Flexible Pouch Culture Medium Pouring Station
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Solution Overview
Problem
The preparation of culture media for microbiological applications is labor-intensive, requires multiple flasks, and faces storage challenges due to small bottle volumes and the need for sterile handling, especially when preparing large quantities or maintaining media at supercooling temperatures.
Innovation Solution
An installation with a flexible pouch container for solid or semi-solid culture medium, equipped with a heating enclosure to maintain supercooling temperatures, and automated pumping for sterile and efficient pouring into Petri dishes, allowing for flexible storage and simultaneous use of multiple containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If small glass bottles are used to store culture medium, then the risk of material loss is reduced, but storage space requirements increase and automation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid glass bottles with flexible pouches that can be deformed and compressed. These pouches maintain sterility while allowing compact stacking and more efficient storage space utilization, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and storage complexity
2Quantity of substance
If multiple flasks are used to prepare large quantities of culture support, then the quantity of preparation increases, but the preparation time increases and automation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate flask operations into a single automated pouring station that can process multiple flexible pouches simultaneously. The system combines heating, pouring, and distribution functions in one integrated unit, enabling large-scale preparation without proportionally increasing preparation time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameters by maintaining the culture medium in a liquid state at controlled temperatures (44-47°C) throughout the automated pouring process. This temperature control enables continuous flow and automated handling, dramatically increasing preparation throughput
3Temperature
If culture medium is placed under supercooling for extended periods, then the liquid state is maintained, but the medium can no longer be preserved and material loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous temperature control through the heating enclosure that maintains the culture medium at optimal supercooling temperatures throughout the entire automated pouring process. This continuous thermal management allows extended operation while preserving medium integrity and preventing material loss
4Productivity
If automated emptying of bottles is implemented, then productivity increases, but the presence of air intake is required which complicates sterile handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the air intake requirement from the system by using flexible pouches that can be emptied through bottom discharge without needing air intake valves. This eliminates the sterile handling complication while maintaining full automation capability
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of pouring from the top opening of bottles as in traditional systems, the patent inverts the approach by discharging the culture medium from the bottom of the flexible pouches. This inversion eliminates the need for air intake during automated emptying while maintaining sterile conditions
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
Simplifies the preparation of culture media, reduces material loss, and facilitates automation by enabling flexible storage and sterile handling, while maintaining the medium at optimal temperature for extended periods.
Implementation Method 1
the pouring station comprises an enclosure equipped with heating means capable of heating the air inside the enclosure
Implementation Method 2
the said enclosure is configured to house at least two containers of the first type
Data Source
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AI summary
A facility for preparing a culture support comprising a pouring station, a plate for receiving the culture support and at least one container containing a product to be poured into said culture support. Each container containing a product to be poured, referred to as a container of a first type, is a flexible bag containing a solid or semi-solid culture medium comprising a gelling agent, and the pouring station comprises an enclosure equipped with heating means and configured to house at least two containers of the first type, this storage enclosure and the surface for receiving the culture support can be moved relative to each other, and the facility comprises at least one configuration in which the surface for receiving the culture support extends beneath and in line with the storage enclosure storing the containers of the first type.