Closed Cell Recovery Apparatus with Peristaltic Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cell recovery methods face challenges in maintaining sterile conditions and achieving high-purity cell separation, which are crucial for biomedical research and clinical applications.
Innovation Solution
A cell recovery apparatus and method that utilize a closed system with filters and pumps to separate and recover cells, ensuring sterile conditions and high-purity cell separation by using a positive displacement pump for decompression suction and a system of containers and flow paths to manage cell suspension and separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If cells are handled in an open system for ease of operation, then operational flexibility is improved, but sterile conditions cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible tubing and membrane filters that allow the system to maintain sterile conditions while enabling operational flexibility. The flexible tubing permits routing and configuration adjustments, while the membrane filter with 0.01-30 μm pores maintains sterility by blocking microorganisms while allowing cell passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a closed sterile environment that acts as an inert barrier between the cells and the external environment. By enclosing all processing steps in a sealed system with sterile filters, the invention eliminates microbial contamination risks while maintaining operational capability.
2Ease of operation
If conventional pumps are used for cell transfer, then ease of operation is improved, but cell quality deteriorates due to mechanical damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical pumps with a positive displacement pump that uses a peristaltic mechanism. This substitution reduces mechanical damage to cells by avoiding high-shear forces while maintaining ease of operation through automated pumping action.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pumping mechanism from conventional high-shear pumps to a positive displacement pump with specific parameters: flow rate of 0.0004-8.0 L/min and inner diameter of 1.8-13.0 mm. This parameter optimization reduces mechanical stress on cells while maintaining operational efficiency.
3Productivity
If filtration is performed with large pore filters for high flow rate, then productivity is improved, but cell purity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the filter pore diameter parameter to a specific range of 0.01-30 μm, which balances flow rate and cell purity. This parameter selection allows sufficient flow while blocking contaminants, achieving both productivity and manufacturing precision requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a membrane filter that creates a controlled pore structure acting as a template for separation. The filter's standardized pore architecture provides consistent separation performance, ensuring both high flow rates and high cell purity through reproducible filtration.
4Ease of operation
If manual cell handling is used for flexibility, then ease of operation is improved, but consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a closed automated system that performs cell handling operations independently without manual intervention. The system self-regulates flow rates, filtration, and transfer processes, eliminating variability introduced by manual operations while maintaining operational flexibility through programmable control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates monitoring and control mechanisms that provide feedback on processing parameters. This feedback system maintains consistent conditions by automatically adjusting flow rates, pressure, and other parameters to ensure reproducible cell processing results.
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 solution effectively recovers cells in a sterile state while maintaining high cell quality, enabling efficient processing from laboratory to commercial scales with reduced labor and improved consistency.
Implementation Method 1
a first pump, which is a positive displacement pump interposed in the first flow path, and transfers the separated cells from the first container to the recovery container by decompression suction
Implementation Method 2
a second pump for transferring the suspension from the second container to the first container via the second flow path; the second pump is a pump in the manner of applying pressure by gas
Implementation Method 3
a first container having a first filter for separating cells from a suspension containing the cells
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for cell recovery or cell separation. A cell separation system has at least a first container having a first filter for separating a first removal target from a suspension comprising cells and a removal target including at least the first removal target and a second removal target; a cell separation apparatus; a first flow path connecting the first container and the cell separation apparatus; and a first pump interposed in the first flow path for transferring the suspension from the first container to the cell separation apparatus by decompression suction, for example.