[0001] The present invention refers to a disruptor of biologic substances.
[0002] In general, the present invention is in the field of preparing samples for physical,
biophysical, bio-chemical assays, with mechanical working, for example, cutting, disintegrating,
compacting, homogenizing.
[0003] In particular, the present invention deals with the disintegration of biologic tissues,
the dissociation of cells and micro-grafts, with knives or other cutters which cut
the material into fragments, with rotary knives inside vertical containers, with actuation
arranged above the container.
[0004] For example,
IT-B-0001320860 discloses a disrupting device, preferably of the disposable type, suitable for treating
disruptions of biologic samples and, in particular, for preparing homogenized samples,
comprising a container shaped as a plastic glass, equipped with a cover with a central
hole and a peripheral hole, a central rotating shaft connected to a mincing member,
for example, of the type with one or more blades, supported by the bottom of the container
through a spherical coupling and equipped with an engagement member to be able to
join a drive shaft, and means to allow sucking the disrupted sample.
[0005] Moreover,
WO-A2-2016097960 discloses a disrupting device for biologic material, comprising an external hollow
body, defining an internal chamber, a fixed disrupting grid having a plurality of
micro-holes equipped with cutting edges and transversally housed in the internal chamber
in order to define an upper loading chamber adapted to be loaded with biologic material
to be disrupted and a lower collecting chamber adapted to collect the biologic material
after it has been disrupted, a blade-type rotor rotating in the internal chamber,
adapted to cooperate, when rotating, with the fixed disrupting grid, in order to supply
and take the biologic material from the upper loading chamber in contact with the
microcells of the disrupting grid and thereby generate the disruption of the biologic
material through these micro-holes. The microcells of the disrupting grid have sizes
or a diameter included between 70 and 80 µm and are obtained through a molding process
of the bit type, using a conical or polygonal punch to draw and distort a metal sheet
made of stainless steel, or through a laser light source, in order to make an edge
with different cutters, for example six. The configuration of the microcells allows
operating without the help of chemical reagents, to obtain cellular suspensions and
micro-grafts of tissues, keeping the characteristics and the functions of the original,
non-disrupted biologic material intact and unaltered, and therefore can be advantageously
used in several medical, veterinary and cosmetic applications.
[0006] The disrupting device according to
IT-B-0001320860 solves the problem of the construction easiness, through the disposable device and
the definition of the single internal chamber, but does not solve the problem of the
axial load pressing on the axial bearing of the rotor, axial load following the necessary
action to be able to disrupt the biologic substances.
[0007] The disrupting device according to
WO-A2-2016097960 solves the problem of the disruption efficiency of the biologic cells, through the
definition of the two chambers for loading biologic substances to be disrupted and
for collecting disrupted biologic substances, but does not solve the problem of the
axial load pressing on the axial bearing of the rotor.
[0008] Therefore, object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems,
by providing a disruptor which allows the efficient disruption of the biologic substances,
through the definition of two chambers for loading biologic substances to be disrupted
and for collecting disrupted biologic substances, but at the same time removing the
axial load of the rotor.
[0009] A further object of the present invention is providing a disruptor of biologic substances
which allows keeping the advantages of a disposable solution and simplifying the assembling
of parts composing a device chosen to satisfy the above problems.
[0010] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will result from
the following description, are obtained with a disrupting device of biologic substances
as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present
invention ae the subject matter of the dependent claims.
[0011] It is intended that all enclosed claims are an integral part of the present description.
[0012] It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example
related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can
be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention, as
appears from the enclosed claims.
[0013] The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof,
provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:
- Figures 1 and 2 show perspective views, respectively from the bottom and the top,
of an embodiment of the disrupting device of biologic substances according to the
present invention;
- Figure 3 shows a front view of an embodiment of the disrupting device of biologic
substances according to the present invention;
- Figure 4 shows a sectional view along line IV-IV of Figure 3;
- Figure 5 shows a sectional view along line V-V of Figure 3;
- Figure 6 shows a top perspective view of a first meaningful component of an embodiment
of the disrupting device of biologic substances according to the present invention;
- Figure 7 shows a front view of the first meaningful component of Figure 6;
- Figure 8 shows a sectional view along line VIII-VIII of Figure 7;
- Figure 9 shows a sectional view along line IX-IX of Figure 7;
- Figure 10 shows an enlarged part X of Figure 9;
- Figure 11 shows a top perspective view of a second meaningful component of an embodiment
of the disrupting device of biologic substances according to the present invention;
- Figure 12 shows a front view of the second meaningful component of Figure 11;
- Figure 13 shows a plan view of the second meaningful component of Figure 12;
- Figure 14 shows a top perspective view of a third meaningful component of an embodiment
of the disrupting device of biologic substances according to the present invention;
and
- Figure 15 shows a top perspective view of a fourth meaningful component of an embodiment
of the disrupting device of biologic substances according to the present invention.
[0014] With reference to the Figures, it is possible to note that the disrupting device
1 of biologic substances according to the present invention comprises:
- at least one external hollow body 10 defining at least one internal chamber;
- at least one fixed disrupting grid 20 housed inside such internal chamber to define
at least one loading chamber of biologic substances to be disrupted and at least one
collecting chamber of disrupted biologic substances;
- at least one rotor 30 rotating inside the internal chamber and adapted to take the
biologic substances in contact with the fixed disrupting grid 20 and to cooperate
with the fixed disrupting grid 20 to allow the disruption and the passage from the
loading chamber to the collecting chamber of the disrupted biologic substances through
such fixed disrupting grid 20.
[0015] As it is possible to note in the Figures, in a preferred embodiment of the disrupting
device 1 according to the present invention, the loading chamber and the collecting
chamber are coaxial with respect to the rotation axis of the rotor 30 and, in particular,
the collecting chamber is defined by the volume of the cylindrical crown interposed
between the fixed disrupting grid 20 with a substantially cylindrical shape placed
inside the internal chamber and the internal wall of the external hollow body 10,
while the loading chamber is defined by the internal volume of the fixed disrupting
grid 20 itself.
[0016] In particular, the fixed disrupting grid 20 is composed of a case with passages,
of a substantially axial-symmetrical shape with respect to the rotor 30, to delimit
the loading chamber of biologic substances to be disrupted around the rotation axis
of the rotor 30 and the collecting chamber of disrupted biologic substances between
the fixed disrupting grid 20 and the external hollow body 10.
[0017] With reference to Figures 5, 11, 12 and 13, it is possible to note that the rotor
30 comprises at least one blade 31, substantially radially projecting with respect
to the rotation axis of the rotor 30, and which extends substantially for the whole
height of the fixed disrupting grid 20 to be able to take the biologic substances
in contact with the fixed disrupting grid 20.
[0018] The blade 31 comprises at least one convex surface 2 with tapered end 3, in contact
with the biologic substances to be taken in contact with the fixed disrupting grid
20.
[0019] With reference to Figures 4 to 10, it is possible to note that the fixed disrupting
grid 20 comprises a distribution of holed micro-cells 21 equipped with cutting edges
4 around the rotation axis of the rotor 30.
[0020] With reference to Figures 1 to 4 and 15, it is possible to note that the disrupting
device 1 according to the present invention comprises at least one removable closing
cover 40 of the external hollow body 10 withdrawable from a projecting shaft of the
rotor 30 through at least one hole 41.
[0021] With reference to Figures 6 to 10, it is possible to note that the fixed disrupting
grid 20 is delimited respectively by at least one base ring 22 and by at least one
head ring 23.
[0022] With reference to Figure 4, it is possible to note that the fixed disrupting grid
20 is supported by the external hollow body 10 through the base ring 22 in at least
one grooved seat 11 of a bottom 12 and through the head ring 23 joined to at least
one annular flange 50 in a seat 13 next to the removable cover 40.
[0023] With reference to Figure 14, it is possible to note that the annular flange 50 is
shaped to allow accessing only to the loading chamber of biologic substances to be
disrupted through at least one central opening 5 and emptying the collecting chamber
of disrupted biologic substances through at least one connecting sleeve 6.
[0024] Preferably, the fixed disrupting grid 20 is composed of a cylindrical case with base/height
ratio equal to about ⅓.
[0025] Moreover, the rotor 30 is preferably of the two-blade type with arrangement of the
blades at 180°, with an axial extension approximately equal to the axial extension
of the disrupting grid 20, while the external hollow body 10 is axial-symmetrical
shaped as a frustum of cone.
[0026] Finally, the disrupting device 1 of biologic substances is preferably of the type
with vertical axis.
[0027] The disrupting device of biologic substances of the present invention allows obtaining
the above preset objects.
[0028] In fact, through the disrupting device according to the present invention, the disruption
of the biologic substances efficiently occurs, through a radial flow of the biologic
substances, from the central loading chamber for biologic substances to be disrupted,
to the collecting chamber of disrupted biologic substances.
[0029] In particular, through the disrupting device according to the present invention,
the axial load of the rotor is removed, with the advantage that it is not necessary
to provide for an axial bearing, since the only operative axial load is a balanced
radial one, due to an axial-symmetrical shape of the components of the device.
[0030] Preferably, the disrupting device of biologic substances is of the type with vertical
axis, composed of components which can be easily replaced.
[0031] The particular configuration of the microcells composing the fixed disrupting grid
allows operating without the help of chemical reagents, to obtain cellular suspensions
and micro-grafts of tissues, keeping the characteristics and the functions of the
original, non-disrupted biologic material intact and unaltered, allowing the use of
the disruptor of the invention in several medical, veterinary and cosmetic applications.
[0032] Moreover, the connecting sleeve fastened to the annular flange to allow emptying
the collecting chamber of disrupted biologic substances can comprise a connection
of the LEUR type.
1. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances comprising:
- at least one external hollow body (10) defining at least one internal chamber;
- at least one fixed disrupting grid (20) housed inside said internal chamber to define
at least one loading chamber of biologic substances to be disrupted and at least one
collecting chamber of disrupted biologic substances, said fixed disrupting grid (20)
being composed of a case with passages, of a substantially axial-symmetrical shape
with respect to said rotor (30), to delimit said loading chamber of biologic substances
to be disrupted around a rotation axis of said rotor (30) and said collecting chamber
of disrupted biologic substances between said fixed disrupting grid (20) and said
external hollow body (10); and
- at least one rotor (30) rotating inside said internal chamber to take said biologic
substances in contact with said fixed disrupting grid (20) and to cooperate with said
fixed disrupting grid (20) to allow a disruption and a passage from said loading chamber
to said collecting chamber of said disrupted biologic substances through said fixed
disrupting grid (20);
characterized in that said rotor (30) comprises at least one blade (31), radially projecting with respect
to said rotation axis of said rotor (30), said blade (31) extending substantially
for the whole height of said fixed disrupting grid (20) to take said biologic substances
in contact with said fixed disrupting grid (20), said blade (31) comprising at least
one convex surface (2) with tapered end (3), in contact with said biologic substances
to be taken in contact with said fixed disrupting grid (20).
2. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances according to claim 1, characterized in that said fixed disrupting grid (20) comprises a distribution of holed micro-cells (21),
said holed micro-cells (21) being equipped with cutting edges (4) around said rotation
axis of said rotor (30).
3. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one removable cover (40) to be able to close the opening of
the external hollow body (10), said removable cover (40) being withdrawable from a
projecting shaft of said rotor (30) through at least one hole (41).
4. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances according to the previous claim, characterized in that said fixed disrupting grid (20) is delimited respectively by at least one base ring
(22) and by at least one head ring (23), said fixed disrupting grid (20) being supported
by said external hollow body (10) through said base ring (22) in at least one grooved
seat (11) of a bottom (12) and through said head ring (23) joined to at least one
annular flange (50) in a seat (13) next to said removable cover (40).
5. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances according to the previous claim, characterized in that said annular flange (50) is shaped to allow accessing only to said loading chamber
of biologic substances to be disrupted through at least one central opening (5) and
emptying the collecting chamber of disrupted biologic substances through at least
one connecting sleeve (6).
6. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances according to any one of the previous
claims, characterized in that said fixed disrupting grid (20) is composed of at least one cylindrical case with
base/height ratio equal to about ⅓, said rotor (30) being of the two-blade type with
arrangement of the blades at 180°, with an axial extension approximately equal to
the axial extension of said disrupting grid (20).
7. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances according to the previous claim, characterized in that said external hollow body (10) is axial-symmetrical shaped as a frustum of cone.
8. Disrupting device (1) of biologic substances according to any one of the previous
claims, characterized in that it is of the type with vertical axis.