fixed integrally to the mounting surface 20a. The fixing part 30 is configured to come into contact with the flask 2 placed on the mounting surface 20a from the outer periphery side.

[0041] The fixing part 30 of this embodiment is composed of a plurality of fixing pins 31. The lower end of each fixing pin 31 is fixed on the mounting surface 20a and extends upward from the lower end. Each fixing pin 31 is perpendicular to the mounting surface 20a. The fixing pins 31 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the flask axis O1. In this embodiment, three fixing pins 31 are arranged at equal intervals of 120° in the circumferential direction of the flask axis O1. The fixing pins 31 of one fixing part 30 are provided so as to be in contact with a virtual circle (a virtual circle having the maximum outer diameter of the flask 2) centered on the flask axis O1 from the outer periphery. As a result, when each flask 2 is mounted on the mounting surface 20a, the fixing pins 31 abut against the outer periphery 5 of the flask 2 from the outer periphery.

[0042] <Support part> The support part 40 is a rod-shaped member extending upward from the mounting surface 20a. A plurality of support parts 40 (four in this embodiment) are provided. Each support part 40 is provided at one of the four corners where the short side and long side of the mounting plate 20 are connected in a plan view. The upper end of the support part 40 is located above the upper end of the fixing pin 31 of the fixing part 30. The upper end of the support part 40 is located below the upper end of the mouth part 6 of the flask body 3 placed on the mounting surface 20a. The heights of the upper ends of the plurality of support parts 40 are the same.

[0043] <Upper frame> The upper frame 50 is supported by the support parts 40 above the mounting plate 20. Like the mounting plate 20, the upper frame 50 has a rectangular shape in plan view with the first direction D1 as the short side direction and the second direction D2 as the long side direction. The contour shape of the upper frame 50 in plan view is similar to that of the mounting plate 20. The upper frame 50 has upper ends of the support parts 40 connected to lower surfaces 73 of the four corners. As a result, the upper frame 50 is disposed above the mounting plate 20 so as to be parallel to the mounting plate 20.

[0044] An opening 50a is formed in the upper frame 50, penetrating vertically. The opening 50a has a rectangular shape with a first direction D1 as a short side direction and a second direction D2 as a long side direction in a plan view. The opening 50a extends in the second direction D2 at a position offset to one side of the upper frame 50 in the first direction D1. The height of the upper frame 50 is set to a height equal to or higher than the upper end of the fixing pin 31 and equal to or lower than the upper end of the mouth portion 6 of the flask body 3, depending on the height of the upper end of the support portion 40. The flask 2 placed on the mounting surface 20a passes through the through-hole 20b in the vertical direction. That is, the flask 2 on the mounting surface 20a is surrounded by the upper frame 50 from the entire horizontal periphery.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 3, the flask 2 is disposed within the formation range of the opening 50a in plan view. In this embodiment, two flasks 2 are contained within the formation range of one opening 50a in plan view. That is, the upper frame 50 and the flask 2 do not vertically overlap each other. Therefore, the upper frame 50 does not interfere with the vertical movement of the flask 2, and the flask 2 can be placed on the mounting surface 20a from above. Moreover, the flask 2 can be separated from the flask tray 10 by pulling the flask 2 upward from the mounting surface 20a. In this embodiment, each fixing portion 30 is also contained within the formation range of one opening 50a in plan view.

[0046] Since the opening 50a as described above is formed in the upper frame 50, the upper frame 50 has four components: a first frame piece 51, a second frame piece 52, a third frame piece 53, and a fourth frame piece 54.

[0047] The first frame piece 51 is a portion extending in the second direction D2 along the outer edge of the upper frame 50 on the other side in the first direction D1. The second frame piece 52 is a portion extending in the second direction D2 along the outer edge of the upper frame 50 on one side in the first direction D1. The third frame piece 53 is a portion extending in the first direction D1 along the outer edge of the upper frame 50 on one side in the second direction D2 (the right side in Figs. 2 and 4, the front side in Fig. 3). The second frame piece 52 is a portion extending in the first direction D1 along the outer edge of the upper frame 50 on the other side in the second direction D2 (the left side in Figs. 2 and 4, the left side in Fig. 3, the rear side in Fig. 3).

[0048] The upper frame 50 is formed by connecting the first frame piece 51, the second frame piece 52, the third frame piece 53 and the fourth frame piece 54 to each other, so that the upper frame 50 forms a frame shape that surrounds the two flasks 2 horizontally.

[0049] Here, the opening 50a of the upper frame 50 is formed biased to one side in the first direction D1, so that the first frame piece 51 is set to have a larger dimension in the first direction D1 than the other frame pieces. The dimension of the first frame piece 51 in the first direction D1 is set to be larger than the diameter of the cover portion 7. The upper surface 51a of the upper frame 50 is a flat surface that extends in the horizontal direction. The upper surface 51a of the upper frame 50 is rectangular in shape with the first direction D1 as the short side direction and the second direction D2 as the long side direction.

[0050] <Lid holder> The lid rest 60 is a portion capable of holding the lid 7 removed from the flask body 3. The lid rest 60 is provided on the first frame piece 51 of the upper frame 50. The lid rest 60 is arranged corresponding to each flask 2, adjacent to each flask 2 in the first direction D1, and multiple lid rests 60 are arranged side by side in the second direction D2. The lid rest portion 60 in this embodiment is configured by a recess 61 formed in the upper frame 50 .

[0051] <Concave> 3 and 4, the recess 61 is formed so as to be recessed downward from the upper surface 51a. The recess 61 is circular with a recess axis O2 extending in the vertical direction as its center. The recess axis O2 is the central axis of the recess 61. The inner diameter of the recess 61 is set to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the lid portion 7. As a result, the recess 61 is configured so that the lid portion 7 is inserted from above and fitted into the recess 61 with a gap therebetween.

[0052] The recess axis O2 of the recess 61 of the lid holder 60 and the flask axis O1 of the flask 2 corresponding to the lid holder 60 are disposed on a straight line extending in the first direction D1 in a plan view. The recess axes O2 of the recesses 61 of the multiple lid holders 60 are disposed on a straight line extending in the second direction D2 in a plan view.

[0053] <Fall prevention parts> The fall prevention member 70 serves to prevent the flask 2 placed on the mounting surface 20a from falling over. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the fall prevention member 70 is provided so as to cover the upper part of the flask 2 from the outer periphery. As shown in Fig. 5 in detail, the fall prevention member 70 has a lower ring 71, an upper ring 75 and a connection part 80. The fall prevention member 70 is made of a material such as rubber, plastic, or metal.

[0054] <Lower ring> The lower ring 71 is a ring-shaped member centered on the flask axis O1. The lower ring 71 is attached to the upper ends of the multiple fixing pins 31 in a detachable manner. That is, an upwardly recessed engagement hole 74 is formed in the annular lower surface 73 of the lower ring 71. The engagement hole 74 has an inner diameter large enough to allow the upper end of the fixing pin 31 to be inserted therein. A plurality of engagement holes 74 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction, one for each fixing pin 31. In this embodiment, three engagement holes 74 are formed at equal intervals of 120° in the circumferential direction.

[0055] The upper ends of the fixing pins 31 are inserted into the respective engagement holes 74, and the lower ring 71 is disposed so as to surround the flask 2 from the outer periphery. A small gap may be formed between the outer periphery 5 of the fixing pins 31 and the inner periphery of the engagement holes 74 so that the fixing pins 31 can be easily inserted into the engagement holes 74. In other words, the fixing pins 31 and the engagement holes 74 may be configured to be gap-fitted. This allows the lower ring 71 to be detachably engaged with the multiple fixing pins 31 from above.

[0056] The height position of the lower ring 71 is determined by the state of engagement of the lower ring 71 with the fixing pin 31, that is, by the height of the upper end of the fixing pin 31 and the depth of the engagement hole 74. At the height position where the lower ring 71 engages with the fixing pin 31, the inner diameter of the lower inner peripheral surface 72, which is the inner peripheral surface of the lower ring 71, is larger than the outer diameter of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3. As a result, an annular gap is formed between the lower inner peripheral surface 72 of the lower ring 71 and the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2 over the entire circumferential direction, centered on the flask axis O1.

[0057] <Upper ring> The upper ring 75 is in the shape of a ring centered on the flask axis O1. The upper ring 75 is disposed above and spaced apart from the lower ring 71, and is fixed to the outer circumferential surface 5 of the flask body 3. That is, the inner circumferential surface of the upper ring 75, that is, the upper inner circumferential surface 76, has an inner diameter that contacts the outer circumferential surface 5 of the flask body 3 in the circumferential direction above the lower ring 71. The upper inner circumferential surface 76 may be fixed to the outer circumferential surface 5 of the flask body 3 by being fitted to the outer circumferential side, or may be fixed to the outer circumferential surface 5 of the flask body 3 by using a fixing agent such as an adhesive or a pressure sensitive adhesive.

[0058] In this embodiment, the upper end of the upper ring 75 is located at the boundary between the outer circumferential surface 5 of the flask body 3 and the mouth portion 6. As a result, the upper end of the upper ring 75 abuts against the lid portion 7 from below.

[0059] Since the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2 has a tapered shape that narrows in diameter as it extends upward, the inner diameter of the upper inner peripheral surface 76 that is fixed to the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2 above the lower ring 71 is smaller than the inner diameter of the lower inner peripheral surface 72. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the upper ring 75 is also set to be smaller than the outer diameter of the lower ring 71. The upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71 have substantially the same radial thickness.

[0060] <Connection> The connection part 80 connects the upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71. The connection part 80 in this embodiment is annular about the flask axis O1. As a result, the connection part 80 has a cover-like configuration that covers the entire area between the upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71 on the outer circumferential surface 5.

[0061] The outer circumferential surface of the connection part 80 is provided so as to be continuous with the outer circumferential surfaces of the upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71, and is a tapered conical outer circumferential surface 81 that gradually increases in diameter from the upper ring 75 to the lower ring 71. In this embodiment, the outer circumferential surfaces of the upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71 are tapered to smoothly continue to the conical outer circumferential surface 81. In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the flask axis O1, the horizontal distance between the outer circumferential surface of the connection part 80 and the flask axis O1 gradually increases downward.

[0062] The inner peripheral surface of the connection part 80 is provided so as to be continuous with the inner peripheral surfaces of the upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71, and is formed as a tapered conical inner peripheral surface 82 that gradually increases in diameter from the upper ring 75 to the lower ring 71. In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the flask axis O1, the horizontal distance between the inner peripheral surface of the connection part 80 and the flask axis O1 gradually increases downward.

[0063] The radial distance between the conical outer circumferential surface 81 and the conical inner circumferential surface 82 is approximately constant, that is, the connection portion 80 is formed to have a substantially constant thickness in the up-down direction V and in the circumferential direction.

[0064] The taper angles of the conical outer peripheral surface 81 and the conical inner peripheral surface 82 are substantially the same and are set to be larger than the taper angle of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3. Therefore, the inner diameter of the conical inner peripheral surface 82 is larger than the outer diameter of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 that faces it in the radial direction over the entire area in the vertical direction V. As a result, an annular gap is formed between the conical inner peripheral surface 82 and the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 in the vertical direction V and the circumferential direction. This gap is a space whose diameter increases from top to bottom and whose radial dimension increases.

[0065] 4, the tip-prevention member 70 is located within the formation range of the opening 50a of the upper frame 50 in a plan view. In other words, the upper frame 50 and the tip-prevention member 70 do not vertically overlap each other. The maximum outer diameter of the tip-prevention member 70 is set to be smaller than the dimension of the opening 50a of the upper frame 50 in the first direction D1. This allows the tip-prevention member 70, together with the flask 2, to pass vertically through the opening 50a of the upper frame 50.

[0066] <Action and effect> The flasks 2 in this embodiment are placed on the flask tray 10 in the following procedure. First, the tip-prevention member 70 is attached to the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3. That is, the upper ring 75 of the tip-prevention member 70 is fixed to the upper part of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3. At this time, if the upper ring 75 is formed of an elastic body such as rubber, the upper ring 75 may be fitted onto the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 by elastic force. The upper ring 75 may also be fixed to the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 using a fixing agent such as an adhesive or a pressure sensitive adhesive. When a fixing agent is used, for example, a method of dividing the tip-prevention member 70 into multiple parts in the circumferential direction and attaching them may be adopted.

[0067] The flask 2 to which the tip-prevention member 70 is fixed in this manner passes through the opening 50a of the upper frame 50 from above and is placed on the mounting surface 20a of the mounting plate 20. At this time, there is no interference between the tip-prevention member 70 and the upper frame 50. Then, the multiple fixing pins 31 abut against the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask main body 3 from the outer periphery. This determines the horizontal position of the flask 2 on the mounting surface 20a, and fixes the flask 2 on the mounting surface 20a.

[0068] Furthermore, in the process of placing the flask 2 on the placement surface 20a, the upper ends of the fixing pins 31 are inserted into the engagement holes 74 of the lower ring 71 of the tip-prevention member 70. This causes the tip-prevention member 70 to engage with the fixing pins 31, and the horizontal and height positions of the tip-prevention member 70 are determined.

[0069] The flask tray 10 on which the flasks 2 are thus placed is transported as a flask unit 1 by a transport device 170. Then, at the transport destination, various dispensing operations are performed on the flasks 2.

[0070] According to the flask unit 1 having the above-described configuration, the flask 2 on the mounting surface 20a is positioned by the fixing pin 31, which restricts horizontal movement, so that the flask 2 can be stably held on the mounting surface 20a even if inertial forces are applied during transportation.

[0071] In particular, in this embodiment, even if a large inertial force is applied to the flask unit 1, the anti-toppling member 70 helps prevent the flask 2 from tipping over. That is, in this embodiment, the lower ring 71 of the tip-prevention member 70 is engaged with the fixing pin 31, and the upper ring 75 is fixed to the flask body 3. The lower ring 71 and the upper ring 75 are connected by a connection part 80. This allows the flask body 3 to be restrained on the mounting surface 20a by the tip-prevention member 70, and the attitude of the flask body 3 can be maintained. Furthermore, the lower ring 71 can keep the distance between the tips of the multiple fixing pins 31 constant, making it possible to more reliably prevent the flask 2 from falling over.

[0072] In addition, since the connection part 80 of the tip-over prevention member 70 is annular and surrounds the flask body 3, the movement of the flask 2 can be suppressed over the entire circumferential direction by the connection part 80. Furthermore, since the lower ring 71 that engages with the fixing pin 31 surrounds the flask body 3 from the outer periphery, even if the connection part 80 is deflected due to the action of an even larger inertial force, the flask body 3 can be held over the entire circumferential direction by the lower ring 71 supported by the fixing pin 31. This makes it possible to prevent the flask body 3 from falling off the flask tray 10.

[0073] Furthermore, the upper ring 75 is fixed at a position higher than the lower ring 71 on the outer circumferential surface 5 of the flask 2. Therefore, it is possible to support a higher portion of the flask 2. This allows even a tall flask 2 to maintain a stable position, and prevents the flask 2 from shifting position or falling over.

[0074] In addition, the lower ring 71 is engaged with the multiple fixing pins 31, so that the movement of the lower ring 71 in the circumferential direction is restricted. Therefore, the rotation of the flask body 3 is restricted via the connection part 80 and the upper ring 75. When the flask unit 1 is transported to each dispensing device, the lid part 7 is removed inside the dispensing device. If no measures are taken at this time, the flask body 3 will rotate together with the rotation of the lid part 7, making it difficult to remove the lid part 7 smoothly.

[0075] In contrast, in this embodiment, the tip-prevention member 70 is fixed by the fixing pin 31, so that the tip-prevention member 70 can restrain the flask body 3 on the mounting surface 20a. Therefore, the rotation of the flask body 3 can be suppressed. This makes it possible to easily and smoothly remove the lid 7. Similarly, the attachment of the lid 7 to the flask body 3 can also be easily and smoothly performed.

[0076] Furthermore, when removing the flask 2 from the flask tray 10, simply pulling the flask 2 upward relative to the flask unit 1 easily releases the engagement between the lower ring 71 of the tip-prevention member 70 and the fixing pin 31. This allows the flask 2 to be removed smoothly from the flask tray 10.

[0077] In this embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the connection part 80 of the tip-over prevention member 70 is a conical outer circumferential surface 81. Therefore, for example, when the flask unit 1 transferred to the clean bench 140 is exposed to a downward air current, the air current is smoothly guided downward along the conical outer circumferential surface 81. By stabilizing the downward air current in this way, it is possible to prevent bacteria and impurities from being stirred up, and the occurrence of contamination can be suppressed.

[0078] In addition, since a gap is formed between the conical inner surface 82 of the anti-tip member 70 and the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2, heat transfer between the inside of the flask 2 and the atmosphere outside the flask 2 can be ensured. Here, the atmosphere in the incubator 130 is set to a temperature appropriate for cell culture. By ensuring the heat transferability as described above, the temperature in the flask 2 can be easily adjusted according to the temperature of the atmosphere in the incubator 130. This allows efficient cell culture. Furthermore, if the connection part 80 is not elastic but has high rigidity, by not tightly contacting the connection part 80 with the flask 2, it is possible to hold the flask 2 even if there is a large variation in the outer dimensions of the flask 2.

[0079] In addition, since there are fixed pins 31 arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction below the fall prevention member 70, the inside of the flask body 3 can be visually recognized from the outside through the gaps between the fixed pins 31. Therefore, the visibility inside the flask body 3 during culturing can also be ensured.

[0080] As a modification of the first embodiment, for example, the configuration shown in FIG. 7 may be used. In this modification, the lid portion 7 is formed thinner than in the first embodiment. Also, the dimension V in the vertical direction of the fall prevention member 70 is shorter than in the first embodiment. Here, when the outer diameter of the lid portion 7 is R1 and the inner diameter (the inner diameter of the upper inner peripheral surface 76) of the fall prevention member 70 is R2, the relationship R1 < R2 holds.

[0081] Thereby, in this modification, the fall prevention member 70 can be attached from above with the lid portion 7 attached to the flask body 3. That is, since the inner diameter R2 of the fall prevention member 70 is larger than the outer diameter R1 of the lid portion 7, the fall prevention member 70 can pass vertically through the outer peripheral side of the lid portion 7. And when the fall prevention member 70 reaches below the lid portion 7, the upper inner peripheral surface 76 of the fall prevention member 70 abuts against the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 and is externally fitted. At the same time, the fall prevention member 70 is fixed by the fixing portion 30. Thereby, similar to the first embodiment, the rotation of the flask body 3 can be suppressed.

[0082] <Second Embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 8. In the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The flask unit 1 of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the structure of the mounting plate 20 and the fall prevention member 70.

[0083] In the mounting plate 20 of the second embodiment, a through hole 20b is formed vertically at the location where the flask 2 is mounted. The through hole 20b is circular with the flask axis O1 as its center. The through hole 20b is formed to have an inner diameter smaller than the diameter of the bottom surface 4 of the flask 2. The through hole 20b is located radially inward from the outer periphery of the bottom surface 4 of the flask 2.

[0084] Moreover, the tip-prevention member 70 of the second embodiment does not include the upper ring 75 and the connection portion 80 of the first embodiment, and is composed only of the lower ring 71. Therefore, the tip-prevention member 70 of the second embodiment has a simple ring shape surrounding the flask body 3 with a radial gap therebetween.

[0085] In the flask unit 1 of the second embodiment, when the flask unit 1 is placed on the shaking stage 132 of the incubator 130, for example, the flask 2 can be fixed onto the mounting surface 20a by sucking the bottom surface 4 of the flask 2 with a suction device through the through-hole 20b of the mounting plate 20. This allows the flask 2 to be mounted on the mounting plate 20 in a stable manner.

[0086] Furthermore, for example, when removing the lid part 7 from the flask body 3, the bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 can be sucked by a suction device through the through hole 20b of the mounting plate 20 in each dispensing device, thereby preventing the flask body 3 from rotating due to torque when attaching and removing the lid part 7. Therefore, these operations can be performed smoothly and easily.

[0087] Furthermore, since the tip-prevention member 70 is composed only of the lower ring 71, it can be manufactured at a lower cost than in the first embodiment. Even if the flask 2 is subjected to an inertial force and is about to tip over, the lower ring 71 is provided to hold the flask 2 from the outer periphery, so that the flask 2 comes into contact with the lower ring 71, thereby preventing the flask 2 from tipping over.

[0088] <Third embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 9 to 11. In the third embodiment, the same components as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in the configurations of the flask 2 and the mounting plate 20.

[0089] As shown in Fig. 10, the bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 of the flask 2 of the third embodiment is formed with grooves 4a that are recessed from the bottom surface 4 and extend in the radial direction of the bottom surface 4. A plurality of grooves 4a are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. The grooves 4a are connected at the center of the bottom surface 4 and each extends to the outer periphery of the bottom surface 4. In other words, the grooves 4a spread out radially from the center of the bottom surface 4.

[0090] As shown in Fig. 11, the mounting plate 20 is provided with protrusions 20c instead of the through holes 20b of the second embodiment. The protrusions 20c are provided at the mounting surface 20a at the locations where the flask 2 is placed. The protrusions 20c protrude upward from the mounting surface 20a. The same number of protrusions 20c as the grooves 4a of the flask body 3 are provided, and each is configured to fit into the grooves 4a of the flask body 3. That is, the protrusions 20c are arranged to spread out radially from the flask axis O1, similar to the grooves 4a of the flask 2. When the flask 2 is placed on the mounting surface 20a, each of the protrusions 20c fits into each of the grooves 4a.

[0091] This makes it possible to fix the flask body 3 against the torque applied when attaching and removing the lid portion 7. Therefore, these operations can be performed smoothly and easily.

[0092] <Other embodiments> Although each embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure are also included.

[0093] For example, in the first embodiment, the connection part 80 of the tip-prevention member 70 is annular and surrounds the flask 2 from the entire circumference, but this is not limited thereto. For example, the connection part 80 may be formed of a plurality of rod-shaped members that connect the upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71. That is, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of rod-shaped members that connect the upper ring 75 and the lower ring 71 at an angle to the vertical direction are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction. This also allows the restraining force of the lower ring 71 to be transmitted to the flask body 3 via the beam and the upper part, as in the first embodiment. Note that the number of rod-shaped members does not need to be multiple, and there may be only one.

[0094] Furthermore, the through hole 20b of the mounting plate 20 of the second embodiment and the groove 4a of the flask 2 and the protrusion 20c of the mounting plate 20 of the third embodiment may be applied to the first embodiment. This makes it possible to further suppress the rotation of the flask 2, so that the lid 7 can be attached and detached more smoothly and easily.

[0095] The number of flasks 2 in the flask unit 1 does not have to be two, and may be one or three or more. In this case, the lid rest parts 60 are also provided in correspondence with the number of flasks 2. Moreover, the lid rest portion 60 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0096] <Additional Notes> The flask tray 10, the flask unit 1, and the cell culture system 100 described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0097] (1) The flask tray 10 of the first embodiment comprises a mounting plate 20 having a mounting surface 20a on which the bottom surface 4 of a flask 2 is placed, a plurality of fixing pins 31 arranged in the circumferential direction of the flask 2 so as to extend upward from the mounting surface 20a, and an anti-tip member 70 having a ring shape surrounding the flask 2 at a distance from the outer periphery and having a lower ring 71 that can be detachably engaged with the plurality of fixing pins 31 from above.

[0098] With this configuration, the flask 2 can be stably placed by the fixing pins 31, and since the lower ring 71 holds the flask 2 by surrounding it from the outer periphery, even if the flask 2 moves against the restraining force of the fixing pins 31, the flask 2 can be prevented from falling over. Furthermore, by removing the lower ring 71 that detachably engages with the fixing pin 31 from above, the flask 2 can be easily pulled out upward from the flask tray 10. Furthermore, the lower ring 71 can keep the distance between the tips of the multiple fixing pins 31 constant, making it possible to more reliably prevent the flask 2 from falling over.

[0099] (2) The flask tray 10 of the second embodiment is a flask unit 1 of (1), in which the anti-tip member 70 further includes an upper ring 75 fixed to the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2 above the lower ring 71, and a connection portion 80 connecting the lower ring 71 and the upper ring 75.

[0100] The upper ring 75, which is connected to the lower ring 71 via a connecting part 80, is fixed to the outer circumferential surface 5 of the flask 2, thereby supporting a higher portion of the flask 2. This allows even a tall flask 2 to be stably held, and also prevents the flask 2 from shifting in position. Furthermore, in the case of the flask 2 having the lid 7 that can be attached and detached by rotating it, the flask 2 can be fixed against the torque that occurs when rotating the lid 7. This makes it easy to attach and detach the lid 7 of the flask 2.

[0101] (3) The flask tray 10 of the third embodiment is a flask unit 1 of (2) in which the upper ring 75 has an outer diameter dimension smaller than that of the lower ring 71, the connection portion 80 is annular so as to surround the flask 2 from the outer periphery, and has a conical outer periphery 81 whose diameter gradually increases from the upper ring 75 toward the lower ring 71.

[0102] Since the connection part 80 has an annular shape, even when a large inertial force is applied during transportation of the flask tray 10, the connection part 80 can stabilize the position of the flask 2. Furthermore, when the flask unit 1 is exposed to a downward air current, the air current is smoothly guided downward along the conical outer circumferential surface 81. This makes it possible to prevent the air from being significantly redirected around the flask tray 10, thereby preventing bacteria and impurities from being stirred up.

[0103] (4) The flask tray 10 of the fourth embodiment is any of the flask trays 10 of (1) to (3), in which the mounting plate 20 has a through hole 20b that penetrates vertically on the radially inner side of the bottom surface 4 of the flask 2 at the lower part of the flask 2.

[0104] For example, the flask 2 can be fixed on the mounting plate 20 by sucking through the through-hole 20b. This makes it possible to stabilize the position of the flask 2 and to resist the torque that occurs when the lid 7 is rotated to attach or detach the flask 2, thereby preventing the flask 2 from rotating.

[0105] (5) The flask tray 10 of the fifth aspect is any of the flask trays 10 of (1) to (4), in which the flasks 2 have grooves 4a that are recessed upward from the bottom surface 4 of the flasks 2 and are arranged in a circumferential direction, and further includes a plurality of protrusions 20c that are provided on the upper surface 51a of the mounting plate 20 and fit into each of the grooves 4a.

[0106] This makes it possible to resist the torque when rotating the lid portion 7 to attach or detach it, thereby preventing the flask 2 from rotating.

[0107] (6) The flask unit 1 according to the sixth aspect includes a flask tray 10 according to any one of (1) to (6) and the flask 2.

[0108] This makes it possible to prevent the flask 2 from falling over and to easily remove the flask 2.

[0109] (7) The flask unit 1 according to a seventh aspect is the flask unit (1) in which the multiple fixing pins each abut against the flask from the outer periphery.

[0110] This allows the flask to be held stably.

[0111] (8) The flask tray 10 according to the eighth embodiment is the flask unit 1 of (6) or (7) in which the connection portion 80 is disposed at a distance from the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2.

[0112] This ensures heat transfer between the inside and outside of the flask 2, and allows the inside of the flask 2 to be adjusted to an appropriate temperature. Furthermore, if the connection part 80 is made of a hard material rather than an elastic material, by not tightly contacting the connection part 80 with the flask 2, it is possible to hold the flask 2 even if there is a large variation in the outer dimensions of the flask 2.

[0113] (9) A flask tray 10 according to a ninth aspect comprises a flask tray according to (2) or (3) and the flask, the flask having a flask body as an Erlenmeyer flask and a lid portion removably attached to the upper end of the flask body, the inner diameter of the upper ring being larger than the outer diameter of the lid portion, and the upper ring being fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of the flask body.

[0114] This allows the tip-prevention member 70 to be attached from above with the lid 7 attached to the flask body 3.

[0115] (10) A cell culture system 100 according to a tenth aspect includes a flask unit 1 of any one of (6) to (9), an incubator 130 forming a culture area R3 in which the flask unit 1 is accommodated, a clean bench 140 forming a liquid handling area R4 in which dispensing operations are performed on the flask unit 1, a transport device 170 capable of transporting the flask unit 1 between each of the culture area R3 and the liquid handling area R4, and a pass box 150 capable of transferring the flask unit 1 between the incubator 130 and the clean bench 140.

[0116] In such a cell culture system 100, by using the above-mentioned flask unit 1, it is possible to prevent the flask 2 from falling over. In addition, since the flask 2 can be easily removed from the flask tray 10, it is possible to improve the ease of handling. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1 flask unit 2 Flasks 3 Flask body 4 Bottom 4a Groove 5 Outer surface 6 Mouth 7 Lid 10 flask tray 20 Mounting plate 20a Placement surface 20b Through hole 20c protrusion 30 Fixed part 31 Fixing pin 40 Support part 50 Upper Frame 50a opening 51 First frame piece 51a Top side 52 Second frame piece 53 Third frame piece 54 Fourth Frame Piece 60 Lid holder 61 Recess 70 Anti-tip parts 71 Lower Ring 72 Lower inner surface 73 Bottom surface 74 Engagement hole 75 Upper Ring 76 Upper inner surface 80 Connection 81 Cone outer surface 82 Cone inner surface 100 Cell Culture Systems 110 Stocker 111 Stocker body 112 racks 113 Stocker No. 1 Door 114 Stocker 2nd Door 120 Loading Booth 121 Booth body 122 Entry Door 130 Incubator 131 Incubator body 132 Shaking Stage 140 Clean Bench 141 Clean bench main body 142 Dispensing device 145 Waste liquid extraction device 149 Stages 150 Pass Box 151 Box body 152 First Door 153 Second Door 160 Measuring Equipment 161 Culture medium supply device 162 Waste liquid tank 170 Transport Equipment 171 First Transport Robot 172 Second Transport Robot 173 Third Transport Robot 174 Fourth Transport Robot 175 Conveyor 180 Gripper 181 Grip piece R1 Storage Area R2 Loading area R3 Cultivation area R4 Liquid handling area V vertical direction D1 First direction D2 Second direction O1 Flask axis O2 recess axis

Claims

1. A mounting plate having a mounting surface on which the bottom surface of the flask is placed; a plurality of fixing pins provided in a circumferential direction of the flask so as to extend upward from the mounting surface; a tip-over prevention member having a lower ring that is annular and surrounds the flask from the outer periphery and that is detachably engaged with the fixing pins from above; A flask tray comprising:

2. The anti-toppling member is an upper ring fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the flask above the lower ring; a connection portion that connects the lower ring and the upper ring; 10. The flask tray of claim 1 further comprising:

3. The upper ring has an outer diameter smaller than that of the lower ring, 3. The flask tray according to claim 2, wherein the connecting portion is annular and surrounds the flask from the outer periphery, and has a conical outer periphery surface whose diameter gradually increases from the upper ring to the lower ring.

4. The mounting plate is 2. The flask tray according to claim 1, further comprising a through hole extending vertically through the flask, the through hole being located radially inward of the bottom surface of the flask at the lower portion of the flask.

5. The flask has a groove portion recessed upward from a bottom surface of the flask and provided in a circumferential direction, 2. The flask tray according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of protrusions provided on the mounting surface, each of which fits into one of the grooves.

6. A flask tray according to claim 2 or 3; The flask has a lid that can be attached and detached by rotating it; A flask unit comprising:

7. The flask unit according to claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of fixing pins abuts against the flask from the outer periphery side.

8. The flask unit according to claim 6 , wherein the connecting portion is arranged with a gap between the connecting portion and the outer peripheral surface of the flask.

9. A flask tray according to claim 2; The flask; Equipped with The flask includes a flask body as an Erlenmeyer flask, and a lid portion removably attached to the upper end of the flask body; having an inner diameter of the upper ring is larger than an outer diameter of the lid portion; The upper ring is a flask unit fitted onto the outer peripheral surface of the flask body.

10. A flask unit according to claim 6, an incubator forming a culture area in which the flask units are housed; a clean bench forming a liquid handling area in which a dispensing operation is performed on the flask unit; a transport device capable of transporting the flask unit in each of the culture area and the liquid handling area; a pass box capable of transferring the flask unit between the incubator and the clean bench; A cell culture system comprising:

Images