Magnetic Mixer for Homogeneous Cell Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cell therapy, maintaining animal cells in uniform suspension during dispensing is challenging due to their faster settling velocity and higher shear sensitivity, requiring accurate and low-shear dispensing while ensuring sterility and controlled temperature, which existing methods fail to achieve consistently.

Innovation Solution

A vessel with a mixer that uses a sterile, refrigerated impeller with controllable rotational speed and bi-axial fluid flow to maintain cells in suspension, featuring medical-grade materials and sterilizable components for aseptic and low-shear dispensing, combined with a dosing pump for accurate metering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional dispensing methods are used, then the dispensing process is simple, but cell distribution homogeneity deteriorates due to faster settling velocity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedispensing process simplicityVSAvoidcell distribution homogeneity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The mixer is activated before dispensing to pre-mix the cell suspension and maintain cells in uniform suspension. This preliminary action ensures homogeneous cell distribution is achieved before the dispensing process begins, counteracting the faster settling velocity of cells.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The mixer continues to operate during the dispensing process to maintain continuous mixing. This ensures that cells remain in uniform suspension throughout the entire dispensing operation, preventing concentration gradients from forming despite the relatively short processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Device complexity

If conventional dispensing methods are used, then the equipment is simple, but cell viability deteriorates due to higher shear sensitivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment simplicityVSAvoidcell viability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces high-shear mechanical mixing with a magnetic field-based mixing system. The magnetic mixer uses magnetic fields to drive mixing without the high shear forces associated with traditional mechanical impellers, thereby protecting cell viability while achieving homogeneous distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The mixing parameters (magnetic field strength, rotation speed) are optimized to provide sufficient mixing action for homogeneity while staying below the shear threshold that would damage cells. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between mixing effectiveness and cell protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If cells are dispensed quickly to improve productivity, then processing time is reduced, but cell distribution homogeneity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedispensing speedVSAvoidcell concentration uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The mixer operates continuously throughout the dispensing process, ensuring that even at high dispensing speeds, cells remain in uniform suspension. This continuous mixing action compensates for the reduced time available for settling prevention during rapid dispensing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The mixing intensity and dispensing rate are coordinated through parameter optimization. The system adjusts mixing parameters to match the dispensing speed, ensuring homogeneous cell distribution is maintained regardless of the dispensing rate, thereby enabling high productivity without sacrificing uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Ensures homogeneous cell distribution and high viability by maintaining cells in uniform suspension during dispensing, meeting quality control criteria for cell concentration and viability in vials.

Implementation Method 1

an impeller that rotates about a horizontal axis to generate bi-axial fluid flow within the vessel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMixing: Stirring

Implementation Method 2

an impeller that rotates about a horizontal axis to generate bi-axial fluid flow within the vessel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS10323223B2Homogeneous cell dispensing mixer

Publication Date: 2019.06.18 PBS BIOTECH INC

AI summary

A vessel having a mixer that ensures a homogeneous cell distribution in dispensed quantities. The vessel has a mixer therein for stirring contents of the vessel and an orifice in a lower wall to which a cell dispenser is attached. The cell dispenser dispenses quantities of suspended cells having a homogeneous cell distribution.