Method and apparatus for producing container, cell culture vessel, method for culturing cells, method for producing cell culture vessel, and apparatus for producing cell culture vessel

An apparatus for manufacturing a vessel, comprising:

• a placement stage with concave portions formed on a placement surface thereof on which a bag-shaped, film-based vessel is to be placed;
• a fluid inlet device configured to introduce fluid into the bag-shaped, film-based vessel placed on the placement surface;
• a pressing member arranged movably up and down relative to the placement surface and configured to press the bag-shaped, film-based vessel into which the fluid has been introduced;
• and
• a heating device configured to heat at least one of the placement stage and the pressing member.

A cell culture vessel comprising:

• a first vessel wall as a bottom wall, the first vessel wall having gas permeability;
• a second vessel wall disposed in contact with a peripheral edge portion of the first vessel wall, and having a bulge shape protruding relative to the first vessel wall on a side inner than the peripheral edge portion;
• and
• a charge/discharge port communicating to a culture space surrounded by the first vessel wall and the bulge shape of the second vessel wall,
• wherein the first vessel wall is flat at a section thereof other than a region thereof where the first vessel wall is in contact with at least the charge/discharge port.

A method for manufacturing a cell culture vessel, comprising the steps of:

• placing a first vessel wall which is formed of a film having gas permeability, and a second vessel wall which is disposed opposite the first vessel wall, in a superimposed state on a placement stage;
• pressing the first vessel wall and the second vessel wall at peripheral edge portions thereof by a restraint member in a state that the second vessel wall is maintained free from being pressed at a central section thereof;
• introducing fluid between the first vessel wall and the second vessel wall with the peripheral edge portions thereof pressed by the restraint member;
• and
• heating at least the pressing member while pressing the second vessel wall at the central section thereof by a pressing member.

An apparatus for manufacturing a cell culture vessel including a first vessel wall formed of a flat film and a second vessel wall disposed in contact with a peripheral edge portion of the first vessel wall and having a bulge shape protruding relative to the first vessel wall, comprising:

• a placement stage on which the first vessel wall is to be placed;
• a fluid inlet device configured to introduce fluid into a space between the first vessel wall placed on the placement stage and the second vessel wall;
• a pressing member arranged movably up and down relative to the placement stage and configured to press the second vessel wall with the fluid introduced in the space;
• a heating device configured to heat the pressing member;
• and
• a restraint member arranged opposite the placement stage and configured to restrain the second vessel wall which is placed on the placement stage, at a peripheral edge portion thereof,
• wherein the fluid is introduced into the space between the first vessel wall and the second vessel wall by the fluid inlet device while heating the pressing member by the heating device with the second vessel wall restrained at the peripheral edge portion thereof by the restraint member.