Ultrasonic Cell Peeling Device with Dynamic Beam Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cell peeling methods are inefficient due to uneven cell adhesion and restrictive shape constraints, making it difficult to peel cell aggregates from culture containers into desired shapes without mechanical vibrations.
Innovation Solution
A cell peeling device utilizing an ultrasonic beam with adjustable power output and movement mechanism to cut and peel cell aggregates from culture containers, allowing for precise control of beam size and intensity to achieve contactless peeling into any given shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical vibrations are applied uniformly to the cultured cells, then the entire cell sheet can be peeled from the container wall in a contactless manner, but the peeling process takes much time due to uneven cell adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the peeling process into two distinct phases: a cutting phase that creates a peeling portion by cutting along the container wall, and a peeling phase that separates the cut portion from the container. This segmentation allows the system to first define the peeling boundary efficiently, then execute the actual separation, thereby improving overall productivity while maintaining contactless operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by first cutting the cell sheet to create a peeling portion before actually peeling it from the container wall. This preliminary cutting step prepares the cell aggregate for efficient subsequent peeling, addressing the time-consuming issue by breaking down the complex peeling task into a simpler two-step process.
2Ease of operation
If mechanical vibrations are used for peeling, then contactless peeling is achieved, but the shape of the peeled cell sheet is restricted by container shape and resonance points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the peeling process into cutting and peeling phases, which enables flexible shape formation. During the cutting phase, the ultrasonic beam can be positioned and controlled to cut along desired paths, allowing the creation of various shapes (circles, squares, etc.) independent of container geometry. This segmentation decouples the peeling operation from container shape constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic control of the ultrasonic beam parameters (position, size, intensity) during the cutting phase to adapt to different desired shapes. The beam can be dynamically adjusted to match the required peeling shape, providing versatility in creating different cell aggregate shapes while maintaining contactless operation.
3Productivity
If high intensity ultrasonic beam is used to cut cell aggregate, then cutting efficiency is improved, but beam size becomes larger which reduces precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the ultrasonic beam parameters during the cutting process. The beam size and intensity are controlled to achieve the optimal balance between cutting efficiency and precision. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system can maintain high cutting efficiency while preserving the precision needed to create accurate peeling portions with desired shapes.
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 efficient and flexible peeling of cell aggregates into various shapes while maintaining intact intercellular junctions, improving throughput and usability of cell cultures.
Implementation Method 1
a vibrator that emits an ultrasonic beam onto the cell aggregate across the container wall
Data Source
AI summary
A cell peeling device includes a vibrator that emits an ultrasonic beam onto a cell aggregate across a container wall, a movement mechanism that moves the vibrator to shift a position thereof relative to a culture container, and a control unit that controls beam power output of the ultrasonic beam and the position of the vibrator, in which the control unit carries out mode switching of switching the beam power output of the ultrasonic beam between a first mode in which the cell aggregate is cut and a second mode in which a peeling portion of the cell aggregate, the peeling portion being formed in the first mode, is peeled from the container wall, and, in the first mode, makes a beam size of the beam power output smaller than a beam size in the second mode while makes an intensity of the beam power output larger than an intensity in the second mode.