Bioprinting Chamber with Sterilization and Environmental Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing three-dimensional bioprinters are inadequate for maintaining optimal environmental conditions required for cell survival, as they fail to control temperature, humidity, and gas composition, leading to contamination from impurities like bacteria and viruses in open environments.
Innovation Solution
A semi or fully closed chamber system with integrated air supply, gas exchange, and sterilization units that maintain predefined environmental parameters, including temperature, humidity, and gas composition, using antibacterial materials and UV sterilization to create a sterile environment for bioprinting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bioprinting is performed in an open space, then the printing process is simple and accessible, but cell cultures are contaminated by bacteria, fungus, yeast, and virus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a controlled chamber environment as an intermediary between the open space and the cell culture. This chamber acts as a mediator that filters harmful particles from the ambient air while allowing the printing process to proceed, thus resolving the contradiction between accessibility and contamination prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a sterile, controlled atmosphere within the chamber that is inert to cell culture contamination. By maintaining a controlled environment with filtered air and controlled humidity, the system protects cell cultures from harmful factors while keeping the printing process accessible
2Productivity
If living cells are used as ink in open environment, then bioprinting can be performed, but cells die due to room temperature and impurity exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the environmental parameters within the chamber, specifically maintaining temperature between 20-40°C and humidity between 30-90%, which are optimal for cell survival. These parameter adjustments enable bioprinting to proceed while ensuring cell viability, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and reliability
3Device complexity
If impure air is present during bioprinting, then no special environmental control is needed, but nutrition-rich medium and hydrogel become contaminated and support exponential growth of impurities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filtering the air and pre-establishing controlled environmental conditions before the bioprinting process begins. This preliminary preparation prevents impurity contamination of the nutrition-rich medium and hydrogel, stopping exponential growth of impurities before they can occur
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus for three dimensional printing/bio-printing is disclosed. The apparatus includes a chamber further comprising a housing, an air supply unit, a heating and cooling unit, a humidifier, printing heads, gas removal unit and inlets. The housing further includes a printing platform coated with an antibacterial material and a UV lamp and an ozone generator, configured to turn on before printing the three dimensional prints on the printing platform, in order to sterilize the housing. A positive pressure in the chamber is increased by the air supply unit and the gas removal unit. External gases are passed and adjusted into the chamber by inlets. The humidity and temperature in the chamber are adjusted by the humidifier and the heating and cooling unit. The printing heads dispense biomaterial on the printing platform to create a three dimensional print.