ES1078200U - Defrostable pills defrost device (ddp-70). (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for thawing sperm pills, characterized in that it consists of two thermo-adjustable heating plates (2 and 3) by analog or digital temperature controller (1'), arranged in opposite inclined positions, converging downwards and with the edges lower (4 and 5) parallel and separate, whose plates are mounted between two end supports (1) through means for regulating the separation between the parallel bottom edges (4 and 5) of said plates. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Device for defrosting sperm pills (DDP-70).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for defrosting sperm pills, which allows the defrosting of the pills and the collection of defrosted sperm material to be carried out with maximum effectiveness.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the fundamental aspects of reproductive biotechnologies is the freezing of sperm material for the creation of germplasm banks, which allows sperm storage in liquid nitrogen for an indefinite period. The usual forms of storage can be using straws or pills (pellets). The use of pills has a growing use in cryopreservation of avian sperm, as well as some species of mammals and fish. In addition, with the emergence of new methods of ultrafast freezing and sperm vitrification, both in human and veterinary andrology, storage in pills

or micropills begin to have a superior use to the merely experimental. However, one of the limitations of using the pills is to achieve a correct defrosting process. The effectiveness of the viability and fertilizing capacity of frozen sperm depends on the method of defrosting. In general, it can be considered that the use of slow freezing rates (10-40 ° C / min) requires slow defrosting rates, using thermostatic baths of water at 37 ° C for this purpose. On the other hand, when a rapid freezing (60ºC), ultrafast (220ºC) or instant vitrification (719000ºC / min) (the usual ones in the case of storage in pills) is performed, better cell viability results are obtained with fast defrosting rates ( 6 seconds at 60-70 ° C). Usually, this defrosting is done in thermostatic water baths, but these have serious disadvantages when it comes to pills, since the defrosting is not homogeneous (the outer part of the pill is first defrosted), requiring times longer than those recommended for its total dissolution, which negatively affects the viability of the thawed sample. Alternatively, slow defrosting of the pills is chosen (37 ° C, 1-2 minutes), but the freezing process is reduced.

However, none of the systems indicated allows rapid defrosting of the pills and, at the same time, also rapid collection of sperm material.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide a device that allows rapid defrosting of the pills and immediate collection of sperm material, as it is defrosted.

In this way, the collection of defrosted sperm material takes place before it can be affected by defrosting temperatures.

In accordance with the invention, the device for defrosting sperm pills is constituted by two thermo-adjustable heating plates that are arranged in opposite inclined positions, convergent downwards and with the bottom edges parallel and separated. Preferably, the plates will be rectangular in shape, with the bottom edges straight, parallel and separated from each other by an adjustable distance.

The two plates that make up the device of the invention are mounted between two end brackets through means for regulating the separation between the parallel bottom edges of said plates. These regulation means can consist of two horizontal and parallel articulation axes, through each of which a plate is related to the lateral supports, with the ability to swing on said axes. This tilting around the axis of articulation mentioned will allow varying and regulating the separation between the parallel lower longitudinal edges of the two plates. The regulation means will also include blocking means to ensure the selected position of the plates, with which a certain separation of their longitudinal edges will be obtained, depending on the sizes of the sperm pills to be defrosted.

The regulating means may also consist of horizontal guides that relate the plates and supports and on which said plates are horizontally movable, also allowing to regulate the separation between their lower longitudinal edges.

According to a possible embodiment, each thermo-adjustable heating plate can be constituted by a flat wall of a thermally conductive nature, for example of a metallic, attached or nearby nature, to which an electric heating element is arranged, for example based on a electric resistance.

As indicated above, each wall can be of rectangular contour, arranged in a horizontal direction, inclined transversely, the heating element being located along the outer surface of said wall, in contact with or close to it.

With the constitution mentioned, once the thermo-adjustable heating plates are positioned, through the corresponding regulating means, such as analog or digital temperature controller, the electric heating elements are switched on, to achieve heating of the heating plates at the required temperature according to the work protocol. Subsequently, the sperm pills can be arranged between them, whose defrosting will be achieved progressively, but quickly, while collecting in the container under the two plates, coinciding with the lower separation of the same, the drops that are produced during defrosting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The attached drawings show, schematically and by way of non-limiting example, a device for defrosting sperm pills, constituted in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows in perspective the device of the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the same device, taken along the line II-II of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are sections similar to Figure 2, showing as many variants of execution.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

The device for defrosting sperm pills of the invention comprises a structure composed of two lateral supports (1) between which two thermo-adjustable heating plates (2 and 3) arranged with opposite inclinations are mounted. A temperature controller (1 ’) is mounted on one of the lateral supports, for example of analog or digital type.

In the example shown in the drawings, the plates (2 and 3) are rectangular in shape, are arranged horizontally with transverse inclination, convergent downwards, with parallel lower edges (4 and 5) and separated by a distance d adjustable.

The lateral supports (1) can be fixed to a lower platform (6) that will serve as a base for the arrangement of containers (7) for collecting the defrosted sperm material.

On the outside of each of the plates (2 and 3) an electric heating element (8) is arranged, which can be in contact or close to the external surface of said plates.

The plates (2 and 3) will be thermally conductive in nature, for example of a metallic nature, so that the heat provided by the heating elements (8) is distributed and reaches the entire surface of the plates (2 and 3).

The two plates will be mounted between the supports (1 and 2) through means that allow to regulate the separation between the lower edges (4 and 5). These means can consist of horizontal and parallel articulation axes (9), which can be coplanar with the plates (2 and 3), and on which said plates can swing to vary the distance d between the lower edges 4 and 5.

As shown in figure 3, the plates (2 and 3) can be mounted on the lateral supports (1) through guides (10) articulated to the supports through shafts (11) and locking means (12) . By loosening these locking means (12), the tilting of the supports (10) on the articulation axis (11) can be achieved, which will allow varying the distance "d" between the lower longitudinal edges (4 and 5) of both plates.

In Figure 4 another variant of execution is shown in which the plates (2 and 3) are mounted between horizontal guides (10 '), on which they can move in a horizontal direction to also vary the separation d between the lower edges (4 and 5) of the two plates.

The heating elements (8) will be movable together with the plates (2 and 3) during the regulation of the separation of the lower edges (4 and 5).

The means for regulating the separation between the lower edges of the plates (2 and 3) can adopt other constitutions different from those described.

To proceed with the defrosting of sperm pills, the electric heating elements (8) will be switched on to achieve the heating of the plates (2 and 3) at the required temperature. Next, the sperm pills (13) will be placed between these plates, which will gradually defrost, quickly, collecting the thawed material in the form of drops (14) in a container 5 (7).

The separation "d" between the lower edges (4 and 5) of the plates (2 and 3) will depend on the size of the pills to be thawed. On the other hand, the temperature of the plates (2 and 3) will depend on the power of the heating elements (8), for which they will be equipped with regulation means that allow at the same time to regulate the temperature of the plates 2 and 3, to allow rapid defrosting of the pills in any case (13)

10 arranged between the plates (2 and 3) and also an immediate collection of the drops (14), as these pills are defrosted.

Claims (5)

1.-Device for defrosting sperm pills, characterized in that it consists of two thermo-adjustable heating plates (2 and 3) by analog or digital temperature controller (1 ’), arranged in 5 opposite inclined positions, convergent in descending direction and with the bottom edges (4 and 5) parallel and separated, whose plates are mounted between two end brackets 1) through means of regulating the separation between the parallel bottom edges (4 and 5) of said plates. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said regulation means consist of two horizontal and parallel articulation axes (9, 11), through each of which a plate with 10 the lateral supports, with the power of tilting on said axis. 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said regulation means consist of horizontal guides (10 '), which relate the plates (2 and 3) to the end supports (1), on whose guides both are horizontally movable plates. 4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each thermo-adjustable heating plate is 15 constituted by a flat wall of thermally conductive nature and by an electric heating element (8) disposed on the external surface of said wall. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that each wall is rectangular in shape, arranged horizontally, inclined transversely, and the heating element (8) runs along the outer surface of said wall.