Agitator for a bioreactor, agitator unit, bioreactor, production method and method for operating a bioreactor

An agitator for a bioreactor, comprising:

• an agitator shaft having an agitator unit with an agitator blade receiving portion and at least one agitator blade arranged on the agitator blade receiving portion and movable between a first angular position and a second angular position;
• wherein the at least one agitator blade is oriented at a first angle of attack in the first angular position and at a second angle of attack in the second angular position, and wherein the at least one agitator blade comprises a torsionally stiff rotation element mounted on the agitator blade receiving portion so as to be rotatable between a first rotational position and a second rotational position;
• wherein the at least one agitator blade is oriented at the first angle of attack in the first rotational position and at the second angle of attack in the second rotational position;
• wherein the agitator blade receiving portion comprises at least one receiving opening in which the rotation element is mounted to be rotatable between the first rotational position and the second rotational position;
• and
• wherein the agitator unit further comprises:
• a first stop which in the first angular position limits a movement of the at least one agitator blade in a first movement direction and a second stop which in the second angular position limits a movement of the at least one agitator blade in a second movement direction, wherein the first stop and/or the second stop is arranged on or formed by the agitator blade receiving portion, and wherein the receiving opening forms the first stop and/or the second stop or is delimited by the first stop and/or the second stop.

An agitator unit for equipping an agitator shaft, the agitator unit comprising:

• an agitator blade receiving portion;
• and
• at least one agitator blade arranged on the agitator blade receiving portion and movable between a first angular position and a second angular position;
• wherein the at least one agitator blade is oriented at a first angle of attack in the first angular position and at a second angle of attack in the second angular position, wherein the at least one agitator blade comprises a torsionally stiff rotation element mounted on the agitator blade receiving portion to be rotatable between a first rotational position and a second rotational position;
• wherein the at least one agitator blade is oriented at the first angle of attack in the first rotational position and at the second angle of attack in the second rotational position;
• and
• whereon the agitator blade receiving portion comprises at least one receiving opening in which the rotation element is mounted to be rotatable between the first rotational position and the second rotational position;
• wherein the agitator unit further comprises:
• a first stop which in the first angular position limits a movement of the at least one agitator blade in a first movement direction;
• and/or
• a second stop which in the second angular position limits a movement of the at least one agitator blade in a second movement direction, wherein the first stop and/or the second stop are arranged on or formed by the agitator blade receiving portion and wherein the receiving opening forms the first stop and/or the second stop or is delimited by the first stop and/or the second stop.