WO2005085092A2

WO2005085092A2 - Closure for a cooling container opening

Info

Publication number: WO2005085092A2
Application number: PCT/EP2005/001380
Authority: WO
Inventors: Uwe Schön; Young-Joo Oh; Günter FUHR
Original assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
Priority date: 2004-02-20
Filing date: 2005-02-11
Publication date: 2005-09-15
Also published as: WO2005085092A3; DE102004008496B3; EP1718545B1; EP1718545A2

Abstract

A closure for a cooling container opening having a predefined opening diameter, particularly a cryotank (1). According to the invention, a closable extraction opening (9) for introducing items that are to be cooled into the cooling container (1) and/or for extracting cooled items from the cooling container (1) is arranged inside the closure. The diameter of the extraction opening (9) is smaller than the diameter of the cooling container opening.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Closure for a cooling container opening

The invention relates to a closure for a cooling container opening, in particular for a cryogenic tank.

It is known in the field of biology, pharmacology, medicine and biotechnology to freeze samples of biological material while maintaining the vitality of the sample material at temperatures that are just above the temperature of liquid nitrogen. Samples of this type are also referred to as cryosamples and are usually stored and transported in sample containers, the sample containers being introduced into so-called cryotanks in which liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the samples. The sample containers are introduced into the cryotank through an opening in the cryotank or removed from the cryotank, the opening in the cryotank being closed during the deep-freeze storage by a stopper which has thermal insulation which consists, for example, of styrofoam.

A disadvantage of the known closure in the form of a stopper described above is the fact that after the stopper has been pulled out of the opening in the cryotank, atmospheric moisture can fall into the cryotank from the air surrounding the cryotank, which leads to undesirable ice formation in the cryotank leads.

In addition, strong currents arise when the plug is pulled out of the opening of the cryotank and when the plug is inserted, which further intensifies the formation of ice in the cryotank. The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a closure for a cryogenic tank which minimizes ice formation in the cryogenic tank when the closure is opened.

Starting from the known closure described above according to the preamble of claim 1, this object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

The invention encompasses the general technical teaching that the closure does not expose the entire cooling container opening in the open state, but only a removal opening with a smaller opening cross section, so that in the opened state correspondingly less air humidity in the

Cryogenic tank can occur. In addition, the closure according to the invention for introducing refrigerated goods and / or for removing refrigerated goods from the cooling container no longer requires a complete removal of the closure according to the invention, so that fewer flows also arise when opening and closing.

On the one hand, this offers the advantage that the thermal insulation effect of the closure is also used when introducing refrigerated goods and when removing refrigerated goods, in order to avoid heating the interior of the cooling container.

On the other hand, a removal lock with a smaller cross section can be used in this way to take samples from the cooling container or to introduce them into the cooling container. The use of a smaller removal lock is again advantageous because it allows a smaller lock volume that is easier to control and to air-condition. A closable removal opening for introducing cooling material into the cooling container and / or for removing cooling material from the cooling container is preferably arranged in the closure according to the invention, the removal opening having an opening cross section which is smaller than the opening cross section of the cooling container opening.

However, the opening cross section of the removal opening is preferably so large that a customary sample container in the form of a sample rack fits through the removal opening.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, the removal opening can be positioned within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening. This offers the advantage that the items to be cooled can be introduced into the cooling container at different points within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening or can be removed from the cooling container by positioning the removal opening accordingly. In the case of a circular cross section of the cooling container, the removal opening can preferably be freely positioned between the central axis of the cooling container and the circumference of the cooling container. In connection with a rotatable sample carousel arranged in the cooling container, all sample containers or sample shelves in the cooling container can be accessed in this way. For this purpose, the sample carousel located in the cooling container must be rotated so that the desired sample container (eg a sample rack) is below the cooling container opening. In addition, the removal opening of the closure according to the invention must then be positioned above the desired sample container so that the desired sample container can be removed through the removal opening. The removal opening can be positioned within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening, for example, by a rotation, a pivoting movement or a displacement, but other mechanisms are also possible in order to position the removal opening within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening at the desired location.

The removal opening is preferably positioned by a closure part which is rotatably mounted in the closure according to the opening about a predetermined axis of rotation, the removal opening being arranged in the closure part. A rotation of the closure part thus automatically leads to a corresponding positioning of the removal opening within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening.

In the case of a circular cooling container opening, the rotatable closure part can likewise be essentially circular, the axis of rotation of the closure part running essentially parallel to the central axis of the cooling container and / or essentially parallel to an axis of rotation of a sample carousel arranged in the cooling container. The closure part can be designed as a circular disk, the removal opening consisting of a recess in the circular disk starting from the circumference of the circular disk.

Here, the rotatable closure part is preferably dimensioned such that the diameter of the rotatable closure part is substantially half the size of the diameter of the cooling container. The rotatable closure part can then be arranged eccentrically with respect to the coolant container cross-section, the rotatable closure part preferably being located between the central axis of the cooling container or the axis of rotation of the in carousel arranged on the one hand and the edge of the cooling container on the other. A desired position within the cross section of the cooling container is thus accessed by two rotary movements, namely on the one hand by the rotating movement of the sample carousel arranged in the cooling container and on the other hand by the rotating movement of the rotatable closure part with the removal opening. An advantage of the above-described geometrical arrangement of the closure part within the cross section of the cooling container is the fact that each sample container in the cooling container can be accessed by a suitable combination of the two rotary movements.

In addition, the removal opening in the rotatable closure part is preferably also arranged eccentrically to its axis of rotation, the removal opening preferably extending inwards starting from the periphery of the rotatable closure part.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a drive is integrated into the closure, which suitably positions the removal opening within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening, wherein the drive can consist, for example, of an electric motor.

Furthermore, a flap or a conventional stopper is preferably provided in order to close the removal opening of the closure according to the invention during storage. The flap can either open upwards (i.e. outwards) or downwards (i.e. into the interior of the cooling container).

The flap or the plug preferably leave a pressure equalization opening in the closure in order to equalize pressure between the inside and the outside of the closure. To enable closure. This is particularly useful if liquid nitrogen outgasses in the cooling container, which would lead to a considerable increase in pressure if the gas-tight seal were used. The pressure equalization opening can be arranged in the flap or the stopper. However, there is alternatively also the possibility that a separate pressure compensation opening is provided in the closure according to the invention.

For this reason, instead of a flap or a stopper, only a movable protective element can be provided, which can be moved inside or outside the cooling container via the removal opening in order to avoid convection currents. To drive this protective element, an additional drive, for example in the form of an electric motor, can be integrated in the closure according to the invention.

It should also be mentioned that the invention not only includes the closure described above as an individual part, but also relates to a cooling container, in particular a cryotank, with such a closure.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a cryogenic tank with a closure according to the invention,

FIGS. 2a and 2b are top views of the cryogenic tank from FIG. 1 at different positions of the closure according to the invention, Figure 3 is a side view of a cryogenic tank with another embodiment of a closure according to the invention and

Figure 4 is a side view of a cryogenic tank with an alternative embodiment of a closure according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a cryotank 1 which can be used for the vitality-preserving cryopreservation of cryosamples, which is known per se.

In the cryotank 1 there is a rotatable sample carousel 2, in which numerous sample shelves 3 are removably arranged. The sample carousel 2 can be rotated about an axis of rotation 4 and has a drive 5 in the form of an electric motor in order to rotate the sample carousel 2 in the cryotank 1 into the desired position, as will be described in detail. However, the electric motor can also be arranged outside the cryogenic tank 1. This offers the advantage that the electric motor is then not exposed to the cold in the cryogenic tank 1.

On its upper side, the cryogenic tank 1 has a circular cooling container opening which can be opened or closed by a closure. The closure has a closure part 6 which is rotatable about an axis of rotation 7, the closure part 6 essentially having the shape of a circular disk, as can be seen in particular from FIGS. 2a and 2b.

A further drive 8 in the form of an electric motor is provided for rotating the closure part 6, the drive 5 and the drive 8 being controlled by a control unit. the one that is not shown for simplicity. This electric motor can also be arranged outside the cryogenic tank 1. This again offers the advantage already mentioned above that the electric motor is then not exposed to the cold in the cryogenic tank 1.

In the rotatable, circular disk-shaped closure part 6 there is a removal opening 9 near the edge, which is sufficiently large to be able to insert the sample racks 3 into the cryotank 1 or to remove them from the cryotank.

To remove one of the sample racks 3 from the cryogenic tank 1, two steps are required, which can be carried out in any order and are described below.

In a first step, the drive 5 rotates the sample carousel 2 in the cryotank 1 such that the desired sample rack 3 lies below the closure part 6.

In a second step, the drive 8 then rotates the closure part 6 in the form of a circular disk such that the removal opening 9 lies above the desired sample rack 3.

Then a closure flap 10 attached to the closure part 6 can then be opened in order to remove the desired sample rack 3 from the cryotank 1.

The sample rack 3 is introduced into the cryotank 1 in a corresponding manner.

It should be mentioned here that the closure flap 10 does not close the removal opening 9 in a gas-tight manner even in the closed state, but rather releases a pressure compensation opening allows to equalize pressure when nitrogen is outgassed.

The exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3 largely corresponds to the exemplary embodiment described above, so that reference is made to the above description in order to avoid repetitions and only the special features of this exemplary embodiment are described below. In addition, the same reference numerals are used here, but are identified by an apostrophe to distinguish them.

A special feature of this exemplary embodiment is that the removal opening of the closure part 6 'can be closed by a heat-insulated plug 11'.

Here, too, the stopper 11 'does not close the removal opening in the closure in a gas-tight manner, but rather leaves a pressure equalization opening free in order to enable pressure equalization when nitrogen is outgassed.

Finally, the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4 also largely corresponds to the exemplary embodiment described above, so that reference is made to the above description in order to avoid repetitions and only the special features of this exemplary embodiment are explained below. In addition, the same reference numerals are used as above, which are only identified by two apostrophes.

A special feature of this exemplary embodiment is that the closure flap lid 10 is dispensed with, while a protective element 12 "is attached within the cryogenic tank 1". is arranged to prevent the formation of convection currents. The protective element 12 "essentially consists of a circular disk-shaped element which can be rotated by an additional drive 13" below the removal opening 9 "in order to open or cover the removal opening 9" depending on the rotational position of the protective element 12 ". The protective element 12 ", however, does not close the removal opening 9" here in a gas-tight manner, but rather is gas-permeable, so that only convection currents are suppressed.

The invention is not restricted to the preferred exemplary embodiments described above. Rather, a large number of variants and modifications are possible which also make use of the inventive idea and therefore fall within the scope of protection.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. Closure for a cooling container opening with a predetermined opening cross section, in particular for a cryogenic tank (1, 1 ', 1 "), characterized in that a closable removal opening (9, 9") for introducing refrigerated goods into the cooling container ( 1, 1 ', 1 ") and / or for removing refrigerated goods from the cooling container (1, 1', 1"), the removal opening (9, 9 ") having an opening cross section that is smaller than the opening cross section of the Cooling tank opening.

2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the removal opening (9, 9 ") can be positioned within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening.

3. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the removal opening (9, 9 ") is rotatable, pivotable or displaceable in order to position the removal opening within the opening cross section of the cooling container (1, 1 ', 1").

4. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a closure part (6, 6 ', 6 ") which is rotatably mounted in the closure about a predetermined axis of rotation (7, 7', 7"), the removal opening (9, 9 ") is arranged in the closure part (6, 6 ', 6").

5. Closure according to claim 4, characterized in that the cooling container opening and the rotatable closure part (6, 6 ', 6 ") are substantially circular, the axis of rotation (7, 7', 7") of the closure part (6, 6 ' , 6 ") in the substantially parallel to the central axis of the cooling container (1, 1 ', 1 ") and / or substantially parallel to an axis of rotation (4, 4', 4") of a carousel (2 , 2 ', 2 ").

6. Closure according to claim 5, characterized in that the cooling container (1, 1 ', 1 ") has a diameter which is substantially twice as large as the diameter of the rotatable closure part (6, 6', 6") with the Removal opening (9, 9 ', 9 ").

7. Closure according to claim 6, characterized in that the rotatable closure part (6, 6 ', 6 ") is arranged eccentrically to the cooling container (1, 1', 1").

8. Closure according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotatable closure part (6, 6 ', 6 ") between the central axis of the cooling container (1, 1', 1") and the edge of the cooling container (1, 1 ', 1 " ) is arranged.

9. Closure according to one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the removal opening (9, 9 ', 9 ") in the rotatable closure part (6, 6', 6") eccentrically to its axis of rotation (7, 7 ', 7 ") is arranged.

10. Closure according to one of claims 3 to 9, characterized by a first drive (8, 8 ', 8 ") for positioning the removal opening (9, 9', 9") within the opening cross section of the cooling container opening.

11. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a flap (10) or a stopper (11 ') for closing the removal opening (9).

12. Closure according to claim 11, characterized in that the flap opens into the cooling container (1, 1 ', 1 ") or outwards.

13. Closure according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by a pressure equalization opening, which in the closed state enables pressure equalization between the inside and the outside of the closure.

14. Closure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a movable protective element (12 ") is provided to avoid convection flows through the removal opening (9"), the protective element (12 ") inside or outside the cooling container (1") is movable over the removal opening (9 ").

15. Closure according to claim 14, characterized by a second drive (13 ") for positioning the protective element (12").

16. Cooling container (1, 1 ', 1 "), in particular cryogenic tank, with a closure according to one of the preceding claims. * * * * *