Filtered Enclosure for Cell Culture Samples for Incubators
Described herein is a filtered, reusable, autoclavable cell culture sample container that would enclose a cell culture growth container such as a flask, Petri dish or well plate and it would be stored in an incubator with or without adjacent samples and sample containers. The purpose of the product is to provide a sterile incubation environment with free-flowing gas exchange with the surrounding environment.
1 . An enclosure, comprising:
a top;
a bottom; and
a plurality of sidewalls spacing the top from the bottom and defining an internal chamber;
wherein at least a first portion of one or more of the top, the bottom and the plurality of sidewalls is a porous metal filtration media.
2 . The enclosure of claim 1 wherein at least a second portion of one or more of the top, the bottom and the plurality of sidewalls is optically transparent.
3 . The enclosure of claim 2 having:
a first component including the top and a first portion of the plurality of sidewalls; and
a second component including the bottom and a second portion of the plurality of sidewalls;
wherein the first component and the second component engage one another forming the internal chamber.
4 . The enclosure of claim 3 wherein the first component and the second component engage via a compression fitting.
5 . The enclosure of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of one of the plurality of sidewalls is removable to form an opening.
6 . The enclosure of claim 5 further including a slideable drawer that fits within the internal chamber and sized to fit through the opening.
7 . The enclosure of claim 2 wherein the porous metal filtration media has a sub-micron (<1 μm) nominal average pore size.
8 . The enclosure of claim 2 wherein the porous metal filtration media is copper or a copper-base alloy.
9 . The enclosure of claim 2 wherein the porous metal filtration media is coated with copper or a copper-base alloy.
10 . The enclosure of claim 9 wherein the porous metal filtration media is stainless steel.