Parallel Filter Connector for Cell Culture Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cell culture vessels deform and risk breaking during medium exchange due to pressure changes, and existing filters, such as membrane filters, fail to prevent CO2 accumulation and pH changes in the culture medium.
Innovation Solution
A cell culture vessel with two types of filters, a membrane filter and a depth filter, installed in parallel to manage gas exchange and maintain stable pressure, connected via a parallel-filter connector to prevent deformation and CO2 accumulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a single membrane filter is used for gas exchange, then the culture vessel maintains pressure stability, but CO2 accumulation occurs and pH changes
Solution Approach 1:
The gas exchange function is segmented into two separate filters: a membrane filter for pressure regulation and a depth filter for CO2 removal. Each filter is specialized for its specific function, with the membrane filter maintaining pressure stability and the depth filter enabling CO2 dissipation to prevent pH changes.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the gas exchange system are assigned different filter types with specialized properties. The membrane filter provides pressure stability through its selective permeability, while the depth filter provides CO2 removal capacity through its porous structure, allowing each component to optimize its local function.
2Productivity
If medium exchange is performed quickly, then productivity increases, but vessel deformation and breaking risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The parallel filter system is installed beforehand to establish pressure stability before medium exchange begins. This preliminary configuration ensures that rapid medium exchange can be performed without causing pressure fluctuations that would lead to vessel deformation or breaking.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If gas exchange area is increased, then CO2 dissipation improves, but vessel complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Two filters with different functions are merged into a single parallel connection system that fits within the existing culture vessel cap interface. This combination achieves improved CO2 dissipation through the depth filter while maintaining pressure stability through the membrane filter, without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
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 prevents vessel deformation and maintains a stable pH by ensuring effective gas exchange and CO2 dissipation, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of cell culture processes.
Implementation Method 1
the gas exchange between the gas phase inside the culture vessel and the gas phase outside the culture vessel is performed through the filter
Implementation Method 2
a cap including a filter (a membrane filter) that enables the gas phase to pass through
Implementation Method 3
two types of filters, a membrane filter and a depth filter, installed in parallel to manage gas exchange and maintain stable pressure
Implementation Method 4
ensuring effective gas exchange and CO2 dissipation, maintaining a stable pH
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are cell culture vessels capable of preventing the deformation of the culture vessels in a manipulation of taking in/out a cell or replacing a culture medium and preventing over-time increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide or and temporal decrease of pH of the culture medium and over-time temporal decrease of pH of the culture medium in cell culture as advantageous effects, and further parallel filter connectors for configuring such cell culture vessels. The cell culture vessels have two types of filters in parallel so as to partition a gas phase inside the cell culture vessel and the outer air, and the parallel filter connectors for configuring the cell culture vessels have an opening to be connected to the body of the cell culture vessel, and two openings capable to be installed with each one of the two types of different filters.