Patent Publication Number: US-2021180002-A1

Title: Culture device

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a culture apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, in a culture apparatus, a duct forming a gas passage for air is disposed in a culture chamber, and an ultraviolet lamp is disposed in the duct. Ultraviolet light irradiation from this ultraviolet lamp sterilizes air flowing in the culture chamber and water in a humidification tray (hereinafter, referred to as “humidification water”) installed below the duct (see e.g., Patent Literature (hereinafter referred to as “PTL”) 1). 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         PTL 1 
         Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-175944 
       
    
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     It should be noted here that, when ultraviolet light leaks from inside the duct, the ultraviolet light leaking from the duct affects the culture of cells, microorganisms, and/or the like. Therefore, a culture apparatus in which ultraviolet light leaks from inside the duct is regarded as a nonconforming product and cannot be shipped. 
     The duct is fixed to the rear-wall inner surface of an inner box at attachment surfaces that are surfaces coming to face the rear-wall inner surface as a result of folding back side edges of the duct inward. Since the inner box is manufactured by welding, the rear wall of the inner box is sometimes curved under the influence of heat during the welding. This curvature sometimes causes a gap partially between the attachment surfaces of the duct and the rear-wall inner surface of the inner box, and the ultraviolet light may thus leak through the gap. 
     It is desired to reduce the loss in manufacturing by preventing such leakage of ultraviolet light. 
     The present invention is devised in view of such a desire, and aims to provide a culture apparatus capable of reducing a loss in manufacturing. 
     Solution to Problem 
     In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problem, a culture apparatus of the present invention includes: an inner wall surface facing a culture space; a duct that includes an attachment surface facing an attachment target portion of the inner wall surface, the attachment surface being attached to the attachment target portion, the duct and the inner wall surface forming a passage for air in between; and a light source for sterilization that is disposed in the passage, in which a protrusion protruding toward the attachment surface and making close contact with the attachment surface is formed on the attachment target portion, or a protrusion protruding toward the attachment target portion and making close contact with the attachment target portion is formed on the attachment surface the attachment surface is bent in a width direction, and a leading end of the attachment surface is pressed against the attachment target portion. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the loss in manufacturing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating a culture apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention in a state in which an outer door and an inner door are removed; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in  FIG. 1  as seen in the direction of arrows that illustrates a configuration of the culture apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of part B in  FIG. 2  illustrating a configuration of a principal part of the culture apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a culture apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are merely illustrative, and various modifications and/or applications of techniques which are not specified in the following embodiments are not excluded. In addition, the configurations of the embodiments can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the spirit thereof. Further, the configurations of the embodiments can be selected as necessary, or can be appropriately combined. 
     In the following description, the side of the culture apparatus which the user faces during usage of the culture apparatus (the side with below-described opening  21  of culture space  20 ) is referred to as “front” and the side opposite to the front is referred to as “rear.” In addition, the left and right are defined with reference to the case of viewing from the front to the rear. In addition, both the left and right directions are collectively referred to as a width direction. 
     Note that, in all the figures for explaining the embodiments, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in principle, and the description thereof may be omitted. 
     [1. Configuration] 
     Culture apparatus  1  in the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 .  FIG. 1  is a front view illustrating a culture apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention in a state in which an outer door and an inner door are removed.  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in  FIG. 1  as seen in the direction of arrows that illustrates a configuration of the culture apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of part B in  FIG. 2  illustrating a configuration of a principal part of the culture apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Culture apparatus  1  is an apparatus for growing a culture such as a cell or a microorganism. Culture apparatus  1  is configured to include substantially box-shaped heat insulation box  2  having culture space  20  formed inside and opening  21  formed in the front surface, an outer door (not illustrated) and an inner door (not illustrated) for opening and closing opening  21 . 
     In order to achieve an appropriate environment for culturing cells, microorganisms, and the like, culture space  20  is controlled such that the temperature, humidity, and CO 2  concentration are maintained within respective appropriate ranges. 
     Heat insulation box  2  includes substantially box-shaped inner box  2   a  having culture space  20  formed inside, substantially box-shaped outer box  2   b  that covers the outside of inner box  2   a,  and heat insulation material  2   c  disposed between inner box  2   a  and outer box  2   b.    
     In culture space  20 , duct  5  extending vertically (in the first direction) is disposed on the rear-wall inner surface (inner wall surface) of inner box  2   a.  Passage K for air containing CO 2  and the like is formed inside duct  5 , and a circulation blower (not illustrated) is installed in passage K. By operating the circulation blower, forced circulation of air is performed; the air containing CO 2  and the like in culture space  20  is sucked from suction port  5   a  formed in an upper portion of duct  5 , and is blown out to culture space  20  from blow-out port  5   b  formed in a lower portion of duct  5 . Further, a CO 2  sensor for detecting CO 2  concentration in the air flowing through passage K (not illustrated) is installed in duct  5 . 
     Further, ultraviolet lamp  7  is installed in duct  5 . 
     In addition, humidification tray  6  for storing humidification water is installed between the lower portion of duct  5  and the bottom wall of inner box  2   a.  Humidification tray  6  is heated by a heater wire (not illustrated) disposed on the bottom wall of inner box  2   a,  whereby the water stored in humidification tray  6  evaporates. 
     Ultraviolet lamp  7  in duct  5  described above sterilizes the air in duct  5  and thus the air in culture space  20  accordingly, and the humidification water in humidification tray  6  below duct  5 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , in duct  5 , attachment surfaces  50  bent in the width direction are formed. In the present embodiment, each of attachment surfaces  50  is bent inward (i.e., toward passage K), but may be bent outward. Further, attachment surfaces  50  are inclined with respect to respective attachment target portions P of the rear-wall inner surface of inner box  2   a  to which attachment surfaces  50  are attached. Attachment surfaces  50  are inclined such that leading ends  50   b  are closer to attachment target portions P than bent portions  50   a  are to the attachment target portions P. That is, attachment surfaces  50  are inclined to be closer to attachment target portions P toward leading ends  50   b.    
     Further, protrusions are formed on respective attachment target portions P of the rear-wall inner surface of inner box  2   a.  In  FIGS. 2 and 3 , protruding strips  3  extending vertically are formed as the protrusions on respective attachment target portions P of the rear-wall inner surface of inner box  2   a.    
     In a state where each of attachment surfaces  50  of duct  5  is, at its portion closer to bent portion  50   a,  in contact with protruding strip  3 , attachment surfaces  50  is fixed to inner box  2   a  by bolts B at portions of the duct closer to the widthwise middle of the rear-wall inner surface than to protruding strip  3 . 
     [2. Effects] 
     (1) Protruding strips  3  protruding toward attachment surfaces  50  of duct  5  are formed on respective attachment target portions P of the rear-wall inner surface of inner box  2   a.  Even when attachment target portions P are curved so that the distance between attachment target portions P and attachment surfaces  50  of duct  5  is different between locations, protruding strips  3  formed on attachment target portions P compensate this difference, and respective attachment target portions P of inner box  2   a  are thus in stable close contact with attachment surfaces  50  of duct  5 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent formation of a gap between duct  5  and inner box  2   a,  so as to reduce the leakage of ultraviolet light from inside duct  5 . It is thus possible to reduce the loss of culture apparatus  1  in manufacturing. 
     (2) Attachment surfaces  50  are inclined to be closer to attachment target portions P toward leading ends  50   b,  and are in contact with protruding strips  3  on the side of bent portions  50   a.  For this reason, in a state of being attached to inner box  2   a  by bolts B, leading ends  50   b  of attachment surfaces  50  are easily pressed against attachment target portions P. Therefore, formation of a gap between duct  5  and inner box  2   a  is further prevented, and the leakage of ultraviolet light from inside duct  5  can be effectively reduced. It is thus possible to further reduce the loss in manufacturing. 
     (3) Protruding strips  3  are shaped to extend along the extending direction of duct  5 , and it is thus possible to reduce the leakage of ultraviolet light from inside duct  5  over the extending direction of duct  5  (i.e., the longitudinal direction), so as to further reduce the loss in manufacturing. Further, since protruding strips  3  are shaped to extend along the extending direction of duct  5 , it is possible to reduce the curvature of attachment target portions P of inner box  2   a.    
     [3. Modifications] 
     Instead of forming protruding strips  3  on attachment target portions P, protruding strips protruding toward attachment target portions P and making close contact with attachment target portions P may be formed on attachment surfaces  50 . This configuration also reduces formation of a gap between duct  5  and inner box  2   a,  to make it possible to reduce the leakage of ultraviolet light from inside duct  5 , so as to reduce the loss of culture apparatus  1  in manufacturing. 
     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-166647, filed on Sep. 6, 2018, including the specification, claims, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention can provide a culture apparatus capable of reducing a loss in manufacturing. Therefore, its industrial applicability is enormous. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           1  Culture apparatus 
           2  Heat insulation box 
           2   a  Inner box 
           2   b  Outer box 
           2   c  Heat insulation material 
           3  Protruding strip 
           5  Duct 
           5   a  Suction port 
           5   b  Blow-out port 
           6  Humidification tray 
           7  Ultraviolet lamp 
           20  Culture space 
           21  Opening 
           50  Side edge (attachment surface) 
           50   a  Bent portion 
           50   b  Leading end 
         B Bolt 
         K Passage 
         P Attachment target portion