Liquid transport method
AssigneeTerumo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKouichirou YORI, Makoto JINNO
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Abstract
A liquid transport method is disclosed for efficiently producing cell cultures. The liquid transport method of the present disclosure, which is in processing of cells, includes: a) a step in which a container holding a liquid is gripped by a gripping tool of a robot; and b) a step in which the liquid in the container is transported to a collection container by rotating the gripped container. In steps a) and b) the robot operates such as not to pass over a vertical line of an opening of the collection container.
Claims14
A liquid transport method in processing of cells, the liquid transport method comprising:
- a) a step in which lateral sides of a container holding a liquid is gripped by a gripping tool of a robot from a cassette configured to hold a plurality of containers, the cassette having a plurality of recessed parts each shaped corresponding to a bottom surface of the container, the gripping of the container being conducted in such a manner that the gripping tool is not present over a vertical line of an opening of the container;
- b) a step in which the liquid in the container is transported into a collection container by rotating the gripped container and orienting the opening of the gripped container toward a vertically lower direction;
- and
- wherein in steps a) and b), the robot operates in such a manner as not to pass over a vertical line of an opening of the collection container.
A cell processing system, which is a system for use in processing of cells by use of a container, the cell processing system comprising:
- a base provided with a plurality of processing areas for performing processing by use of the container and a carrying-in/carrying-out area where things for use in the processing can be carried in and carried out;
- a robot that is provided on the base and has a gripping tool capable of gripping at least part of the container, the robot being adjacent to each of the plurality of processing areas;
- a housing that covers the processing areas, the robot, and at least part of the carrying-in/carrying-out area and is able to maintain cleanliness of an inside of the housing;
- at least one working section that is disposed on the housing or the base and is configured in such a manner that manual operation in the housing from outside of the housing can be performed thereby;
- wherein the gripping tool of the robot can reach each of the processing areas;
- the housing is configured such that a part of the housing adjacent to the carrying-in/carrying-out area can be opened and closed;
- the working section is configured such that its workable area overlaps with the processing area and/or the carrying-in/carrying-out area, and things for use in the processing can be moved between the respective processing areas and the carrying-in/carrying-out area through the working section;
- at least one openable and closeable slide shutter, the at least one openable and closeable shutter configured to produce a closed system when the at least one shutter is closed;
- and
- a plurality of suction portions in the base and in a vicinity of the at least one shutter, the plurality of suction portions configured to generate a clean space having a reduced-pressure state in the clean space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.