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US 2024/0200014 A1Published application
Adjustable gravity simulator for tissue and organ culturing
AssigneeThe University of Toledo
InventorsEda Yildirim-Ayan, Halim Ayan, Charles Wade
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Adjustable gravity simulators, mechanical loading devices, and methods for simulating gravitational loads and cell culturing are described.
Claims28
An adjustable gravity simulator comprising:
- a simulator chamber configured to house a sample and rotate independently around a first axis and a second axis;
- a rotating arm rotatably connected to a mount and having side members extending toward the simulator chamber, wherein rotation of the rotating arm around the first axis in turn causes rotation of the simulator chamber around the first axis;
- a belt tensioner on one of the side members and connected to the simulator chamber, wherein the belt tensioner comprises a belt configured to move in a loop thereby driving the rotation of the simulator chamber around the second axis;
- and
- one or more motors configured to drive (i) the rotation of the rotating arm around the first axis, and thereby the rotation of the simulator chamber around the first axis, and (ii) movement of the belt in the loop, and thereby the rotation of the simulator chamber around the second axis.
2 more elements
An adjustable gravity simulator comprising:
- a simulator chamber configured to be rotated around two axes in a controlled manner so as to subject a sample within the simulator chamber to a reduced average g-force so as to simulate microgravity or partial gravity;
- and
- a mechanical loading device in the simulator chamber, wherein the mechanical loading device is configured to apply a mechanical load to the sample while the sample experiences a microgravity or partial gravity simulation within the simulator chamber.
A method of simulating microgravity or partial gravity, the method comprising:
- rotating a sample around a first axis at a first speed and in a first orientation;
- rotating the sample around a second axis at a second speed and in a second orientation;
- and
- applying a mechanical load to the sample while rotating the sample around the first axis and around the second axis;
- wherein the rotation around the first axis is simultaneous to the rotation around the second axis;
- and
- wherein the first speed, first orientation, second speed, and second orientation are capable of being varied independently of each other so as to achieve a reduced average g-force experienced by the sample while the mechanical load is being applied to the sample.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.