Flask tray, flask unit, and cell culture system

Abstract

This flask comprises: a placement plate having a flask body extending in a vertical direction around an axis line and a placement surface on which a flask having a lid part fastened to a mouth part of the flask body is placed; a plurality of leaf spring parts provided in a circumferential direction of the axis line so as to extend upward from the placement surface and capable of pressing the flask body toward an inner side in a radial direction of the axis line; and a ring spring forming an annular shape extending in the circumferential direction across the plurality of leaf spring parts and capable of fastening the flask body from an outer peripheral side.

Description

Flask tray, flask unit and cell culture system

[0001] This disclosure relates to a flask tray, a flask unit, and a cell culture system. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-219592, filed on December 26, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses a culture vessel set having a recess capable of holding a plurality of case-shaped culture vessels containing a culture medium. The culture vessel set is used in a cell culture system in which cell culture is performed unmanned and automatically.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 4403169

[0004] When culturing cells, flasks are sometimes used as containers for holding culture media. When using such flasks in a cell culture system, if the flasks are overturned, transportation and various operations of the flasks are hindered. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of ease of handling of the flasks, it is preferable that the flasks can be easily attached and detached from the flask tray.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a flask tray, a flask unit, and a cell culture system that can stably hold flasks and allow flasks to be easily attached and detached.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the flask tray of the present disclosure comprises a flask body extending in an up-down direction around an axis, a mounting plate having a mounting surface on which a lidded flask having a lid portion fastened to the mouth of the flask body is placed, a plurality of leaf spring portions arranged circumferentially around the axis so as to extend upward from the mounting surface and capable of pressing the flask body radially inwardly of the axis, and a ring spring forming an annular shape extending circumferentially across the plurality of leaf spring portions and tightening the flask body from the outer periphery.

[0007] The flask tray of the present disclosure comprises a flask body extending in an up-down direction around an axis, a mounting plate having a mounting surface on which a flask having a lid portion fastened to the mouth of the flask body is placed, a support extending upward from the mounting plate, and a frame supported by the support above the mounting plate and surrounding the flask from a horizontal direction so that the flask can be placed on the mounting surface from above, the frame having a lid mounting portion capable of holding the lid portion, and the lid mounting portion having a hole that penetrates the frame in an up-down direction and has an inner diameter that allows the lower part of the lid portion to be inserted, and multiple protrusions that protrude from the inner surface of the hole and are arranged circumferentially.

[0008] The flask tray according to the present disclosure comprises a mounting plate having a mounting surface on which a flask is placed, a support column extending upward from the mounting plate, and a frame supported by the support column above the mounting plate and surrounding the flask horizontally so that the flask can be placed on the mounting surface from above, wherein the support column has a column-shaped support body extending in the vertical direction, a lower screw shaft protruding from the lower end of the support body, and an upper screw hole recessed from the upper end of the support body, wherein the mounting plate has a lower screw hole recessed from the mounting surface and into which the lower screw shaft can be fastened, and an insertion recess into which the lower end of the support body is inserted from above and fits, and the frame has an external fitting recess that is externally fitted onto the upper end of the support body from above, and a screw insertion hole that penetrates the frame in the vertical direction, and further comprises an upper screw that is inserted into the screw insertion hole from above and fastened to the upper screw hole to fix the support column and the frame.

[0009] The flask unit according to the present disclosure comprises the above flask tray and the flask.

[0010] The cell culture system of the present disclosure comprises the above-mentioned flask unit, a stocker that forms a storage area for storing the flask unit, an incubator that forms a culture area for performing culture operations on the flask unit, a clean bench that forms a liquid handling area for performing dispensing operations on the flask unit, and a transport device that transports the flask unit between the stocker, the incubator, and the clean bench.

[0011] According to the present disclosure, the flask can be stably held and can be easily attached and detached.

[0012] Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view showing a general configuration of a cell culture system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a flask unit of a cell culture system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a flask unit of a cell culture system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along IV-IV in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along V-V in Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along VI-VI in Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a portion of a flask unit according to a modified embodiment of an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 10 is a side view of a flask unit according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] First Embodiment Hereinafter, an 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, post-culture cell analysis, and the like, using a flask unit 1 (see Fig. 2) as a workpiece as a processing unit, and these processes are performed, for example, unmanned and automatically.

[0014] 2 and 3, the flask unit 1 has a plurality of (for example, two in this embodiment) flasks 2. 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.

[0015] <Cell Culture System> As shown in FIG. 1 , a cell culture system 100 includes a first stocker 110 and a second stocker 120 as stockers, an incubator 130 , a clean bench 140 , and a pass box 150 .

[0016] <First Stocker> The stocker is a facility for storing a plurality of flask units 1 and other works. An area within the stocker is designated as a first storage area R1. A rack capable of storing a large number of works is provided in the storage area. An operator can access the rack from outside via an opening / closing part (not shown).

[0017] <Second Stocker> The second stocker 120 is provided adjacent to the first stocker 110. The second stocker 120 is provided with equipment such as a base on which a workpiece can be placed so that the workpiece can be directly manually introduced into the clean bench 140, and a refrigerator-freezer in which cells can be frozen and culture medium can be stored so that they can be operated as needed.

[0018] <Incubator> The incubator 130 is a facility for growing cells in a culture solution. The area inside the incubator 130 is designated as the culture area R3. The atmosphere in the culture area R3 is controlled to a temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration suitable for cell culture. The culture area R3 is provided with a shaking stage that can shake multiple flask units 1 simultaneously.

[0019] <Clean bench> The clean bench 140 is a facility for performing various liquid manipulations and treatments on the flask unit 1. The area within the clean bench 140 is designated as a liquid manipulation area R4. The liquid manipulation area R4 is a highly clean, sterile space (biocleann room).

[0020] Various equipment such as a dispensing device, a filtering device, a sealing device, a waste liquid draining device, a workpiece discharging device, etc. are provided inside the clean bench 140. In addition, outside the clean bench 140, a culture medium supplying device capable of supplying culture medium to the dispensing device, a cell analysis device capable of analyzing the culture solution dispensed by the dispensing device, etc. are provided.

[0021] Here, the clean bench 140 is disposed adjacent to the first stocker 110 and the second stocker 120. A first stocker door 110a is provided within the first stocker 110, separating the first storage area R1 from the liquid handling area R4. When the first stocker door 110a is in an open state, the first storage area R1 and the liquid handling area R4 are in a connected state, allowing workpieces to be moved between these areas. When the first stocker door 110a is in a closed state, the first storage area R1 and the liquid handling area R4 are not connected to each other, and these areas are isolated from each other.

[0022] A second stocker door 120a is provided in the second stocker 120 to separate the second storage area R2 from the liquid handling area R4. When the second stocker door 120a is in an open state, the second storage area R2 and the liquid handling area R4 are in a connected state, allowing workpieces to be moved between these areas. When the second stocker door 120a is in a closed state, the second storage area R2 and the liquid handling area R4 are not in a connected state, and these areas are isolated from each other.

[0023] <Pass Box> The pass box 150 is installed 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 open, the incubation area R3 and the area inside the pass box 150 are in communication with each other. When the second pass door 150b is open, the liquid handling area R4 and the area inside the pass box 150 are in communication with each other. Therefore, opening and closing the first pass door 150a and the second pass door 150b switches between an isolated state between the incubation area R3 and the liquid handling area R4 and a state where workpieces can move between them. Note that the first pass door 150a and the second pass door 150b are never open at the same time. Therefore, the incubation area R3 and the liquid handling area R4 do not communicate with each other, and the atmospheric conditions of each area are maintained.

[0024] <Transportation Device> Each of the first storage area R1, second storage area R2, culture area R3, and liquid handling area R4 is provided with a transport robot that can move, for example, horizontally as a transport device. This allows workpieces to be moved between each area. The opening and closing of each door is coordinated with the operation of the transport robot, allowing workpieces to move between each area.

[0025] <Detailed Structure of Flask Unit> Next, the detailed structure of the flask unit 1 on which the flask 2 is mounted will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 7. The flask unit 1 is composed of the flask 2 and a flask tray 10.

[0026] <Flask> In this embodiment, a lidded Erlenmeyer flask is used as the flask 2. The flask 2 has a flask body 3 and a lid 7.

[0027] <Flask Body> The flask body 3 is a so-called Erlenmeyer flask. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , the flask body 3 is cylindrical and has a bottom, centered on a first axis O1 extending in the vertical direction V, and is open at the top. The first axis O1 is the central axis of the flask 2. The bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 is circular and centered on the first axis O1 in a plan view. The outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 rises upward from the outer periphery of the bottom surface 4. The outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 is conical, with its diameter decreasing upward and centered on the first axis O1. The upper part of the flask body 3 is provided with a cylindrical mouth 6 that is connected to the upper end of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2 and is centered on the first axis O1. The mouth 6 has a male thread formed on the outer peripheral surface 5 that twists around the first axis O1.

[0028] <Lid> The lid 7 has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an end face at the upper end. A slit and a filter are provided at the upper end of the lid. When attached to the flask body 3, the lid 7 extends in the vertical direction V about the first axis O1. The lid 7 has a circular outer shape in a cross section (horizontal cross section) perpendicular to the first axis O1. A female thread that twists around the first axis O1 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lid 7. The female thread of the lid 7 is screwed into the male thread of the mouth 6, thereby attaching the lid 7 to the flask body 3. This prevents contamination from above into the flask body. The lid 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 first axis O1. In this embodiment, clockwise rotation in a plan view is the attachment direction of the lid 7, and counterclockwise rotation in a plan view is the removal direction of the lid 7.

[0029] <Flask Tray> Various operations and transportation are performed on the flasks 2 configured as described above, with two flasks 2 being placed as a set on the flask tray 10. As shown in Figure 2, the flask tray 10 includes a mounting plate 20, a fixing structure 30, support columns 40, and a frame 50.

[0030] <Loading Plate> The loading plate 20 is a member on which the flask 2 is placed. The loading plate 20 has a flat plate shape extending in the horizontal direction, which is a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction V. The loading plate 20 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. Hereinafter, the short side direction of the loading plate 20 in a plan view will be referred to as a first direction D1. The short side direction of the loading plate 20 in a plan view will be referred to as a second direction D2.

[0031] The upper surface of the mounting plate 20 is a mounting surface 21 on which the flask 2 is placed. The lower surface of the mounting plate 20 is a back surface 22 on which a stage 160 (see FIG. 7 ) on various equipment of the cell culture system 100 is placed. A plurality of flasks 2 (two in this embodiment) are arranged in the second direction D2 with the bottom surfaces 4 of the flasks 2 abutting against the mounting plate 20. In other words, the juxtaposition direction of the plurality of flasks 2 coincides with the second direction D2. The plurality of flask bodies 3 are provided on the mounting plate 20 at positions biased to one side of the first direction D1.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 , the mounting plate 20 is formed with a plurality of positioning holes 23 that penetrate the mounting plate 20 from top to bottom. The positioning holes 23 are provided in pairs at positions offset toward the other side of the first direction D1 on the mounting plate 20, spaced apart in the second direction D2. One of the pair of positioning holes 23 is a first hole portion 23a that is perfectly circular in plan view. The other of the pair of positioning holes 23 is a second hole portion 23b that is elongated and extends in the second direction D2 in plan view. Note that the first hole portion 23a does not have to be strictly circular; for example, the circular shape indicates that it is circular while allowing for processing errors, processing roughness, etc., that may occur during drilling with a drill or reamer. Furthermore, the first hole portion may have a circular shape that is closer to a perfect circle than the elongated second hole portion.

[0033] <Fixing Structure> The fixing structure 30 is a structure for stably positioning the flask body 3 on the mounting surface 21 of the mounting plate 20. A plurality of fixing structures 30 (two in this embodiment) are provided spaced apart in the second direction D2 depending on the position of the flask 2. As shown in Figures 3 and 4 , each fixing structure 30 has a holding member 31, a mounting plate 32, a screw 33, an elastic ring 34, and a rotation prevention member 35.

[0034] <Holding Member> A plurality of holding members 31 (two in this embodiment) are provided on each fixing member. The holding members 31 are made of an elastically deformable material such as metal or resin. The holding members 31 are formed by bending a long flat plate. The holding member 31 has a base plate portion 31a, a bending portion 31b, a pair of leaf spring portions 31c, and a pair of gripping portions 31d.

[0035] The base plate portion 31a is a portion that extends along a horizontal plane in the diameter direction of the first axis O1. As shown in Fig. 3, the base plate portion 31a extends so as to intersect with the first axis O1 in a plan view. As shown in Fig. 4, the bent portions 31b are plate-shaped portions provided at both ends of the base plate portion 31a in the extension direction. The bent portions 31b are smoothly connected to both ends of the base plate portion 31a so as to be continuous and curved upward.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the leaf spring portion 31c is a flat portion connected to the upper ends of the pair of bent portions 31b. The leaf spring portion 31c is smoothly connected to the bent portions 31b and extends linearly, sloping radially inward about the first axis O1 as it extends upward. The leaf spring portion 31c is elastically deformable in the radial direction of the first axis O1, with the bent portions 31b as a fulcrum. The leaf spring portion 31c has a plate surface facing radially inward about the first axis O1 that can abut against the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3.

[0037] When the flask body 3 is placed on the mounting surface 21, the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 elastically deforms the leaf spring portion 31c radially outward, resulting in the plate surface of the leaf spring portion 31c pressing the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 with an elastic force.

[0038] The gripping portions 31d are connected to the upper ends of the pair of leaf spring portions 31c, respectively. The gripping portions 31d are smoothly connected to the upper ends of the leaf spring portions 31c so as to be continuous with each other. The gripping portions 31d are curved so as to bend back from the upper ends of the leaf spring portions 31c toward the radially outer side of the first axis O1, and their tips abut against the leaf spring portions 31c from the radially outer side of the first axis O1. In other words, the gripping portions 31d are loop-shaped, forming a hollow portion inside. The hollow portion extends in the circumferential direction of the first axis O1 or in the tangential direction of a circle centered on the first axis O1.

[0039] 3, a plurality of such holding members 31 are arranged at different angles in the circumferential direction of the first axis O1 in each fixing structure 30. In this embodiment, two holding members 31 are arranged at a 90° angle in each fixing structure 30. This results in a configuration in which a total of four leaf spring portions 31c abut against and press against the outer peripheral surface 5 of one flask body 3 from the radially outer side of the first axis O1.

[0040] <Loading Plate> The loading plate 32 is a disc-shaped member in a plan view, and is stacked from above on the loading surface 21 and the holding member 31 so that its center coincides with the first axis O1. That is, the base plate portion 31a of the holding member 31 is interposed between the loading plate 32 and the loading surface 21. The upper surface of the loading plate 32 is flat along a horizontal plane, and the bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 is placed on it. In this embodiment, the flask body 3 is placed on the loading surface 21 of the loading plate 20 via the loading plate 32. A plurality of bent portions 31b of the holding member 31 are arranged circumferentially spaced apart on the outer periphery of the loading plate 32.

[0041] <Screws> The screws 33 fix the mounting base 32 and the holding member 31 to the mounting plate 20. As shown in Fig. 4, the screws 33 extend along the first axis O1, penetrate the mounting base 32 downward from the upper surface of the mounting base 32, and also penetrate the base plate portion 31a of the holding member 31. The lower portions of the screws 33 are fastened to the mounting plate 20. The screws 33 are fastened to the mounting plate 20 by being rotated clockwise in a plan view. The screws 33 are removed from the mounting plate 20 by being rotated counterclockwise in a plan view. That is, in this embodiment, the clockwise rotation in a plan view of the screw 33 is the fastening direction, and the counterclockwise rotation in a plan view is the removal direction.

[0042] <Elastic Ring> The elastic ring 34 is a spring having an annular shape. The elastic ring 34 is configured so that, when expanded by an external force, it generates a biasing force in a direction that causes the diameter to contract. The elastic ring 34 is, for example, an annular ring formed by connecting both ends of a coil spring. That is, the elastic ring 34 is formed by winding a metal wire into a toroidal shape. Various configurations can be adopted for the elastic ring 34 as long as it is configured to generate a biasing force in the direction that causes the diameter to contract as described above.

[0043] The elastic ring 34 is arranged to surround the first axis O1. The elastic ring 34 is gripped by the gripping portions 31d of the holding member 31 at multiple circumferential locations. That is, the elastic ring 34 extends in the circumferential direction of the first axis O1 so as to pass through the hollow portions of the multiple gripping portions 31d. As a result, the elastic ring 34 is supported by the multiple gripping portions 31d. When the flask body 3 is placed on the mounting surface 21, the elastic ring 34 expands in diameter. As a result, the elastic ring 34 generates a biasing force in a direction that reduces the diameter. That is, the elastic ring 34 contacts the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3 over the entire circumferential direction of the first axis O1, clamping the outer peripheral surface 5.

[0044] 3 and 4 , the anti-rotation member 35 is fixed to the mounting surface 21 on the outer periphery of the flask body 3 so as to abut against the holding member 31 in the circumferential direction of the first axis O1. In this embodiment, a pair of anti-rotation members 35 is arranged so as to sandwich one of the plurality of holding members 31 of each fixing structure 30 from both sides in the circumferential direction. The anti-rotation member 35 in this embodiment is the head of a bolt fastened to the mounting plate 20. The anti-rotation member 35 is arranged so as to abut against one bent portion 31b of the holding member 31 from both sides in the circumferential direction of the first axis O1.

[0045] <Support> The support 40 is a rod-shaped member extending upward from above the mounting surface 21. A plurality of support 40 (four in this embodiment) is provided. Each support 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 heights of the upper ends of the multiple support 40 are the same.

[0046] <Frame> The frame 50 is supported above the mounting plate 20 by a plurality of support columns 40. Like the mounting plate 20, the frame 50 has a rectangular shape in a plan view with the first direction D1 as its short side and the second direction D2 as its long side. The outline shape of the frame 50 in a plan view is the same as that of the mounting plate 20. The upward surface of the frame 50 is a flat frame upper surface 51. The downward surface of the frame 50 is a flat frame lower surface 52. The upper ends of the support columns 40 are connected to the frame lower surface 52. As a result, the frame 50 is disposed above the mounting plate 20 and parallel to the mounting plate 20.

[0047] An opening 55 is formed in the frame 50, penetrating vertically. In a plan view, the opening 55 has a rectangular shape with the first direction D1 as the short side and the second direction D2 as the long side. The opening 55 extends in the second direction D2 at a position offset to one side of the frame 50 in the first direction D1. The flask 2 placed on the mounting surface 21 passes through the opening 55 vertically. In other words, the flask 2 on the mounting surface 21 is surrounded by the frame 50 from all sides in the horizontal direction.

[0048] <Connection Structure of Mounting Plate, Support Column, and Frame> Here, the connection structure of the mounting plate 20, support column 40, and frame 50 will be described with reference to Figure 5. The support column 40 has a support column main body 41, a lower screw shaft 41a, and an upper screw hole 41b. The support column main body 41 has a rod-shaped portion extending in the vertical direction V. The central axis of the support column main body 41 is the second axis O2. The cross-sectional shape of the support column main body 41 perpendicular to the second axis O2 is a circle centered on the second axis O2. The lower and upper ends of the support column main body 41 are each flat along a horizontal plane.

[0049] The lower screw shaft 41a is a portion that protrudes downward from the lower end of the pillar body 41 along the second axis O2. The outer diameter of the lower screw shaft 41a is smaller than the outer diameter of the pillar body 41. A male screw is formed around the second axis O2 on the outer peripheral surface 5 of the lower screw shaft 41a. The upper screw hole 41b is a portion that is recessed downward from the upper end of the pillar body 41 along the second axis O2. The inner diameter of the upper male screw hole is smaller than the outer diameter of the pillar body 41. A female screw is formed around the second axis O2 on the inner peripheral surface of the upper screw hole 41b.

[0050] An insertion recess 24 is formed at the connection point between the mounting surface 21 of the mounting plate 20 and the support 40, recessing downward from the mounting surface 21. The inner surface of the insertion recess 24 has a shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the support main body 41 perpendicular to the second axis O2 in a plan view. In this embodiment, the inner surface of the insertion recess 24 has a circular shape in a plan view. The insertion recess 24 has a shape that allows the support main body 41 to be inserted from above. The bottom surface of the insertion recess 24 is flat and extends along a horizontal plane. The lower end of the support main body 41 is fitted into the insertion recess 24. The lower end surface of the support main body 41 abuts against the bottom surface of the insertion recess 24.

[0051] A lower screw hole 25 extending further downward from the bottom surface is formed in the center of the bottom surface of the insertion recess 24 in the mounting plate 20. A female screw is formed on the inner surface of the lower screw hole 25, into which the lower screw shaft 41a of the support body 41 can be fastened.

[0052] An external fitting recess 53 recessed upward from the mounting surface 21 is formed at the connection point between the frame 50 and the support 40 on the frame underside 52. The inner peripheral surface of the external fitting recess 53 has a shape similar to the cross-sectional shape of the support main body 41 perpendicular to the second axis O2 in a plan view. In this embodiment, the plan view shape of the inner peripheral surface of the external fitting recess 53 is circular. The external fitting recess 53 has a shape that allows it to be externally fitted onto the upper end of the support main body 41 from above. The top surface of the external fitting recess 53 is flat and extends along a horizontal plane. The upper end of the support main body 41 is fitted into the external fitting recess 53. The upper end surface of the support main body 41 abuts against the top surface of the external fitting recess 53.

[0053] The frame 50 is formed with a screw insertion hole 54 that penetrates the frame upper surface 51 and the top surface of the external fitting recess 53 in the vertical direction V. At least the inner circumferential surface of the upper part of the screw insertion hole 54 is tapered, with the diameter decreasing downward. The inner diameter of the opening at the lower end of the screw insertion hole 54 toward the top surface of the external fitting recess 53 is smaller than that of the external fitting recess 53.

[0054] With the upper end of the support 40 fitted into the external fitting recess 53 of the frame 50, the support 40 is fixed to the frame 50 by an upper screw 42. The upper screw 42 has a head 42a and an upper male screw shaft 42b. The head 42a is inserted from above into a screw insertion hole 54 in the frame 50. The outer peripheral surface of the head 42a is tapered, decreasing in diameter as it extends downward, so that it can fit closely against the inner main surface of the screw insertion hole 54. The upper male screw shaft 42b extends downward from the lower end of the head 42a, and is male-threaded on its outer peripheral surface. The upper male screw shaft 42b is inserted into the upper screw hole 41b of the support main body 41 fitted into the external fitting recess 53 via the screw insertion hole 54, and fastened.

[0055] <Transfer Hole> A pair of transfer holes 56 are formed on each of the edges on both sides in the first direction D1 of the frame 50, spaced apart in the second direction D2. The transfer holes 56 are holes that penetrate the frame 50 in the up-down direction V. The claws of the arm of a transfer robot are inserted from below into the transfer holes 56, which are inserted below the edges along both sides of the frame 50 in the first direction D1. This allows the flask unit 1 to be transported within the cell culture system 100.

[0056] <Lid Rest> The lid rest 60 is a portion capable of holding the lid 7 removed from the flask body 3. Two lid rests 60 are provided at intervals in the second direction D2 in an area biased toward the other side of the first direction D1 on the frame 50. The lid rest 60 in this embodiment is constituted by a hole 61 and a protrusion 62 formed in the frame 50.

[0057] 3 and 6 , the hole 61 is formed to penetrate vertically from the upper frame surface 51 to the lower frame surface 52 of the frame 50. The hole 61 is circular in plan view. That is, the hole 61 extends in the vertical direction V about a third axis O3 that passes through the center of the circle in plan view. The inner diameter of the hole 61 corresponds to the outer diameter of the lid portion 7 and is set to, for example, be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the lid portion 7. This allows the lid portion 7 to be inserted into the hole 61.

[0058] <Convex portion> The convex portion 62 is configured to protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the hole 61 radially inward about the third axis O3. A plurality of convex portions 62 are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, a total of four convex portions 62 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 6 , the upper surface of each convex portion 62 is inclined downward as it extends radially inward about the third axis O3. Each convex portion 62 has a tapered shape in which the circumferential dimension decreases as it extends radially inward.

[0059] <Operation and Effect> When attaching the flask 2 of this embodiment to the flask tray 10, the bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 is inserted by screwing it into the elastic ring 34. At this time, the elastic ring 34 expands in diameter, and as the elastic ring 34 expands in diameter, each of the plurality of leaf spring portions 31c elastically deforms radially outward about the first axis O1. This forms a passage sufficient to move the flask 2 onto the mounting surface 21. When the bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 is placed on the mounting surface 21, the elastic ring 34 attempts to contract in diameter in accordance with the tapered surface shape of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3, and further, the leaf spring portions 31c attempt to return radially inward about the first axis O1.

[0060] The outer diameter position at the height where the elastic ring 34 and the leaf spring portion 31c contact the outer surface 5 of the flask body 3 is located radially outward from the initial positions of the elastic ring 34 and the leaf spring portion 31c. Therefore, the elastic ring 34 and the leaf spring portion 31c are positioned radially outward from the initial positions of the elastic ring 34 and the leaf spring portion 31c. As a result, the elastic ring 34 abuts against the outer surface 5 of the flask body 3, clamping and holding the outer surface 5. Furthermore, the leaf spring portion 31c of the flask body 3 presses the flask body 3 radially inward from the first axis O1. This allows the flask body 3 to be fixed by both the clamping force of the elastic ring 34 and the biasing force of the leaf spring portion 31c. Therefore, the flask 2 can be held more stably while preventing misalignment.

[0061] When removing the flask 2 from the flask tray 10, the flask 2 is pulled upward from the flask tray 10. This causes the elastic ring 34 to elastically deform so as to expand in diameter in accordance with the tapered shape of the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask body 3, and the leaf spring portion 31c also elastically deforms radially outward from the first axis O1. This creates a passageway sufficient to move the flask 2 upward. As a result, the flask 2 can be easily removed from the flask tray 10.

[0062] Thus, according to this embodiment, the plate spring portion 31c and the ring spring are each configured to elastically deform in the radial direction of the flask 2, making it easy to place the flask 2 on the flask tray 10 and remove it from the flask tray 10.

[0063] In addition, in this embodiment, a leaf spring portion 31c is formed on the holding member 31, and the holding member 31 is fixed to the mounting surface 21 with screws 33, so that the leaf spring portion 31c can be easily positioned at the desired position.

[0064] When a dispensing operation is performed on the flask unit 1 using, for example, a dispensing device, the lid 7 is attached to or detached from the flask body 3. This attachment / detachment operation is performed by rotating the lid 7 about the first axis O1. At this time, the torque caused by this rotation is applied to the holding member 31 via the flask body 3. If no countermeasures are taken, this torque will rotate the holding member 31 and the screw 33 that secures the holding member 31. As a result, the screw 33 may become tightly fastened, or the screw 33 may become loose.

[0065] In contrast, in this embodiment, anti-rotation members 35 are provided to sandwich the holding member 31 from both sides in the circumferential direction of the first axis O1. Therefore, even if the holding member 31 attempts to rotate, the rotation is restricted by the anti-rotation members 35 that exist in the rotation direction. Therefore, the screw 33 will not rotate inadvertently.

[0066] In particular, in this embodiment, the anti-rotation member 35 is provided on the holding member 31 on the side opposite to both the mounting direction of the lid portion 7 and the fastening direction of the screw 33, thereby preventing the screw 33 from loosening and falling off. This eliminates the need to retighten the screw 33, improving maintainability.

[0067] Furthermore, the presence of the mounting plate 20 prevents direct contact between the bottom of the flask body 3 and the base plate portion 31a of the holding member 31. This prevents damage such as scratches on the flask body 3. Furthermore, by appropriately adjusting the thickness of the mounting plate 20, the height of the mouth portion 6 of the flask body 3 can be changed as desired. This improves the ease of handling of the flask 2 in various devices.

[0068] Furthermore, by providing the lid rests 60 corresponding to the placement locations of the flask bodies 3, the corresponding relationship between the flask bodies 3 and the lids 7 can be maintained. This makes it possible to avoid mistaking the flask bodies 3 for the lids 7, thereby preventing contamination. Furthermore, by configuring the lid rests 60 with the holes 61 and the protrusions 62, it is possible to prevent, for example, liquid adhering to the lids 7 from accumulating on the lid rests 60. This ensures hygiene.

[0069] Furthermore, when assembling the flask unit 1, the support 40 is inserted from above into the insertion recess 24 of the mounting plate 20 and butted against it, and then the outer fitting recess 53 of the frame 50 is fitted from above onto the support 40 and butted against it. This makes it possible to improve the positioning accuracy of the mounting plate 20, the support 40, and the frame 50, and also makes assembly easy.

[0070] Furthermore, during assembly, the support columns 40 are accessed from above the mounting plate 20, and then the frame 50 is accessed from above the support columns 40, and then the upper screws 42 are attached from above. By configuring the assembly to be entirely accessed from above in this way, the workload can be reduced. Also, since there is no need to fasten the screws from below, it is possible to prevent the screws from falling out.

[0071] When placing the flask unit 1 in various pieces of equipment in the cell culture system 100, it is necessary to position the flask unit 1 in an appropriate location. In this embodiment, for example, as shown in Figure 7, positioning pins 161 are provided on stages 160 of the various pieces of equipment. The flask unit 1 is positioned by fitting these positioning pins 161 into two positioning holes 23 in the mounting plate 20.

[0072] In this embodiment, the positioning can be easily performed because one of the first hole 23a and the second hole 23b serving as the positioning hole is elongated. While it is necessary to simultaneously fit two positioning holes onto both of the two positioning pins 161, the elongated second hole 23b allows for a margin of error corresponding to the range of the elongated hole. This allows the flask unit 1 to be positioned on the stage 160 while allowing for system assembly errors and component processing errors. Furthermore, if both the first hole 23a and the second hole 23b were elongated, positioning accuracy would not be guaranteed. However, because the first hole 23a is formed closer to a perfect circle than the second hole 23b, positioning accuracy can be ensured thanks to the contribution of the first hole 23a.

[0073] <Other Embodiments> Although each embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like are also included within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0074] For example, as shown in FIG. 8 , a tag reader 70 may be provided on the flask tray 10. The tag reader 70 has a support portion 71 and a tag reader main body 72. The support portion 71 is fixed to the frame lower surface 52. The support portion 71 is provided at the center in the arrangement direction of the pair of flasks 2. Various information about the flask unit 1 is stored in the tag reader main body 72. The tag reader main body 72 is provided on the other side of the support portion 71 in the first direction D1 (the front side of the paper in FIG. 8 ). In other words, the tag reader main body 72 faces the opposite side from the flask unit 1, that is, is located in a position accessible from outside the flask unit 1. This makes it easy to perform the tag reader 70 reading process.

[0075] Furthermore, the tag reader 70 is disposed above and spaced from the mounting plate 20. This prevents the tag reader 70 from interfering with the visibility of the culture solution in the flask body 3.

[0076] In the embodiment, two holding members 31 are provided, but only one holding member 31 may be provided, or three or more holding members 31 may be provided. Also, although each holding member 31 is configured such that the leaf spring portion 31c and the grip portion 31d are provided at both ends of the base plate portion 31a, this is not limited to this. The leaf spring portion 31c and the grip portion 31d may be provided at only one end of the base plate portion 31a. The grip portion 31d is not limited to the configuration in the embodiment, and various configurations may be adopted as long as it is configured to support the elastic ring 34.

[0077] In the embodiment, the flask unit 1 is described as being capable of mounting two flasks 2, but this is not limiting. It may be configured to be capable of mounting only one flask 2 or three or more flasks 2. The hole 61 of the lid rest 60 does not necessarily have to penetrate the frame 50. That is, the hole 61 may be formed as a recess that is recessed from above. Furthermore, the hole 61 as a recess may be formed with a small-diameter through-portion that penetrates in the vertical direction V, and the configuration may be such that stagnation of liquid is prevented through the through-portion.

[0078] <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.

[0079] (1) The flask tray 10 of the first embodiment comprises a flask body 3 extending in the vertical direction V around an axis, and a mounting plate 20 having a mounting surface 21 on which a flask 2 having a lid portion 7 fastened to the mouth portion 6 of the flask body 3 is placed; a plurality of leaf spring portions 31c arranged in the circumferential direction of the axis so as to extend upward from the mounting surface 21 and capable of pressing the flask body 3 radially inward of the axis; and a ring spring that forms a ring shape extending in the circumferential direction across the plurality of leaf spring portions 31c and is capable of tightening the flask body 3 from the outer periphery.

[0080] With this configuration, the flask 2 can be stably placed by being pressed radially inward by the leaf spring portion 31c. Furthermore, the ring spring tightens and holds the outer peripheral surface 5 of the flask 2, thereby preventing the flask 2 from shifting in position and holding it even more stably. Because the leaf spring portion 31c and the ring spring are each configured to elastically deform in the radial direction of the flask 2, the flask 2 can be easily placed on and removed from the flask tray 10.

[0081] (2) The flask tray 10 according to the second aspect is the flask tray 10 of (1), which comprises a holding member 31 having a base plate portion 31a interposed between the bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 and the mounting surface 21, and the plate spring portion 31c whose lower end is elastically deformably connected to the base plate portion 31a, a screw 33 extending along the axis and fixing the base plate portion 31a to the mounting plate 20, and a rotation prevention member 35 provided on the mounting surface 21 and abutting against the holding member 31 from the circumferential direction.

[0082] This allows the leaf spring portion 31c to be easily positioned, and also prevents the screw 33 from rotating due to the torque generated when attaching or detaching the lid portion 7 to the flask body 3.

[0083] (3) The flask tray 10 according to the third aspect is the flask tray 10 of (2) in which the lid portion 7 is fastened to the mouth portion 6 by rotating in one circumferential direction, the screw 33 fixes the base plate portion 31a by rotating to one side in the circumferential direction, and the anti-rotation member 35 abuts against the holding member 31 from the other side in the circumferential direction.

[0084] This makes it possible to prevent the holding member 31 from falling off due to the torque applied when removing the lid portion 7 from the flask 2.

[0085] (4) The flask tray 10 according to the fourth aspect is a flask tray 10 according to (2) or (3), further comprising a mounting plate 32 that is stacked from above on the base plate portion 31a on the mounting surface 21 and against which the bottom surface 4 of the flask body 3 abuts, and the screw 33 fixes the mounting plate 32 together with the base plate portion 31a to the mounting plate 20.

[0086] This makes it possible to prevent the flask 2 from coming into direct contact with the holding member 31. In addition, the height position of the flask 2 placed on the flask tray 10 can also be adjusted.

[0087] (5) The flask tray 10 of the fifth aspect comprises a support 40 extending upward from the mounting plate 20, and a frame 50 supported by the support 40 above the mounting plate 20 and surrounding the flask 2 horizontally so that the flask 2 can be placed on the mounting surface 21 from above, and the frame 50 is any of the flask trays 10 of (1) to (4) having a lid mounting portion 60 capable of holding the lid portion 7.

[0088] This allows the lid portion 7 to be handled in association with the flask body 3 when the lid portion 7 is removed.

[0089] (6) The flask unit 1 of the sixth aspect is a flask tray 10 of (5), in which the lid rest portion 60 has a hole 61 that penetrates the frame 50 in the vertical direction V and into which the lid portion 7 can be inserted, and a plurality of protrusions 62 that protrude from the inner surface of the hole 61 and are provided circumferentially.

[0090] This prevents the culture medium and the like adhering to the lid portion 7 from remaining in the flask tray 10.

[0091] (7) The flask unit 1 according to the seventh aspect is a flask tray 10 according to (5) or (6), in which the support 40 has a columnar support body 41 extending in the vertical direction V, a lower screw shaft 41a protruding from the lower end of the support body 41, and an upper screw hole 41b recessed from the upper end of the support body 41, the mounting plate 20 has a lower screw hole 25 recessed from the mounting surface 21 and into which the lower screw shaft 41a can be fastened, and the frame 50 has a screw insertion hole 54 penetrating the frame 50 in the vertical direction V at a horizontal position corresponding to the support 40, and further includes an upper screw 42 that is inserted into the screw insertion hole 54 from above and fastened to the upper screw hole 41b to fix the support 40 and the frame 50.

[0092] As a result, when assembling the flask unit 1, the support 40 is inserted into the mounting plate 20 from above, and then the frame 50 is fitted onto the support 40 from above. This makes assembly easy. Furthermore, since there is no need to fasten screws from below, it is possible to prevent the screws from falling off.

[0093] (8) The flask tray 10 according to the eighth aspect is a flask tray 10 of any one of (5) to (7), in which the mounting plate 20 has an insertion recess 24 into which the lower end of the support body 41 is inserted from above and fitted, and the frame 50 has an external fitting recess 53 that is externally fitted onto the upper end of the support body 41 from above.

[0094] This improves the positioning accuracy of the mounting plate 20 and the frame 50 relative to the support 40 .

[0095] (9) The flask tray 10 of the ninth aspect is a flask tray 10 of any one of (1) to (8), having a plurality of positioning holes penetrating the above-mentioned mounting plate 20 in the vertical direction V, and the plurality of positioning holes including a first hole portion 23a that is circular in a planar view and a second hole portion 23b that is elongated in a planar view.

[0096] This makes it possible to easily position the flask tray 10 on the various stages 160 while allowing for system assembly errors and component processing errors.

[0097] (10) The flask tray 10 according to the tenth aspect is any of the flask trays 10 of (1) to (9), further comprising a tag reader 70 fixed to the underside of the frame 50 and positioned above and spaced apart from the placement surface 21.

[0098] This allows management of each flask tray 10. In addition, the tag reader 70 itself can be prevented from interfering with the visibility of the culture medium in the flask tray 10.

[0099] (11) The flask tray 10 according to the eleventh aspect comprises a flask body 3 extending in the vertical direction around an axis, a mounting plate 20 having a mounting surface 21 on which a flask 2 having a lid portion 7 fastened to the mouth 6 of the flask body 3 is placed, a support 40 extending upward from the mounting plate 20, and a frame 50 supported by the support 40 above the mounting plate 20 and surrounding the flask 2 from the horizontal direction so that the flask 2 can be placed on the mounting surface 21 from above, wherein the frame 50 has a lid mounting portion 60 capable of holding the lid portion 7, and the lid mounting portion 60 has a hole 61 that penetrates the frame 50 in the vertical direction V and has an inner diameter that allows the lower part of the lid portion 7 to be inserted, and a plurality of protrusions 62 that protrude from the inner surface of the hole 61 and are arranged circumferentially.

[0100] (12) A flask tray 10 according to an eleventh aspect includes a mounting plate 20 having a mounting surface 21 on which a flask 2 is placed, a support 40 extending upward from the mounting plate 20, and a frame 50 supported by the support 40 above the mounting plate 20 and surrounding the flask 2 from a horizontal direction so that the flask 2 can be placed on the mounting surface 21 from above. The support 40 includes a columnar support body 41 extending in a vertical direction V, a lower screw shaft 41a protruding from the lower end of the support body 41, and an upper screw shaft 41b recessed from the upper end of the support body 41. The mounting plate 20 has a lower screw hole 25 that is recessed from the mounting surface 21 and into which the lower screw shaft 41a can be fastened, and an insertion recess 24 into which the lower end of the support main body 41 is inserted from above and fits, and the frame 50 has an external fitting recess 53 that is externally fitted onto the upper end of the support main body 41 from above, and a screw insertion hole 54 that penetrates the frame 50 in the vertical direction V, and further includes an upper screw 42 that fixes the support 40 and the frame 50 by being inserted into the screw insertion hole 54 from above and fastened to the upper screw hole 41b.

[0101] (13) The flask unit 1 according to the thirteenth aspect comprises a flask tray 10 according to any one of (1) to (12) and the flask 2.

[0102] (14) A cell culture system 100 according to a fourteenth aspect includes a flask unit 1 of (13), a stocker forming a storage area for storing the flask unit 1, an incubator 130 forming a culture area R3 for performing culture operations on the flask unit 1, a clean bench 140 forming a liquid handling area R4 for performing dispensing operations on the flask unit 1, and a transport device for transporting the flask unit 1 between the stocker, the incubator 130, and the clean bench 140.

[0103] According to the present disclosure, the flask can be stably held and can be easily attached and detached.

[0104] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Flask unit 2 Flask 3 Flask body 4 Bottom surface 5 Outer circumferential surface 6 Mouth portion 7 Lid portion 10 Flask tray 20 Mounting plate 21 Mounting surface 22 Back surface 23 Positioning hole 23a First hole portion 23b Second hole portion 24 Insertion recess 25 Lower screw hole 30 Fixing structure 31 Holding member 31a Base plate portion 31b Bending portion 31c Leaf spring portion 31d Grip portion 32 Mounting plate 33 Screw 34 Elastic ring 35 Rotation prevention member 40 Support 41 Support body 41a Lower screw shaft 41b Upper screw hole 42 Upper screw 42a Head portion 42b Upper male screw shaft 50 Frame 51 Frame upper surface 52 Frame lower surface 53 External fitting recess 54 Screw insertion hole 55 Opening 56 Transfer hole 60 Lid rest 61 Hole 62 Convex portion 70 Tag reader 71 Support portion 72 Tag reader main body 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 160 Stage 161 Positioning pin R1 First storage area R2 Second storage area R3 Culture area R4 Liquid handling area D1 First direction D2 Second direction V Up / down direction O1 First axis O2 Second axis O3 Third axis

Claims

1. A flask tray comprising: a placement plate having a placement surface on which a flask having a flask body extending vertically about an axis and a lid fastened to the mouth of the flask body is placed; a plurality of leaf spring portions provided in the circumferential direction of the axis so as to extend upward from the placement surface and capable of pressing the flask body inward in the radial direction of the axis; and an annular ring spring extending in the circumferential direction across the plurality of leaf spring portions and capable of clamping the flask body from the outer peripheral side.

2. A holding member having a base plate portion interposed between the bottom surface of the flask body and the placement surface, and the leaf spring portion having a lower end elastically deformably connected to the base plate portion; a screw extending along the axis and fixing the base plate portion to the placement plate; and a stopper member provided on the placement surface and abutting against the holding member from the circumferential direction. The flask tray according to claim 1.

3. The lid is fastened to the mouth by being rotated in one direction in the circumferential direction; the screw fixes the base plate portion by being rotated in one side in the circumferential direction; and the stopper member abuts against the holding member from the other side in the circumferential direction. The flask tray according to claim 2.

4. Further comprising a placement disk provided so as to be laminated on the base plate portion from above on the placement surface and having a bottom surface of the flask body abutting from above; and the screw fixes the placement disk to the placement plate together with the base plate portion. The flask tray according to claim 2.

5. A support column extending upward from the placement plate; and a frame supported by the support column above the placement plate and surrounding the flask horizontally so that the flask can be placed on the placement surface from above. The flask tray according to claim 1, wherein the frame has a lid placement portion capable of holding the lid.

6. The lid placement portion has a hole penetrating the frame in the vertical direction and having an inner diameter into which the lower portion of the lid can be inserted; and a plurality of convex portions protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the hole and provided in the circumferential direction. The flask tray according to claim 5.

7. The column has a column main body extending in the vertical direction, a lower screw shaft protruding from the lower end of the column main body, and an upper screw hole recessed from the upper end of the column main body. The placement plate has a lower screw hole that is recessed from the placement surface and into which the lower screw shaft can be fastened. The frame has a screw insertion hole that penetrates the frame in the vertical direction at a horizontal position corresponding to the column. The flask tray according to claim 5 further includes an upper screw that is inserted into the screw insertion hole from above and fastened to the upper screw hole to fix the column and the frame.

8. The placement plate has an insertion recess into which the lower end of the column main body is inserted and fitted from above. The frame has an outer fitting recess that is externally fitted to the upper end of the column main body from above. The flask tray according to any one of claims 7.

9. The placement plate has a plurality of positioning holes penetrating in the vertical direction. The plurality of positioning holes include a first hole portion having a circular shape in plan view and a second hole portion having a long hole shape in plan view. The flask tray according to claim 1.

10. The flask tray according to claim 5 further includes a tag reader that is fixed to the lower surface of the frame and is disposed spaced above the placement surface.

11. A placement plate having a placement surface on which a flask having a flask main body extending in the vertical direction about an axis and a lid portion fastened to the mouth portion of the flask main body is placed, a column extending upward from the placement plate, and a frame that is supported by the column above the placement plate and surrounds the flask in the horizontal direction so that the flask can be placed on the placement surface from above. The frame has a lid placement portion capable of holding the lid portion. The lid placement portion has a hole that penetrates the frame in the vertical direction and has an inner diameter into which the lower portion of the lid portion can be inserted, and a plurality of convex portions protruding from the inner peripheral surface of the hole and provided in the circumferential direction. The flask tray.

12. A mounting plate having a mounting surface on which a flask is placed, a support column extending upward from the mounting plate, and a frame that is supported by the support column above the mounting plate and surrounds the flask horizontally from above so that the flask can be placed on the mounting surface from above. The support column has a columnar support column body extending in the vertical direction, a lower screw shaft protruding from the lower end of the support column body, and an upper screw hole recessed from the upper end of the support column body. The mounting plate has a lower screw hole that is recessed from the mounting surface and into which the lower screw shaft can be fastened, and an insertion recess into which the lower end of the support column body is inserted and fitted from above. The frame has an outer fitting recess that is externally fitted to the upper end of the support column body from above, and a screw insertion hole that penetrates the frame in the vertical direction. The flask tray further includes an upper screw that is inserted into the screw insertion hole from above and fastened to the upper screw hole to fix the support column and the frame.

13. A flask unit comprising the flask tray according to any one of claims 1 to 12 and the flask.

14. A cell culture system comprising the flask unit according to claim 13, a stocker that forms a storage area for storing the flask unit, an incubator that forms a culture area for performing a culture operation on the flask unit, a clean bench that forms a liquid operation area for performing a dispensing operation on the flask unit, and a transport device that transports the flask unit across the stocker, the incubator, and the clean bench.

Images