Microorganism culture apparatus and method and microorganism culture system using such apparatus

A microorganism culture apparatus, comprising:

• a container for holding microorganism culture medium liquid, said container including one or a plurality of gas outlets and an opening at a top of the container, each said outlet being covered by an air filtering film;
• an air-purifying chamber fixed over the container, the wall of said air-purifying chamber having one or a plurality of inlets which is/are covered by air filtering films;
• a hollow sucker in the air-purifying chamber, passing downward through the opening and entering into the container, an upper end of the sucker being fastened to the driving shaft of a micro motor via a coupling, an upper opening of the sucker being covered by air filtering film;
• an impeller fixed at a lower end of the sucker, said impeller being in a gaseous communication with said sucker;
• a resisting structure being fastened to the container near the impeller;
• for preventing the liquid in the container from generating an eddy flow;
• and
• two or more than two pairs of balancing inner magnetic rings and outer magnetic rings arranged close to the middle part of the sucker, wherein said inner magnetic rings are fastened to the outside wall of the sucker, and the outer magnetic rings are relatively fixed to the container, the outside wall of the inner magnetic rings and the inner wall of the outer magnetic rings have the same polarities and thus repel each other, thereby preventing the sucker from touching the container while rotating;
• wherein the sucker is the only gaseous passage between the air-purifying chamber and the container;
• when the micro motor is switched on, the micro motor drives the sucker and the impeller to rotate, thus sucking filtered air which enters into the sucker via the inlet into the liquid by the centrifugal force and achieving the goal of air exchange between the inside and outside of the container.

A method for conducting aseptic air exchange for the microorganism in a container by means of magnetic coupling, said container including a container body for holding microorganism culture medium liquid, said container body including one or a plurality of outlets and an opening at a top of the container, each said outlet being covered by an air filtering film;

• a resisting structure located at the bottom of and fastened relative to the container, for preventing the liquid in the container from generating an eddy flow when rotating;
• said magnetically coupled rotary means including a sealed filtering cap, on which is provided an inlet having an air filtering film;
• a hollow sucker within the sealed cap which is movable relative to the sealed cap;
• an impeller fastened at the bottom of the sucker, said impeller being in a gaseous communication with the sucker;
• a driven magnet fastened at the top of the sucker;
• and two or more than two pairs of balancing inner magnetic rings and outer magnetic rings arranged close to the middle part of the sucker, wherein said inner magnetic rings are fastened to the outside wall of the sucker, and the outer magnetic rings are relatively fixed to the container, the outside wall of the inner magnetic rings and the inner wall of the outer magnetic rings have the same polarities and thus repel each other, thereby preventing the sucker from touching the container while rotating;
• said method including the following steps:
• lowering the sucker together with the impeller into the container through the container's sealing cover so that the impeller is at the same level as said resisting structure;
• fastening the sealed filtering cap onto and covering the opening of the container, so that air flow between the sealed cap and the container is only allowed through the sucker;
• applying a rotary magnetic field to the driven magnet;
• the driven magnet bringing the sucker and further the impeller to rotate;
• the filtered air, which enters into the sucker via the inlet, being sucked into the liquid by the centrifugal force so as to achieve air exchange.