Patent ID: 6780638
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: C12M

Abstract:
Cell culture apparatus comprising a rotor releasably housing a plurality of cell culture vessels/roller bottles and with means provided to allow rotation of the rotor at a controlled speed about a substantially horizontal axis for cell incubation purposes, with further means provided to allow the rotational axis of the rotor and bottles housed therein to be tilted from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position such that the bottles are in an inverted position with cap ends of the bottles lowermost, each bottle having a body and being provided with a cap on its cap end, each cap being equipped with a fluid supply/drain connection arranged at a lowest point of the cap when the bottle is in the inverted position, a manifold with at least one sealable external connection and a plurality of connections communicating with the fluid supply/drain connection of each bottle cap, each bottle having a snorkel for venting of gas space within the bottle during fluid transfer, each snorkel tube passing upwards through any fluid in its respective bottle when in the inverted position and formed as an internal extension of the cap thereon, each snorkel tube extending into the body of its respective bottle and having an end opening into the body of the bottle at a position clear of any fluid in both the bottle in the substantially vertical and horizontal orientations thereof, each snorkel tube being further provided with miro-porous venting means to atmosphere, whereby fluid transfer into or out of the bottles is accomplished via the at least one external connection of the manifold whilst the bottles are in the inverted position.