Back to results
US 10,900,007 B2Granted
Bioreactor system
AssigneeGeorgia State University Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsBryan Stubblefield, Eric Gilbert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to various implementations, the bioreactor system includes a bioreactor vessel, an impeller for stirring contents within the vessel, a temperature control source for controlling the temperature of the contents of the vessel, an aeration system for supplying air to the vessel, and one or more data loggers. According to certain implementations, the impeller is a novel impeller design that spins more smoothly and rapidly than known impellers. In addition, the bioreactor system is modular, durable, and relatively inexpensive compared to existing bioreactor systems, which allows for bench-scale implementation, use with differently sized bioreactor vessels, and accessibility to more educational programs, according to some implementations.
Claims19
An impeller for a bioreactor vessel comprising:
- a cylindrical hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis extending through the cylindrical tube, the cylindrical tube defining an inner diameter;
- a magnetic stir bar disposed adjacent the distal end of the tube;
- an axle extending through a portion of the length of the cylindrical tube, the axle having a longitudinal axis that is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical tube and a distal end and proximal end, the distal end of the axle being axially spaced apart from the magnetic stir bar;
- and
- a first radial spacer disposed adjacent the distal end of the axle and a second radial spacer disposed adjacent the proximal end of the cylindrical tube, each radial spacer having an outer radial surface and an inner radial surface that is disposed adjacent the axle, at least a portion of the outer radial surface engaging the inner diameter of the cylindrical hollow tube;
- wherein the axle is stationary and the cylindrical tube rotates a bout its longitudinal axis and the longitudinal axis of the axle in response to a rotational magnetic force received by the magnetic stir bar
- further comprising a cap comprising an end wall and a cylindrical side wall that extends axially from an edge of the end wall, the cap further defining an opening in a center of the end wall, wherein the side wall engages the proximal end of the cylindrical tube and the proximal end of the axle extends through the opening in the center of the end wall of the cap, and the cap rotates with the cylindrical tube about the axle.
4 more elements
A bioreactor system comprising:
- a bioreactor vessel having a bottom surface and one or more side walk extending from the bottom surface, the one or more side walls defining at least one central opening axially opposite the bottom surface;
- a vessel cap configured for engaging the one or more side walls to close off the central opening of the vessel, the vessel cap comprising a top surface and one or more side walls that extend from the top surface and engage with the one or more side walls of the vessel;
- an impeller comprising:
- a cylindrical hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis extending through the cylindrical tube, the cylindrical tube defining an inner diameter;
- a magnetic stir bar disposed adjacent the distal end of the tube;
- an axle extending through a portion of the length of the cylindrical tube, the axle having a longitudinal axis that is collinear with the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical tube and a distal end and proximal end, the distal end of the axle being axially spaced apart from the magnetic stir bar;
- and
- a first radial spacer disposed adjacent the distal end of the axle and a second radial spacer disposed adjacent the proximal end of the cylindrical tube, each radial spacer having an outer radial surface that engages the inner diameter of the cylindrical tube and an inner radial surface that is disposed adjacent the axle, at least a portion of the outer radial surface engaging the inner diameter of the cylindrical hollow tube;
- wherein the axle is stationary and the cylindrical tube rotates about its longitudinal axis and the longitudinal axis of the axle in response to a rotational magnetic force received by the magnetic stir bar, and
- wherein the proximal end of the axle extends through an opening defined in the top surface of the vessel cap and is secured relative to the top surface of the vessel cap, and the distal end of the cylindrical hollow tube is spaced apart from and axially above the bottom surface of the bioreactor vessel
- further comprising a cap comprising an end wall and a cylindrical side wall that extends axially from an edge of the end wall, the cap further defining an opening in a center of the end wall, wherein the side wall engages the proximal end of the cylindrical tube and the proximal end of the axle extends through the opening in the center of the end wall of the cap, and the cap rotates with the cylindrical tube about the axle.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.