Robotic control for aseptic processing
Inventors
SCIALÒ, Giovanni • RECCHIA, Davide • Bechini, Claudio
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12270817-B2
Publication Date
2025-04-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
Devices and methods for sampling, detecting and/or characterizing particles, for example, via collection, growth and analysis of viable biological particles such as microorganisms. Devices and methods of the invention include particle samplers and impactors including a sampling head comprising one or more intake apertures, a selectively removable cover, an impactor base connected to the sampling head, and one or more magnets fixed to the sampling head, the selectively removable cover and/or the impactor base. The one or more magnets allow for robotic manipulation of the impactor devices.
Core Innovation
The invention describes an impactor having a sampling head with one or more intake apertures and an impactor base operationally connected to receive at least a portion of a fluid flow from the sampling head. The impactor base comprises an impact surface for receiving at least a portion of the particles in the fluid flow and an outlet for exhausting the fluid flow, and the sampling head and the impactor base engage to enclose the impact surface.
A magnet is fixed to the sampling head or the impactor base and is configured to engage with a robotic device magnet of a robotic device, enabling robotic manipulation of the impactor or a component thereof. In particular, the sampling head magnet is fixed to the sampling head in the center of the radial array of the intake apertures.
The invention further supports sampling and culturing biological particles by drawing a fluid flow containing biological particles through the intake apertures into the sampling head, impacting at least some of the biological particles onto the impact surface of the impactor base, and exhausting the fluid flow from the sampling head. At least a portion of the biological particles received by the impact surface are then grown, and optically transparent components support optical detection/imaging of viable biological particles without physically accessing the impact surface.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims (impactor device and method). Across them, the inventive coverage centers on four inventive features: an enclosed impact surface, a magnet configuration for robotic device magnet engagement, a radial-array sampling head with a centrally located magnet, and biological sampling followed by growing biological particles on the impact surface.
Impactor with enclosed impact surface and intake apertures in a radial array
A sampling head comprising one or more intake apertures for sampling a fluid flow containing particles; and an impactor base operationally connected to receive at least a portion of the fluid flow from the sampling head, wherein the impactor base comprises an impact surface for receiving at least a portion of the particles in the fluid flow and an outlet for exhausting the fluid flow, and wherein the sampling head and the impactor base engage to enclose the impact surface.
Magnet fixed to sampling head or impactor base configured for robotic magnet engagement
A magnet fixed to the sampling head or the impactor base configured to engage with a robotic device magnet of a robotic device.
Centrally disposed sampling head magnet in radial array
A sampling head magnet fixed to the sampling head, wherein the one or more intake apertures are disposed in a radial array on the sampling head, and wherein the sampling head magnet is fixed to the sampling head in the center of the radial array.
Robotically manipulated impactor for biological particle sampling and growing
A method for sampling biological particles from a fluid flow, comprising drawing a fluid flow through one or more intake apertures and into a sampling head of an impactor with a radial array and a sampling head magnet disposed in the center of the radial array; impacting at least some of the biological particles onto an impact surface of an impactor base, with the impactor base engaging the sampling head to enclose the impact surface; exhausting the fluid flow from the sampling head; manipulating the impactor or a component thereof via a magnet fixed to the impactor and configured to engage with a robotic device magnet of a robotic device; and growing at least a portion of the biological particles received by the impact surface.
Overall, the independent claim coverage ties a radial-array sampling head and an enclosed impact surface to robotic manipulation enabled by a magnet engaging a robotic device magnet, and it couples the impact deposition with growth of biological particles received by the impact surface.
Stated Advantages
Enables robotic manipulation of the impactor or components thereof while the sampling head and impactor base engage to enclose the impact surface.
Supports culturing and optical detection/imaging of viable biological particles received on the enclosed impact surface without physically accessing the impact surface.
Minimizes false-positive contamination from user handling during robotic handling in aseptic processing environments.
Documented Applications
Use in aseptic processing environments such as cleanrooms, RABS, and positive pressure isolators for robotic particle sampling/impaction and culturing of viable biological particles.
Optical detection/imaging of viable biological particles using optically transparent components without physically accessing the impact surface.
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