Patent ID: 8178345

Claim:
A cell culture apparatus having a plurality of stacked cell culture chambers, comprising: at least a first cell culture chamber formed by a first top surface, an opposing first bottom surface spaced apart from the first top surface, and a first sidewall around the first chamber and extending between the first top surface and the first bottom surface; and; at least a second cell culture chamber formed by a second top surface, an opposing second bottom surface spaced apart from the second top surface, and a second sidewall around the second chamber and extending between the second top surface and the second bottom surface; wherein each of the plurality of cell culture chambers comprise at least one internal boss defined by walls connecting the top and bottom surfaces of each of the plurality of cell culture chambers, wherein the internal boss walls have an inner and outer surface, and each internal boss has a diameter at the top surface of each of the plurality of cell culture chambers that is larger than a diameter at the bottom surface of each of the plurality of cell culture chambers, and wherein the internal boss of a first stacked cell culture chamber fittingly engages with the internal boss of a second stacked cell culture chamber with the inner walls of the internal bosses defining a cavity through the plurality of cell culture chambers; and, at least one unitary connecting column running continuously through the cavity from a bottom of the cell culture apparatus to a top of the cell culture apparatus.