Vertical Carousel for Modular Biologic Production Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated cell culture and tissue engineering systems are complex, space-intensive, and costly, posing challenges in efficiently scaling up biologic production while maintaining process integrity and user ergonomics.
Innovation Solution
An upright automated carousel that supports multiple biologic production units, enabling translational movement along a vertical path while maintaining unit stability relative to gravity, and allowing for individual dynamic axial rotation of each unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple biological production units are arranged horizontally in existing automated systems, then each unit can be accessed and operated independently, but the system occupies excessive laboratory floor space and requires substantial capital investment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal arrangement of production units to a vertical arrangement, utilizing the vertical dimension to reduce floor space occupation. Multiple production units are stacked vertically and rotated around a central axis, allowing access to each unit through radial positioning rather than horizontal displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the production facility into modular production units that can be independently operated, accessed, and replaced. Each unit is segmented as a discrete module on the carousel, allowing individual access without disrupting other units, thus reducing the overall space requirement while maintaining operational independence.
2Productivity
If automated systems are designed to service multiple patients concurrently, then production capacity increases, but the complexity of automation and space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The carousel system serves multiple production units with a single automated structure, providing universal access and resource distribution to all units. The central carousel mechanism can service any number of production units radially arranged around it, allowing concurrent operation of multiple patient-specific treatments without requiring separate automated systems for each unit.
3Ease of operation
If production units are positioned for easy user access, then ergonomic operation is improved, but the system requires more laboratory space
Solution Approach 1:
The system brings units within easy reach by positioning them radially around a central carousel at accessible heights, eliminating the need for users to move across large horizontal distances. The vertical stacking combined with radial rotation allows ergonomic access to multiple units without expanding floor space.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated carousel and system configured for translationally moving a plurality of biological production units in unison along a vertical frame while maintaining a precise alignment of each of the biological production units relative to gravity, and simultaneously providing independent dynamic adjustment of the axial orientation of each of the plurality of biological production units relative to gravity. The automated carousel may be adapted for use with a variety of biological production units supporting cell culture and/or tissue engineering systems in various clinical and laboratory settings and provides for ergonomic use thereof.