Biological Material Packaging for Uniform Cryopreservation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cryopreservation methods for biological materials like fish semen or milt are limited by the small volume capacity of traditional cryogenic straws, leading to reduced fertilization success when larger volumes are attempted, and larger straws fail to ensure uniform freezing, resulting in decreased quality of the cryopreserved material.

Innovation Solution

A packaging design featuring two parallel walls connected along their periphery, allowing for the cryopreservation of larger volumes (at least 5 ml) with uniform temperature distribution, using semi-rigid sheets made of biocompatible materials like PETG or PVC, and incorporating fill and air drainage openings to ensure even freezing and thawing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If traditional narrow and slender cryogenic straws are used, then uniform freezing is achieved, but the volume capacity is limited to small amounts (0.5-1.2 ml)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume capacityVSAvoiduniform freezing
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging divides the biological material into thin layers separated by parallel walls, creating multiple freezing surfaces that ensure uniform temperature distribution throughout the larger volume. This segmentation allows the material to freeze evenly from multiple directions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention transitions from a traditional single-tube geometry to a multi-chamber flat packaging structure with parallel walls. This dimensional change creates multiple freezing interfaces and surface areas, enabling uniform heat distribution and temperature control throughout the expanded volume capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If larger and less narrow straws are used to increase volume capacity, then more biological material can be stored, but uniform freezing cannot be ensured resulting in reduced quality

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume capacityVSAvoidquality of cryopreserved material
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging structure segments the biological material into thin layers between parallel walls, ensuring that no portion is too far from a freezing surface. This maintains uniform freezing throughout the entire volume, preserving the quality and viability of the cryopreserved material while accommodating larger quantities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The parallel wall structure creates localized freezing zones throughout the packaging, ensuring that every region of the biological material is equidistant from a freezing surface. This local quality control maintains uniform temperature distribution and prevents quality degradation even in larger volumes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Quantity of substance

If pouches with large volume are used for packaging, then significant volume capacity is achieved, but uniform freezing of the full content cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevolume capacityVSAvoiduniform temperature distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The packaging uses parallel walls to divide the biological material into multiple thin layers, creating numerous freezing interfaces. This segmentation ensures that heat is distributed uniformly throughout the entire volume, maintaining consistent temperature distribution while accommodating significant capacity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adopts a flat multi-chamber structure with parallel walls rather than a traditional pouch geometry. This dimensional change creates multiple freezing surfaces and reduces the maximum distance from any point in the material to a freezing interface, ensuring uniform temperature distribution throughout the large volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 packaging enables efficient cryopreservation of larger volumes of biological materials with uniform temperature distribution, enhancing fertilization success and maintaining the quality of the cryopreserved material, suitable for both short and long-term storage and transport.

Implementation Method 1

the distance between the inner surface of the two walls (12, 13, 31, 32) is any one of 2 mm, 1.1 mm, 1.0 mm or 0.95 mm... ensuring a uniform temperature of the whole content, for example during freezing and thawing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2303182B1Packaging for biological material
Publication Date: 2023.03.08 CRYOGENETICS
  • EP2303182B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2303182B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP2303182B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A packaging for biological material comprises two substantially parallel walls connected to each other along a substantially part of their periphery and in a central area. The packaging may be used for cryopreservation of biological material.