Apparatus and method for removing microbial contaminants from a flowing fluid
OwnerDan M. Sheldoninventor
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for removing microbial contaminants from a flowing fluid in a cell culture incubator are disclosed. Some embodiments of the invention provide a cell culture incubator including a chamber, an airflow passage through which gasses circulate within the chamber, a filter configured to filter gasses that flow through the airflow passage and chamber, and a blower for circulating gasses through the airflow passage, chamber and filter. The blower includes a structural component at least partially formed from an anti-microbial material.
Claims20
A cell culture incubator, comprising:
- a chamber;
- an airflow passage through which gasses circulate within the chamber;
- a filter configured to filter the gasses that flow through the airflow passage and chamber;
- and
- a blower for circulating gasses through the airflow passage, chamber and filter, wherein the blower includes a structural component at least partially formed from an anti-microbial material.
A cell culture incubator, comprising:
- a chamber;
- an airflow passage through which gasses circulate within the chamber;
- a filter having a filter element, wherein the filter is in fluid communication with the airflow passage;
- a first structural component at least partially constructed of a first material with anti-microbial properties, wherein the first structural component is disposed within the filter upstream of the filter element so that microbial contaminants in air flowing into the incubator will contact the first structural component and then be retained in the filter element;
- and
- a second structural component at least partially constructed of a second material with anti-microbial properties, wherein the second structural component is disposed within the airflow passage downstream of the filter element.
A cell culture incubator, comprising:
- a chamber;
- an airflow passage through which gasses circulate within the chamber;
- a filter configured to filter gasses circulated through the airflow passage, wherein the filter includes an inlet, an outlet, an anti-microbial structural component disposed between the inlet and the outlet, and a filter element configured to trap microbial contaminants exposed to the anti-microbial structural component;
- and
- a blower configured to cause gasses to flow through the airflow passage, wherein the blower includes a component made at least partially from an anti-microbial material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.