Cell culture container operating device for securely detachably receiving a cell culture container during cell culture management

Abstract

A cell culture container operating device (748) for a cell culture management apparatus (10) comprises: - a cell culture container carrier (749) having a receiving device (729) designed to receive a cell culture container (12), - a connection structure (62) for the fluid-transferring connection of a cell culture container (12), wherein at least one component from the cell culture container carrier (749) and the connection structure (62) can be moved towards and away from the respective other component, - a clamping apparatus (732), wherein at least one structural part from the clamping apparatus (732) and the receiving device (729) can be moved towards and away from the respective other structural part, and - a common movement drive (740) both for driving the at least one component from the cell culture container carrier (749) and the connection structure (62) and for driving the at least one structural part from the clamping apparatus (732) and the receiving device (729), wherein the movement drive (740) is coupled to each structural unit from the at least one component and the at least one structural part in such a way as to transmit drive force, and wherein the movement drive (740) is coupled to at least one structural unit from the at least one component and the at least one structural part as a structural unit (749) driven in a force-buffered manner in at least one buffer movement direction (BMD) with interposition of an energy store (760) for transmission purposes.

Description

[0001] Cell culture container operating device for the secure, detachable mounting of a cell culture container during cell culture management.

[0002] Description

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of cell culture management devices for managing cell cultures in at least one cell culture container. The cell culture management device should have the highest possible degree of automation in order to minimize the risk of human error and contamination during the cultivation of living cells and to achieve the highest possible degree of reproducibility of management processes and their results.

[0004] Since such a cell culture management device, hereinafter referred to simply as the "management device," typically includes cell culture containers in which the cell cultures are maintained or cultivated, which are usually exchanged between successive cultivation cycles, the management device can comprise a different number and / or type of components depending on the operating state. Therefore, the management device is described and explained below in an operational state as a reference state, unless expressly stated otherwise in a specific case. A preferred cell culture management device, in its reference state, comprises: a piping arrangement for conveying fluid media, comprising,

[0005] + a valve block assembly with a valve block housing and with a delivery channel formed in the valve block housing,

[0006] + a supply line arrangement with at least one supply line,

[0007] + a container piping arrangement with at least one container piping and + a disposal piping arrangement with at least one disposal piping, a plurality of media reservoirs which provide different fluid media for their introduction into the piping arrangement, at least one cell culture container, at least one cell culture container operating device which can securely and detachably receive the cell culture container during cell culture management, a piping valve arrangement comprising

[0008] + a storage valve arrangement with at least one storage valve,

[0009] + a disposal valve arrangement with at least one disposal valve as well as

[0010] + a container valve arrangement with at least one container valve, and a pump for conveying fluid media in the pipe arrangement.

[0011] In the operational reference state, a plurality of media reservoirs are preferably connected to the valve block assembly via the reservoir line arrangement, with the reservoir valve arrangement interposed. Furthermore, in the operational reference state, at least one cell culture container is preferably connected to the valve block assembly via the container line arrangement, with the container valve arrangement interposed, and a detachable line coupling. Additionally, in the operational reference state, the disposal line arrangement is preferably connected to the valve block assembly via the reservoir line arrangement.The disposal line assembly preferably incorporates the disposal valve assembly, such that the disposal line assembly, or at least one disposal line thereof, can be selectively blocked or opened for media flow by the disposal valve assembly. The disposal line assembly can be fluid-transferred to the valve block assembly via an intermediate disposal valve assembly.

[0012] Most line valves in a line valve arrangement consist of a valve seat and a valve body that can be displaced relative to the valve seat. Some line valves can be designed as pinch valves, which can also block or release the flow of media in their associated line, but in which a distinction between the valve seat and valve body is either not possible or not practical, depending on the design. The operating state of each line valve can be changed between a closed state, in which the line valve blocks flow, and a free state, in which the line valve allows flow.

[0013] The conveying channel of the valve block assembly has outlets. In the reference state, the supply line assembly, the tank line assembly, and the disposal line assembly each preferably open into the conveying channel at at least one outlet.

[0014] In the reference state, at least one valve component of the majority of line valves is included in or on the valve block housing.

[0015] Such a management device is known, for example, from WO 2014 / - 114610 A1, WO 2016 / 008636 A1, and WO 2017 / 216237 A1. The valve block arrangement known from these publications allows for the efficient supply of a liquid medium, such as a nutrient solution, to a cell culture container connected to the valve block arrangement via a fluid transfer mechanism. It also allows for the disposal of used medium from the connected cell culture container via the disposal line arrangement. Finally, the valve block arrangement also enables the cleaning of the conveying channel and the valve components accessible via the conveying channel by means of a cleaning fluid, which can be discharged directly from the valve block arrangement via a disposal line.

[0016] Integrating at least one valve component of the line valves into or onto the valve block housing not only ensures a spatially compact unit and a simple and efficient way to clean the integrated valve components, but also protects the valve components from unwanted external influences and enables switching of the line valves by an advantageously compact and space-saving line valve switching device. A further valve block arrangement and a cell culture container detachably coupled to the valve block arrangement for fluid transfer in a management device are known from WO 2015 / 063136 A1.

[0017] Very similar automated cell culture management devices are known from WO 2020 / 038874 A1 and WO 2021 / 165397 A1. These known management devices each use a rotary valve to select one line from several possible lines in the line arrangement as the line actively connected to the cell culture container. The known rotary valve has a central pin as the valve body, which is surrounded by a sleeve with several ports. A channel formed in the pin is always connected to the cell culture container. The channel formed in and passing through the pin can be connected to any media port on the sleeve by relative rotation of the pin and sleeve, but only to one at a time.

[0018] The cell culture management devices known from WO 2020 / 038874 A1 and WO 2021 / 165397 A1 also feature a shaking device with a receiving plate for a cell culture container, which shakes the cell culture container in a rocking, vibrating or circularly whirling motion during the management of the cell cultures in order to distribute liquid absorbed in the cell culture container within the volume of the cell culture container.

[0019] Other cell culture management devices are known from US 10590374 B2, US 11268058 B2, and US 11447732 B2. These known management devices can also manage more than one cell culture container, specifically exactly two cell culture containers, simultaneously.

[0020] The valve block arrangement of the management device discussed in the present application preferably comprises a multi-part valve block. This multi-part valve block includes a reservoir-side valve block with a reservoir-side valve block housing and a reservoir-side delivery channel section of the delivery channel extending along a virtual reservoir-side flow path, as well as a tank-side valve block formed separately from the reservoir-side valve block housing, with a tank-side valve block housing formed separately from the reservoir-side valve block housing and with a tank-side delivery channel section of the delivery channel extending along a virtual tank-side flow path. The reservoir line arrangement opens into the reservoir-side delivery channel section. This allows fluid media from the media reservoirs to be introduced directly into the reservoir-side delivery channel section from the media reservoirs.

[0021] In contrast to the supply line arrangement, the disposal line arrangement and the container line arrangement preferably terminate in the container-side conveying channel section. This allows the at least one cell culture container connected to the valve block arrangement to discharge used media directly into the container-side conveying channel section, from where the used media can be directly discharged from the line arrangement via the disposal line arrangement.

[0022] The present invention relates in particular to the cell culture container operating device mentioned above as a component of the preferred cell culture management device, i.e. a cell culture container operating device for a cell culture management device, in order to be able to detachably but securely receive a cell culture container during cell culture management and to handle it in accordance with the requirements of the respective cell culture management.

[0023] The object of the present invention is to provide a technical teaching which makes it possible to pick up a cell culture container as simply and quickly as possible, yet reliably and safely, on a receiving device and to manipulate it in the picked-up state, i.e., for example, to move it and / or change its contents with regard to quantity and / or composition.

[0024] The present invention solves this problem by providing a cell culture container operating device with all the features of claim 1. The cell culture container operating device comprises a cell culture container carrier with a receiving device designed to receive a cell culture container. The cell culture container can preferably be received on this receiving device with a clearly defined position and / or orientation.

[0025] The cell culture container operating device further comprises a connection structure for fluid transfer between a cell culture container and the connection structure. The connection structure can be a valve block assembly, as already mentioned above, and is preferably, but not necessarily, the aforementioned container-side valve block. The connection structure allows the cell culture container to be connected to at least one media reservoir, preferably to a plurality of media reservoirs, and optionally to further fluid sources and / or media or fluid sinks. To establish and disconnect the fluid transfer connection between the cell culture container and the connection structure, at least one component of the cell culture container support and the connection structure is movable towards and away from the other component.This includes the mobility of only the cell culture container support or only the connection structure or both components relative to a frame of the cell culture container operating equipment or a cell culture management device of which the cell culture container operating equipment is a part.

[0026] The cell culture container operating device further comprises a clamping device for temporarily securing the cell culture container to the receiving device. To create a clamping engagement between the clamping device and the cell culture container, wherein the clamping engagement secures the cell culture container to the receiving device, at least one component from the clamping device and the receiving device must be movable towards and away from the other component. This includes the mobility of only the clamping device, only the receiving device, or both components relative to a frame of the cell culture container operating device or a cell culture management device of which the cell culture container operating device is a part."Partial component" is to be understood as a general term encompassing the clamping device and the receiving device, just as "component" is to be understood as a general term encompassing the cell culture container carrier and the connection structure, as a physical element or several physical elements mounted or connected together.

[0027] The cell culture container operating device further comprises a common drive unit for particularly simple preparation and / or termination of the operating readiness of a cell culture container. This drive unit powers both the at least one component consisting of the cell culture container support and the connection structure, and the at least one component consisting of the clamping device and the receiving device. Thus, the connection state of the cell culture container to the connection structure and the fixed state of the cell culture container to the receiving device can be advantageously changed by a single drive unit. The driven movement of the at least one component serves to establish and preferably also to disconnect the fluid-transmitting connection between the cell culture container and the connection structure.The driven movement of at least one component serves to create and preferably also to release a clamping engagement of the clamping device with the cell culture container.

[0028] In principle, the common motion drive can be coupled to the at least one component and the at least one part in such a way that one assembly of the at least one component and the at least one part reaches its end position before the other assembly leaves its starting position. The movements of the at least one component and the at least one part then occur sequentially, despite the common drive.

[0029] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, in order to realize a movement space of the common motion drive that is as compact as possible, the at least one component and the at least one part are coupled to the common motion drive in such a way that a movement of the at least one component from the cell culture container carrier and the connection structure and a movement of the at least one part from the clamping device and the receiving device take place simultaneously at least during a common movement phase.

[0030] "Simultaneously, at least during a common movement phase" does not strictly mean that the at least one component only moves when the at least one component also moves. The characteristic of simultaneity, at least during a common movement phase, is fulfilled when the at least one component and the at least one component, driven by the common motion drive, move simultaneously, regardless of whether or not there are also drive phases in which the common motion drive delivers drive force and only one assembly consisting of the at least one component and the at least one component moves. According to the present invention, the latter is even expressly desired to avoid undesirable movement blockages.

[0031] The smaller the movement space required by the common motion drive can be, the greater the proportion of time spent simultaneously moving the at least one component and the at least one part relative to the total duration of the movement of the at least one component or the at least one part. Therefore, for at least one assembly consisting of the at least one component and the at least one part, the proportion of time spent during the common or simultaneous movement phase of the assembly, driven by the common motion drive, is preferably at least 30% of the total movement time of the assembly between the end positions of its movement range, more preferably at least 50%, and particularly preferably at least 70%. This is particularly preferably true for both assemblies, i.e., for both the at least one component and the at least one part.The proportion of time spent in the joint movement phase, relative to the total duration of the movement between the end positions of their range of motion, can differ for both building units.

[0032] One end position of the movement range is the starting position, where movement begins in one direction. The other end position is the end position, where movement ends in the same direction. Since both components can be driven bidirectionally by the drive mechanism, either end position of the movement range can be either the starting or ending position, depending on the selected direction of movement.

[0033] To advantageously prevent, when using a common motion drive, the premature attainment of a physically limited end position by one assembly consisting of the at least one component and the at least one part from preventing the other assembly from reaching its desired end position, the motion drive is coupled to at least one assembly consisting of the at least one component and the at least one part in at least one direction of movement, with an intermediate energy storage device for transmitting drive force from the motion drive to the assembly. The at least one assembly coupled to the motion drive with an intermediate energy storage device is designated in the present application as a "force-buffered driven assembly".The direction of movement in which the intermediate energy storage device acts as a force buffer is referred to in the present application as the "buffer direction of movement".

[0034] Preferably, both the state of a fluid-transmitting connection between the cell culture container and the connection structure, and the state of the clamping engagement of the clamping device with the cell culture container, are each a physically limited end position in which the connection structure of the cell culture containers cannot be brought any closer together, or in which the clamping device and the receiving device cannot be brought any closer together. Preferably, the opposite end position of the respective movement range of the respective component is also a physically limited end position beyond which the respective component cannot be moved.

[0035] By interposing the energy storage device in the power transmission path of the force-buffered driven unit, the force-buffered unit can remain stationary while the other unit continues to be driven. The continued output of drive force at the force-buffered unit is then converted not into motion, but into energy, which is stored in the energy storage device. Therefore, maximizing the proportion of time spent in simultaneous motion phases can advantageously limit the amount of energy to be stored in the energy storage device during normal operation of the units, and thus keep the dimensions of the energy storage device within reasonable limits. Preferably, no significant energy is stored in the intermediate energy storage device as long as the force-buffered driven unit is driven by the drive force of the common drive system.It is also preferred that when the driving force output by the common motion drive increases the energy content of the energy storage device, no significant movement of the force-buffered driven unit takes place as intended, in particular because the force-buffered driven unit has reached its intended end position, beyond which it cannot be moved due to physical barriers.

[0036] The motion drive is therefore, preferably to achieve simultaneous movement of the at least one component and the at least one part, coupled to each assembly consisting of the at least one component and the at least one part in a way that transmits the driving force.

[0037] Since a cell culture container received on the receiving device should preferably be fixed and secured on the receiving device at least when the cell culture container is fluid-transmitting to the connection structure, the common motion drive preferably interacts with the at least one component and the at least one part in such a way that a movement of the at least one component from the cell culture container carrier and the connection structure towards the other component and an approach movement of the at least one part from the clamping device and the receiving device to the other part occur simultaneously at least during a common movement phase.

[0038] This does not, of course, preclude the possibility that a movement of at least one component away from the other component, driven by the common motion mechanism, also occurs simultaneously with a movement of at least one component away from the other component, at least during a common movement phase. This is, in fact, the particularly preferred case.

[0039] The cell culture container operating unit, as described above, does not include a cell culture container. Due to its receiving device, which is designed to accommodate a cell culture container, the location of a cell culture container on or within the cell culture container operating unit is readily apparent and defined by the unit itself. However, the cell culture container operating unit can also include a cell culture container, which is then preferably mounted on the receiving device.

[0040] The receiving device may have a support surface on which a cell culture container can be placed for insertion. If the support surface is designed for insertion, the receiving device may have at least one positioning feature against which a cell culture container, attached to or within the receiving device, rests in a defined position. This ensures that the cell culture container is unambiguously positioned and oriented on the receiving device.

[0041] Alternatively, a structure consisting of the receiving device and the cell culture container can have a defined locking structure on or in which a matching or complementary locking counter-structure of the respective other structure from the receiving device and the cell culture container can be secured in position by a positive locking engagement. For example, the defined receiving structure can have a groove extending along a defined path into which a matching projection of a cell culture container engages when it is properly received on the receiving device.

[0042] To provide motive power, the drive system preferably comprises a drive motor, particularly preferably an electric drive motor. The electric drive motor is preferably a motor with a rotating output shaft, since such motors are advantageously compact with a small installation volume, and their motive power can be transmitted to a desired point of action over a certain distance via gears and / or linkages. The cell culture tank operating unit can have its own control device for controlling the drive motor. However, since the higher-level operating unit typically has several components to be controlled, such as valve assemblies and / or other drives, the operation of which often needs to be coordinated, a control device of the higher-level operating unit preferably also controls the drive motor of the cell culture tank operating unit.

[0043] Furthermore, the motion drive can include a drive component that can be driven by the drive motor and displaced by the drive force of the drive motor. Although the drive component can be displaced against an elastic force of a return element, such as a spring, which returns the drive component to its initial position when the drive force supplied by the drive motor ceases, the drive component is preferably coupled to the drive motor in a bidirectional manner, so that a reversal of the drive motor's direction of rotation also reverses the displacement direction of the drive component. More preferably, the drive component is coupled to the drive motor in a self-locking manner, so that external forces and / or torques acting on the drive component cannot cause it to be displaced. In this case, the drive component is preferably displaceable exclusively by the drive motor.For example, the drive component can be connected to the drive motor via a worm drive. A worm can then be connected to the output shaft of the drive motor for common rotation, while the drive component is coupled to a worm gear or rack, which meshes with the worm. A particularly compact and therefore preferred self-locking mechanism for translational displacement of the drive component is a spindle drive. To implement this, a threaded spindle can be connected coaxially to the output shaft of the drive motor for common rotation. The drive component can then advantageously form a threaded nut through which the threaded spindle passes.The shape of the drive component is irrelevant; what matters is that it has an internal thread that matches the external thread of the threaded spindle, allowing the spindle to engage in a meshing relationship. The desired self-locking effect is achieved for a given material pairing by selecting the appropriate thread pitch.

[0044] In the preferred case of using a drive component to transmit the drive force of the drive motor to at least one component, preferably exactly one component, from the connection structure and the cell culture container carrier on the one hand, and to at least one component, preferably exactly one component, from the clamping device and the receiving device on the other, the drive component can, in an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, be coupled to the force-buffered driven unit with an intermediate arrangement of the energy storage device. The drive component offers the possibility of being designed locally to accommodate the energy storage device or at least to interact with the energy storage device.

[0045] In principle, it should not be ruled out that both components could be coupled to the drive system via an intermediate energy storage device. However, a second energy storage device is generally unnecessary and only increases the cost of manufacturing the cell culture equipment without increasing its benefits to a similar extent.

[0046] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the drive component can be coupled to the other component (a synchronously driven component) in such a way that a movement of the drive component causes a movement of the synchronously driven component, while the same movement of the drive component increases the energy content of the energy storage device when the force-buffered driven component is locked. Thus, for example, if the force-buffered driven component has already reached its desired end position through operation of the drive and can no longer be moved in the buffer direction due to physical obstacles at the end position, the synchronously driven component can nevertheless be moved further within the already initiated drive.The operation of the motion drive then simultaneously causes a displacement of the synchronously driven component and an increase in the energy content of the energy storage device.

[0047] The energy storage device can be a spring-loaded energy storage system in the most general sense. This means that the work performed by the drive motor tensions a spring, thereby increasing the potential energy stored in the energy storage device. The spring can be any type of spring, such as a mechanical spring, a pneumatic spring, an elastomeric spring, or a combination of two or more of these different spring types. To avoid problems with sealing gas spaces, abrasion, and aging effects on elastic polymer components, a mechanical spring is preferred, in particular a readily available helical compression spring, especially one made of metal, a particularly durable material.

[0048] The designation of a component not coupled to the drive unit, particularly its drive component, via an intermediate energy storage device as a "synchronously driven component" does not imply that the coupling must be free of play. For example, the synchronously driven component may be coupled to the drive component by means of a linkage with a slotted hole, such that movement of the synchronously driven component only begins when a pin passing through the slot reaches one end of the slot and rests against its edge to transmit drive force. However, if drive force is transmitted to the synchronously driven component, then the movement of the drive unit is also transmitted to the synchronously driven component.

[0049] As a rule, the drive mechanism cannot be positioned equally well on the cell culture vessel operating unit for both components. Therefore, at least one component, consisting of a force-buffered drive unit and a synchronously driven unit, can be coupled to the drive component via a gearbox and / or linkage. This can be the synchronously driven unit, which, lacking an intermediate energy storage device, can be moved more precisely than the force-buffered unit. The gearbox and / or linkage thus allows not only the transmission of motion from the drive unit to the unit driven by the gearbox and / or linkage, but also the conversion of the motion in terms of type and direction during its local transmission. For example, translational motion can be converted into rotational motion, or vice versa, and then transmitted.

[0050] In order to enable the most precise movement possible of the force-buffered driven unit and to avoid unwanted force transmission paths between the motion drive and the force-buffered driven unit, the force-buffered driven unit is preferably coupled to the drive component only via the energy storage device in the buffer direction of movement, transmitting the drive force.

[0051] In principle, the force-buffered drive unit can also be coupled to the drive mechanism in the opposite direction to the buffer's direction of movement, either by means of a further energy storage device or by the energy storage device acting in the buffer's direction of movement. However, this is not strictly necessary.

[0052] Preferably, the drive component is permanently coupled to the drive motor for simultaneous movement. This prevents operational failures due to decoupling of the drive component and the drive motor. Preferably, the drive component moves whenever the drive motor outputs drive force.

[0053] In order to ensure that the cell culture container is secured to the receiving device by clamping action when the cell culture container is connected to the connection structure via fluid transmission, it is preferably provided that the buffer movement direction is a movement direction of the at least one component from the cell culture container carrier and the connection structure towards the other component and / or a movement direction of an approach of the at least one component from the clamping device and the receiving device to the other component.

[0054] Since the force-buffered drive unit is preferably the one that reaches its end position first when moving in the buffer direction, the force-buffered drive unit is preferably at least one component of the cell culture container support and the connection structure. For cell culture management, it is particularly important that the cell culture container can be connected to the connection structure via a fluid-transferring connection. The clamping mechanism for securing the cell culture container increases the operational reliability of the cell culture container operating equipment but, unlike the fluid-transferring connection between the cell culture container and the connection structure, does not establish its operational capability.

[0055] Fluid lines of the pipe assembly are typically connected to the connection structure to introduce media into and / or discharge media from the conveying channel of the connection structure. Therefore, the force-buffered drive unit of the cell culture container carrier is preferred, particularly the cell culture container carrier alone, so that the connection points of the fluid lines to the connection structure are not subjected to stress from repeated movement and acceleration of the connection structure.

[0056] In principle, the at least one component, consisting of the cell culture container support and the connecting structure, can be moved towards and away from the other component in any desired manner, for example, rotationally or by a mixed rotational and translational movement. To minimize the forces on the at least one component resulting from accelerated movement, it is preferably possible to move the at least one component, consisting of the cell culture container support and the connecting structure, translationally towards and away from the other component.Additionally or alternatively, at least one component from the clamping device and the receiving device can be brought close to and removed from the other component by means of a pivoting movement, since a pivoting movement usually requires a smaller movement space and dynamic forces during the establishment and release of a clamping intervention generally do not or only minimally affect the cell culture.

[0057] To further simplify its construction, the cell culture container operating equipment can, according to an advantageous further development, have a guide structure in which both the force-buffered driven unit and the drive component are guided to their respective movements as a common guide structure.

[0058] Since the common guide structure is preferably stationary and immobile relative to the drive motor, the common guide structure and the drive motor can be mounted and fixed to a common base structure. The cell culture container operating unit therefore preferably has a frame that supports the guide structure and the drive motor. Since, for the reasons already explained above, the connection structure is also preferably immobile relative to other stationary components of the operating device, such as, in particular, the piping arrangement, the frame preferably also supports the connection structure. The frame can also advantageously mount the clamping device so that it can move freely. The clamping device preferably comprises a clamping bracket.For reasons of increased stability and rigidity, the clamping bracket preferably includes a clamping rod which spans the receiving device during the clamping engagement and which is particularly preferably supported on both sides of the receiving device by a swivel arm on a swivel bearing.

[0059] For the efficient management and cultivation of cell cultures, it can be advantageous if the medium containing the cell culture, or indeed any medium within a cell culture container mounted on the receiving device, can be moved. A pleasantly smooth movement of the cell culture container and its contents can be achieved by using an inner frame that is pivotably mounted about a first pivot axis on an outer frame of the cell culture container operating device. Even more advantageously, the cell culture container mounted on the receiving device can be gently pivoted with a wobbling motion if the cell culture container operating device has a frame on which the outer frame is pivotally mounted about a second pivot axis extending transversely to the first pivot axis. The inner and outer frames then preferably form a gimbal-like support structure for the cell culture container carrier.This supporting structure forms a tumbling device of the management device in order to move fluid media inside a cell culture container by means of a tumbling movement of the cell culture container and to wet surfaces in the cell culture container as completely as possible with the medium contained therein.

[0060] A preferred tumbling device will be described below, which preferably includes a cell culture operating device as disclosed above:

[0061] A preferred wobble device for the cell culture management device for the efficient use of liquid media in a cell culture container may comprise: the receiving device for receiving a cell culture container, the inner frame which supports the receiving device, the outer frame which can be mounted on a stationary frame by means of at least one bearing element, an outer drive to cause the outer frame to move relative to its bearing elements, an inner drive to cause the inner frame to move relative to its bearing elements, and a control device to control the operation of the inner drive and the outer drive.

[0062] The inner frame is pivotally mounted on the outer frame about the aforementioned first pivot axis. The outer frame is pivotally movable relative to its at least one bearing element about the aforementioned second pivot axis, which runs transversely to the first pivot axis. The inner and outer drives can be driven independently of each other by the control device. This design allows a large surface area of ​​a cell culture container mounted on the wobble device to be wetted with a relatively small amount of medium introduced into the cell culture container, due to the independent movement of the cell culture container about each of the two pivot axes.

[0063] The terms "inner" and "outer" drive do not refer to spatial relationships, but rather to functional relationships with the frames they drive, which share the same attribute. Furthermore, the term "frame" should not be understood literally, but rather in the sense of a structure or support, although the inner and / or outer frame can also be a physical structure surrounding a spatial or surface area.

[0064] To ensure the most widespread distribution of a medium introduced into a cell culture container, a cell culture management device includes a tumbling device on which at least one cell culture container is pivotably mounted about two axes transverse to each other. Preferably, the cell culture container is mounted on the tumbling device such that its largest or second-largest inner surface is arranged parallel to at least one of the axes, and particularly preferably parallel to both axes, of the tumbling device. This allows even a quantity of medium significantly less than the capacity of the cell culture container to be distributed and wetted across the entire large inner surface of the cell culture container by a tumbling motion.The wobbling motion can be achieved by simultaneously swiveling the cell culture container mounted on the wobbling device back and forth around both axes.

[0065] To avoid complicated and therefore difficult-to-control movements of the cell culture container, as well as to avoid forces resulting from such movements, according to a preferred embodiment, the inner frame is pivotably mounted on the outer frame only about the first pivot axis. Additionally or alternatively, the outer frame can be pivotably movable relative to its at least one bearing element only about the second pivot axis, which runs transversely to the first pivot axis.

[0066] Preferably, the axes of the wobble device are orthogonal to each other, so that the cell culture container mounted on it can be pivoted gimbal-style.

[0067] Preferably, the cell culture container is mounted on the tumbling device such that a dispensing opening of the cell culture container, to which the container's tubing assembly is connected, is positioned at a distance from one of the axes of the tumbling device. This allows the cell culture container to be tilted to facilitate the removal of medium, such that the medium contained within flows by gravity towards the dispensing opening and collects there, where it can be extracted via the tubing assembly. Preferably, this axis, which facilitates the emptying of the cell culture container, is orthogonal to the virtual flow path of the tubing assembly of a cell culture container mounted on the tumbling device.

[0068] To facilitate fluid-transferring coupling of the cell culture container carried on the wobble device to a connection structure, such as the aforementioned container-side valve block, the receiving device can be movably supported by the inner frame relative to the inner frame.

[0069] The relative mobility of the receiving device relative to the inner frame can, in principle, be rotational and / or translational. Since this relative mobility is intended to particularly support the automated creation of a fluid-transferring connection between the cell culture container and the connecting structure or a conveying channel section formed in the connecting structure, which is particularly easy to create and disconnect by translational, especially linear, movement, the relative mobility of the receiving device relative to the inner frame is preferably translational, and more preferably linear, relative movement. The aforementioned connecting structure is hereinafter referred to as the 'container-side connecting structure'.

[0070] In one embodiment, the wobble device can include a pre-tensioning device that pre-tensions the receiving device, and thus indirectly the cell culture container held therein, relative to the inner frame in one of the two opposite directions of movement of the receiving device. Alternatively or additionally, the receiving device can be pre-tensioned relative to the inner frame in one of the two opposite directions of movement of the receiving device by gravity. This pre-tensioning or pre-loading fundamentally ensures a secure connection between the container piping assembly and the container-side connection structure, in particular the container-side valve block. In this case, the pre-tensioning or pre-loading acts in the direction of the container-side connection structure.

[0071] For this purpose, the wobble device can include a slide movable relative to the inner frame as part of the cell culture container operating unit, wherein the slide carries the receiving device and thus, during operation, the cell culture container. According to one embodiment, the slide can be mechanically preloaded and consequently pre-tensioned by a spring, pneumatically by a gas spring, magnetically, or by gravity in a preload direction described above. According to a further, preferred embodiment, the slide can be coupled to the drive motor of the cell culture container operating unit via the drive component, with the energy storage device interposed, thus transmitting drive force.

[0072] The translational movement path of the receiving device can be oriented on the wobble device such that, at least in one relative position of the inner frame to the outer frame, it runs parallel or coaxially to the second pivot axis. This allows the receiving device to be moved translationally along the second pivot axis in this relative position. For the functional mounting of different cell culture containers with varying physical designs, the cell culture container carrier, and in particular the receiving device, can have an interchangeable adapter structure designed to accommodate the cell culture container. Depending on the cell culture container currently in use, a suitable adapter structure can be selected from a number of available options and arranged on the cell culture container carrier, particularly on the receiving device.To secure the interchangeable adapter structure, the cell culture container carrier, in particular the receiving device, can have a support structure, such as a mounting or receiving plate. The interchangeable adapter structure can be easily and advantageously mounted on this plate, which can optionally be designed as a support plate.

[0073] To facilitate the aforementioned creation of a fluid-transmitting connection between the container-side connection structure, in particular the container-side valve block, and a cell culture container held in the receiving device by means of the relative movement of the receiving device and the inner frame, according to a further development of the present invention, the container-side connection structure, which has a container-side conveying channel section formed in the container-side connection structure, can be connected to the inner frame for common movement. In this way, the relative movement between the container-side connection structure and the cell culture container held in the receiving device can be combined with the relative movement between the receiving device and the inner frame, which advantageously has only one translational degree of freedom.The cell culture container, mounted on the receiving device, can be easily connected to and disconnected from the connection structure and its container-side conveying channel section via fluid transfer thanks to this relative movement. For this purpose, the cell culture container or its container valve can have a coupling configuration, and the container-side receiving device can have a mating coupling configuration that matches the coupling configuration.

[0074] To ensure that the receiving device can be moved towards and away from the container-side connection structure independently of its pivoting movement about at least one of the two pivot axes, the wobble device can have, as a third drive, the aforementioned motion drive of the cell culture container operating unit, by which the receiving device can be driven to move relative to the inner frame. The motion drive, in particular its drive motor, is preferably also controllable by the aforementioned control device, independently of the inner and outer drives.

[0075] To avoid requiring the third drive to be continuously energized to hold the receiving device in a once-achieved advantageous position, the third drive is preferably designed as a self-locking drive. For this reason, the inner and / or outer drive can also each be a self-locking drive. A self-locking drive is a drive whose output element cannot be used as an input element in kinematic reversal, as is the case, for example, with a screw drive, spindle drive, worm gear drive, or a hydraulic piston-cylinder arrangement with a piston that can be locked by a valve arrangement, to name just a few examples.

[0076] In principle, the cell culture container, which usually needs to be replaced between cultivation or management cycles, can be detachably attached to the tumbling device in any desired manner. As described above, a cell culture container can be attached to the receiving device by clamping, particularly quickly and securely. Therefore, the cell culture container operating unit, and consequently the tumbling device, features a clamping mechanism for securely attaching the cell culture container to the receiving device.

[0077] The clamping device can include a clamping bracket to transmit a desired clamping force. Preferably, in a locking position where it secures the cell culture container to the receiving device, the clamping bracket spans the cell culture container; more preferably, the clamping bracket extends beyond the cell culture container on at least one, or even better, on two opposite sides. The clamping bracket is preferably adjustable between a release position, in which the cell culture container is not secured to the receiving device, and a locking position, in which the cell culture container is secured to the receiving device. To avoid a continuously energized drive mechanism for transmitting a desired clamping force from the clamping bracket to the cell culture container and the receiving device, the clamping bracket can be pre-tensioned in the locking position.By selecting a suitable force-operating device to pre-tension the clamping bracket into the locking position, the clamping force exerted by the clamping bracket on the cell culture container and the receiving device can be precisely adjusted. Alternatively, to prevent continuous energy input, the clamping bracket can be locked in the locking position by the aforementioned self-locking drive.

[0078] Depending on the cells being cultivated, cell culture containers may require specific ambient temperatures to promote optimal cell culture. For this purpose, the tumbling device can include a heating element for heating and / or temperature-controlling the cell culture container mounted on the device. The heating element is preferably an electric heating element with a heat output that can be precisely adjusted.

[0079] The present invention also relates to a cell culture management device for managing cell cultures in at least one cell culture container. The cell culture management device envisaged comprises at least one cell culture container management device and, in particular, the tumbling device as described and further developed in the present application. Preferably, the cell culture management device comprises several cell culture container management devices and, in particular, several tumbling devices of the type described in the present application, each of which carries at least one cell culture container, preferably exactly one cell culture container, and each of which can be driven to a movement, in particular a movement of the cell culture container, independently of the others. Regarding the nomenclature used in the present application:

[0080] The term "media line" is used in the present application as a collective term for a line suitable for conveying fluid media, irrespective of its assignment to a source or a destination. A media line can therefore be a supply line, a container line, a disposal line, or any other line of the line arrangement subsequently mentioned in the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0081] The term "line valve" is used in the present application as a collective term for any valve of the line valve arrangement, irrespective of the valve's assignment to a specific media line and irrespective of the source, destination, or purpose of the media line on or in which the line valve is arranged. A storage valve, a disposal valve, a container valve, and further valves of the line valve arrangement subsequently mentioned in preferred embodiments of the present invention are each a line valve within the meaning of the present application.

[0082] In this application, the term "fluid medium" refers to a gaseous or liquid medium, or a medium in a two-phase state, regardless of the specific state of matter of the medium in question. Without a specific specification of an associated state of matter in any individual case, a medium mentioned below is to be understood as a fluid medium.

[0083] When the present application states that a media line is "fluid-transmitting connected" to the valve block assembly or another structure, this means that the media line in question is connected to the said structure in such a way that, in principle, the transmission of a fluid medium to the connected structure is possible through the media line, regardless of the operating state of a line valve arranged on or in the media line, in particular an intermediate valve. A line valve arranged on or in a media line in its closed state therefore does not alter the fact that the media line is fluid-transmitting connected to the said structure. A media line fluid-transmitting connected to a structure terminates at the structure or at the specified outlet of the media line in or on the structure.

[0084] The term "media supply" refers to a quantity of a fluid medium from which the supply device can draw for passage through the piping system. Preferably, a media supply is provided in a media reservoir. In the case of air as a possible fluid medium of the supply device, described in more detail below, the atmosphere itself can be the media supply, which is made available through a corresponding intake opening in the piping system and a supply line dedicated to conveying air. Gas, in particular air, can also be provided as compressed gas, or compressed air, in a media reservoir.

[0085] The term "intermediate arrangement of a line valve" indicates that the respective line valve is positioned on the affected media line at a connection point between the media line and another flow-through structure in such a way that it can either block or allow the flow of media from the source of the media line to the structure connected to the media line via the intermediate arrangement of the line valve. The intermediate arrangement of a line valve does not alter the direct connection between the media line supporting the line valve and the structure. A channel formed within the line valve and closable by the valve body is therefore part of the media line that supports or forms the valve.On a media line connected to a structure via an intermediate arrangement of a line valve, the line valve is arranged in the area of ​​the connection of the media line to the structure, preferably as part of a coupling component of a line coupling that can be released as intended.

[0086] The term "pipe coupling" refers to a connection structure between two sections of a media line that is designed to be non-destructively detachable, including a connection structure between a media line and a downstream structure, such as a valve block assembly. A pipe coupling often comprises a male and a female coupling component, which can be coupled together in a media-tight manner to create a pipe connection. In a simple case, the coupling components can be directly coupled by friction alone. In a preferred embodiment, the coupling components, particularly the male and female coupling components, are secured against unintentional detachment from one another, for example by cleavage, screwing, or other positive locking, such as a bayonet lock, or by using a screwable, stainless steel, or otherwise positively locking locking component.Another way to secure a coupling connection of the coupling components of a pipe coupling is to create and disconnect a coupling connection by moving at least one coupling component towards and away from the other, into and out of a coupling position, by means of a self-locking displacement device, such as a worm gear drive or a spindle drive with appropriately selected material pairings and thread pitches of the components in screw engagement, or by preloading by means of a preloading device comprising at least one preloading component or force device made of a mechanical spring, elastomeric spring, gas spring, magnet, or by gravity towards each other.

[0087] In principle, any device which is designed and intended to block or allow the flow of a media line in the line arrangement shall be considered a line valve within the meaning of the present application.

[0088] Preferably, the piping arrangement of a cell culture container comprises exactly one piping section. Equally preferably, this piping section comprises exactly one valve, located at its end region closest to the valve block on the container side.

[0089] Likewise, a waste line is connected to a container-side valve block in a fluid-transferring manner, preferably with exactly one waste valve at the end of the waste line closest to the container-side valve block. Furthermore, a container-side valve block is preferably connected to exactly one cell culture container, wherein the detachable line coupling, in a particularly simple and therefore preferred embodiment, is a plug connection of a line head carrying the container valve at the longitudinal end of the container line of the cell culture container furthest from the cell culture container, with a receiving recess formed in the container-side valve block. Preferably, the line head is simply plugged into the receiving recess for quick changing of the cell culture container, without being directly fixed to the receiving recess or the container-side valve block, or otherwise positively coupled.If the container piping arrangement includes separate container lines for supplying and discharging media into and out of the cell culture container, each detachable pipe coupling of the container lines of a cell culture container preferably has a plug connection, preferably according to the embodiment described above, with the container-side valve block. The portion of the detachable pipe coupling provided by the container piping arrangement preferably comprises a pipe head with a container valve at each longitudinal end of a container line furthest from the cell culture container. Preferably, the valve body of a pipe head detached from the container-side valve block is exposed. However, it can also be covered by a cap to protect it from dust.

[0090] The plug connection between the container piping assembly and the container-side valve block can be secured against unintentional loosening, as described above, by pre-tensioning at least one pipe head and / or the container piping assembly and / or the cell culture container towards the container-side valve block. For this purpose, a suitable pre-tensioning device can be arranged in the cell culture management device, such as a movable component, like a slide or a swivel arm, pre-tensioned towards the container-side valve block by a force device such as a spring, a gas spring, a magnet, and the like, and / or pre-loaded by gravity. Each container piping runs along a virtual flow path, along which media can flow through the piping.The pipe head preferably has a circumferential surface that extends completely around the virtual flow path of the container pipe supporting it. When the plug connection is made, this circumferential surface is surrounded by a counter-surface that extends completely around the receiving recess of the container-side valve block. A sealing effect between the circumferential surface and the counter-surface is not required. Sealing of the pipe coupling between the container pipe and the container-side valve block is preferably achieved at the end face of the pipe head by means of a soft, elastic support component already present on the container valve, on which the valve body of the container valve rests in the closed position of the container valve.

[0091] To increase the effectiveness of the cell culture management device, the device can additionally include a second cell culture container. The aforementioned at least one cell culture container is then referred to as the first cell culture container.

[0092] Preferably, the cell culture management device then has a second tank-side valve block with a second tank-side valve block housing and a second tank-side conveying channel section for managing the second cell culture container. The tank-side valve block described above is then a first tank-side valve block. The reservoir-side valve block and the second tank-side valve block are fluid-transferringly connected to each other by means of a second connecting line arrangement. A second connecting valve arrangement and a second conveying pump are arranged in the second connecting line arrangement to control the media flow through the second connecting line arrangement. The aforementioned connecting line arrangement and its connecting valve arrangement are then a first connecting line arrangement and a first connecting valve arrangement.

[0093] The second cell culture container is fluid-transmittingly connected to the second container-side valve body by means of a second container line arrangement with an intermediate arrangement of a second container valve arrangement via a second line coupling that can be released as specified.

[0094] The above statements regarding the first tank-side valve block, the first cell culture tank, the first connecting pipe assembly, the first connecting valve assembly, and the first feed pump apply mutatis mutandis equally to the second tank-side valve block, the second cell culture tank, the second connecting pipe assembly, the second connecting valve assembly, and the second feed pump. This applies in particular to the connection of the second cell culture tank to the second tank-side valve block and the connection of the second tank-side valve block to the reservoir-side valve block.

[0095] Preferably, the first and second cell culture containers are identical in design. Preferably, the first and second container-side valve blocks are identical in design. Preferably, the first and second connecting pipe assemblies are identical in design. Preferably, the first and second connecting valve assemblies are identical in design. Preferably, the first and second feed pumps are identical in design. This allows for the stocking of essentially identical components for maintenance and repair, which can then be used as needed in the management system. The second connecting pipe assembly is part of the pipe assembly. The second connecting valve assembly is part of the pipe valve assembly.

[0096] The cell culture management device preferably includes a control device for controlling the operation and the individual components of the cell culture management device. The control device preferably comprises at least one integrated circuit and a data storage device and is particularly preferably designed as a computer or microcomputer with an operating program and utility stored in the data storage device. The data storage device can store volatile data for retrieval by the at least one integrated circuit during the operation of the cell culture management device.

[0097] The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the structure of an embodiment of a cell culture management device according to the invention of the present application.

[0098] Fig. 2A shows a longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of a dimensionally stable media container of Fig. 1 in bottle shape,

[0099] Fig. 2B shows a second embodiment of a shape-insensitive media container from Fig. 1 in the form of a bag,

[0100] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the supply-side valve block with a line valve switching device from Fig. 1.

[0101] Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the supply-side valve block of Fig. 1 along a section plane containing the virtual supply-side flow path of the supply-side conveying channel section and the virtual flow paths of the end sections of the supply lines leading into the supply-side conveying channel section.

[0102] Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the first tank-side valve block of Fig. 1 along a section plane containing the virtual first tank-side flow path of the first tank-side conveying channel section and the virtual flow paths of the end sections of the media lines opening into the first tank-side conveying channel section.

[0103] Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of the first wobble device from Fig. 1 as an embodiment of a wobble device according to the invention.

[0104] Fig. 7 is a schematic bottom view of the tumbling device of Fig. 6 with a cell culture container operating device of the present application, and Fig. 8 is a schematic side view of only the cell culture container operating device of Fig. 7.

[0105] The figures are not to scale.

[0106] Figure 1 shows a rough schematic representation of the structural design of a cell culture management device of the present application, which is generally designated by 10.

[0107] The management device 10 comprises, as the core component of a living cell cultivation system, a first cell culture container 12 and an essentially identical second cell culture container 14.

[0108] For the management of cell culture containers 12 and 14, the management device 10 comprises, as media reservoirs 16 in Figure 1, from left to right: atmosphere A, in which the management device 10 is located and which serves as an air reservoir and thus as a reservoir of a gaseous rinsing medium. The media reservoirs 16 further comprise a water reservoir 18, which contains sterile demineralized water as a liquid rinsing medium. To the right of the water reservoir 18 in Figure 1 is a pipe cleaning media reservoir 20, which contains peracetic acid, and adjacent to this is a cell cleaning media reservoir 22 with phosphate-buffered saline solution, abbreviated "PBS" for "phosphate-buffered saline".

[0109] To the right of the cell cleaning media reservoir 22, as shown in Fig. 1, is a cell nutrient media reservoir 24, which contains a liquid nutrient medium for supplying living cells in the cell culture containers 12 and 14.

[0110] A cell harvesting medium 26 is arranged as the outermost media reservoir on the right, comprising an endopeptidase, in particular trypsin or trypsin-EDTA (EDTA stands for ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). The liquid harvesting medium serves to detach harvestable adherent cells from their culture surfaces in the respective cell culture containers 12 and 14, to which they adhere during their cultivation phase, in order to subsequently remove the harvestable cells from the cell culture containers 12 and 14.

[0111] The liquid media supplies 16, namely supplies 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26, are each stored in a media container 28. For the sake of clarity, not all media containers 28 are labeled with a reference symbol in Figure 1.

[0112] The media supplies 16 are connected to the cell culture containers 12 and 14 for the passage of media via a conduit arrangement 30.

[0113] The pipe arrangement 30 comprises supply lines 32 of a supply line arrangement 34. Each supply line 32 leads from the respective media reservoir 16 to a reservoir-side valve block 36. The reservoir-side valve block 36 is also part of the pipe arrangement 30.

[0114] The supply line assembly 34 with its supply lines 32 is connected to the supply-side valve block 36 via an intermediate supply valve assembly 38 with supply valves 40. For the sake of clarity, not all supply valves 40 are labeled with a reference numeral.

[0115] A liquid sensor 42, known per se, is arranged on each of the supply lines 32 of the liquid media reservoirs 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26. This sensor detects whether liquid is present in or flowing through the supply line 32 assigned to it by physical arrangement. For clarity, only some of the liquid sensors 42 are identified by reference numerals. These liquid sensors 42 are connected to a control device 44, which will be described in more detail below. The control device 44 receives signals from the liquid sensors 42 and can issue an error message based on a comparison of the actual and target states. For this purpose, the control device 44 can cooperate with an output or display device 46 of the management device 10.In the supply line 32, which conveys air as a gaseous rinsing medium from the atmosphere A towards the cell culture containers 12 and 14, a filter 48 with a preferred mesh size of 0.2 pm is arranged, which cleans the aspirated air during its flow through it.

[0116] The supply-side valve block 36 comprises a supply-side valve block housing 50. For ease of assembly, the valve block housing 50 preferably has multiple parts and incorporates a supply-side delivery channel section 52 through which fluid media can flow. This section extends along a straight, virtual supply-side flow path 54. In the schematic representation of Figure 1, the horizontal dashed line symbolizes both the supply-side delivery channel section 52 and its virtual supply-side flow path 54. The supply lines 32 open into the supply-side delivery channel section 52.

[0117] In the exemplary embodiment, the line arrangement 30 comprises a first connecting line arrangement 56 with exactly one first connecting line 58 and a second connecting line arrangement 57 with exactly one second connecting line 60. The first connecting line 58 connects, via fluid transfer, the reservoir-side valve block 36 to a first container-side valve block 62, which is connected, via fluid transfer, to the first cell culture container 12. The second connecting line 60 connects, via fluid transfer, the reservoir-side valve block 36 to a second container-side valve block 64, which is connected, via fluid transfer, to the second cell culture container 14.Since the two container-side valve blocks 62 and 64 are essentially identical to each other, as are the two cell culture containers 12 and 14, only the first container-side valve block 62 will be described in more detail below, the description of which can also be used to explain the second container-side valve block 64.

[0118] The first tank-side valve block 62 comprises a first tank-side valve block housing 66, preferably designed in multiple parts for ease of assembly, in which a first tank-side conveying channel section 68 is formed, which runs along a first virtual tank-side flow path 70. The storage valve arrangement 38 is part of a line valve arrangement 72, which also includes a first connecting valve arrangement 74 and a second connecting valve arrangement 76. The first connecting valve arrangement 74 comprises two connecting valves 78 and 80, of which the storage-side connecting valve 78 is arranged in the region of the opening of the first connecting line 58 into the storage-side conveying channel section 52, and the tank-side connecting valve 80 is arranged in the region of the opening of the first connecting line 58 into the first tank-side conveying channel section 68.

[0119] The same applies mutatis mutandis to the second connecting valve arrangement 76, under whose intermediate arrangement the second connecting line arrangement 57 is connected both to the supply-side valve block 36 and to the second container-side valve block 64, in an analogous manner to how the first connecting line arrangement 56 is connected under the intermediate arrangement of the first connecting valve arrangement 74 to the supply-side valve block 36 and the first container-side valve block 62.

[0120] Liquid sensors 42 in the first connecting line 58 and in the second connecting line 60, which are connected to the control device 44 via signal transmission, supply the control device 44 with a signal indicating whether there is liquid in the respective connecting line or whether liquid is flowing through the connecting line.

[0121] A first pump 84, preferably configured as a peristaltic pump and acting on the first connecting line 58 (designed as a flexible hose), pumps the fluid medium present in the supply-side delivery channel section 52 from the supply-side delivery channel section 52 to the first valve block 62 on the tank side. Likewise, a second pump 86, preferably configured as a peristaltic pump and particularly preferably essentially identical to the first pump 84, pumps the fluid medium present in the supply-side delivery channel section 52 from the supply-side delivery channel section 52 to the second valve block 64 on the tank side. The operation of the pumps 84 and 86 is preferably controlled by the control device 44, which is connected to the pumps 84 and 86 via a signal transmission mechanism.

[0122] Likewise, the control device 44, which for this purpose comprises one or more integrated circuits and one or more data storage devices for storing an operating program and for storing volatile data during operation, and which is preferably designed as a microcomputer, controls the line valves of the line valve arrangement 72. This will be explained below by way of example using the reservoir valves 40. The description given here also applies to the other line valves of the line valve arrangement 72.

[0123] The storage valves 40 of the storage valve arrangement 38 are adjusted between their closed and open positions by a storage-side line valve switching device 88. The storage-side line valve switching device 88 is controlled by the control device 44.

[0124] The supply-side line valve switching device 88 comprises movable switching magnets 90, mounted in switching magnet carriers 89. Preferably, exactly one switching magnet 90 in exactly one switching magnet carrier 89 is assigned to each supply valve 40, the supply-side connecting valve 78, and the supply-side connecting valve of the second connecting valve arrangement 76. The dashed line in the switching magnets 90 in Figure 1 indicates the boundary between the two magnetic poles of the switching magnets 90; that is, preferably, the polarization direction of the switching magnets 90 corresponds to the displacement direction of the switching magnets 90 towards and away from the line valve 40 or 78 they switch. For clarity, not all switching magnet carriers are provided with the reference numeral 89.

[0125] Each switching solenoid 90 can be brought close to and removed from the line valve it controls by its own drive, such as an electric motor 92, for example via a spindle drive 94. The supply valves 40 and the supply-side connecting valve 78, as well as all other line valves of the line valve arrangement 72, are, in the embodiment shown here, magnetically biased internal line valves in their closed position. They have a permanent magnet in a valve seat through which the medium in the respective media line flows and a permanent magnet valve body wettable by the same medium. As the switching solenoid 90 approaches the respective supply valve 40, the permanent magnet valve body is attracted to it by the stronger magnetic field of the switching solenoid 90 compared to the permanent magnet in the valve seat and lifted from the valve seat.In the exemplary illustration of Figure 1, the reservoir valve 40 of the liquid rinsing media reservoir 18 containing sterile demineralized water and the reservoir-side connecting valve of the second connecting valve arrangement 76 are open. All other line valves 40 and 78 included in the reservoir-side valve block 36 are in the closed position according to their magnetic preload.

[0126] Under this switching position of the supply-side line valve switching device 88, the second feed pump 86 can pump demineralized water from the liquid rinsing media supply 18 into the second tank-side valve block 64.

[0127] A disposal line assembly 102 is also flushed by the cleaning media used. Except during the harvesting of cultured cells, any other fluid medium is discharged from the line assembly 30 via the disposal line assembly 102 into a disposal container 116.

[0128] A line valve switching device, constructed and functioning identically (mutatis mutandis), is also provided on each tank-side valve block. There, the switching magnets 90 are only symbolically indicated by horseshoe symbols.

[0129] In contrast to the illustration in the exemplary embodiment, at least those line valves of the line valve arrangement 72 which are arranged for controlling the media flow on media lines that are permanently connected to a structure, such as the reservoir-side valve block 36, the first tank-side valve block 62, or the second tank-side valve block 64, and the like, can be formed by line valves not shown externally in the figures. External line valves are line valves whose valve seat is not exposed to the medium in the associated media line and whose valve body is not wetted by the medium in the associated media line. A pinch valve, known per se, is a possible external line valve.

[0130] The first cell culture container 12 is connected to the first container-side valve block 62 by a container line arrangement 95 firmly connected to the first cell culture container 12, preferably with exactly one bidirectionally flowing container line 96 and an intermediate container valve arrangement 98 with exactly one container valve 100.

[0131] In Figure 1, two switching magnet symbols are assigned to the container valve 100. This indicates that the switching magnet 90 assigned to the container valve 100 can not only be moved towards and away from the container valve 100 as described above, but that the switching magnet 90 of the container valve 100 can also be displaced transversely to its approach and removal direction along the first virtual container-side flow path 70 of the first container-side valve block 62 in the area of ​​the opening of the container line 96, in order to assist a flow coming from the first connecting line 58 from the area of ​​the first container-side conveying channel section 68 located to the left of the container line 100 in Figure 1 into the first cell culture container 12 by displacing the valve body of the container valve 100 to the right in Figure 1.Likewise, by a targeted displacement of the valve body of the container valve 100 in Figure 1 to the left, a flow exiting from the first cell culture container 12 into the area of ​​the first container-side conveying channel section 68 located to the right of the container line 100 in Figure 1 can be supported.

[0132] Alternatively, for the container valve 100, two switching magnets 90 could be arranged, offset along the first virtual container-side flow path 70 with respect to the opening of the container line 96 into the first container-side conveying channel section 68, one of which each sets the container valve 100 to the open position, depending on between which of the aforementioned areas of the first container-side conveying channel section 68 and the first cell culture container 12 a medium is to flow. Along the first virtual container-side flow path 70, the opening of the container line 96 in the embodiment with two switching magnets for the container valve 100 is located between the two switching magnets of the container valve 100.

[0133] While the first connecting line 58 along the first virtual tank-side flow path 70 is an outermost media line opening into the first tank-side conveying channel section 68 at a longitudinal end region of the first tank-side conveying channel section 68, the disposal line arrangement 102 already mentioned above, with a first disposal line 104 as the outermost media line along the first virtual tank-side flow path 70, opens into the first tank-side conveying channel section 68 at the longitudinal end region opposite the first virtual tank-side flow path 70.

[0134] The disposal line order 102 is also part of the line order 30.

[0135] Part of the line valve assembly 72 is a disposal valve assembly 106 with a first disposal valve 108 and a second disposal valve 110. The disposal line assembly 102 is connected to the first and second container-side valve blocks 62 and 64, respectively, via the disposal valve assembly 106. Specifically, in Figure 1, the first disposal line 104 is connected to the first container-side valve block 62 via the first disposal valve 108. A liquid sensor 42 detects liquid or a liquid flow in the first disposal line 104.

[0136] In the common branch 112 of the disposal line assembly 102, a further fluid pump 114 is arranged as a disposal fluid pump. This disposal fluid pump 114 is also preferably a peristaltic pump. Particularly preferably, the disposal fluid pump 114 is essentially identical to the first feed pump 84 and / or the second feed pump 86. The disposal fluid pump 114 can discharge medium from the conveying channel sections on the container side and, with a suitable valve position, also from the cell culture containers 12 and 14, respectively. The disposal line assembly 102 terminates at its end furthest from the container-side valve blocks 62 and 64 at or within the disposal container 116 mentioned above.

[0137] The arrangement of flow spaces of the fluid media shown allows the entire pipeline, comprising the supply-side conveying channel section 52, the connecting line arrangements 56 and 57, and the tank-side conveying channel sections 68 and 69, to be completely flushed with cleaning medium and neutralized or rinsed clean with rinsing medium.

[0138] Along the first virtual tank-side flow path 70 between the outlets of the first connecting line 58 and the first tank line 96, a transfer line arrangement 118 with, in the illustrated embodiment, exactly one transfer line 120 opens into the first tank-side conveying channel section 68. The transfer line arrangement 118 is part of the line arrangement 30.

[0139] The transfer line assembly 118 opens into the second container-side conveying channel section 69 at the appropriate point between the outlet of the second connecting line 60 and the container line of the second cell culture container 14. A transfer pump 122, arranged on the transfer line assembly 118 or its single transfer line 120, serves to generate a pressure differential in the transfer line assembly 118 and thereby convey a medium between the first container-side conveying channel section 68 and the second container-side conveying channel section 69, or preferably between the first cell culture container 12 and the second cell culture container 14. This enables the transfer of media and, in particular, cells between the cell culture containers 12 and 14, or even just between the container-side valve blocks 62 and 64.

[0140] The line valve arrangement 72 comprises a transfer valve arrangement 124 with one transfer valve 126 and one 128 at each outlet of the transfer line arrangement 118 into one of the two tank-side conveying channel sections 68 and 69. The transfer valve arrangement 124 can also be switched between its open position and its closed position by the control device 44 via a tank-side line valve switching device. This applies individually to each of the transfer valves 126 and 128.

[0141] A cell singulation device 130, such as that known, for example, from WO 2017 / 137472 A1, the disclosure of which relating to the cell singulation device is fully incorporated into and referenced in the present application, can be arranged upstream and / or downstream of the transfer pump 122 in the transfer line arrangement 118. The cell singulation device 130 gently breaks up cell clusters due to turbulence of the medium flowing through it, without damaging the cells forming the clusters, advantageously allows cells to be conveyed individually between the cell culture containers 12 and 14.

[0142] For taking samples, for example from the cells cultivated in cell culture containers 12 and 14, the piping arrangement 30 can include a sampling line arrangement 132. The sampling line arrangement 132 can comprise a first sampling line 134, which is fluid-transferred to the first container-side valve block 62, and a second sampling line 136, which is connected to the second container-side valve block 64.

[0143] In the sampling lines 134 and / or 136, a fluid pump can again be arranged in a manner known per se and already described above, in order to generate a pressure difference between the cell culture containers 12 and 14 on the one hand and a section of the line located downstream of the fluid pump in the sampling direction, and thereby pump medium from the respective cell culture container 12 or 14 to a sampling end of the respective sampling line 134 or 136. This at least one fluid pump of the sampling line arrangement 132 is also controlled for operation by the control device 44. Preferably, the at least one fluid pump in the sampling line 134 and / or 136 is essentially identical to at least one of the fluid pumps already mentioned above.

[0144] Furthermore, the line valve arrangement 72 can include a sampling valve arrangement 138, which either blocks or allows flow through the sampling line arrangement 132 depending on its operating position. Analogous to the functional line arrangements 34, 56, 57, 102, and 118 described above, the sampling line arrangement 132 is connected to the tank-side valve blocks 62 and 64 via the sampling valve arrangement 138. More precisely, the first sampling line 134 is fluid-transmitting to the first tank-side valve block 62 via a first sampling valve 140, and the second sampling line 136 is connected to the second tank-side valve block 64 via a second sampling valve 142. The first sampling line 134 flows into the first container-side conveying channel section 68 between the first tank line 96 and the first disposal line 104.The same applies mutatis mutandis to the second sampling line 136 on the second container-side valve block 64.

[0145] All media lines in Figure 1, which are accompanied by a directional arrow parallel to the respective media line, carry fluid flow only in the direction indicated by the directional arrow, due to the operation of the fluid pump directly or indirectly cooperating with the respective media line, which is initiated by the control device 44. This also applies to the supply lines 32, which run from the liquid media reservoirs 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 to the reservoir-side valve block 36. These media lines 32 are simply too short to show a directional arrow next to them in Figure 1. The reservoir-side delivery channel section 52 also carries fluid flow only in one direction, since the connecting line arrangements 56 and 57 likewise carry fluid flow only in one direction.

[0146] The cultivation device 10 comprises a first tumbling device 144, to which the first cell culture container 12 is fixed during a cultivation phase, and a similarly constructed second tumbling device 146, to which the second cell culture container 14 is similarly fixed during a cultivation phase. The description of the first tumbling device 144 given in the present application therefore also applies to the second tumbling device 146. The operation of the tumbling devices 144 and 146 is also controlled by the control device 44. Preferably, the first tumbling device 144 and the second tumbling device 146 can be controlled independently of one another to perform a movement, in particular a tumbling movement.

[0147] The first tumbling device 144 is pivotable simultaneously, but with section-wise different angular velocities, about two mutually perpendicular, in particular orthogonal, axes S1 and S2 between two end positions per axis S1 and S2, in order to gently wet as large an internal surface area as possible of the first cell culture container 12, which is fixed to the first tumbling device 144 and contains medium, by means of a tumbling motion imposed on the first cell culture container 12 by the first tumbling device 144, without excessive splashing. The first container-side valve block 62 is pivotable together with the first tumbling device 144, so that during a tumbling pivoting motion of the first cell culture container 12 by the first tumbling device 144, no relative movement induced by the tumbling pivoting motion occurs between the first cell culture container 12 and the first container-side valve block 62.

[0148] At least one of the mutually orthogonal pivot axes S1 and S2 of a wobbling device 144 or 146 is preferably oriented parallel to the largest or at least the second largest wettable inner planar surface of the cell culture container 12 or 14 mounted on the wobbling device 144 or 146. In Figure 1, the plane of Figure 1 is parallel to a planar surface of a support plate (see support plate 721 in Figure 6) supporting the respective cell culture container in its neutral position, and thus parallel to the orthogonal pivot axes S1 and S2 of the wobbling device 144 or 146 in their undisplaced neutral position. The first pivot axis S1 of the first wobbling device 144 runs parallel to the first container-side conveying channel section 68 and can pass through the first container-side valve block 62 and preferably the first container-side conveying channel section 68.The second pivot axis S2 of the first tumbling device 144 preferably runs parallel to the first container line 96 and optionally coaxially to the first container line 96. The same applies mutatis mutandis to the second tumbling device 146. The cell culture containers 12 and 14 can be pivoted about their respective first pivot axis S1 to remove a medium, particularly a liquid, from the respective cell culture container 12 or 14 such that, primarily, liquid medium inside the cell culture container 12 or 14 flows by gravity to the respective container line. The majority or all of the volume of the respective cell culture container is then located geodesically above the respective container-side conveying channel section 68 or 69.

[0149] The number of cell culture containers that can be managed by the management device 10 using the media reservoirs A, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 can be increased in various ways. In the simplest case, one or more further connecting line arrangements can be fluid-transferred to the reservoir-side valve block 36, with further connecting valves and a fluid pump in between, leading to further container-side valve blocks with at least one cell culture container connected to them for fluid transfer.

[0150] Alternatively or additionally, for example, a sampling line on the first and / or second container-side valve block 62 or 64, or optionally on at least one further container-side valve block, can be replaced by a transfer line, which can be fluid-transferred to a further or further container-side valve block. In this case, no culture sample can be taken from at least one cell culture container during the cultivation phase. Instead, more than two cell culture containers 12 and 14 can be managed from a single reservoir-side valve block 36. The at least one additional transfer line can be configured like the transfer line 120 of Fig. 1. Further cell culture containers can be connected in parallel or in series with those shown in Fig. 1, preferably using one container-side valve block per additional cell culture container.The cell culture containers 12 and 14 shown in Figure 1 are connected via at least two transfer lines. Preferably, each cell culture container is assigned exactly one container-side valve block for fluid transfer, and vice versa. Alternatively or additionally, two or more supply lines 32 can originate from a media reservoir, each of which is fluid-transferred to a different reservoir-side valve block. The two or more supply lines can originate directly from the respective media container. Alternatively, a single supply line originating from a media container can branch into two or more branches at a distance from the media container. One, two, or more container-side valve blocks can then be fluid-transferred to the additional reservoir-side valve block supplied in this way.

[0151] Fig. 2A schematically shows a longitudinal section view of a first embodiment of a media container 28 for the media reserves 16 for liquid media.

[0152] The generally bottle-shaped media container 28 of Fig. 2A comprises a dimensionally stable container body 200, made of, for example, bias-molded plastic, with a receiving volume 202 in which a liquid medium for cultivating cell cultures is contained. A container neck 204 extends from the container body 200, onto which a two-part container lid 206 is screwed. The container lid 206 comprises a cap nut 208 that can be screwed onto an external thread of the container neck 204 and a functional lid 212 that is clamped by the cap nut 208 against an annular end face 210 of the container neck. The functional lid 212 and the cap nut 208 can, contrary to the illustration in Fig. 2A, be formed in one piece or be permanently connected to each other.

[0153] Two channel nozzles 214 and 216 project from the functional cover towards the container body 200. Channel nozzle 214 serves to equalize pressure in the receiving volume 202 in the event of liquid medium being drawn from the container body 200. A further union nut 218 is screwed onto an external thread of channel nozzle 214, which clamps a bracket 220 for a pressure equalization hose 222 with an air filter 224 against the end face of channel nozzle 214. Channel nozzle 216 also carries a union nut 226, which is identical in design to union nut 218. A flexible hose 228 passes through union nut 226, forming a supply line 32 as shown in Fig. 1. The hose 228 extends with its longitudinal end 228a on the container side to the bottom 230 of the container body 200 in order to empty the media container 28 as completely as possible. At its longitudinal end 228b on the far side of the container, the hose 228 has a storage valve 40 from Fig. 1.A dashed line marks the course of a virtual flow path 230, conceived as passing centrally along the length of hose 228, through the supply line 32 and thus also through the supply valve 40.

[0154] The storage valve 40, which, with the minor exception of the reservoir valve 100, is essentially identical in construction to all other line valves in Fig. 1, comprises a central valve structure 300, which is completely penetrated by a flow channel 302. A virtual flow path 304 of the storage valve 40, conceived as centrally penetrating the flow channel 302, runs coaxially with the flow path 230 of the hose 228. The virtual flow paths 230 and 304 are collinear within the extent of the storage valve 40.

[0155] The central valve structure 300 has a Christmas tree formation 306 onto which the flexible hose 128 is pushed. Alternatively, the hose 128 can be permanently connected to the central valve structure, for example by a material bond, in particular by welding, especially preferably by ultrasonic welding.

[0156] The central valve structure 300 also has a circumferential radial projection 308, against which the hose 228, pushed onto the fir-tree formation 306, rests at its end face, and against which a valve union nut 310, surrounding the longitudinal end 228b furthest from the container and the fir-tree formation 306, rests with a circumferential axial projection 312. The valve union nut 310 is not present on the container valve 100. The valve union nut 310 has a skirt section 311 extending coaxially to the virtual flow path 304 and having an internal thread.

[0157] At its longitudinal end opposite the fir tree formation 306 of the central valve structure 300, an end piece 314 is received on the central valve structure 300, preferably by snapping the end piece 314 with the central valve structure 300 after it has been pushed onto the longitudinal end of the central valve structure 300 along the virtual flow path 304 of the upstream valve 40.

[0158] In a central, flowable recess of the end piece 314, a flowable, annular permanent magnet 316 is received as a preloading component, which is radially covered on the outside by a soft, elastic, annular, flowable support component 318. A spherical permanent magnet valve body 320 rests on the annular support component 318 and is held by the annular permanent magnet 316 against the valve seat 322 formed by the end piece 314, the annular permanent magnet 316, and the support component 318, and is preloaded into the closed position shown in Fig. 2A, in which the valve body 320 blocks flow through the flow channel 302 and thus through the flexible hose 228.

[0159] Unless otherwise stated in the present application, all line valves of the management device 10 shown in Fig. 1 correspond in construction to the pre-rotation valve 40 described in Fig. 2A.

[0160] The pre-rotation valve 40 forms a male coupling assembly 324, which can be coupled to a female coupling assembly of a line coupling 330 (see Figs. 3 and 4) as described in connection with Fig. 4 to form a fluid-transmitting connection. The valve union nut 310 is a locking component for securing a coupling connection with a female coupling component once it has been established. The internal thread of the valve union nut 310 can then be detachably screwed onto an external thread on the female coupling assembly to prevent the fluid-transmitting connection of the line coupling 330 from unintentionally coming loose.

[0161] For the storage of a liquid medium by the media container 28 before its coupling to the storage-side valve block 36, the valve body 320 can be exposed to the outside environment or can be covered by a cap which is pushed onto the end piece 314. However, because of the possibility of flushing the pipe assembly as described above, a cover by a cap is not absolutely necessary.

[0162] Figure 2B shows a second embodiment of a media container 28' in the form of a flexible bag 250. The bag 250, made of flexible film, does not require a pressure equalization device, since, due to the flexibility of the bag 250, liquid withdrawn from its receiving volume 252 does not need to be replaced by a corresponding volume of gas to prevent an undesirable negative pressure inside the bag 250. Instead, when liquid medium is withdrawn from it, the bag 250 can simply decrease its volume due to the essentially constant ambient pressure.

[0163] The bag 250 has an eyelet 254 for hanging and positioning the bag 250 in the management device 10. Therefore, it is sufficient to position the container-side longitudinal end 228a of the flexible hose 228 at the lowest geodetic point of the bag 250 suspended from the eyelet 254, since the liquid collected in the bag 250 then flows by gravity towards the container-side longitudinal end 228a and the hose opening inevitably located there, thus facilitating the most complete possible emptying of the bag 250.

[0164] Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the reservoir-side valve block 36 from Fig. 1. The reservoir-side valve block housing 50, which is preferably made of a stiffer material, i.e., a material with a higher modulus of elasticity than a flexible hose 228, is formed in two parts in the illustrated example, with a housing base body 50a and a housing cover 50b covering the housing base body 50a. Locking elements 50c at both longitudinal ends of the elongated reservoir-side valve block housing 50 secure the housing cover 50b to the housing base body 50a.

[0165] The housing body 50a and the housing cover 50b are preferably made of metal, for example aluminum or stainless steel, with aluminum being preferred for reasons of lower weight. It is also possible to make the components of the valve block housing 50 from plastic components, for example injection-molded or machined plastic components.

[0166] Fig. 3 shows how the valve union nuts 310 of the individual supply lines 32, as well as the first connecting line 58 and the second connecting line 60, are connected to the supply-side valve block 36 by screwing them together, acting as a locking component for the line couplings 330 with female coupling configurations. The connecting lines 58 and 60 are also preferably made of flexible hose material, the same material used for the hoses 228 of the supply lines 32. The supply line 32 on the far left in Fig. 3 leads to the atmosphere A. The supply line 32 adjacent to the leftmost supply line 32 in Fig. 3 leads to the reservoir 18 of sterile demineralized water. The first connecting line 58 is shown on the far right of the supply-side valve block 36.

[0167] Fig. 3 further shows how switching magnet carriers 89, which carry switching magnets (not shown in Fig. 3), are guided in their movement towards and away from the respective line valves by guides 91. The switching magnet carriers 89 are each mounted on a holder arrangement 93 guided on a guide 91 and connected to the spindle drive 94 for common translational movement via a connecting rod 95.

[0168] Instead of an electric motor 92 with a spindle drive 94, a linearly movable armature in an electromagnetic actuator can be used to reposition the switching magnets 90. In a different embodiment, the switching magnets can be ring magnets whose central ring opening is penetrated by the spindle of the spindle drive 94, so that the ring-shaped switching magnets completely surround the spindle in at least some of their operating positions.

[0169] Fig. 4 shows the reservoir-side valve block 36 in a longitudinal section, the longitudinal section plane containing the parallel virtual flow paths 304 of the flow channels 302 in the central valve structures of the illustrated line valves: reservoir valves 40, first reservoir-side connecting valve 78 and reservoir-side connecting valve of the second connecting valve arrangement 76, as well as the virtual flow path 54 of the reservoir-side delivery channel section 52. In Fig. 4, the reservoir line 32 on the far right is that of the gaseous purge media reservoir, i.e., atmosphere A. The first connecting line 58 is located on the reservoir-side valve block 36 at the far left in Fig. 4.

[0170] All line connections to the supply-side valve block 36 and all line valves arranged therein are of the same design. It is therefore sufficient to provide the valve arrangement, already explained in connection with Fig. 2A, at the two outermost line valves 40 and 78 in Fig. 4 with reference numerals of previously explained configurations.

[0171] In the reservoir-side valve block housing 50, between the base housing 50a and the housing cover 50b, a reservoir-side cavity 400 is formed, in which a reservoir-side insert component 402 is received. The reservoir-side insert component 402 can be an injection-molded component and, depending on the complexity of its shape, can be manufactured in one piece or from several sub-components. The reservoir-side insert component 402 can alternatively or additionally be manufactured by machining. Like the reservoir-side valve block housing 50 and its components 50a and 50b, the reservoir-side insert component 402, unlike the hoses 228, is a dimensionally stable component that retains its shape essentially under its own weight and also under moderate external loads. The reservoir-side delivery channel section 52 is formed in the reservoir-side insert component 402, which is preferably designed as a shell component.Its straight, virtual, supply-side flow path 54 is conceived as passing centrally through the length of the supply-side conveying channel section 52. Radially projecting webs 404 from the supply-side conveying channel section 52, which may partially or completely encircle the supply-side conveying channel section 52, position the supply-side insert component 402 in the supply-side cavity 400. Not all webs 404 of the supply-side insert component 402 are labeled with reference numerals in Fig. 4.

[0172] The reservoir-side insert component 402 also has female coupling formations 406 projecting radially outward from the reservoir-side conveying channel section 52 on the valve block side, into which the male coupling formations 324 on the media line side are inserted. An external thread is formed on the female coupling formations 406 on the valve block side as a locking element, to which the internal thread of the skirt 311 of the valve union nut 310 is screwed. A male coupling formation 324 and a female coupling formation 406 together form a line coupling 330. The line coupling 330 can be quickly disconnected by hand without tools by loosening the screw connection of the valve union nut 310 with the female coupling formation 406 on the valve block side and by pulling the line valve 40 or 78 out of the female coupling formation 406 on the valve block side.As long as the screw connection of the valve union nut 310 with the valve block-side female coupling formation 406 exists, a fluid-transmitting connection between the respective media line and the supply-side delivery channel section 52 is reliably established.

[0173] Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section through the first container-side valve block 62. The longitudinal section includes the first cell culture container 12, which is connected to the first container-side valve block 62 via fluid transfer. The second container-side valve block 64, with the second cell culture container 14 connected to it via fluid transfer, appears identical in the same longitudinal section, so the description of Figure 5 also applies to the second container-side valve block 64 and the second cell culture container 14 connected to it via fluid transfer.

[0174] Analogous to the reservoir-side valve block 36, the first tank-side valve block housing 66 comprises a base housing 66a and a housing cover 66b, which enclose a first tank-side cavity 500 in which a first tank-side insert component 502 is received. The first tank-side conveying channel section 68 is formed in the first tank-side insert component 502, which runs along the straight first virtual tank-side flow path 70. Like the reservoir-side insert component 402, the first tank-side insert component 502 is preferably a shell-shaped component.

[0175] The first tank-side insert component 502, like the reservoir-side insert component 402, can be an injection-molded part and, depending on the complexity of its shape, can be manufactured in one piece or from several sub-components. The first tank-side insert component 502 can alternatively or additionally be manufactured by machining. Unlike the hoses mentioned above, the first tank-side insert component 502, like the first tank-side valve block housing 66 and its components 66a and 66b, is a dimensionally stable component that retains its shape essentially under its own weight and also under moderate external loads.

[0176] The first virtual tank-side flow path 70 is conceived as passing centrally through the first tank-side conveying channel section 68 lengthwise. Radially projecting webs 504 from the first tank-side conveying channel section 68, which may partially or completely encircle the first tank-side conveying channel section 68, position the first tank-side insert component 502 in the first tank-side cavity 500. Not all webs 504 of the first tank-side insert component 502 are labeled with reference numerals in Fig. 5.

[0177] Securing elements 66c secure the housing cover 66b to the housing base 66a. The line valves on the first tank-side valve block 62, i.e., the connecting valve 80, the transfer valve 126, the first withdrawal valve 140, and the first disposal valve 108, are identical and correspond to the supply valve 40 shown in Figures 2A and 2B and described above. Any differences in the graphic representation of the line valves in Figure 5 compared to those in Figure 4 or Figures 2A and 2B are solely due to the schematic nature of the illustrations. Components and component sections of the line valves in Figure 5, already explained in connection with the supply valve 40 in Figures 2A and 2B, are provided in Figure 5 with the previously established reference numerals. For the sake of clarity, not all components and component sections of the line valves 80, 126, 140 and 108 in Fig. 5 are provided with a reference numeral.

[0178] The first tank-side insert component 502, analogous to the reservoir-side insert component 402, has female valve block-side coupling formations 506 projecting radially away from the first tank-side conveying channel section 68. The female valve block-side coupling formations 506 of the first tank-side insert component 502 are identical in shape and function to the female valve block-side coupling formations 406 of the reservoir-side insert component 402.

[0179] The male couplings 324 of the line valves 80, 126, 140 and 108 on the media line side are inserted into the female coupling assemblies 506 on the valve block side. An external thread is formed on the female coupling assemblies 506 on the valve block side as a locking element, to which the internal thread of the skirt 311 of the valve union nut 310 is screwed. A male coupling assembly 324 and a female valve block-side coupling assembly 506 together form the line coupling 330 described above on the first tank-side valve block 62. The line coupling 330 can be quickly disconnected by hand without tools by loosening the screw connection of the valve union nut 310 with the valve block-side female coupling assembly 506 and by pulling out one of the line valves 80, 126, 140 and 108 from the valve block-side female coupling assembly 506.As long as the screw connection of the valve union nut 310 with the valve block-side female coupling formation 506 exists, a fluid-transferring connection between the respective media line and the first container-side conveying channel section 68 is safely established.

[0180] Unlike the female coupling assemblies 506 for connecting the male coupling assemblies 324 of the line valves 80, 126, 140, and 108, the radial projection length of a female coupling socket 507, which is integrally formed on the insert component 502 and projects radially from the first tank-side conveying channel section 68, for connecting the tank valve assembly 98 or the tank valve 100, is shorter than that of the female coupling assemblies 506 and has no external thread or other locking feature. Instead, the recess 510 in the first tank-side valve block housing 66 or in its housing base 66a, described below, together with the female coupling socket, contributes to forming a two-part female coupling assembly for the fluid-transmitting connection of the tank line 96 with the first tank-side valve block 62.

[0181] The container valve assembly 98, and thus the container valve 100, has an identical valve seat 322 as the previously discussed line valves 40, 80, 126, 140, and 108. However, unlike the male coupling assemblies 324, the male coupling assembly 624 of the container valve 100 does not have a union nut with an internal thread as a locking element. In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the valve seat 322 is therefore the male coupling assembly 624.

[0182] In contrast, the end piece 314 is simply inserted into the cylindrical or conical recess 510 in the device housing 66, particularly on the housing base 66a, and is held there essentially by preloading the cell culture container 12 onto the container-side valve block 64. A circumferential surface 314a of the end piece 314, which encircles the straight virtual flow path 97 of the container line arrangement 95 and thus the container line 96, is surrounded by a corresponding inner circumferential surface 510a of the recess 510 in the device housing 66. Preferably, the inner circumferential surface 510a of the recess 510 is designed to be at least partially complementary to the circumferential surface 314a.

[0183] As a further difference between the container valve 100 and the previously described line valves 40, 80, 126, 140 and 108, the valve structure 600 supporting the end piece 314 of the container valve 100 is designed differently from the previously described central valve structures 300.

[0184] The valve structure 600 of the container valve 100, which forms at least a section of the container line assembly 95 and thus of the container line 96, is formed integrally with a container lid 604 that can be screwed onto a neck 602 of the first cell culture container 12. However, the locking mechanism securing the end piece 314 to the valve structure 600 is identical to that of the previously described line valves, so that only a single embodiment of an end piece 314 is used to form the entire line valve assembly 72.

[0185] The neck 602 is part of a container body 606, which encloses a container volume 610 into which the container line 96 leads.

[0186] Cross-hatching marks the cross-section of a culture area 608 in the container body 606, to which adherent cells to be cultivated can attach in order to subsequently multiply.

[0187] The female coupling socket 507 of the container line assembly 95, together with the male coupling assembly 624 of the first cell culture container 12, forms a line coupling 530. The coupling connection is established by inserting and withdrawing the male coupling assembly 624 into the recess 510 and the female coupling socket 507, respectively, via a self-locking drive train of a slide 720 (see Fig. 6) carrying the first cell culture container. The coupling is held in the coupled state and then released. This enables a quick and reliable, at least automated, exchange of cell culture containers at the first container-side valve block 62. The coupling between the female coupling socket 507 and the coupling assembly 624 is sealed by the support component 318 of the respective valve. This applies particularly to the line coupling 530 in conjunction with the container valve 100.

[0188] As explained above, the switching magnets 90, when approaching their associated valve bodies 320, cause the valve bodies 320 to lift from their respective valve seats 322. In Fig. 5, the valve body lifted from the valve seat of the first extraction valve 140 is shown with dashed lines. When the valve body is in the position shown with dashed lines, the first extraction valve 140 is in its open position.

[0189] As explained above, the switching magnet of the container valve 100 is movable along the virtual flow path 70 of the first container-side conveying channel section 68, so that the valve body 320 of the container valve 100 can not only be lifted from its valve seat 324, but also displaced along the virtual flow path 70. An adjustment range 512 of the first container-side conveying channel section 68, in which the container line 96 opens into the first container-side conveying channel section 68, has a larger diameter, so that the illustrated preferred valve ball, rather than the valve body 320, can move along the virtual flow path 70 in the adjustment range 512.

[0190] On either side of the adjustment range 512, a line section 514a or 514b of the first tank-side conveying channel section 68 connects to it. The cross-sectional area of ​​these lines is smaller than the largest cross-section of the valve body 320, so that the valve body 320 cannot leave the adjustment range 512 except in the direction away from the female coupling socket 507. Section 514a of the first tank-side conveying channel section 68 is the section into which the first connecting line 58 and the transfer line 120 open. Section 514b of the first tank-side conveying channel section 68 is the section into which the first sampling line 134 and the first disposal line 104 open. The two possible positions of the valve body 320 of the container valve 100 are shown in dashed lines in the adjustment range 512 in Fig. 5 when the container valve 100 is in the open position.Then, when media from area 514a is to flow into the first cell culture container 12, the container valve 100 can be adjusted to the open position such that the valve body 320, lifted from the valve seat 322, blocks the inactive area 514b from flowing through it, preventing any medium from flowing from area 514a into area 514b and vice versa. Conversely, if medium is to be withdrawn from the first cell culture container 12 via area 514b, the valve body 320 can be moved to the lower dashed position shown in Fig. 5, where it blocks the area 514a from flowing through it, thus preventing any exchange of media between areas 514a and 514b.

[0191] The female coupling socket 507 of the insert component 502 in the first tank-side valve block 62 projects from the first tank-side conveying channel section 68 to the opposite side than the female coupling formations 506 of the line couplings 330. This creates space for movement of the switching magnet of the tank valve 100. In contrast, all female coupling formations 406 on the supply-side valve block 36 project to the same side.

[0192] At the first valve block 62 on the vessel side, the virtual flow paths 304 of the line valves 80, 126, 140 and 108 preferably lie in one plane and are particularly preferably parallel to each other. Furthermore, the virtual flow path 97 of the vessel line 96 preferably runs parallel to at least one virtual flow path 304 of the line valves 80, 126, 140 and 108 and is particularly preferably located in the same plane as it.

[0193] Figure 6 shows the first wobble device 144 in perspective. The first wobble device 144 and the second wobble device 146 are identical, so the following description of the first wobble device 144 also applies mutatis mutandis to the second wobble device 146. The first wobble device 144 has a multi-part frame 700. The multi-part frame 700 comprises an outer frame 702 and an inner frame 704. The multi-part frame 700 is mounted on a frame (not shown in Figure 6) via two substantially identical bearing elements 706. The frame can, for example, be part of an incubator cabinet or the like.

[0194] An external drive 708, positioned relative to the frame or bearing elements 706 (not shown), drives the outer frame 702 via a first belt drive 710 to a pivoting movement about the pivot axis S2. The outer frame 702 is pivotably mounted about the axis S2 on the bearing elements 706 via a drive shaft 712 and a bearing shaft 714 coaxial with the drive shaft 712.

[0195] All drives or drive motors used on the first wobble device 144 of the exemplary embodiment are rotary electric motors.

[0196] The inner frame 704 is pivotably mounted on the outer frame 702 about the pivot axis S1 via the drive shaft 716 and a bearing shaft 717 (see Fig. 7), which is coaxial with the drive shaft 716 and concealed by the first cell culture container 12 in Fig. 6. The outer frame 702 and the inner frame 704 thus form a multi-part gimbal frame construction.

[0197] An inner drive 718, fixed to the outer frame 702 and movable together with the outer frame 702, drives the inner frame 704 via a belt drive 719 to pivot about the axis S1 independently of the rotational position of the outer frame 702.

[0198] The inner frame 704 carries a slide 720 which moves translationally along the track SP and thus towards and away from the first valve block 62 on the container side. The slide 720 is guided for translational movement relative to the inner frame 704 by guide rods (only one guide rod 722 is visible in Fig. 6). The track SP is shown as an extension of the section of the guide rod 722 visible in Fig. 6. In one position of the inner frame 704 relative to the outer frame 702, the track SP is parallel to the pivot axis S2.

[0199] By means of the translational movement of the slide 720 relative to the inner frame 704, a fluid-transferring connection of the container line 96 with the first container-side valve block 62 can be established, held and released again.

[0200] An adapter structure 724 is mounted on the carriage 720, which accommodates the first cell culture container 12. The adapter structure 724 comprises a support plate 726 and a receiving element 728 for a substantially play-free reception of the container lid 604 of the first cell culture container 12 along the container line 96. Due to the inclined neck 602 of the container body 606 in the exemplary embodiment, the support plate 726 is inclined such that the container line 96 of a cell culture container mounted on the adapter structure 724 runs substantially parallel to the carriage track SP and is aligned with the recess 510 in the first container-side valve block 62. In the case of a straight container neck, a correspondingly different adapter structure would be selected, the support plate of which is not inclined.

[0201] The receiving element 728 has an upwardly open LI shape, which surrounds a container lid 604 received therein along a wrap angle of at least 120°, preferably 180°. The first cell culture container 12 can thus be placed onto the adapter structure 724 from above and its position is essentially fixed by a positive fit between the container lid 604 and the receiving element 728. Since, as can be seen from the description of Fig. 5 above, the male coupling element 624 of the first cell culture container 12 is supported by the container lid 604 by means of the valve structure 600 formed integrally with the container lid 604, the male coupling element 624 is also fixed in its position relative to the slide 720 and thus relative to the first container-side valve block 62 and its recess 510.The use of adapter structure 724 has the advantage that, by exchanging adapter structure 724 for another suitable adapter structure, a large number of differently designed cell culture containers can be used on the first tumbling device 144. It is even conceivable that different cell culture containers could be used on the first tumbling device 144 and on the second tumbling device 146, whereby only 146 different adapter structures are required on the two tumbling devices 144, while the remaining structure of the tumbling devices 144 and 146 remains identical.

[0202] To facilitate the mounting of additional functional assemblies, a hole pattern with prepared mounting openings 730 can already be formed in a support plate 721 of the slide 720.

[0203] Then, when the slide 720 is advanced to the first container-side valve block 62, which is fixed immovably relative to the inner frame 704, and the first cell culture container 12 is in fluid-transmitting connection with the first container-side valve block 510, the first cell culture container 12 is advantageously held on the adapter structure 724 by a clamping device 732.

[0204] The clamping device 732 comprises a clamping bracket 734, which is pivotably movable about a clamping axis PB parallel to the pivot axis S1. In Fig. 6, the clamping bracket 734 is shown in its release position, in which the first cell culture container 12 can be removed or replaced by another cell culture container.

[0205] The clamping bracket 734 comprises two substantially identical pivot arms 736, which are arranged offset from each other along the clamping axis PB. A clamping rod 738 at the longitudinal end of the pivot arms 736, which in the exemplary embodiment are roughly S-shaped, connects the distant longitudinal ends of the pivot arms 736. In a locking position, which differs from the release position shown in Fig. 6 and in which the clamping device 732 secures the first cell culture container 12 to the adapter structure 724 and thus to the first wobble device 144 against removal, the clamping rod 738 rests against the upper surface 612 of the first cell culture container 12 and forms a physical blockage against lifting the first cell culture container 12 from the first wobble device 144.

[0206] The clamping rod 738 can be rubberized or otherwise coated to protect the cell culture container 12, which has a lower modulus of elasticity compared to the clamping rod 738 and is therefore more deformable under the same external load than the clamping rod 738.

[0207] A third drive 740, which is the motion drive 740 of the carriage 720 and the clamping bracket 734, is mounted immovably on the inner frame 704 relative to it. The motion drive 740 serves to move the carriage 720 along the carriage track SP towards and away from the first container-side valve block 62 in order to bring the first cell culture container 12 into fluid-transferring contact with the first container-side valve block 62, to hold it in fluid-transferring contact, and to disconnect it again. A slip clutch can be provided in the drive train of the carriage 720 to prevent overloading of the motion drive 740 when the carriage 720 reaches an end position, particularly when a fluid-transferring connection has been established between the first cell culture container 12 and the first container-side valve block 62.

[0208] In one embodiment, the clamping bracket 734 can be fixed or otherwise held in the release position shown in Fig. 6, and can be pre-tensioned into the locking position by a pre-tensioning device, for example, comprising a spring. As the slide 720 approaches the first container-side valve block 62, the slide 720 or a component connected to it, such as an actuating nose or the like, can release the retaining device or, more generally, the mounting that holds the clamping bracket 734 in the release position. Driven by its pre-tension, the clamping bracket 734 then moves into its locking position and, under the influence of the pre-tension, rests against the top surface 612 of the first cell culture container 12. In this way, the first cell culture container 12 can be clamped to the adapter structure 724 without requiring the third drive 740 to be continuously energized.

[0209] By moving into the locking position, a driver of the clamping device 732, which is connected to the clamping bracket 734 for at least partial common movement, can come into engagement with the slide 720 in such a way that, during its movement away from the first container-side valve block 62, the slide 720, utilizing the driving force of the movement drive 740, moves the clamping bracket 734 back into the release position against the preload force acting on the clamping bracket 734, where a renewed locking or retaining or self-locking mechanism holds the clamping bracket 734 in the release position and relieves the third drive 740.

[0210] Instead of the aforementioned locking mechanism of the clamping bracket 734, the motion drive 740 can be self-locking, for example as a threaded drive, such as a spindle drive or worm gear drive. In the present embodiment, the motion drive 740 is self-locking. The aforementioned possible locking mechanism and preload of the clamping bracket is not provided in the illustrated embodiment. Instead, the motion drive 740 also drives the clamping bracket 734 to adjust it between its release position and its locking position.

[0211] A drive motor 741 (see Fig. 7) of the motion drive 740 is kinematically coupled to the slide 720 via a belt drive 742 and a self-locking spindle drive 750 shown in Fig. 7. Further motion transmissions or reductions are implemented under the slide 720 by means of gears and / or linkages, as can be seen in Fig. 7, in order to provide the necessary adjusting torques, adjusting forces, and adjusting travels for the slide 720 and the clamping bracket 734, starting from the drive torque supplied by the drive motor 741. All drives 708, 718, and 740 on the first wobble device 144 can be controlled by the control device 44 mentioned and described in connection with Fig. 1.

[0212] In the present embodiment, the carriage 720, the optional adapter structure 724, the support plate 726, the receiving assembly 728, the drive mechanism 740, the clamping device 732, and the container-side valve block 62 form a cell culture container operating unit 748. The carriage 720, the optional adapter structure 724, the support plate 726, and the receiving assembly 728 form a cell culture container carrier 749. In the present embodiment, the optional adapter structure 724, the support plate 726, and the receiving assembly 728 form a receiving unit 729.

[0213] The construction of the cell culture container operating unit 748 and the drive mechanism 740 are explained below in connection with Fig. 7. Fig. 7 shows a bottom view of the multi-part frame 700 and the cell culture container operating unit 748.

[0214] The representation in Fig. 7 corresponds to that in Fig. 6, except that the first drive 708, compared to the embodiment in Fig. 6, is arranged along the first pivot axis S1 on the other side of the outer frame 702. Due to the belt drive 710 used to transmit the output torque of the first drive 708, the location of the first drive 708 is not significant. According to one possible embodiment, the first drive 708 can be fixed to the outer frame 702, so that, apart from the rotation of the drive shaft 712 about its longitudinal axis, it is always moved together with the drive shaft 712 that it drives, or rather, is not moved relative to the drive shaft 712.

[0215] Preferably, the first drive 702 is arranged on the frame (not shown) of the first and / or second wobble device 144 or 146 in a manner that is fixed relative to the frame, i.e., approximately stationary relative to the bearing elements 706, which are also mounted. The spindle drive 750 comprises a threaded spindle 752 parallel to the guide rods 722, which define the slide path SP, and which is driven to rotate about its longitudinal axis by the drive motor 741 of the motion drive 740 via the belt drive 742.

[0216] In the function of the spindle nut, a drive component 754, which in the illustrated embodiment is exemplified as a rectangular frame, is penetrated by the threaded spindle 752. To reduce the number of components required, the drive component 754 is guided for exclusively translational movement on the same guide device or guide structure, here: the guide rods 722, as the slide 720.

[0217] The slide 720 is guided on its underside by a total of four sliding sleeves 756, of which two are arranged coaxially and surround one and the same guide rod 722, on the two parallel guide rods 722 for exclusively translational movement.

[0218] Between the drive component 754 and the slide 720, more precisely between the drive component 754 and the respective sliding sleeve 756 which precedes the slide when moving towards the container-side valve block 62, a mechanical compression spring 758 made of metal is arranged as a mechanical energy storage device 760.

[0219] If the drive motor 741 and with it the threaded spindle 752 are operated in a drive direction in which the drive component 754 is displaced relative to the inner frame 704 in the buffer movement direction BMD towards the container-side valve block 62 as the connection structure in the sense of the introductory description, the drive component 754 displaces the slide 720 and with it a cell culture container 12 placed on it in the buffer movement direction BMD without significant compression of the compression springs 758 until the slide 720 is hindered in its movement in the buffer movement direction BMD. This is the intended case when a cell culture container 12 carried by the slide 720, as shown in Fig. 5, reaches its end position in the container-side valve block or the connection structure 62, thereby establishing a fluid-transmitting connection. Also in Fig.7. The carriage has reached its position after moving into the buffer, direction of movement BMD. The container-side valve block 62 forms a physical barrier to prevent the cell culture container 12, and thus also the carriage 720, from continuing its movement in the buffer direction BMD.

[0220] Thus, when the carriage 720 has reached its end position, as shown in Fig. 7, the drive motor 741 can still be driven in the same direction. The driving force then output by the drive motor 741 continues to move the drive component 754 in the buffer movement direction BMD, thereby compressing the springs 758. A portion of the driving force output by the drive motor 741 is then stored in the energy storage device 760, without this resulting in any movement of the carriage 720.

[0221] The clamping bracket 734 is pivotably mounted on the inner frame 704 about the clamping axis PB. The clamping axis PB is oriented parallel to the first pivot axis S1 and orthogonal to the second pivot axis S2. In Fig. 7, the clamping bracket 734 is located near or in its locked position. The springs 758 are therefore compressed, and the energy content of the energy storage device 760 is increased compared to a position in which the drive component 754 is retracted against the buffer movement direction BMD.

[0222] A coupling rod 762 runs parallel to the clamping axis PB under the drive component 754, which couples the swivel arms 736 on both sides of the inner frame 704 to each other for a common swiveling movement about the clamping axis PB.

[0223] The coupling rod 762 is coupled to the drive component 754 on both sides via a connecting rod 764. Each connecting rod is movably pivoted at one of its longitudinal ends (left in Fig. 7) to the coupling rod 762 about an axis of rotation parallel to the clamping axis PB, and at its opposite longitudinal end (right in Fig. 6) about an axis of rotation parallel to the clamping axis PB. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting rods 764 are only rotationally movable relative to the drive component 754 and are translationally movable together with the drive component 754 along the carriage track SP.

[0224] Due to this ideally backlash-free coupling of the clamping bracket 734 with the drive component 754 via the coupling rod 762 and the connecting rods 764, the clamping bracket 734 moves synchronously with the drive component 754. This means that whenever the drive component 754 moves, the clamping bracket 734 also moves. However, due to the rotary motion transmission via the connecting rods 764 and the swivel arms 736, and the associated motion transmission or reduction, the clamping rod 738 does not always move at the same speed as the drive component 754.

[0225] Through this kinematics, the clamping rod 738 can then, when the cell culture container is already in its end position on the receiving plate 726 with fluid-transmitting connection to the container-side valve block 62, be applied to the surface 612 of the cell culture container 12 described in connection with Fig. 6 to secure it by continuing movement of the drive component 754 in the drive direction described above while the slide 720 is stationary.

[0226] By monitoring the torque of the drive motor 741, advantageously, for example, indirectly by monitoring the motor current supplied to it, the end position of the clamping rod 738 and consequently of the entire clamping device 732 in the safety position can be detected, and the drive motor 741 can be disconnected from the power supply or switched off to prevent its overload. Alternatively or additionally, the aforementioned slip clutch can be installed in the drive train of the drive motor 741 towards the threaded spindle 752. The threaded spindle 752 prevents the clamping bracket 734 from moving automatically from the safety position to the release position, so that no torque from the drive motor 741 is required for the duration of the safety position. By reversing the direction of drive of the drive motor 741, the clamping bracket 734 and the slide 720 can be moved from the safety position or...from the container-side valve block 62 back into their other end position.

[0227] Figure 8 shows a schematic side view of only the cell culture container operating unit 748 of Figures 6 and 7, primarily to illustrate the position of the pivot arms 736 and the connecting rods 764. The position of the pivot arms 736 and the connecting rods 764 in Figure 8 corresponds to the position in Figure 7.

[0228] The components and component sections of the cell culture container operating device 748 shown in Fig. 8 have already been explained in connection with Fig. 7 and do not require further explanation. Only the brackets 766, which are connected to the inner frame 704 for common movement, support the container-side valve block 62 in Fig. 6, and which are prominently visible in Fig. 8, require special mention.

Claims

Claims 1. Cell culture container operating device (748) for a cell culture management device (10) for the secure, detachable mounting of a cell culture container (12) during cell culture management, wherein the cell culture container operating device (748) comprises: a cell culture container carrier (749) with a receiving device (729) designed to receive a cell culture container (12), a connection structure (62) for the fluid-transmitting connection of a cell culture container (12), wherein at least one component from the cell culture container carrier (749) and the connection structure (62) is movable towards and away from the other component, a clamping device (732), wherein at least one component from the clamping device (732) and the receiving device (729) is movable towards and away from the other component,and a common motion drive (740) for driving both the at least one component from the cell culture container carrier (749) and the connection structure (62) and for driving the at least one component from the clamping device (732) and the receiving device (729), wherein the motion drive (740) is coupled to each assembly consisting of the at least one component and the at least one component in a way that transmits drive force, and wherein the motion drive (740) is coupled to at least one assembly consisting of the at least one component and the at least one component as a force-buffered assembly (749) in at least one direction of movement as a buffer direction of movement (BMD) with an intermediate arrangement of an energy storage device (760) for transmitting drive force from the motion drive (740) to the force-buffered assembly (749).

2. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement drive (740) has a drive motor (741) and a drive component (754) that can be driven by the drive motor (741) for movement, wherein the drive component (754) is coupled to the force-buffered driven unit (749) with an intermediate arrangement of the energy storage device (760) to transmit drive force.

3. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive component (754) is coupled to the other component unit as a synchronously driven component unit (732) in such a way that a movement of the drive component (754) causes a movement of the synchronously driven component unit (732), while the same movement of the drive component (754) increases the energy content of the energy storage device (760) when the drive unit (749) is in motion-blocked, force-buffered mode.

4. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to claim 3, characterized in that the synchronously driven assembly (732) is coupled to the drive component (754) by means of a gearbox and / or linkage (762, 764) to transmit movement.

5. Cell culture container operating equipment (748) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the force-buffered driven assembly (749) is coupled to the drive component (754) only by means of the energy storage device (760) in the buffer direction of movement (BMD) in a manner that transmits the driving force.

6. Cell culture container operating equipment (748) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the drive component (754) is permanently coupled to the drive motor (741) for joint movement.

7. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the buffer movement direction (BMD) is a movement direction of the at least one component from the cell culture container carrier (749) and the connection structure (62) towards the respective other component and / or a movement direction of an approach of the at least one component from the clamping device (732) and the receiving device (729) to the respective other component.

8. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the force-buffered driven assembly (749) is the at least one component consisting of the cell culture container carrier (749) and the connection structure (62).

9. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to claim 8, characterized in that the force-buffered driven assembly (749) is the cell culture container carrier (749).

10. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one component consisting of the cell culture container carrier (749) and the connection structure (62) is translationally movable towards and away from the other component, and / or that the at least one component consisting of the clamping device (732) and the receiving device (729) is approachable and removable from the other component by a pivoting movement 11. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to one of the preceding claims, including claim 2, characterized in that the cell culture container operating device (748) has a guide structure (722) on which, as a common guide structure (722), both the force-buffered driven assembly (749) as well as the drive component (754) are guided to their respective movements.

12. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to claim 11 , characterized in that the cell culture container operating device (748) has a frame (704) which supports the guide structure (722) and the drive motor (741 ).

13. Cell culture container operating equipment (748) according to claim 12, characterized in that the frame (704) also carries the connection structure (62).

14. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the frame (704) is an inner frame (704) which is pivotably mounted about a first pivot axis (S1) on an outer frame (702) of the cell culture container operating device (748).

15. Cell culture container operating device (748) according to claim 14, characterized in that the cell culture container operating device (748) has a frame (706) on which the outer frame (702) is pivotably mounted about a second pivot axis (S2) extending transversely to the first pivot axis (S1).

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