Solution preparation device

Abstract

The present invention provides a solution preparation device for continuously supplying a solvent and a powder to a mixing container via a solvent supply channel and a powder supply channel, respectively, and mixing the solvent with the powder in the mixing container to thereby prepare a solution at a set concentration, the solution preparation device comprising a gas supply mechanism for supplying a gas to the powder supply channel, the gas supply mechanism generating a flow of gas along the inner wall surface of the powder supply channel.

Description

Solution preparation device

[0001] The technology of the present disclosure relates to a solution preparation device.

[0002] Solution preparation devices are widely used that continuously supply a solvent and a powder to a mixing container through a solvent supply line and a powder supply line, and mix the solvent and the powder in the mixing container to prepare a solution of a set concentration. The solvent is, for example, purified water such as pure water, the powder is, for example, a powdered culture medium, and the solution is, for example, a culture medium (culture solution).

[0003] In solution preparation devices, various problems occur, such as powder adhering to the inner wall surface of the powder supply passage, narrowing the powder supply passage or, in the worst case, clogging the passage, or the sudden drop of solidified powder into a mixing container, resulting in poor concentration control. These problems are exacerbated when the powder absorbs moisture that evaporates from the mixing container. Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 62-160129, 2001-025650, and 2007-152343 describe technologies that supply gas to the radial center of the powder supply passage to prevent moisture from entering from the mixing container.

[0004] The techniques described in JP 62-160129 A, JP 2001-025650 A, and JP 2007-152343 A can prevent moisture from entering the powder supply path from the mixing container, but because the powder is blown onto the inner wall surface by the gas flowing through the center of the powder supply path, they are not very effective in preventing the powder from adhering to the inner wall surface of the powder supply path. In particular, in the case of powders with high adhesiveness and low fluidity, such as powder culture media, the powder is more likely to adhere to the inner wall surface of the powder supply path, so a fundamental solution was desired.

[0005] One embodiment of the technique of the present disclosure provides a solution preparation device that can suppress adhesion of powder to an inner wall surface of a powder supply path.

[0006] The solution preparation device disclosed herein is a solution preparation device that continuously supplies a solvent and a powder to a mixing container through a solvent supply path and a powder supply path, and mixes the solvent and powder in the mixing container to prepare a solution of a set concentration, and is equipped with a gas supply mechanism that supplies gas to the powder supply path and generates a gas flow along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path.

[0007] The gas supply mechanism preferably includes a gas supply path having a gas outlet facing the inlet of the powder supply path, and a straightening member disposed between the inlet and the outlet to straighten the flow of gas flowing out from the outlet into a flow along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path.

[0008] The flow straightening member is preferably a plate-like member in which the first hole, through which the gas flowing out from the outlet passes, is formed along the shape of the inlet.

[0009] The first hole is preferably an annular slit.

[0010] The first holes are preferably a plurality of circular holes.

[0011] It is preferable that the plate-like member also has a second hole formed in a position opposite to the center of the inlet, through which gas passes.

[0012] It is preferable that the straightening member includes a plate-like member having a hole for passing gas formed in a position opposite the center of the inlet, and a cover member that moves between a closing position that closes the hole and an opening position that opens the hole.

[0013] It is preferable that the cover member moves between the closed position and the open position in conjunction with the movement of a feeder that introduces the powder stored in the hopper into the powder supply passage.

[0014] The gas supply mechanism includes a gas supply path having a gas outlet facing the inlet of the powder supply path, and the gas supply path is preferably positioned at a position where the flow of gas flowing out from the outlet flows along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path.

[0015] The mixing vessel is preferably equipped with a gas exhaust port.

[0016] Preferably, the solvent is purified water, the powder is a powder medium, and the solution is a medium.

[0017] Preferably, the medium is continuously fed from the mixing vessel to the culture tank.

[0018] According to the technique of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a solution preparation device that can suppress adhesion of powder to the inner wall surface of the powder supply passage.

[0019] 1 is a diagram showing a culture medium preparation device and a culture tank. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the internal structure of a powdered culture medium supplying device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the vicinity of the inlet of the powdered culture medium supply path. FIG. 4 is a top view of a plate-shaped member in which a ring-shaped slit is formed along the shape of the inlet of the powdered culture medium supply path. FIG. 5 is a table showing an example, comparative example A, and comparative example B when three types of powders, namely salt, powdered culture medium A, and powdered culture medium B, are used. FIG. 6 is a top view of a plate-shaped member in which a plurality of circular holes are formed along the shape of the inlet of the powdered culture medium supply path. FIG. 7 is a top view of a plate-shaped member in which a plurality of circular holes are formed along the shape of the inlet of the powdered culture medium supply path and also in a position facing the center of the inlet. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a plate-shaped member having a protruding center. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a flow rectifying member including a plate-shaped member and a cover member, with the cover in a closed position that closes the holes formed in the plate-shaped member. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow rectifying member including a plate-shaped member and a cover member, with the cover in an open position that opens the holes formed in the plate-shaped member. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a plurality of gas supply paths are arranged side by side along the inlet of the powdered culture medium supply path. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a plurality of gas supply passages are arranged in line along the inlet of the powdered culture medium supply passage.

[0020] [First embodiment] As shown in FIG. 1 as an example, a culture medium preparation apparatus 10 prepares a culture medium CM. The culture medium preparation apparatus 10 is connected to a culture tank 11 and continuously supplies the prepared culture medium CM to the culture tank 11. The culture medium preparation apparatus 10 is an example of a "solution preparation apparatus" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The culture medium CM is an example of a "solution" according to the technology of the present disclosure. Note that FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the culture medium preparation apparatus 10 is directly connected to the culture tank 11, but this is not limiting. A tank for temporarily storing the culture medium CM may be provided between the culture medium preparation apparatus 10 and the culture tank 11.

[0021] Culture tank 11 is seeded with, for example, Chinese hamster ovary cells into which an antibody gene has been incorporated. In culture tank 11, the Chinese hamster ovary cells are cultured in culture medium CM. As described above, culture medium CM is continuously supplied to culture tank 11 from culture medium preparation device 10, and therefore the culture of Chinese hamster ovary cells carried out in culture tank 11 is perfusion culture. Culture tank 11 is connected to a purification device (not shown). The purification device purifies the antibodies produced by the Chinese hamster ovary cells during the culture process and uses them as active pharmaceutical ingredients for antibody pharmaceuticals.

[0022] The culture medium preparation device 10 includes a pure water storage tank 15, a mixing container 16, a powder culture medium supply device 17, and a gas supply device 18. The pure water storage tank 15 stores pure water PW. The pure water PW is an example of the "solvent" and "purified water" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0023] One end of a pure water supply channel 19 is connected to the pure water storage tank 15. The other end of the pure water supply channel 19 is connected to the mixing container 16. The pure water supply channel 19 is an example of a "solvent supply channel" according to the technology of the present disclosure. A pump and a flow meter (both not shown) are provided in the pure water supply channel 19. When the pump is driven, the pure water PW in the pure water storage tank 15 is supplied to the mixing container 16 through the pure water supply channel 19. The flow meter measures the flow rate of the pure water PW passing through the pure water supply channel 19. The pump is driven and controlled so that the flow rate on the flow meter becomes a set amount.

[0024] The mixing container 16 has, for example, a wide cylindrical shape and is a container for mixing pure water PW and powdered medium PM to prepare a medium CM of a set concentration. A powdered medium supply path 20, through which the powdered medium PM is supplied from a powdered medium supply device 17, is connected to the top of the mixing container 16. An exhaust port 21 is also provided at the top of the mixing container 16 for discharging gas from the mixing container 16 to the outside. The exhaust port 21 incorporates a filter 22. The filter 22 purifies the gas discharged from the exhaust port 21 to the outside. More specifically, the filter 22 removes powdered medium PM present in the gas discharged from the exhaust port 21 to the outside. The powdered medium PM is an example of a "powder" according to the technology disclosed herein. The powdered medium supply path 20 is also an example of a "powder supply path" according to the technology disclosed herein.

[0025] The powdered culture medium supplying device 17 continuously supplies a set amount of powdered culture medium PM to the mixing container 16 through a powdered culture medium supply path 20. The powdered culture medium supplying device 17 is composed of a hopper 25 that stores the powdered culture medium PM and a feeder 26 that supplies the powdered culture medium PM in the hopper 25 to the powdered culture medium supply path 20. The hopper 25 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. A cartridge (not shown) containing the powdered culture medium PM is attached to the hopper 25. The cartridge is replaceable. The powdered culture medium PM is introduced from the cartridge into the hopper 25 without coming into contact with outside air. This maintains the sterility of the powdered culture medium PM.

[0026] The feeder 26 is provided below the hopper 25. The feeder 26 is controlled and driven to continuously supply a set amount of powdered medium PM to the powdered medium supply path 20. The powdered medium supply path 20 is connected to the feeder 26, where the hopper 25 is provided, at a position offset from the center to the edge. Although not shown, an agitator is installed inside the hopper 25 to break up ratholes that occur during long-term use. To improve the supply of powdered medium PM, the diameter of the hopper 25 may be narrowed toward the feeder 26, or the inner wall of the hopper 25 may be provided with a slipping finish.

[0027] The gas supply device 18 includes a compressor that generates compressed gas, a dehumidifier that dehumidifies the compressed gas, and a tank that stores the dehumidified compressed gas. The gas supply device 18 continuously supplies the compressed gas stored in the tank to the feeder 26 through a gas supply path 27 while the culture medium CM is being prepared. The source gas of the compressed gas is, for example, air or a so-called inert gas such as nitrogen gas or argon gas. The gas supply device 18 and the gas supply path 27, together with a plate-like member 56 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ), described below, constitute a "gas supply mechanism" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0028] The mixing vessel 16 is placed on the agitator 30. A stirrer 31 is placed in the mixing vessel 16. The stirrer 31 has a long, thin, cocoon-like shape with both ends rounded and a slightly bulging center. A magnet is built into the stirrer 31. The agitator 30 generates a magnetic force to rotate the stirrer 31. The agitator 30 rotates the stirrer 31 at a set rotation speed, mixing the pure water PW and the powdered medium PM to produce the medium CM.

[0029] One end of a culture medium supply channel 32 is connected to the mixing vessel 16. The other end of the culture medium supply channel 32 is connected to the culture tank 11. Similar to the pure water supply channel 19, the culture medium supply channel 32 is provided with a pump and a flow meter (both not shown). When the pump is driven, the culture medium CM in the mixing vessel 16 is supplied to the culture tank 11 through the culture medium supply channel 32. The flow meter measures the flow rate of the culture medium CM passing through the culture medium supply channel 32. The pump is driven and controlled so that the flow rate on the flow meter becomes a set amount.

[0030] The flow rates of the pure water PW and the culture medium CM are set to values ​​that will keep the amount of liquid in the mixing container 16 constant from start to finish. More specifically, the flow rate of the culture medium CM is set according to the combined flow rate of the pure water PW and the supply amount of the powder culture medium PM. In practice, the weight of the mixing container 16 is measured with a weighing scale, and the flow rates of the pure water PW and the culture medium CM are set so that the measured weight remains constant.

[0031] Although not shown, a filter is provided in the medium supply path 32 to remove unwanted materials from the medium CM. Examples of unwanted materials include undissolved powder medium PM. A recovery tank for medium CM that does not meet specifications, such as medium CM with a concentration other than the set concentration, is also connected to the medium supply path 32. This prevents medium CM with a concentration other than the set concentration from being supplied to the culture vessel 11, thereby preventing problems such as failure to culture Chinese hamster ovary cells.

[0032] The pure water storage tank 15, mixing vessel 16, pure water supply channel 19, filter 22, culture medium supply channel 32, and gas supply channel 27 are all single-use components that are disposed of after one use. The flow path from the pure water storage tank 15 through the pure water supply channel 19, mixing vessel 16, and culture medium supply channel 32 to the culture tank 11, the powdered culture medium supply channel 20, and the gas supply channel 27 are all connected in a sterile manner.

[0033] As an example, as shown in Figure 2, the feeder 26 is divided into a first chamber 40 and a second chamber 41. The first chamber 40 is larger than the second chamber 41. The first chamber 40 is located directly below the hopper 25. Therefore, the powdered culture medium PM falls from the hopper 25 into the first chamber 40. The second chamber 41 is located on the side of the powdered culture medium supply path 20. Therefore, an inlet 42 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20 is visible in the second chamber 41. The inlet 42 is circular.

[0034] A first rotating plate 43 is installed in the first chamber 40. The first rotating plate 43 is a gear consisting of a disk-shaped main body 44 and multiple protrusions 45. The protrusions 45 are parts that protrude radially at equal intervals from the outer periphery of the main body 44. The first rotating plate 43 rotates counterclockwise at a set rotation speed. During this rotation, the first rotating plate 43 transports the powder medium PM toward the second chamber 41 via the protrusions 45.

[0035] A second rotating plate 46 is installed in the second chamber 41. The second rotating plate 46 has a smaller diameter than the first rotating plate 43. Like the first rotating plate 43, the second rotating plate 46 is a gear composed of a disk-shaped main body 47 and a plurality of protrusions 48 that protrude radially at equal intervals from the outer periphery of the main body 47. The inlet 42 is formed at an end position eccentric to the rotation center of the second rotating plate 46. The protrusions 48 of the second rotating plate 46 mesh with the protrusions 45 of the first rotating plate 43 at the boundary between the first chamber 40 and the second chamber 41. As a result, the second rotating plate 46 rotates clockwise in response to the counterclockwise rotation of the first rotating plate 43. During this rotation, the second rotating plate 46 transports the powdered medium PM toward the inlet 42 via the protrusions 48. That is, the second rotating plate 46 scrapes off the powdered medium PM in the second chamber 41 with the protrusion 48, thereby supplying the powdered medium PM to the powdered medium supply path 20. In other words, the feeder 26 is a circle feeder (also called a table feeder).

[0036] As an example, as shown in Figure 3, a gas outlet 55 of the gas supply path 27 is disposed at a position opposite the inlet 42. The outlet 55 has a diameter slightly smaller than that of the inlet 42 to prevent the powder medium PM from scattering around the inlet 42. A disk-shaped plate member 56 is disposed between the inlet 42 and the outlet 55. The plate member 56 has a diameter slightly larger than those of the inlet 42 and the outlet 55. A pair of mounting plates 57 are connected to both sides of the plate member 56. The mounting plates 57 are fixed to the inner wall of the feeder 26.

[0037] As an example, as shown in Figure 4, the plate-like member 56 has a central portion 60, an outer peripheral portion 61, slits 62, and a connecting portion 63. The outer peripheral portion 61 is an attachment margin for the attachment plate 57, and the attachment plate 57 is attached to the outer peripheral portion 61. The slit 62 is a hole that passes the gas flowing out from the outlet 55. In other words, the slit 62 is an example of a "first hole" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The connecting portions 63 are provided at two opposing locations that divide the slit 62 in half. The connecting portions 63 connect the central portion 60 and the outer peripheral portion 61.

[0038] The slit 62 is formed in an annular shape that conforms to the shape of the inlet 42, which is circular in this case. The inner circle of the slit 62, which is the boundary with the central portion 60, has approximately the same diameter as the outlet 55. In contrast, the outer circle of the slit 62, which is the boundary with the outer periphery 61, has approximately the same diameter as the inlet 42. This slit 62 causes a gas flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20, as shown by the dashed-dotted arrow in Figure 3. In other words, the plate-like member 56 is an example of a "flow straightening member" according to the technology disclosed herein.

[0039] Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. As shown in Figure 1, pure water PW is supplied to the mixing vessel 16 from the pure water storage tank 15 through the pure water supply path 19. In addition, powdered medium PM is supplied to the mixing vessel 16 from the powdered medium supply device 17 through the powdered medium supply path 20. In the mixing vessel 16, the pure water PW and the powdered medium PM are mixed by the agitator 30 and the agitator 31, thereby preparing the medium CM at a set concentration. The medium CM is continuously supplied from the mixing vessel 16 to the culture tank 11 through the medium supply path 32.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 1, gas is supplied from gas supply device 18 to feeder 26 of powdered culture medium supply device 17 through gas supply path 27. As shown in Fig. 3, gas outlet 55 of gas supply path 27 is disposed in a position opposite to inlet 42 for powdered culture medium PM of powdered culture medium supply path 20. The gas flowing out from outlet 55 passes through slits 62 in plate-shaped member 56 disposed between inlet 42 and outlet 55, and is rectified to flow along inner wall surface 65 of powdered culture medium supply path 20.

[0041] The gas flowing along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20 in this manner makes it possible to suppress adhesion of powder to the inner wall surface 65. Furthermore, as in the conventional case, the gas flowing along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20 also makes it possible to suppress intrusion of moisture from the mixing container 16 into the powdered culture medium supply path 20. This reduces the risk of various problems occurring, such as narrowing of the powdered culture medium supply path 20 or, in the worst case, blockage, or poor concentration control caused by solidified clumps of powdered culture medium PM unexpectedly falling into the mixing container 16.

[0042] To generate a gas flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20, it is possible to simply increase the gas flow rate. However, increasing the gas flow rate causes the powdered culture medium PM to disperse into a mist, adhere to the top plate and inner wall of the mixing container 16, and become insoluble in the pure water PW. This makes it difficult to prepare the culture medium CM at the set concentration. Therefore, in the technology disclosed herein, the gas flow rate is not increased, and a gas supply mechanism is used to generate a gas flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20.

[0043] 3 and 4, the annular slit 62 through which the gas flowing out of the outlet 55 passes is formed along the shape of the inlet 42 in the plate-like member 56, whereby the flow of the gas flowing out of the outlet 55 can be smoothly rectified to a flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20. Furthermore, the annular slit 62 allows the gas flowing out of the outlet 55 to be directed toward the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20 without waste.

[0044] 1, the mixing vessel 16 is provided with a gas exhaust port 21. This allows the gas supplied to the mixing vessel 16 through the gas supply path 27 and the powdered culture medium supply path 20 to be exhausted to the outside, thereby keeping the pressure inside the mixing vessel 16 constant.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1, the solvent is pure water PW, the powder is powder medium PM, and the solution is medium CM. Therefore, medium CM, which is essential for culture, can be prepared stably for a relatively long period of time.

[0046] The powder medium PM is relatively hygroscopic and therefore prone to adhesion and coagulation. Furthermore, the bulk density of the powder medium PM is relatively high, making it less fluid. Therefore, when the powder medium PM is used as the powder, as in this example, the advantage of being able to suppress adhesion of the powder medium PM to the inner wall surface 65 of the powder medium supply path 20 can be further enhanced.

[0047] As an example, Table 68 shown in Figure 5 shows an example, comparative example A, and comparative example B when three types of powders were used: salt, powder medium A, and powder medium B. The example is an example in which the technology of the present disclosure was applied, gas was supplied to the powder supply path, and a gas flow was generated along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path. Comparative example A is an example of conventional technology in which gas was supplied to the powder supply path but no gas flow was generated along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path. Comparative example B is an example in which no gas was supplied to the powder supply path and no gas flow was generated along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path. Powder medium A is Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) manufactured by Thermo Fisher Scientific. Powder medium B is BalanCD CHO Feed 4 manufactured by FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific.

[0048] Flow function is an index that indicates the fluidity of a powder, with a higher value indicating higher fluidity. Powders with a flow function of less than 1 do not flow. In contrast, powders with a flow function of more than 10 flow very easily. The flow function for salt is 10, for powder medium A it is 6, and for powder medium B it is 2. For this reason, salt has the highest fluidity, and powder medium B has the lowest fluidity.

[0049] For Example, Comparative Example A, and Comparative Example B, the three types of powder were supplied to the mixing vessel through the powder supply passage for one hour, and the weight of the powder adhering to the inner wall surface of the powder supply passage was then measured.

[0050] In the case of salt with the highest fluidity, the amount of powder adhering to the inner wall surface of the powder supply passage was 0.1 g or less in all cases of Example, Comparative Example A, and Comparative Example B. In the case of powder medium A, it was 0.1 g in Example, 2 g in Comparative Example A, and 6 g in Comparative Example B. In the case of powder medium B with the lowest fluidity, it was 0.4 g in Example, 7 g in Comparative Example A, and 15 g in Comparative Example B. Therefore, it was confirmed that the gas flowing along the inner wall surface of the powder supply passage can suppress the adhesion of powder to the inner wall surface. It was also confirmed that powder with low fluidity can further enhance the advantage of the effect of suppressing the adhesion of powder to the inner wall surface of the powder supply passage.

[0051] Furthermore, the medium CM is continuously supplied from the mixing vessel 16 to the culture tank 11. This allows for perfusion culture, enabling relatively long-term culture close to the living body environment.

[0052] (Variation 1) While the annular slit 62 formed along the shape of the inlet 42 has been exemplified as the "first hole" according to the technology of the present disclosure, this is not limiting. As an example, the "first hole" may be a plurality of circular holes 71 formed along the shape of the inlet 42, as in the plate-like member 70 shown in FIG. 6 . The plurality of circular holes 71 serve as gas outlets. Therefore, even with this configuration, the gas flowing out from the outlet 55 is rectified to flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20, making it possible to suppress adhesion of powder to the inner wall surface 65.

[0053] (Variation 2) As an example, as shown in FIG. 7 , a round hole 76 through which gas passes may also be formed at a position facing the center of the inlet 42, as in the plate-like member 75. The round hole 76 is an example of a "second hole" according to the technology of the present disclosure. The round hole 76 allows gas to be supplied to the radial center of the powdered culture medium supply path 20, so that it is possible to more effectively prevent moisture from entering the powdered culture medium supply path 20 from the mixing container 16 compared to a case where the round hole 76 is not present. Note that a "second hole" such as the round hole 76 may also be formed in the center 60 of the plate-like member 56 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 .

[0054] (Variation 3) As an example, a plate-shaped member 80 shown in Figure 8 has substantially the same structure as the plate-shaped member 56 having the annular slit 62 shown in Figures 3 and 4, but differs from the plate-shaped member 56 in that it has a central portion 81 that protrudes toward the outlet 55. The central portion 81 has a rounded, smooth shape with no corners, and guides the gas flowing out of the outlet 55 into the slit 62. The plate-shaped member 80 having this central portion 81 can more smoothly rectify the flow of gas flowing out of the outlet 55 into a flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20.

[0055] The plate-like member 56 or the like may be attached in a lid-like manner to the inlet 42, or may be attached in a lid-like manner to the outlet 55. In either case, the plate-like member 56 or the like is disposed between the inlet 42 and the outlet 55.

[0056] 9 and 10 show an example of a flow rectifying member 85 according to a second embodiment, which includes a plate-shaped member 86 and a cover member 87. The plate-shaped member 86 has a round hole 88 formed therein, the round hole 88 allowing gas to pass therethrough, at a position facing the center of the inlet 42. The round hole 88 has a cone shape with a diameter that narrows from the outlet 55 side toward the inlet 42 side. The round hole 88 is an example of a "hole" according to the technology of the present disclosure.

[0057] The lid member 87 is spherical, with its lower portion fitted into a round hole 88 and its upper portion housed in a cylindrical housing portion 89 provided in the plate-like member 86. On the inner wall surface of the housing portion 89, protrusions 90 for holding the lid member 87 are formed at four locations at 90° intervals in the center in the height direction.

[0058] The lid member 87 moves in conjunction with the movement of the second rotary plate 46 of the feeder 26. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, before the protruding portion 48 of the second rotary plate 46 reaches the position of the inlet 42, the lid member 87 is in a closing position that closes the round hole 88. On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 10, when the protruding portion 48 of the second rotary plate 46 reaches the position of the inlet 42, the lid member 87 is pushed up toward the outlet 55 by the protruding portion 48, and moves to an opening position that opens the round hole 88. When in this opening position, the lid member 87 is held by the protrusion 90 of the storage portion 89.

[0059] 10, the gas flowing out from the outlet 55 passes through the gap between the lid member 87 and the inner wall surface of the storage section 89 and the round hole 88, as shown by the dashed arrow, and flows along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20. Note that even when the lid member 87 is in the closed position shown in FIG. 9, some of the gas flowing out from the outlet 55 leaks through the gap between the lid member 87 and the inner wall surface of the storage section 89 and the round hole 88.

[0060] In this way, the flow straightening member 85 including the plate-like member 86 having the round hole 88 through which gas passes formed at a position facing the center of the inlet 42, and the lid member 87 that moves between a closed position that closes the round hole 88 and an open position that opens the round hole 88, also makes it possible to suppress adhesion of the powdered culture medium PM to the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20. In addition, the vibration generated when the lid member 87 moves between the closed position and the open position can also have the effect of shaking off the powdered culture medium PM that has adhered to the plate-like member 86, etc.

[0061] The lid member 87 moves between the closed position and the open position in conjunction with the movement of the feeder 26. This eliminates the need for a separate mechanism for moving the lid member 87, simplifying the configuration of the culture medium preparation device 10. The lid member 87 is not limited to the spherical shape shown in the example, and may be hemispherical or the like.

[0062] [Third Embodiment] In each of the above embodiments, a flow straightening member such as a plate-shaped member 56 is used to generate a gas flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20, but this is not limited to this. As an example, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the gas supply path may be arranged so that a gas flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20 is generated. Note that Figure 12 is a view of the inlet 42 from the mixing container 16 side.

[0063] 11 and 12 , in the third embodiment, multiple gas supply paths 95 are arranged at positions where the flow of gas flowing out of the outlet 96 flows along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20, specifically, at positions that follow the shape of the inlet 42. The multiple gas supply paths 95 may branch off from a single gas supply path connected to one gas supply device 18, or may be connected to multiple gas supply devices 18, respectively. A gas supply mechanism including such multiple gas supply paths 95 also generates a gas flow along the inner wall surface 65 of the powdered culture medium supply path 20, as shown by the dashed-dotted arrow, making it possible to suppress adhesion of powder to the inner wall surface 65.

[0064] In each of the above embodiments, the gas is continuously supplied to the feeder 26 while the medium CM is being prepared, but this is not limiting. The gas may be supplied to the feeder 26 intermittently.

[0065] Although the shape of the inlet 42 is circular, it is not limited to this and may be an ellipse or a polygon such as a regular octagon.

[0066] Although a circle feeder is shown as an example of the feeder 26, the present invention is not limited to this. It may be a screw feeder (also called an auger feeder) that continuously supplies a set amount of powdered medium PM to the powdered medium supply path 20 by rotating a spiral screw driven by a motor. Alternatively, a rotary feeder, belt feeder, vibrating feeder, etc. may also be used.

[0067] In the above embodiments, pure water PW is exemplified as the solvent and purified water, but this is not limited thereto. Distilled water, water for injection (WFI), etc. may also be used. Furthermore, in the above embodiments, medium CM is exemplified as the solution, but this is not limited thereto. The solution may also be a buffer solution of an antibody drug or the like. Therefore, the powder is not limited to the exemplified powder medium PM, but may also be a powder that constitutes the solid component of a buffer solution.

[0068] From the above description, the technology described in the following supplementary paragraphs can be understood.

[0069] [Supplementary Item 1] A solution preparation apparatus that continuously supplies a solvent and a powder to a mixing container through a solvent supply path and a powder supply path, and mixes the solvent and the powder in the mixing container, thereby preparing a solution of a set concentration, comprising: a gas supply mechanism that supplies a gas to the powder supply path, the gas supply mechanism causing the gas to flow along an inner wall surface of the powder supply path. [Supplementary Item 2] The solution preparation apparatus according to Supplementary Item 1, wherein the gas supply mechanism includes: a gas supply path having an outlet for the gas facing an inlet of the powder supply path; and a rectifying member that is disposed between the inlet and the outlet and rectifies the flow of the gas flowing out from the outlet into a flow along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path. [Supplementary Item 3] The solution preparation apparatus according to Supplementary Item 2, wherein the rectifying member is a plate-shaped member having a first hole through which the gas flowing out from the outlet passes, the first hole being formed along the shape of the inlet. [Supplementary Item 4] The solution preparation apparatus according to Supplementary Item 3, wherein the first hole is a ring-shaped slit. [Supplementary Item 5] The solution preparation apparatus according to Supplementary Item 3, wherein the first hole is a plurality of circular holes. [Supplementary Item 6] The solution preparation apparatus according to any one of Supplementary Items 3 to 5, wherein the plate-like member also has a second hole through which the gas passes, formed at a position facing the center of the inlet. [Supplementary Item 7] The solution preparation apparatus according to Supplementary Item 2, wherein the flow straightening member includes a plate-like member having a hole through which the gas passes, formed at a position facing the center of the inlet, and a lid member that moves between a closing position that closes the hole and an opening position that opens the hole. [Supplementary Item 8] The solution preparation apparatus according to Supplementary Item 7, wherein the lid member moves between the closing position and the opening position in conjunction with the movement of a feeder that introduces the powder stored in a hopper into the powder supply path. [Supplementary Item 9] The solution preparation device according to Supplementary Item 1, wherein the gas supply mechanism includes a gas supply path having an outlet for the gas facing an inlet of the powder supply path, and the gas supply path is disposed at a position where the flow of the gas flowing out from the outlet flows along an inner wall surface of the powder supply path. [Supplementary Item 10] The solution preparation device according to any one of Supplementary Item 1 to Supplementary Item 9, wherein the mixing container is provided with an exhaust port for the gas.[Supplementary Item 11] The solution preparation device according to any one of Supplementary Items 1 to 10, wherein the solvent is purified water, the powder is a powder culture medium, and the solution is a culture medium. [Supplementary Item 12] The solution preparation device according to Supplementary Item 11, wherein the culture medium is continuously supplied from the mixing vessel to a culture tank.

[0070] The technology of the present disclosure can be appropriately combined with the various embodiments and / or various modified examples described above. Furthermore, it is needless to say that the technology is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various configurations can be adopted as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure.

[0071] The above-described description and illustrations are a detailed explanation of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure and are merely an example of the technology of the present disclosure. For example, the above description of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects is an explanation of an example of the configuration, functions, actions, and effects of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure. Therefore, it goes without saying that unnecessary parts may be deleted, new elements may be added, or replacements may be made to the above-described description and illustrations within the scope of the gist of the technology of the present disclosure. Furthermore, to avoid confusion and facilitate understanding of the parts related to the technology of the present disclosure, the above-described description and illustrations omit explanations of common technical knowledge that do not require particular explanation to enable the implementation of the technology of the present disclosure.

[0072] In this specification, "A and / or B" is synonymous with "at least one of A and B." In other words, "A and / or B" means that it may be only A, only B, or a combination of A and B. Furthermore, in this specification, the same concept as "A and / or B" is also applied when three or more things are expressed by connecting them with "and / or."

[0073] All publications, patent applications, and technical standards mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent application, or technical standard was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A solution preparation device that continuously supplies a solvent and a powder to a mixing container through a solvent supply path and a powder supply path, and mixes the solvent and the powder in the mixing container, thereby preparing a solution of a set concentration, the solution preparation device comprising: a gas supply mechanism that supplies gas to the powder supply path, and a gas supply mechanism that generates a flow of the gas along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path.

2. The solution preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply mechanism includes a gas supply path having an outlet for the gas facing the inlet of the powder supply path, and a straightening member disposed between the inlet and the outlet for straightening the flow of the gas flowing out from the outlet into a flow along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path.

3. The solution preparation device according to claim 2, wherein the flow straightening member is a plate-like member having a first hole formed along the shape of the inlet, through which the gas flowing out of the outlet passes.

4. The solution preparation device according to claim 3, wherein the first hole is an annular slit.

5. The solution preparation device according to claim 3, wherein the first holes are a plurality of circular holes.

6. The solution preparation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plate-like member is also formed with a second hole for passing the gas at a position opposite to the center of the inlet.

7. The solution preparation device according to claim 2, wherein the flow straightening member comprises a plate-like member having a hole formed therein for passing the gas at a position facing the center of the inlet, and a lid member that moves between a closing position for closing the hole and an opening position for opening the hole.

8. A solution preparation device as described in claim 7, wherein the cover member moves between the closed position and the open position in conjunction with the movement of a feeder that introduces the powder stored in a hopper into the powder supply path.

9. A solution preparation apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the gas supply mechanism includes a gas supply path having a gas outlet facing the inlet of the powder supply path, and the gas supply path is positioned so that the flow of the gas flowing out from the outlet flows along the inner wall surface of the powder supply path.

10. The solution preparation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mixing vessel is provided with an outlet for discharging the gas.

11. The solution preparation device according to claim 1, wherein the solvent is purified water, the powder is a powder culture medium, and the solution is a culture medium.

12. The solution preparation device according to claim 11, wherein the medium is continuously supplied from the mixing vessel to the culture vessel.

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