Filter device, filtration device, and cell culture system

Abstract

To provide a filter device, a filtration device, and a cell culture system that enable appropriate and stable filtration operation while achieving simplification of assembly work.SOLUTION: A filter device according to the present disclosure comprises: a first filter that filters a culture solution by passing it downward; a second filter that is disposed below the first filter, is finer than the first filter, and filters the culture solution having passed through the first filter; and a first seal portion that seals a gap between the outer peripheral edge of the first filter and the outer peripheral edge of the second filter.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a filter device, a filtration device, and a cell culture system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cell culture system including an isolator (clean bench) that performs various operations such as dispensing operations on a culture solution in a sterile environment, and an incubator in which cell culture is performed in an appropriate environment where temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, etc. are controlled.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in a cell culture system, there is a process of filtering the culture solution in which cells are cultured. At this time, if the filter is clogged with cells and other particles, the required amount of filtrate cannot be recovered. For this reason, it has been required to appropriately and stably filter the culture solution so as not to clog the filter with cells. In addition, when automating the filtration operation, simplification of the assembly work of the filtration device in the automation system has been required.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a filter device, a filtration device, and a cell culture system capable of achieving simplification of the assembly work while appropriately and stably performing the filtration operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the filter device according to the present disclosure includes a first filter that allows a culture solution to pass downward for filtration, a second filter that is disposed below the first filter, has finer pores than the first filter, and filters the culture solution that has passed through the first filter, and a first sealing portion that seals a gap between an outer peripheral edge of the first filter and an outer peripheral edge of the second filter.

[0007] The filtration device according to the present disclosure includes the above filter device, a filter laminate including a well plate that is disposed below the second filter and can accommodate the culture solution that has passed through the second filter, a container that houses the filter laminate and has a lid portion in which a through hole penetrating vertically is formed above the filter laminate, a pedestal that is housed in the container and supports the filter laminate from below, a second sealing portion that is provided along the through hole between the lid portion and the filter laminate and seals a gap between the lid portion and the first filter, a pressing portion that generates a vertical pressing force to bring the lid portion and the filter laminate closer to each other, and a vacuum device that discharges the air in the container from below the filter laminate to evacuate the container.

[0008] The cell culture system according to the present disclosure includes a clean bench including the above filtration device.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the filter device, filtration device, and cell culture system of the present disclosure, it is possible to achieve simplification of the assembly work while performing the filtration operation appropriately and stably.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The cell culture system 100 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a system for performing cell culture, analysis of cells after culture, etc. using a work such as a well plate 30 (see FIG. 3) or a flask, and these processes are performed, for example, unmanned and automatically. A culture solution L containing cells and a medium supplemented with nutrients necessary for cell growth is stored in the work.

[0012] <Cell culture system> As shown in FIG. 1, the cell culture system 100 includes a first stocker 110, a second stocker 120, an incubator 130, a clean bench 140, and a pass box 150.

[0013] <First stocker> The first stocker 110 is a facility for storing a plurality of works. The area in the first stocker 110 is the first storage area R1.

[0014] <Second stocker> The second stocker 120 is provided adjacent to the first stocker 110. The second stocker 120 is provided with facilities such as a pedestal on which a work can be placed and a refrigerator 4 for storing a culture solution. The area in the second stocker 120 is the second storage area R2.

[0015] <Incubator> The incubator 130 is a facility for growing cells in a culture solution. The incubator 130 has a culture area R3 inside for performing a culture operation on a workpiece. The atmosphere in the culture area R3 is controlled to a temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration suitable for cell culture.

[0016] <Clean bench> The clean bench 140 is a facility for performing various liquid operations and treatments on a workpiece. The clean bench 140 has a clean space S1 inside and a liquid operation area R4 inside the clean space S1 for performing a dispensing operation or the like on the workpiece. The liquid operation area R4 is a space (bio clean room) with a high level of cleanliness and a sterile state. Inside the liquid operation area R4, air circulates as a downflow (descending air current).

[0017] Inside the clean bench 140, there are various facilities such as, for example, a dispensing device, a filtration device 5, a sealing device 3, a waste liquid draining device, and a workpiece recovery system. Note that outside the clean bench 140, there are provided a medium supply device capable of supplying a medium to the dispensing device, a cell analysis device capable of analyzing the culture solution dispensed by the dispensing device, and the like.

[0018] Here, the clean bench 140 is arranged adjacent to the first stocker 110 and the second stocker 120. Inside the first stocker 110, a first stocker door 110a is provided that separates the first storage area R1 and the liquid operation area R4. When the first stocker door 110a is in an open state, the first storage area R1 and the liquid operation area R4 are in a communicating state, and the workpiece can move back and forth between these areas. When the first stocker door 110a is in a closed state, the first storage area R1 and the liquid operation area R4 are in a non - communicating state, and these areas are isolated.

[0019] Inside the second stocker 120, a second stocker door 120a is provided that separates the second storage area R2 and the liquid operation area R4. When the second stocker door 120a is in the open state, the second storage area R2 and the liquid operation area R4 are in a communicating state, and work can move back and forth between these areas. When the first stocker door 110a is in the closed state, the first storage area R1 and the liquid operation area R4 are in a non-communicating state, and these areas are isolated.

[0020] <Pass box> The pass box 150 is provided between the incubator 130 and the clean bench 140 so as to be in contact with them. The pass box 150 has a first pass door 150a and a second pass door 150b. When the first pass door 150a is in the open state, the culture area R3 and the area inside the pass box 150 are in a communicating state. When the second pass door 150b is in the open state, the liquid operation area R4 and the area inside the pass box 150 are in a communicating state. Therefore, by the opening and closing operations of these first pass door 150a and second pass door 150b, the culture area R3 and the liquid operation area R4 can be switched between an isolated state and a state where work can move back and forth between these areas. Note that the first pass door 150a and the second pass door 150b are not in the open state at the same time. Thus, the culture area R3 and the liquid operation area R4 do not communicate with each other, and the atmosphere state of each area is maintained.

[0021] <Conveying device> In each of the first storage area R1, the second storage area R2, the culture area R3, and the liquid operation area R4, a transfer robot that can move horizontally, for example, is provided as a conveying device. Thereby, the movement of work in each area is made possible. By the cooperation of the opening and closing of each door and the operation of the transfer robot, the movement of work in each area is made possible.

[0022] <Detailed structure of the filtration device> Incidentally, as time passes, unnecessary foreign substances (particles) are generated in the culture solution L, such as cells in the culture solution L dying or antibodies being generated in the culture solution L. If such foreign substances are present in the culture solution L, accurate analysis cannot be performed. Therefore, a filtering device 5 for removing foreign substances from the culture solution L and filtering the culture solution L is provided. Hereinafter, the detailed structure of this filtering device 5 will be described.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the filtering device 5 includes a filter laminate 10, a container 40, a pedestal 60, a second seal portion 6, a pressing portion 7, and a vacuum device 70. Hereinafter, one horizontal direction will be defined as the horizontal first direction Dh1, and the direction orthogonal to the horizontal first direction Dh1 among the horizontal directions will be defined as the horizontal second direction Dh2.

[0024] <Filter laminate> The filter laminate 10 includes a filter device 8 and a well plate 30.

[0025] <Filter device> The filter device 8 includes a first filter 11, a second filter 12, and a first seal portion 20.

[0026] <First filter> The first filter 11 allows the culture solution L dropped from above to pass downward and be filtered. As shown in FIG. 4, the first filter 11 extends in the horizontal direction and is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction. Further, a plurality of first passages 13 penetrating in the vertical direction Dv are formed in the first filter 11. Unnecessary foreign substances are removed from the culture solution L in the process of passing through the first passages 13.

[0027] <Second filter> The second filter 12 is disposed below the first filter 11. The second filter 12 filters the culture solution L that has passed through the first filter 11. As shown in FIG. 5, the second filter 12 is formed in the same shape as the first filter 11 when viewed from above, extends in the horizontal direction, and is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction. Further, a plurality of second passages 14 penetrating in the vertical direction Dv are formed in the second filter 12. The mesh of the second filter 12 is finer than that of the first filter 11. That is, the hole diameter of the second passage 14 of the second filter 12 is larger than the hole diameter of the first passage 13 of the first filter 11. In the process of passing through the second passage 14, fragments of foreign matter that have passed through the first filter 11 and the like are removed from the culture solution L.

[0028] <First sealing portion> The first sealing portion 20 seals the gap between the outer peripheral edge of the first filter 11 and the outer peripheral edge of the second filter 12. The first sealing portion 20 includes a first packing 21 and a fixing jig 22.

[0029] <First packing> The two first packings 21 are provided apart from each other in the vertical direction Dv. The two first packings 21 provided apart from each other in the vertical direction Dv are formed in the same shape. The first packing 21 extends in the horizontal direction along the outer peripheral edge of the first filter 11 or the outer peripheral edge of the second filter 12, and is formed in a rectangular frame shape with the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction. The first packing 21 is a sheet formed of, for example, silicon or the like.

[0030] <Fixing jig> The fixing jig 22 fixes the first packing 21 to the first filter 11 and the second filter 12. The fixing jig 22 has a frame body 22b and an inner member 22a. The frame body 22b surrounds two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv from the outer peripheral side. The frame body 22b is formed along the outer peripheral edges of the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 as viewed from above, extends in the horizontal direction, and is formed in a rectangular frame shape with the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction. The inner member 22a projects from the frame body 22b toward the inner peripheral side in the horizontal direction and is provided between two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv. The inner member 22a presses the upper first packing 21 against the first filter 11 and presses the lower first packing 21 against the second filter 12.

[0031] The above-described first seal portion 20 is assembled to the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 by, for example, a sealing device 3. Note that the first seal portion 20 may be assembled to the first filter 11 and the second filter 12, for example, manually outside the clean bench 140.

[0032] <Well plate> The well plate 30 is disposed below the second filter 12. The well plate 30 stores the culture solution L that has passed through the second filter 12. A plurality of wells 31 that open upward are formed in the well plate 30. The culture solution L is stored in each well 31.

[0033] <Ventilation part> In addition, a ventilation part 32 is provided between the second filter 12 and the well plate 30. The ventilation part 32 discharges the air A from between the second filter 12 and the well plate 30. In the present embodiment, the ventilation part 32 is an opening formed at the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface 46a of the well plate 30. Note that the gap between the second filter 12 and the well plate 30 may be used as the ventilation part 32.

[0034] <Container> The container 40 houses the filter laminate 10 and a pedestal 60 (described later) inside. The container 40 has a base portion 41, a first sheet 42, a body portion 43, a second sheet 44, and a lid portion 45.

[0035] <Base> The pedestal 60 is placed on the base portion 41. The base portion 41 is formed of metal. The base portion 41 is fixed to the placement surface F of a workbench installed on a clean bench 140. The base portion 41 has a base body 46 and a base flange 47. The base body 46 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the horizontal direction. The base body 46 is formed in a rectangular shape having the horizontal first direction as the longitudinal direction when viewed from above. An exhaust space S is formed inside the base body 46. On the upper surface 46a of the base body 46, a base through-hole 46b penetrating in the vertical direction Dv and communicating with the exhaust space S is formed. A plurality of base through-holes 46b are provided. The base flange 47 projects horizontally from the outer peripheral edge of the upper surface 46a of the base body 46. The base flange 47 extends in the horizontal direction and is formed in a rectangular frame shape having the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction.

[0036] <First Sheet> The first sheet 42 is a rectangular frame-shaped sheet placed on the base flange 47. The first sheet 42 brings the base portion 41 and the body portion 43 into close contact. The first sheet 42 is a sheet formed of, for example, silicon or the like.

[0037] <Body Portion> The body portion 43 is placed on the base portion 41 via the first sheet 42. The body portion 43 is in close contact with the base portion 41 and is provided so as to surround the filter laminate 10 and the pedestal 60. The body portion 43 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape extending upward from the base body 46. The body portion 43 is formed of metal.

[0038] Also, a lower flange 48 is formed at the lower end of the body portion 43, and an upper flange 49 is formed at the upper end of the body portion 43. The lower flange 48 extends in the horizontal direction and is formed in a rectangular frame shape with the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction. By sandwiching the first sheet 42 between the lower flange 48 and the base flange 47, the first sheet 42 is crushed in the vertical direction Dv. As a result, the lower flange 48 and the base flange 47 are in close contact without a gap, and the gap between the base 41 and the body 43 is sealed. The upper flange 49 extends in the horizontal direction and is formed in a rectangular frame shape with the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction.

[0039] <Second Sheet> The second sheet 44 is a rectangular frame-shaped sheet placed on the upper flange 49. The second sheet 44 makes the body 43 and the lid 45 in close contact. The second sheet 44 is a sheet formed of, for example, silicon or the like.

[0040] <Lid> The lid 45 is placed on the body 43. The lid 45 is in close contact with the body 43 via the second sheet 44 and closes the upper opening of the body 43. The lid 45 is formed of metal. The lid 45 has a lid first part 50, a lid second part 51, and a lid third part 52.

[0041] The lid first part 50 is placed on the second sheet 44. The lid first part 50 is formed in a rectangular frame shape. By sandwiching the second sheet 44 between the lid first part 50 and the upper flange 49, the second sheet 44 is crushed in the vertical direction Dv. As a result, the lid first part 50 and the upper flange 49 are in close contact without a gap, and the gap between the lid 45 and the body 43 is sealed.

[0042] The lid second part 51 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape extending upward from the inner peripheral edge of the lid first part 50. The third part 52 of the lid portion is provided so as to close the upper opening of the second part 51 of the lid portion. A through hole 52a penetrating in the vertical direction Dv is formed in the central portion of the third part 52 of the lid portion. The through hole 52a extends in the horizontal direction and is formed in a rectangular shape having the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction. The through hole 52a is provided above the filter laminate 10.

[0043] <Base> The base 60 is housed in the container 40 and supports the filter laminate 10 from below. The base 60 has a jack portion 61 and a mounting plate 62. The jack portion 61 is provided so as to be telescopable in the vertical direction Dv. The mounting plate 62 is supported from below by the jack. A recess 63 opening upward is formed in the upper surface 46a of the mounting plate 62. The well plate 30 of the filter laminate 10 is fitted into the recess 63.

[0044] <Second seal portion> The second seal portion 6 is provided along the through hole 52a between the lid portion 45 and the filter laminate 10. The second seal portion 6 seals the gap between the lid portion 45 and the first filter 11. The second seal portion 6 is formed in a rectangular frame shape so as to annularly surround the plurality of first passages 13 of the first filter 11. The second seal portion 6 is formed of, for example, silicon or the like.

[0045] <Pressing portion> The pressing portion 7 generates a pressing force in the vertical direction Dv that brings the lid portion 45 and the filter laminate 10 closer together. The pressing portion 7 of the present embodiment is a weight placed on the lid portion 45 and formed annularly along the through hole 52a. For this reason, the pressing portion 7 of the present embodiment generates a downward pressing force that presses the lid portion 45 against the filter laminate 10. Further, the pressing portion 7 extends in the horizontal direction and is formed in a rectangular frame shape having the horizontal first direction Dh1 as the longitudinal direction.

[0046] <Vacuum device> The vacuum device 70 is a device that evacuates the air A in the container 40 from below the filter laminate 10 to evacuate the container 40. The vacuum device 70 includes a tube 71 and a pump 72. The tube 71 is connected to the base 41 of the container 40. The tube 71 communicates with the exhaust space S in the base 41. Also, the pump 72 is connected to the tube 71 and discharges the air A in the container 40 to the outside through the tube 71.

[0047] <Assembly operation of the filtration device> Next, the procedure for the assembly operation of the filtration device will be described. First, assemble the filtration device 5. The assembly of the filtration device 5 is automatically performed by a robot (not shown) provided in the clean bench 140. The base 41 of the container 40 in the filtration device 5 is fixed at the installation position of the filtration device 5. Also, the filter laminate 10 in the filtration device 5 is assembled outside the base 41. Subsequently, place the pedestal 60, the filter laminate 10, and the second seal portion 6 on the base 41 in order from below. Thereafter, place the first sheet 42, the body portion 43, the second sheet 44, and the lid portion 45 on the base 41 in order from below. Then, place the pressing portion 7 on the lid portion 45. Due to the load of the pressing portion 7, the second seal portion 6 is crushed. As a result, the lid portion 45 and the filter laminate 10 are in close contact. The assembly of the filtration device 5 is completed by the above procedure.

[0048] <Procedure of the filtration operation> Next, the procedure for the filtration operation will be described. After the assembly of the filtration device 5 is completed, the culture solution L is dropped from above the first filter 11. Then, the vacuum device 70 is operated to evacuate the inside of the container 40. As a result, a flow of air A (downflow) is generated downward from the through-hole 52a of the lid portion 45. The air A that has entered the filtration device 5 from the through-hole 52a of the lid portion 45 flows through the filtration device 5 in the order of the first filter 11, the second filter 12, the ventilation portion 32, the inside of the container 40, the exhaust space S in the base portion 41, and the tube 71. Due to this flow of air A, the culture solution L smoothly flows through the first filter 11, the second filter 12, and inside the well plate 30. Foreign matters (particles) such as dead cells in the culture solution L are removed by the first filter 11 and the second filter 12, and the culture solution L with fewer foreign matters is accommodated in the well plate 30. The filtration operation is completed in the above procedure.

[0049] Thereafter, the well plate 30 is removed from the filtration device 5 and transported to each facility in the cell culture system 100. The well plate 30 is transported to the refrigerator 4 of the second stocker 120 by, for example, a transport device. Note that the well plate 30 may be transported as a filter laminate 10 to which the filter device 8 is assembled, or may be transported separately from the filter device 8.

[0050] <Function and effect> In the present embodiment, the filter laminate 10 includes a first filter 11, a second filter 12, and a first seal portion 20. The first filter 11 allows the culture solution L to pass downward for filtration. The second filter 12 is disposed below the first filter 11. The second filter 12 has finer pores than the first filter 11 and filters the culture solution L that has passed through the first filter 11. The first seal portion 20 seals the gap between the outer peripheral edge of the first filter 11 and the outer peripheral edge of the second filter 12.

[0051] The culture solution L is first filtered by the first filter 11. In the first filter 11, relatively large impurities in the culture solution L are removed. Then, the culture solution L is filtered by the second filter 12. In the second filter 12, fragments of relatively small impurities that have passed through the first filter 11 are removed. In this way, the culture solution L can be filtered by the dual filter method. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the larger particles are removed by the first filter 11 with a larger mesh size to reduce the amount of particles, and then the culture solution L is passed through the second filter 12 with a finer mesh size, thereby suppressing clogging of the second filter 12 and enabling the filtration operation to be performed stably. Furthermore, the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 are provided as separate bodies. For this reason, the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 suitable for the culture solution L to be filtered can be selected. Therefore, clogging of the culture solution L can be suppressed and the filtration rate can be improved. Thus, it becomes possible to filter appropriately and stably. Also, the gap between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 is sealed by the first seal portion 20. Thereby, the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 can be brought into close contact with each other. For this reason, when the inside of the container 40 is evacuated by the vacuum device 70 as in the present embodiment so that the air A flows from the first filter 11 toward the second filter 12, it is possible to suppress the flow of this air A from leaking out through the gap between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12. As a result, since the inside of the container 40 is sufficiently depressurized, the culture solution L can be smoothly moved from the first filter 11 to the second filter 12 by the flow of this air A, and the filtration rate can be further improved. Also, the filter laminate 10 can be easily assembled simply by laminating the second filter 12, the first seal portion 20, and the first filter 11 in this order from below. Thus, according to the present embodiment, simplification of the assembly work can be achieved.

[0052] The first seal portion 20 includes two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv, and a fixing jig 22 that fixes the first packings 21 to the first filter 11 and the second filter 12. The fixing jig 22 includes a frame body 22b and an inner member 22a. The frame body 22b surrounds the two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv from the outer peripheral side. The inner member 22a protrudes from the frame body 22b toward the inner peripheral side in the horizontal direction and is provided between the two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv. The inner member 22a presses the upper first packing 21 against the first filter 11 and presses the lower first packing 21 against the second filter 12.

[0053] The first filter 11, the second filter 12, and the first packing 21 are fixed in a state of being surrounded from the outer peripheral side by the frame body 22b of the fixing jig 22. Thereby, displacement between the first filter 11, the second filter 12, and the first packing 21 is suppressed, and the adhesion between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 can be improved. Also, for example, when the filter device 8 is assembled to the well plate 30 and automatically conveyed by the conveying device as the filter laminate 10, even if the vibration during conveyance is transmitted to the filter device 8, displacement between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 can be prevented.

[0054] The filtration device 5 includes a filter laminate 10, a container 40, a pedestal 60, a second seal portion 6, a pressing portion 7, and a vacuum device 70. The filter laminate 10 includes a filter device 8 and a well plate 30 disposed below the second filter 12 and capable of accommodating the culture solution L that has passed through the second filter 12. The container 40 houses the filter laminate 10. The container 40 has a lid portion 45 in which a through-hole 52a penetrating in the vertical direction Dv is formed above the filter laminate 10. The pedestal 60 is housed in the container 40 and supports the filter laminate 10 from below. The second seal portion 6 is provided along the through-hole 52a between the lid portion 45 and the filter laminate 10 and seals the gap between the lid portion 45 and the first filter 11. The pressing portion 7 generates a pressing force in the vertical direction Dv that brings the lid portion 45 and the filter laminate 10 closer together. The vacuum device 70 evacuates the container 40 by discharging the air A inside the container 40 from below the filter laminate 10.

[0055] According to the present embodiment, the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 are brought into close contact by the first seal portion 20, and the first filter 11 and the edge of the through-hole 52a of the lid portion 45 are brought into close contact by the second seal portion 6. Further, the pressing portion 7 brings the first filter 11 and the lid portion 45 closer together, improving the adhesion by the second filter 12. In this state, by driving the vacuum device 70 and evacuating the inside of the container 40, the inside of the container 40 is sufficiently decompressed, and a flow of air A from the first filter 11 toward the second filter 12 can be generated. As a result, the culture solution L can smoothly pass through the first filter 11 and the second filter 12, and the filtration rate can be improved. Also, the filter laminate 10, the second seal portion 6, and the lid portion 45 can be easily assembled simply by stacking them in order from below on the pedestal 60. Thus, according to the present embodiment, simplification of the assembly work can be achieved.

[0056] The filter laminate 10 is provided between the second filter 12 and the well plate 30, and further includes a ventilation portion 32 that discharges air A from between the second filter 12 and the well plate 30.

[0057] For example, when the filter device 8 is installed such that the air A flows from the first filter 11 toward the second filter 12, the first seal portion 20 suppresses the leakage of the flow of the air A from the gap between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12, and the ventilation portion 32 can smoothly discharge the air A that has passed through the first filter 11 and the second filter 12.

[0058] The container 40 further includes a base portion 41 on which the pedestal 60 is placed, and a body portion 43 that is placed on the base portion 41, is in close contact with the base portion 41, and surrounds the filter laminate 10 and the pedestal 60. The lid portion 45 is placed on the body portion 43, is in close contact with the body portion 43, and closes the body portion 43.

[0059] Thus, the container 40 can be easily assembled simply by stacking the base portion 41, the body portion 43, and the lid portion 45 in this order from below. In addition, the pedestal 60 and the filter laminate 10 can be easily installed in the container 40. As described above, according to the present embodiment, simplification of the assembly work can be achieved.

[0060] The pressing portion 7 is a weight that is placed on the lid portion 45 and is formed in an annular shape along the through hole 52a.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the second seal portion 6 and the weight are provided along the through hole 52a. A downward pressing force is applied to the position of the lid portion 45 that overlaps the second seal portion 6 by the weight, and the adhesion of the second seal portion 6 can be improved.

[0062] <Modification Example> Subsequently, a modification example of the filtering device 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the lid portion 45 may have a protrusion portion 52b that protrudes downward and is provided at a position that overlaps the second seal portion 6 in the vertical direction Dv. The protrusion portion 52b is provided along the through hole 52a on the lower surface of the third lid portion 52 of the lid portion 45. A plurality of protrusion portions 52b may be provided along the through hole 52a, or the protrusion portions 52b may be formed in a rectangular frame shape along the through hole 52a.

[0063] In this modified example, the pressing force by the pressing portion 7 is concentrated on the second seal portion 6 by the protruding portion 52b. Thereby, the adhesion of the second seal portion 6 can be improved.

[0064] <Other Embodiments> As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like within the scope not departing from the gist of the present disclosure are also included.

[0065] In the above-described embodiment, the first seal portion 20 is assumed to have the first packing 21 and the fixing jig 22, but it is not limited thereto. The first seal portion 20 may be a silicon sheet, clay, or the like.

[0066] In the above-described embodiment, the pressing portion 7 is assumed to be a weight placed on the lid portion 45, but it is not limited thereto. The pressing portion 7 may be, for example, a hydraulic cylinder or a robot arm. Further, the pressing portion 7 may generate an upward pressing force for pressing the filter laminate 10 against the lid portion 45.

[0067] <Supplementary Note> The filter device 8, the filtration device 5, and the cell culture system 100 described in each embodiment are understood as follows, for example.

[0068] (1) The filter device 8 according to the first aspect includes a first filter 11 that filters by allowing the culture solution L to pass downward, a second filter 12 that is disposed below the first filter 11 and has finer meshes than the first filter 11 and filters the culture solution L that has passed through the first filter 11, and a first seal portion 20 that seals a gap between the outer peripheral edge of the first filter 11 and the outer peripheral edge of the second filter 12.

[0069] The culture solution L is first filtered by the first filter 11. In the first filter 11, relatively large impurities in the culture solution L are removed. Then, the culture solution L is filtered by the second filter 12. In the second filter 12, fragments of relatively small impurities that have passed through the first filter 11 are removed. In this way, the culture solution L can be filtered by the dual filter method. Therefore, in this embodiment, the larger particles are removed by the first filter 11 with a larger mesh size to reduce the amount of particles, and then the culture solution L is passed through the second filter 12 with a finer mesh size, thereby suppressing clogging of the second filter 12 and enabling the filtration operation to be performed stably. Furthermore, the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 are provided as separate bodies. For this reason, the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 suitable for the culture solution L to be filtered can be selected. Therefore, clogging of the culture solution L can be suppressed and the filtration rate can be improved. Accordingly, it becomes possible to filter appropriately and stably. Also, the gap between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 is sealed by the first seal portion 20. Thereby, the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 can be brought into close contact with each other. For this reason, for example, when the filter device 8 is installed so that the air A flows from the first filter 11 toward the second filter 12, it is possible to suppress the air A from leaking through the gap between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12. Thereby, the culture solution L can be smoothly moved from the first filter 11 to the second filter 12, and the filtration rate can be further improved. Also, the filter laminate 10 can be easily assembled by simply laminating the second filter 12, the first seal portion 20, and the first filter 11 in this order from below. Thus, according to this embodiment, simplification of the assembly work can be achieved.

[0070] (2) The filter device 8 of the second aspect is the filter device 8 of (1), wherein the first seal portion 20 includes two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv, and a fixing jig 22 that fixes the first packings 21 to the first filter 11 and the second filter 12. The fixing jig 22 includes a frame body 22b that surrounds the two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv from the outer peripheral side, and an inner member 22a that protrudes from the frame body 22b inward in the horizontal direction and is provided between the two first packings 21 provided apart in the vertical direction Dv. The inner member 22a presses the upper first packing 21 against the first filter 11 and presses the lower first packing 21 against the second filter 12.

[0071] The first filter 11, the second filter 12, and the first packing 21 are fixed in a state of being surrounded from the outer peripheral side by the frame body 22b of the fixing jig 22. Thereby, displacement between the first filter 11, the second filter 12, and the first packing 21 is suppressed, and the adhesion between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 can be improved.

[0072] (3) The filtration device 5 of the third aspect includes a filter laminate 10 including any one of the filter devices 8 of (1) or (2) and a well plate 30 disposed below the second filter 12 and capable of accommodating the culture solution L that has passed through the second filter 12, a container 40 that houses the filter laminate 10 and has a lid portion 45 in which a through hole 52a penetrating in the vertical direction Dv is formed above the filter laminate 10, a pedestal 60 that is housed in the container 40 and supports the filter laminate 10 from below, a second seal portion 6 that is provided along the through hole 52a between the lid portion 45 and the filter laminate 10 and seals the gap between the lid portion 45 and the first filter 11, a pressing portion 7 that generates a pressing force in the vertical direction Dv to bring the lid portion 45 and the filter laminate 10 closer to each other, and a vacuum device 70 that discharges the air A in the container 40 from below the filter laminate 10 and evacuates the container 40.

[0073] According to this aspect, the first seal portion 20 causes the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 to be in close contact, and the second seal portion 6 causes the first filter 11 and the edge of the through-hole 52a of the lid portion 45 to be in close contact. Further, the pressing portion 7 causes the first filter 11 and the lid portion 45 to approach each other, improving the adhesion by the second filter 12. In this state, the vacuum device 70 is driven to evacuate the inside of the container 40, so that the inside of the container 40 is sufficiently decompressed, and the flow of air A from the first filter 11 toward the second filter 12 can be generated. As a result, the culture solution L can smoothly pass through the first filter 11 and the second filter 12, and the filtration rate can be improved. Also, the filter laminate 10, the second seal portion 6, and the lid portion 45 can be easily assembled by simply stacking them in order from below on the pedestal 60. Thus, according to this aspect, simplification of the assembly work can be achieved.

[0074] (4) The filtration device 5 of the fourth aspect is the filtration device 5 of (3), wherein the filter laminate 10 is provided between the second filter 12 and the well plate 30, and may further include a ventilation portion 32 that discharges air A from between the second filter 12 and the well plate 30.

[0075] For example, when the filter device 8 is installed so that air A flows from the first filter 11 toward the second filter 12, while suppressing the leakage of the flow of air A from the gap between the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 by the first seal portion 20, the air A that has passed through the first filter 11 and the second filter 12 can be smoothly discharged by the ventilation portion 32.

[0076] (5) The filtration device 5 of the fifth aspect is the filtration device 5 of (3) or (4), wherein the container 40 further includes a base portion 41 on which the pedestal 60 is placed, and a body portion 43 that is placed on the base portion 41, is in close contact with the base portion 41, and surrounds the filter laminate 10 and the pedestal 60, and the lid portion 45 is placed on the body portion 43, may be in close contact with the body portion 43, and may close the body portion 43.

[0077] Thus, the container 40 can be easily assembled simply by stacking the base portion 41, the body portion 43, and the lid portion 45 in this order from below. Further, the pedestal 60 and the filter laminate 10 can be easily installed in the container 40. As described above, according to this aspect, simplification of the assembly work can be achieved.

[0078] (6) The filtration device 5 of the sixth aspect is any one of the filtration devices 5 according to (3) to (5), and the pressing portion 7 may be a weight placed on the lid portion 45 and formed in an annular shape along the through hole 52a.

[0079] In this aspect, the second seal portion 6 and the weight are provided along the through hole 52a. A downward pressing force is applied to the position of the lid portion 45 that overlaps the second seal portion 6 by the weight, and the adhesion of the second seal portion 6 can be improved.

[0080] (7) The filtration device 5 of the seventh aspect is any one of the filtration devices 5 according to (3) to (6), and the lid portion 45 may have a protrusion 52b that protrudes downward and is provided at a position that overlaps the second seal portion 6 in the vertical direction Dv.

[0081] In this aspect, the pressing force by the pressing portion 7 is concentrated on the second seal portion 6 by the protrusion 52b. Thereby, the adhesion of the second seal portion 6 can be improved.

[0082] (8) The cell culture system 100 of the eighth aspect includes a clean bench 140 including any one of the filtration devices 5 according to (3) to (7).

Explanation of Signs

[0083] 3 Sealing device 4 Refrigerator 5 Filtration device 6 Second seal portion 7 Pressing portion 8 Filter device 10 Filter laminate 11 First filter 12 Second filter 13 First passage 14 Second passage 20 First seal part 21 First packing 22 Fixing jig 22a Inner member 22b Frame body 30 Well plate 31 Well 32 Ventilation part 40 Container 41 Base part 42 First sheet 43 Barrel part 44 Second sheet 45 Lid part 46 Base body 46a Upper surface 46b Base through-hole 47 Base flange 48 Lower flange 49 Upper flange 50 First lid part 51 Second lid part 52 Third lid part 52a Through-hole 52b Protrusion 60 Pedestal 61 Jack part 62 Mounting plate 63 Recess 70 Vacuum device 71 Tube 72 Pump 100 Cell culture system 110 First stocker 110a First stocker door 120 Second stocker 120a Second stocker door 130 Incubator 140 Clean bench 150 Pass box 150a First pass door 150b Second pass door A Air Dv Vertical direction Dh1 Horizontal first direction Second direction in the Dh2 horizontal direction F placement surface L culture solution R1 First storage area R2 Second storage area R3 Culture area R4 Liquid operation area S Exhaust space

Claims

1. A first filter that filters by allowing a culture solution to pass downward; A second filter disposed below the first filter, having finer pores than the first filter, and filtering the culture solution that has passed through the first filter; A first sealing portion that seals a gap between an outer peripheral edge of the first filter and an outer peripheral edge of the second filter; A filter device comprising the above.

2. The first sealing portion Two first packings provided apart in the vertical direction; A fixing jig that fixes the first packing to the first filter and the second filter; And has The fixing jig A frame body that surrounds the two first packings provided apart in the vertical direction from the outer peripheral side; An inner member that protrudes from the frame body in the horizontal direction toward the inner peripheral side, is provided between the two first packings provided apart in the vertical direction, presses the upper first packing against the first filter, and presses the lower first packing against the second filter; The filter device according to claim 1, which has the above.

3. A filter device according to claim 1 or 2, and a filter laminate comprising a well plate disposed below the second filter and capable of accommodating the culture solution that has passed through the second filter; A container that houses the filter laminate and has a lid portion in which a through hole penetrating in the vertical direction is formed above the filter laminate; A pedestal that is housed in the container and supports the filter laminate from below; A second sealing portion that is provided along the through hole between the lid portion and the filter laminate and seals a gap between the lid portion and the first filter; A pressing portion that generates a vertical pressing force to bring the lid portion and the filter laminate closer to each other; A vacuum device that evacuates the container by discharging air in the container from below the filter laminate; A filtration device comprising the above.

4. The filtration device according to claim 3, wherein the filter laminate is provided between the second filter and the well plate, and further comprises a ventilation portion that discharges air from between the second filter and the well plate.

5. The container A base portion on which the pedestal is placed; A body portion that is placed on the base portion, is in close contact with the base portion, and surrounds the filter laminate and the pedestal; And further comprises The filtration device according to claim 3, wherein the lid portion is placed on the body portion, is in close contact with the body portion, and closes the body portion.

6. The filtration device according to claim 3, wherein the pressing part is a weight placed on the lid part and formed in an annular shape along the through hole.

7. The filtration device according to claim 3, wherein the lid part has a protrusion that protrudes downward and is provided at a position overlapping the second seal part in the vertical direction.

8. A cell culture system comprising a clean bench equipped with the filtration device according to claim 3.

Images