Bio 3D Printer Suspension Maintenance Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bio 3D printers face challenges in maintaining a uniform suspension of cells and culture medium in the syringe, leading to cell aggregation and nozzle clogging due to gravity, which requires continuous shaking or pipetting, limiting the use to low-viscous culture media.
Innovation Solution
A suspension maintenance apparatus and method that includes a body detachably coupled to a syringe with a vent, pipette fixture, and pneumatic pressure control system to periodically apply and release pressure, preventing cell aggregation by simulating continuous pipetting through controlled pneumatic pressure changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the syringe is continuously shaken or the biomaterial is repeatedly pipetted to prevent cell aggregation, then the uniform suspension of cells and culture medium is maintained, but the device complexity increases and continuous operation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using an air compressor to periodically supply compressed air to the syringe through a check valve, creating periodic pressure changes that mix the biomaterial suspension. This periodic pneumatic agitation replaces the need for continuous mechanical shaking or manual pipetting, maintaining uniform cell distribution while simplifying the device structure and reducing continuous operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatics by introducing compressed air into the syringe containing the biomaterial suspension. The air compressor and check valve system creates pneumatic pressure cycles that agitate and mix the cells and culture medium, providing an effective alternative to mechanical shaking mechanisms and reducing overall device complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a low viscous culture medium is used to prevent cell sinking, then the biomaterial remains suspended, but the biological functionality and cell viability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The periodic compression and release of air pressure in the syringe creates regular mixing cycles that counteract gravity-induced cell sedimentation. This allows the use of higher viscosity culture media that better support cell viability and biological functionality, as the periodic pneumatic agitation prevents cell sinking without requiring the culture medium to have low viscosity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter periodically by supplying compressed air through the check valve, creating pressure cycles that mix the biomaterial. This parameter change approach enables the use of higher viscosity culture media while maintaining uniform cell suspension, thereby preserving biological functionality.
3Reliability
If higher viscosity culture medium is used to improve biological functionality, then cell viability is maintained, but cells sink to the bottom of the syringe due to gravity
Solution Approach 1:
The periodic supply of compressed air creates regular pressure cycles that agitate and remix the biomaterial suspension, counteracting the gravitational settling of cells in higher viscosity media. This maintains uniform cell distribution throughout the culture medium while preserving cell viability and biological functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The pneumatic system using compressed air and check valve creates periodic pressure changes that mix the high-viscosity biomaterial suspension, preventing cell sedimentation while allowing the use of culture media with optimal viscosity for cell viability and biological function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus effectively maintains a continuous suspension state of biomaterials in the syringe, preventing cell aggregation and nozzle clogging, allowing for the use of higher viscosity culture media and improving the printing process.
Implementation Method 1
supplying compressed air periodically to the inside of the syringe
Implementation Method 2
gradually increasing the pneumatic pressure in the suspension maintenance apparatus to a maximum pressure greater than the minimum pressure
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for maintaining a cell suspension of a biomaterial for a bio 3D printer includes: a body detachably coupled to a syringe; a vent formed inside the body in a longitudinal direction of the syringe; a pipette fixture extending downward from the body and formed in a tapered shape whose outer diameter decreases downwardly; an air discharge port formed inside the pipette fixture, connected to the vent, and communicated into the syringe; a syringe fixing arm protruding from the body in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the syringe to surround an upper flange of the syringe and fixed to the syringe; and a pipette coupled to the pipette fixture and having a hollow tapered shape whose inner diameter decreases downwardly and having a lower end positioned in an outlet of the syringe.