Cell Printing Apparatus Heated Liquid Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cell printing methods face challenges in maintaining the liquid cell substance in a cured state during 3D structure lamination, particularly due to inadequate heat transfer and risk of structure collapse, and contamination issues with liquid bath methods.
Innovation Solution
A cell printing apparatus with a nozzle for discharging a liquid cell substance, a container for lamination, and a supply unit that provides heated liquid to ensure the liquid cell substance reaches gelation temperature, along with a heating unit for maintaining the container temperature, allowing simultaneous curing during lamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat source is provided under the bottom to heat the liquid cell substance to gelation temperature, then the liquid cell substance can be cured, but when the structure becomes higher, the heat cannot be properly transferred to the upper layer
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from bottom-up heating (one-dimensional heat transfer through the height of the structure) to top-down heating (heat application from above the liquid cell substance). This dimensional change in heat application direction allows the heated liquid to directly contact and warm the upper layers of the 3D structure, solving the heat transfer inefficiency in tall structures.
2Ease of operation
If the liquid cell substance is discharged at low temperature to maintain liquid state, then it can be discharged smoothly, but the layers slip down and the laminated structure collapses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies heating action before and during the lamination process by supplying heated liquid to the container. This preliminary and concurrent heating ensures that the liquid cell substance reaches gelation temperature and cures in place, preventing layer slippage and structural collapse while maintaining discharge smoothness at lower temperatures.
3Temperature
If a liquid bath is used for cell printing, then the liquid cell substance can be maintained, but cell contamination risk increases and cell layers do not properly adhere to the bottom
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the liquid bath environment from the cell printing process. Instead of printing in a liquid bath, the invention uses a dry container where heated liquid is supplied directly to the container. This extraction eliminates the contamination risks associated with liquid baths while maintaining proper cell layer adhesion to the bottom through controlled heating and curing.
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
Enables the successful fabrication of 3D structures by maintaining the liquid cell substance in a cured state throughout the lamination process, reducing the risk of structure collapse and contamination, and ensuring precise 3D structure formation.
Implementation Method 1
a supply unit for supplying a heated liquid to the container
Implementation Method 2
The liquid cell substance is maintained in a liquid state at a temperature lower than a first temperature but is cured at a temperature of a second temperature or higher
Implementation Method 3
a heating unit for heating the container
Data Source
AI summary
A cell printing apparatus according to the present disclosure comprises: a nozzle through which a liquid cell substance is discharged; a container in which the liquid cell substance discharged through the nozzle is laminated into a three-dimensional structure; and a supply unit for supplying the liquid heated to a predetermined temperature to the container.