INCUBATOR AND STERILIZATION METHOD FOR THE SAME

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses an incubator, comprising: a housing defining an incubation chamber, and the incubation chamber is a sealable structure; a shaker located inside the incubation chamber; one or more vent panels, which are each provided with a plurality of vent openings, wherein the incubation chamber is divided into a first area and a second area by the vent panels and the housing, and the shaker is located inside the first area; and a blowing device, for guiding gas flow; wherein, gas in the incubation chamber is driven to circulate between the first area and the second area through cooperation of the vent panels, an inner wall of the housing and the blowing device.

Description

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to incubators, in particular, incubators with built-in shakers and a sterilization method for the same.

BACKGROUND

Incubators are commonly used to culture microorganisms, plant and animal cells, and the like. The incubator needs to be cleaned, sterilized/decontaminated periodically to reduce or avoid contamination. The incubator can be cleaned and sterilized/decontaminated by formaldehyde vapor, alcohol wiping, high-temperature cooking, ultraviolet irradiation and the like. The concept of performing cleaning, sterilizing/decontaminating operations on incubators for cell culture using gases such as ozone, ethylene oxide, and the like is known in the art.

For example, the following patent documents disclose cleaning and sterilizing/ decontaminating an incubator with a gas such as ozone.

The published patent filing EP 3307059 A2 discloses a cell culture incubator having a transfer chamber and an internal chamber that are arranged to form an airlock configuration. Objects placed into the incubator cabinet are sterilized using ozone produced by an ozone generator.

The granted patent JP 5278861 B2 describes an apparatus that ensures sterilization of a CO2-incubator including a sterilization tent with an airtight hole for airtightly protruding a leading end part of a tube connection part and an ozone generator for pressure-feeding the ozone gas to a tube connection part.

The utility model CN 206244809 U describes a cell culture box provided with a carbon dioxide generator, an ozone generator, a heater, etc. inside and can be sterilized by an ultraviolet lamp and ozone.

However, the structure of the above incubators is relatively simple and generic, and the structural complexity inside the incubator significantly increases when the driving unit for the shaker is placed inside the incubator. Accordingly, thorough cleaning and sterilization/ decontamination of the incubator incurs considerable complexity as well.

For example, the following patent documents each disclose an incubator with a built-in shaker and/or a drive unit thereof.

The published document DE 19814013 C1 describes an open-design shaker drive, which is arranged at the lower end of an incubation chamber of an incubator used for cell culture. The open design allows moisture and microbial contamination to accumulate in the shaker device and does not allow for complete cleaning and decontamination due to the arrangement of mechanical and electronical parts at the bottom of the incubation chamber. Due to the additional object in the chamber gas flow is impaired, leading to blind spots in a gas decontamination process. Thus, a thorough cleaning and decontamination of the incubator is not possible.

The granted patent DE 102008010780 B3 discloses an incubator with a shaker device being located partly inside and partly outside the incubation chamber which can be used for cultivating cells. The drive unit with motor and drive belt are located in an adjacent device room. The shaker device features a base plate which seals the incubation chamber from the adjacent device room. Due to mechanical parts of the shaking device located at the bottom of the incubation shaker, optimal cleaning and decontamination conditions are not ensured.

The publication EP 1626082 B1 describes an incubator which has an incubation chamber and a device chamber at the lower end. To shake vessels containing cell cultures in the incubation room, an axis, which rotates and performs eccentric movements in a horizontal plane, protrudes into the incubation chamber. At the free end of the axis there is a shaking table for the cell culture vessels. In this design the sealing between the incubation chamber and the device chamber is constructed as an elastic and wear-prone bellows type sealing in order to enable the shaking movement. Contamination can get into the incubation chamber through cracks in the material.

It should be noted that the present inventors have recognized that the movement of the gas flow inside the conventional incubator for cell culture is limited, resulting in insufficient gas flow at some positions, inhibiting introducing the corresponding gas to sterilize/decontaminate the incubator completely.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present disclosure, an incubator is provided wherein flowing gas in an incubation chamber can distribute evenly in the incubation chamber, facilitating introduction of corresponding gas for cleaning, sterilization/decontamination of a housing of the incubator.

An incubator, comprising:

a housing defining an incubation chamber, and the incubation chamber is a sealable structure;

a shaker located within the incubation chamber;

one or more vent panels, which are each provided with a plurality of vent openings, wherein the incubation chamber is divided into a first area and a second area by the vent panels and the housing, and the shaker is located inside the first area; and

a blowing device for guiding gas flow;

wherein gas in the incubation chamber is driven to circulate between the first area and the second area through cooperation of the vent panels, an inner wall of the housing and the blowing device.

In some embodiments, part or all of the vent openings are sequentially disposed in the vent panels from top to bottom, and the vent openings are distributed across the top of the incubation chamber and the bottom of the incubation chamber.

In some embodiments, the vent panels includes a top panel and side panels, wherein the top panel and the side panels are disposed on a bottom of the housing, and the vent openings are disposed in the top panel and the side panels; the second area includes side channels formed by side surfaces of the inner wall of the housing and the side panels, and a t op channel formed by a top surface of the inner wall of the housing and the top panel; the first area is an area delimited by the side panels, the top panel and a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing; and the side channel, the first area and the top channel are mutually matched to form an gas circulation channel, and gas is able to circulate in the air circulation channel.

In some embodiments, part or all of the vent openings in the side panels are located at the bottom of the incubator chamber.

In some embodiments, part or all of the vent openings are sequentially disposed in the side panels from top to bottom, and the vent openings are distributed across the top of the incubation chamber and the bottom of the incubation chamber.

In some embodiments, the incubator further includes one or more blowing devices, and part or all of the blowing devices correspond to the vent openings in the top panel one to one, and are disposed oppositely.

In some embodiments, the incubator is provided with filters, and part or all of the filters correspond to the vent openings in the top panel one to one.

In some embodiments, the shaker includes a drive motor and a support structure, the drive motor being rotationally coupled to the support structure; the driving motor is used for shaking a shaking table, the shaker is mounted in the incubation chamber via the support structure, and the drive motor includes a stator and a rotor; the stator is located in the rotor and is sealed from the first area through cooperation of the rotor and the support structure.

In some embodiments, the shaker is provided with a shaking table which is releasably mounted on the shaker;

In some embodiments, the shaker is provided with a shaking table bracket for supporting the shaking table, and a plurality of first openings are formed in the shaking table bracket.

In some embodiments, the shaking table bracket is releasably mounted to the shaker.

In some embodiments, the incubator further comprises a sterilizing gas generator in the incubation chamber.

In some embodiments, the housing is provided with a second opening and a conduit, the conduit is communicated with the incubation chamber through the second opening to supply gas to the incubation chamber, and the housing is provided with a valve for opening and closing the second opening at the second opening.

In some embodiments, the distance between the shaker and the inner wall of the housing is between 75 mm and 175 mm.

In some embodiments, part or all of the vent openings are provided with filters.

In some embodiments, the drive motor is provided with vanes.

In some embodiments, the incubation chamber includes a first state and a second state; when the incubation chamber is in the first state, the incubation chamber is in a sealed structure; when the incubation chamber is in the second state, the incubation chamber is in an open state.

The incubator according to the embodiments of the disclosure enables the gas flow to flow to each position in the whole incubator as much as possible, so that a “dead space” which is difficult to reach by the gas flow is avoided, and the incubator can be cleaned, sterilized/decontaminated conveniently.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a sterilization method for the incubator is provided, to effectively sterilize/contaminate the incubator.

A sterilization method for the incubator of any one of the embodiments above, wherein a sterilizing gas is introduced into the incubation chamber before or during gas in the incubation chamber is circulated between the first area and the second area.

In some embodiments, the vent panels include a top panel and side panels, the top panel and the side panels are disposed on a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing, and the vent openings are disposed in the top panel and the side panels; the second area includes side channels formed by side surfaces of the inner wall of the housing and the side panels, and a top channel formed by a top surface of the inner wall of the housing and the top panel, and the first area is an area delimited by the side panels, the top panel and a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing; wherein, the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area, the top channel, the side channels and the first area under the actuation of the blowing device, or the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area, the side channel, the top channel and the first area under the actuation of the blowing device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. For purposes of clarity, not every component can be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of an incubator according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view of an incubator according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of an incubator according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a front schematic view of an incubator according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a front schematic view of an incubator according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a shaking table bracket according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively show cross-sectional views of incubators according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The incubator 1 includes a housing 110 defining an incubation chamber 2, and a shaker 10 for shaking a shaking table 71. The incubator can be a sealable structure. Specifically, the incubation chamber 2 includes a first state and a second state. When the incubation chamber 2 is in the first state, the incubation chamber 2 is in a sealed structure, and when the incubation chamber 2 is in the second state, the incubation chamber 2 is in an open state. More specifically, the housing 110 may include a door, and the incubation chamber 2 may be opened or the incubation chamber 2 may be hermetically closed by opening or closing the door so that gas in the incubation chamber 2 cannot escape and foreign substances cannot enter into the incubation chamber 2.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, the incubator 1 may have other devices built into it, not shown in FIG. 1, such as a temperature control device to maintain the interior of the incubation chamber 2 at a constant temperature, for example, a temperature in the range of 5 to 50 degrees celsius. In some embodiments, the housing 110 may be made of a corrosion resistant material, such as stainless steel. In some embodiments, the surface roughness (Ra) of the inner wall of the housing is less than 0.8 μm. Also, in some embodiments, the inside of the incubation chamber 2 is designed to be circular and rounded to facilitate cleaning, sterilization/decontamination, and avoid dead spaces. Optionally, the radius of the rounded corner of the incubation chamber 2 is about 20 mm, for users to clean the incubation chamber.

In some embodiments, the incubator 1 further includes: a shaker 10, vent plates, and a blowing device 5. The shaker 10 may be an orbital shaker 10.

The shaker 10 is disposed in the incubation chamber 2; wherein, the shaker 10 includes a shaking table bracket 7 for loading the shaking table 71. Optionally, the shaking table bracket 7 may be provided with a groove matched with the shaking table 71 to mount the shaking table 71.

It should be noted that, in the prior art, the incubator 1 includes two chambers, one is an incubation chamber 2 for cell culture, the other is an equipment chamber, and some parts of the shaker 10, such as the drive motor 8, are disposed in the equipment chamber, and some parts of the shaker 10, such as the shaking table 71, are disposed in the incubation chamber 2. In order to ensure a stable environment for the incubation chamber 2, a dynamic sealing structure (such as a bellows) is usually provided between the incubation chamber 2 and the equipment chamber to ensure that the incubation chamber 2 is relatively sealed, but the drive motor 8 still generates certain vibration, so that the sealing effect is not necessarily expected and the dynamic sealing structure performance is reduced, impacting the sealing effect after long-term collision with the shaker 10. This problem is effectively avoided in the present application by placing the entire shaker 10 in the incubation chambers 2. It should be understood that the shaker 10 may be connected to the shaking table 71 by a screw connection, a snap connection, or the like, in addition to the shaking table bracket 7 used for supporting the shaking table 10.

While the vent panels are provided with a plurality of vent openings 500, wherein the incubation chamber 2 is divided into a first area 300 and a second area 400 by the vent panels and the housing 110, and the shaker 10 is located inside the first area 300. The blowing device is for guiding gas flow. Air in the incubation chamber 2 is driven to circulate between the first area 300 and the second area 400 through cooperation of the vent panels, an inner wall 116 of the housing and the blowing device. Alternatively, the vent openings 500 are sequentially disposed in the vent panels from top to bottom. In order to make the gas more uniformly distributed in the incubation chamber 2, optionally, part or all of the vent openings 500 are sequentially disposed in the side panels 4 from top to bottom, and the vent openings 500 are distributed across the top of the incubation chamber 2 and the bottom of the incubation chamber 2. By providing several vent openings 500 in the vent panels, gas can pass through the vent panels to the second area 400 and the first area 300 in different positions within the first area 300 and the second area 400, respectively, so that the whole circulation can involve as much as possible of the whole incubation chamber 2. The blowing device 5 is mainly for guiding the flow of the gas flow inside the incubation chamber 2, and may be a fan, optionally a negative pressure fan, or may be an extracting pump or the like. The gas can circulate in the incubation chamber 2, more specifically, the gas can circulate back and forth between the first area 300 and the second area 400 under the action of the incubation chamber 2, the vent plates and the inner wall 116 of the housing. Firstly, the gas circulation ensures that the internal gas is uniformly distributed in the gas circulation area as much as possible, which is beneficial to cleaning the incubation chamber 2 on one hand, and particularly, after the sterilizing gas is added into the incubation chamber 2, the sterilizing gas can be uniformly distributed in each area, thereby preventing the sterilizing gas concentration in some of the areas from being too low to effectively sterilize the incubation chamber, thus ensuring the sterilizing effect; on the other hand, the temperature in the incubation chamber 2 can be adjusted, and the local temperature difference is avoided from being too large. In addition, through the design that the vent panels are provided with several vent openings 500, the gas can pass through the vent panels at different positions of the vent panels, so that the gas circulation is enhanced, and meanwhile, the dead space in the incubation chamber 2, in which the gas cannot circulate, is reduced. It should also be understood that the second area is a gap area between the vent panels and the housing 110 and is not an area where the shaker 10 is located.

More specifically, as according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the vent panels include a top panel 3 and side panels 4. The top panel 3 and the side panels 4 are provided on the bottom surface of the inner wall 116 of the housing 110, and the vent openings 500 are provided in the top panel 3 and the side panels 4. The second area 400 includes side channels 410 formed by the side surface of the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and the side panels 4, and a top channel 420 formed by the top surface of the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and the top panel 3. The first area 300 is an area defined by the side panels 4, the top panel 3, and the bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing 110, and the side channels 410, the first area 300, and the top channel 420 cooperate to form a gas flow circulation channel in which gas can flow circularly (the gas flow direction is shown by arrows in FIG. 1).

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the vent panels may be a component of the housing 110. For example, the vent panels include a top panel 3, side panels 4, and a bottom panel. The top panel 3 is a top wall of the housing 110, the side panels 4 are two opposite side walls of the housing 110, and the bottom panel is a bottom wall of the housing 110. The vent openings 500 may be provided in the top panel 3, the side panels 4, and/or the bottom panel. A gas flow channel for connecting the vent openings 500 provided in the different panels is provided in the housing 110. The housing 110 may have a multi-layer structure, and the gas flow channel may be disposed between layers of the housing 110. In some examples, the gas flow channels may occupy the entire space between layers of the housing 110. When the vent openings 500 are provided in the top panel 3 and the side panels 4, gas can circulate in the gas flow channel and the first area 300 under the action of the blowing device, the gas flow flows from the first area 300 into the openings in the top panel 3 and into the gas flow channel, then flows from the plurality of vent openings 500 in the side panels 4 into the first area 300 and up to the openings in the top panel 3 under the action of the suction force of the blowing device, completing the circulation. When the vent openings 500 are provided only in the side panels 4, gas flows into the first area 300 from the side panel 4 in one side and flows out of the first area 300 from the side panel 4 in the other side, thereby achieving a horizontal gas flow purge in the first area 300. When the vent openings 500 are provided in the top panel 3 and the bottom panel, gas flows from the first area 300 into the openings in the top panel 3 and into the gas flow channel, then flows from the plurality of vent openings 500 in the bottom panel into the first area 300 and flows upward to the openings in the top panel 3 under the suction of the blowing device, effecting a bottom-to-top gas flow purge in the first area 300.

Since the shaker 10 is usually rotatably attached to the support structure inside the incubator 1 to be fixed inside the incubator 1, this may cause the area under the shaker 10 to be sometimes difficult to clean due to the obstruction of the shaker 10. In the case where the vent openings 500 are provided in the top panel 3 and the bottom panel, the vent openings 500 are located at the bottom of the incubation chamber 2 so that the circulating gas can flow through the area under the shaker 10, improving the ventilation effect and ensuring more uniform gas distribution.

Alternatively, a pair of blowing devices 5 and vent openings 500 corresponding to the blowing devices 5 are symmetrically provided in the top panel 3, and the blowing devices 5 may be centrifugal fans. As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of blowing devices are respectively provided in the top panel 3 and blow gas toward either side respectively. The resulting gas flow flows towards both sides in the top channel 420 and then turns at the corners of the incubation chamber 2 to the side channels 410, the gas then flows into the first area 300 through a plurality of vent openings 500 provided in the side panels 4 and flows upwards under the suction of the blowing device, thus achieving circulation between the first area 300 and the second area 400. The gas purges the components of the shaker 10 sufficiently during the circulation to facilitate cleaning, sterilization/ decontamination and to adjust the temperature balance within the incubation chamber 2. It should be understood that the blowing device 5 may be provided on the rear wall in addition to the top panel 3 as shown in FIG. 1, and the specific installation position thereof may be adjusted according to the circumstances, and the present disclosure is not particularly limited.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the shaker 10 is housed in the incubation chamber 2, and spaced apart from the bottom wall of the incubation chamber 2 at a predetermined distance ranging from 75 mm to 175 mm, preferably from 120 mm to 130 mm. The predetermined distance is higher than the distance separating the shaker 10 from the bottom wall of the incubation chamber 2 in the conventional incubator 1, so that the space between the shaker 10 and the bottom wall of the incubation chamber 2 can be uniformly flowed by the cleaning, sterilizing/decontaminating gas (e.g., ozone) to thoroughly clean, sterilize/decontaminate the components of the shaker 10.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the shaker 10 includes a drive motor 8 and a support structure, the drive motor 8 being rotatably connected with the support structure. The drive motor 8 is used for shaking the shaking table bracket 7. The shaker 10 is mounted in the incubation chamber 2 via the support structure. The drive motor 8 includes a stator and a rotor 19. The stator is located within the rotor 19 and is sealed from the first area 300 by the rotor 19 cooperating with the support structure. Optionally, the outer surface of the rotor 19 and the part of the support structure exposed to the incubation chamber 2 are smooth surfaces to facilitate the circulation of gas. In the present application, the shaker 10 is placed in the incubation chamber 2, and structures with uneven surfaces such as stator in the shaker 10 are very suitable for bacteria breeding, affecting cell culture in the incubator 1. Therefore, by sealing the rotor 19 and the support structure from the incubation chamber 2, foreign substances entering enter into the stator and rotor 19 and impacting operation of the motor, and bacteria breeding in the stator and rotor 19 is avoided simultaneously. In some embodiments, the rotor 19 is a case of the drive motor 8. Optionally, a rotor plate 27 is provided on the rotor 19.

Specifically, an example of the internal structure (stator and rotor 19) of the shaker 10 sealing from the incubation chamber 2 is presented below. The rotor plate 27 is part of the shaker 10 and together with the rotor 19 forms a box, which absorbs the tilting moment from the shaker 3 through the two bearings 26, the guide.

The shaker 10 can be implemented as an orbital shaker 10. The orbital shaker 10 may include a drive motor 8, an eccentric bearing structure, an adjustable counterweight 21, a support structure for fixing the orbital shaker 10 to the bottom 115 of the housing 110, two bearings 26, and a lip seal 28. The orbital shaker 10 can further includes a control unit 25 which controls the drive motor 8. On the orbital shaker 10, a shaking table 71 is releasable fixed. On top of the shaking table 71, one or more sample containers 15 are releasable fixed. Within each sample container 15, a biological sample 16 is stored. When the shaking table 71 is shaken by the orbital shaker 10, the biological sample 16 is also shaken.

The drive motor 8 can be a rotary direct drive motor and includes a stator and a rotor 19. The stator includes a plurality of axis elements 17 around which magnetic coils 18 are wound, and which act as electro magnets. At an inner circumferential surface of the rotor 19, a plurality of permanent magnets 100 are disposed. Furthermore, sensors (not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) for determining the position of the rotor 19 are provided. Depending on the determined positions of the rotor 19, the control unit 25 controls electric currents supplied to the magnetic coils 18 in order to rotate the rotor 19.

The rotor 19 further includes a rotor plate 27 attached (for example, screwed) to the bottom of the rotor 19. The rotor 19 and the rotor plate 27 surround the axis elements 17, the magnetic coils 18 and the permanent magnets 100. The rotor plate 27 also supports the permanent magnets 100. For sealing the bottom of the rotor 19 to the rotor plate 27, an O-ring 22 or press seal is provided between the rotor 19 and the rotor plate 27.

Attached to the rotor 19 (for example, screwed to the rotor 19) is the counterweight 21. The counterweight 21 is adjustable in that its distance from the rotor 19 may be manually adjusted in order to compensate for the imbalance caused by the eccentric (orbital stroke) and mass (shaking table bracket 7, shaking table 71, sample containers 15, biological sample 16, etc.) generated by the eccentric 12.

In some embodiments, the support structure may include a bushing 13 and a hollow shaft 14, as shown in FIG. 4. The bushing 13 has a cross sectional double-T-shape and is mounted (for example screwed) to the bottom 115 of the housing 110. The bottom 115 of the housing 110 includes an opening through which the bushing 13 extends. Optionally, the bushing 13 abuts against the inner wall of the opening. Thus, the bushing 13 extends inside the incubation chamber 2 and in the opening at the bottom 115 of the housing 110 of the incubator 1. Additionally, the bushing 13 may extend to the outside of the incubation chamber 2 (not shown in FIG. 4). For sealing the bushing 13 to the bottom 115 of the housing 110, an O-ring 19 is provided at the bushing 13. The O-ring 29 is in contact with an inner surface of the bottom 115 of the housing 110, so that foreign substances cannot pass through the gap between the bushing 13 and the bottom 115 of the housing 110.

The hollow shaft 14 abuts against the bushing 13. The hollow shaft 14 has a cylindrical shape. At outer circumferential surfaces of the hollow shaft 14, two ball bearings 26 are mounted. The hollow shaft 14 extends from an upper surface of the rotor 19 to the opening at the bottom 115 of the housing 110. Additionally, the hollow shaft 14 may extend to the outside of the incubation chamber 2 (not shown in FIG. 2). The rotor 19 with the rotor plate 27 is supported by the two ball bearings 26 and is configured to be rotated around the hollow shaft 14.

Inside the hollow shaft 14, a first passage 20 is provided. The first passage 20 extends between the stator and the outside of the housing 110. In particular, the first passage 20 extends from the stator between the two ball bearings 26 to the outside of the housing 110.

Additionally, a cooling channel (not shown in FIG. 4) may be provided in the first passage 20. In particular, the cooling channel may extend between the stator and the outside of the housing 110. Within the cooling channel, a liquid can flow which helps to discharge heat generated by the drive motor 8 to the outside of the housing 110. The heat generated by the drive motor 8 is discharged through the hollow shaft 14 to the outside of the housing 110.

In other embodiments, the support structure may include a base element 30 and a hollow shaft 40, as shown in FIG. 5. And the hollow shaft 40 only extends from the rotor 19 to a top of the base element 30. Also, the O-ring 29 is not necessary. All other elements are the same and have the same or similar functions. Thus, they are not explained again. The support structure enables the users to place the orbital shaker 10 with the base element 30 on the bottom 115 of the housing 110 without being fixed to the bottom 115 of the housing 110. It should be understood that other similar structures are possible for the support structure in addition to the two ways described above, and the present disclosure is not particularly limited.

The eccentric bearing structure includes two first bearings 11 (optionally ball bearings) stacked upon each other and an eccentric 12. The rotor 19 includes at its upper end a tray-shaped part. The two first bearings 11 are mounted inside the tray-shaped part. The eccentric 12 includes an inner shaft having a cylindrical shape which is supported inside the two first bearings 11 so that it may be rotated. Additionally, the eccentric 12 mechanically guides the shaking table bracket 7 such that it moves in orbital motions. The eccentric 12 is located above the rotor 19 and the first bearings 11, and optionally, the eccentric covers the rotor 19 and the upper part of the first bearings 11. The shaking table bracket 7 is placed on top of the eccentric 12. The shaking table bracket 7 is releasable fixed to the eccentric 12. It should be understood that the eccentric 12 is not located on the axis of rotation of the rotor 19.

In some embodiments, all of the first bearing 11 and the second bearing 26 are sealed ball bearings. Thus, the bushing 13, the O-ring 22 (or press seal), the hollow shaft 14, the second bearing 26, the rotor plate 27, the O-ring 22, and the rotor 19 seal the stator from the incubation chamber 2, preventing foreign substances and contamination from entering the interior of the drive motor 8. It will be appreciated that the first bearings 11 and second bearings 26 may be cylindrical roller bearings, angular contact bearings, thrust bearings, or the combination thereof, in addition to ball bearings.

Additionally, the lip seal 28 provides a sealing between the bushing 13 and the rotor plate 27. The lip seal 28 is a flexible FDA-approved tight-seal and is mounted on the rotor plate 27. The lip seal 28 points towards the bushing 13 into the incubation chamber 2, which helps to keep the incubation chamber 2 clean, sterilized/decontaminated. More precisely, the lip seal 28 is fixed at one end to the rotor plate 27 and extends at the other end downwards in the direction of bushing 13 until it abuts bushing 13.

In some embodiments, the lip seal 28 can also be applied when the second bearings 26 are ball bearings (i.e., normal ball bearings), instead of the second bearings 26 being sealed ball bearings. The stator is completely encapsulated by the bushing 13, the O-ring 29, the lip seal 28, the rotor plate 27, the O-ring 22 and the rotor 19, so that the stator and incubation chamber 2 are sealed from each other and substances in the incubation chamber 2 contacting the stator is avoided.

Moreover, in another embodiment, the lip seal 28 may be omitted and only the bushing 13, the O-ring 29, the hollow shaft 14, the second bearings 16 (optionally sealed ball bearings), the rotor plate 27, the O-ring 22, and the rotor 19 fully encapsulate the stator from the incubation chamber 2. This embodiment has the advantage that the lip seal 28 is omitted and the influence of long-term operation on the sealing of the drive motor 8 due to damage to the lip seal is avoided.

In order to facilitate cleaning, sterilization/decontamination of the orbital incubator shaker 1, the inner surface of the housing 110, the rotor 19, the counterweight 21, the hollow shaft 14 and/or the bushing 13 may be made of stainless steel. Moreover, the outer surface of the housing 110 or the entire incubator 1 may be made of stainless steel. The surfaces of the incubation chamber 2 may be designed such that no hidden vaults or dead spaces are present. Specifically, all connections of the elements of the orbital shaker 10 are not only covered but also sealed. In particular, the orbital shaker 10 is designed to comply with the norm ISO 14159:2002 “Safety of machinery—Hygiene requirements for the design of machinery” such that all parts inside the incubation chamber 2 are accessible for cleaning and sterilization/decontamination.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, part or all of the vent openings 500 are provided with filters 6, optionally HEPA filters 6. The filters 6 may filter particulate matter and the like from the gas before it enters the exhaust fan. Optionally, the filter 6 is located in front of the blowing device.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the incubator 1 further includes a sterilizing gas generator. In some embodiments the sterilizing gas generator is an ozone generator 31 disposed in the incubation chamber 2. The ozone generator 31 can generate ozone to clean and sterilize the inside of the incubator 1. It should be understood that the sterilizing gas generator may be a generator for other sterilizing gases, instead of the ozone generator 31.

It should be understood that, in addition to disposing the sterilizing gas generator inside the incubation chamber 2, sterilizing gas can be supplied to the inside of the housing 110 through an external pipeline. Specifically, the housing 110 can be provided with a second opening 117 and a conduit 118 in communication with the incubation chamber 2 through the second opening 117 to supply gas to the incubation chamber 2. And a valve 119 for opening and closing the second opening 117 is disposed at the second opening of the housing 110. It will be appreciated that the conduit 118 is removably connected to the housing 110 and can be removed if desired. It will be appreciated that the conduit can supply gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, air, etc. to the interior of the incubation chamber 2 in addition to the sterilizing gas.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, in order to further facilitate the uniform flow of gas from bottom to top, a plurality of first openings are provided in the shaking table bracket 7, and the opportunity for parts lying underneath to be cleaned by hand is provided as well, as shown in FIG. 6. The first openings may be rectangular, circular, oval, polygonal, etc., and the present disclosure is not particularly limited. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the shaking table bracket 7 is removably mounted on the shaker 10, and can be removed when the user needs to clean the incubation chamber 2.

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, the drive motor 8 is provided with vanes 9. When the shaker 10 is in operation, the drive motor 8 rotates the vanes 9, so that the vanes 9 further drive the gas flow upwardly.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a sterilization method for the incubator 1 is provided, including the incubator 1 of any of the above embodiments, wherein a sterilizing gas is introduced into the incubation chamber 2 before or during gas in the incubation chamber 2 is circulated between the first area 300 and the second area 400.

In some embodiments, the vent panels includes a top panel 3 and side panels 4, the top panel 3 and the side panels 4 are disposed on a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing 110, and the vent openings 500 are disposed in the top panel 3 and the side panels 4; the second area 400 includes side channels 410 formed by side surfaces of the inner wall of the housing 110 and the side panels 4, and a top channel 420 formed by a top surface of the inner wall of the housing 110 and the top panel 3, and the first area 300 is an area delimited by the side panels 4, the top panel 3 and a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing 110; wherein, the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area 300, the top channel 420, the side channels 410 and the first area 300 under the actuation of the blowing device 5, or the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area 300, the side channel 410, the top channel 420 and the first area 300 under the actuation of the blowing device 5.

Having now described some illustrative implementations, it is apparent that the foregoing is illustrative and not limiting, having been presented by way of example. In particular, although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, those acts and those elements can be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. Acts, elements and features discussed in connection with one implementation are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other implementations or implementations.

The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including”, “comprising”, “having”, “containing”, “involving”, “characterized by”, “characterized in that” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter, equivalents thereof, and additional items, as well as alternate implementations consisting of the items listed thereafter exclusively. In one implementation, the systems and methods described herein consist of one, each combination of more than one, or all of the described elements, acts, or components.

Any references to implementations or elements or acts of the systems and methods herein referred to in the singular can also embrace implementations including a plurality of these elements, and any references in plural to any implementation or element or act herein can also embrace implementations including only a single element. References in the singular or plural form are not intended to limit the presently disclosed systems or methods, their components, acts, or elements to single or plural configurations. References to any act or element being based on any information, act or element can include implementations where the act or element is based at least in part on any information, act, or element.

Any implementation disclosed herein can be combined with any other implementation or embodiment, and references to “an implementation,” “some implementations,” “one implementation” or the like are not necessarily mutually exclusive and are intended to indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the implementation can be included in at least one implementation or embodiment. Such terms as used herein are not necessarily all referring to the same implementation. Any implementation can be combined with any other implementation, inclusively or exclusively, in any manner consistent with the aspects and implementations disclosed herein.

References to “or” can be construed as inclusive so that any terms described using “or” can indicate any of a single, more than one, and all of the described terms. For example, a reference to “at least one of ‘A’ and ‘B’” can include only ‘A’, only ‘B’, as well as both ‘A’ and ‘B’. Such references used in conjunction with “comprising” or other open terminology can include additional items.

Where technical features in the drawings, detailed description or any claim are followed by reference signs, the reference signs have been included to increase the intelligibility of the drawings, detailed description, and claims. Accordingly, neither the reference signs nor their absence has any limiting effect on the scope of any claim elements.

Modifications of described elements and acts such as variations in sizes, dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations can occur without materially departing from the teachings and advantages of the subject matter disclosed herein. For example, elements shown as integrally formed can be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements can be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions can be altered or varied. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions can also be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the disclosed elements and operations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The systems and methods described herein can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the characteristics thereof. Scope of the systems and methods described herein is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are embraced therein.

Systems and methods described herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the characteristics thereof. For example, descriptions of positive and negative electrical characteristics may be reversed. For example, elements described as negative elements can instead be configured as positive elements and elements described as positive elements can instead by configured as negative elements. Further relative parallel, planar, perpendicular, vertical or other positioning or orientation descriptions include variations within +/−10% or +/−10 degrees of pure vertical, planar, parallel or perpendicular positioning. References to “approximately,” “about” “substantially” or other terms of degree include variations of +/−10% from the given measurement, unit, or range unless explicitly indicated otherwise. Coupled elements can be electrically, mechanically, or physically coupled with one another directly or with intervening elements. Scope of the systems and methods described herein is thus indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description, and changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are embraced therein.

Claims

1. An incubator, comprising: a housing defining an incubation chamber, and the incubation chamber is a sealable structure;a shaker located inside the incubation chamber;one or more vent panels, which are each provided with a plurality of vent openings, wherein the incubation chamber is divided into a first area and a second area by the vent panels and the housing, and the shaker is located inside the first area; anda blowing device for guiding gas flow;wherein gas in the incubation chamber is driven to circulate between the first area and the second area through cooperation of the vent panels, an inner wall of the housing and the blowing device.

2. The incubator of claim 1, wherein part or all of the vent openings are sequentially disposed in the vent panels from top to bottom, and the vent openings are distributed across the top of the incubation chamber and the bottom of the incubation chamber.

3. The incubator of claim 1, wherein the vent panels comprises a top panel and side panels, the top panel and the side panels are disposed on a bottom of the housing, and the vent openings are disposed in the top panel and the side panels; the second area comprises side channel s formed by side surfaces of the inner wall of the housing and the side panels, and a top channel formed by a top surface of the inner wall of the housing and the top panel; the first area is an area delimited by the side panels, the top panel and a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing; and the side channel, the first area and the top channel are mutually matched to form an gas circulation channel, and gas is able to circulate in the gas circulation channel.

4. The incubator of claim 3, wherein part or all of the vent openings in the side panels are located at the bottom of the incubator.

5. The incubator of claim 3, wherein part or all of the vent openings are sequentially disposed in the side panels from top to bottom, and the vent openings are distributed across the top of the incubation chamber and the bottom of the incubation chamber.

6. The incubator of claim 3, wherein the incubator further comprises one or more blowing devices, and part or all of the blowing devices correspond to the vent openings in the top panel one to one and are disposed oppositely.

7. The incubator of claim 3, wherein the incubator is provided with filters, and part or all of the filters correspond to the vent openings in the top panel one to one.

8. The incubator of claim 1, wherein the shaker comprises a drive motor and a support structure, the drive motor being rotationally coupled to the support structure; the driving motor is used for shaking a shaking table, the shaker is mounted in the incubation chamber via the support structure, and the drive motor comprises a stator and a rotor; the stator is located in the rotor and is sealed from the first area through cooperation of the rotor and the support structure.

9. The incubator of claim 1, wherein the shaker is provided with a shaking table which is releasably mounted on the shaker;

10. The incubator of claim 9, wherein the shaker is provided with a shaking table bracket for supporting the shaking table, and a plurality of first openings are formed in the shaking table bracket.

11. The incubator of claim 10, wherein the shaking table bracket is releasably mounted to the shaker.

12. The incubator of claim 1, further comprising a sterilizing gas generator disposed in the incubation chamber.

13. The incubator of claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a second opening and a conduit, the conduit is communicated with the incubation chamber through the second opening to supply gas to the incubation chamber, and the housing is provided with a valve for opening and closing the second opening at the second opening.

14. The incubator of claim 1, wherein the distance between the shaker and the inner wall of the housing is between 75 mm and 175 mm.

15. The incubator of claim 1, wherein part or all of the vent openings are provided with filters.

16. The incubator of claim 5, wherein the drive motor is provided with vanes.

17. The incubator of claim 1, wherein the incubation chamber comprises a first state and a second state; when the incubation chamber is in the first state, the incubation chamber is in a sealed structure; when the incubation chamber is in the second state, the incubation chamber is in an open state.

18. The incubator of claim 1, wherein the incubator is an orbital shaker incubator.

19. A sterilization method for the incubator of claim 1, wherein a sterilizing gas is introduced into the incubation chamber before or during gas in the incubation chamber is circulated between the first area and the second area.

20. The sterilization method of claim 19, wherein the vent panels comprises a top panel and side panels, the top panel and the side panels are disposed on a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing, and the vent openings are disposed in the top panel and the side panels; the second area comprises side channel s formed by side surfaces of the inner wall of the housing and the side panels, and a top channel formed by a top surface of the inner wall of the housing and the top panel, and the first area is an area delimited by the side panels, the top panel and a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing; wherein, the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area, the top channel, the side channel and the first area under the actuation of the blowing device, or the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area, the side channel, the top channel and the first area under the actuation of the blowing device.