Incubator and sterilization method for the same

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses an incubator, comprising: a housing defining an incubation chamber, and the incubation chamber is a sealable structure; a shaker located inside the incubation chamber; one or more vent panels, which are each provided with a plurality of vent openings, wherein the incubation chamber is divided into a first area and a second area by the vent panels and the housing, and the shaker is located inside the first area; and a blowing device, for guiding gas flow; wherein, gas in the incubation chamber is driven to circulate between the first area and the second area through cooperation of the vent panels, an inner wall of the housing and the blowing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An incubator, comprising:
 a housing defining an incubation chamber, and the incubation chamber is a sealable structure;   a shaker located inside the incubation chamber;   one or more vent panels, which are each provided with a plurality of vent openings, wherein the incubation chamber is divided into a first area and a second area by the vent panels and the housing, and the shaker is located inside the first area; and   a blowing device for guiding gas flow;   wherein gas in the incubation chamber is driven to circulate between the first area and the second area through cooperation of the vent panels, an inner wall of the housing and the blowing device.   
     
     
         2 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein part or all of the vent openings are sequentially disposed in the vent panels from top to bottom, and the vent openings are distributed across the top of the incubation chamber and the bottom of the incubation chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the vent panels comprises a top panel and side panels, the top panel and the side panels are disposed on a bottom of the housing, and the vent openings are disposed in the top panel and the side panels; the second area comprises side channel s formed by side surfaces of the inner wall of the housing and the side panels, and a top channel formed by a top surface of the inner wall of the housing and the top panel; the first area is an area delimited by the side panels, the top panel and a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing; and the side channel, the first area and the top channel are mutually matched to form an gas circulation channel, and gas is able to circulate in the gas circulation channel. 
     
     
         4 . The incubator of  claim 3 , wherein part or all of the vent openings in the side panels are located at the bottom of the incubator. 
     
     
         5 . The incubator of  claim 3 , wherein part or all of the vent openings are sequentially disposed in the side panels from top to bottom, and the vent openings are distributed across the top of the incubation chamber and the bottom of the incubation chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The incubator of  claim 3 , wherein the incubator further comprises one or more blowing devices, and part or all of the blowing devices correspond to the vent openings in the top panel one to one and are disposed oppositely. 
     
     
         7 . The incubator of  claim 3 , wherein the incubator is provided with filters, and part or all of the filters correspond to the vent openings in the top panel one to one. 
     
     
         8 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the shaker comprises a drive motor and a support structure, the drive motor being rotationally coupled to the support structure; the driving motor is used for shaking a shaking table, the shaker is mounted in the incubation chamber via the support structure, and the drive motor comprises a stator and a rotor; the stator is located in the rotor and is sealed from the first area through cooperation of the rotor and the support structure. 
     
     
         9 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the shaker is provided with a shaking table which is releasably mounted on the shaker; 
     
     
         10 . The incubator of  claim 9 , wherein the shaker is provided with a shaking table bracket for supporting the shaking table, and a plurality of first openings are formed in the shaking table bracket. 
     
     
         11 . The incubator of  claim 10 , wherein the shaking table bracket is releasably mounted to the shaker. 
     
     
         12 . The incubator of  claim 1 , further comprising a sterilizing gas generator disposed in the incubation chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is provided with a second opening and a conduit, the conduit is communicated with the incubation chamber through the second opening to supply gas to the incubation chamber, and the housing is provided with a valve for opening and closing the second opening at the second opening. 
     
     
         14 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the shaker and the inner wall of the housing is between 75 mm and 175 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein part or all of the vent openings are provided with filters. 
     
     
         16 . The incubator of  claim 5 , wherein the drive motor is provided with vanes. 
     
     
         17 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the incubation chamber comprises a first state and a second state; when the incubation chamber is in the first state, the incubation chamber is in a sealed structure; when the incubation chamber is in the second state, the incubation chamber is in an open state. 
     
     
         18 . The incubator of  claim 1 , wherein the incubator is an orbital shaker incubator. 
     
     
         19 . A sterilization method for the incubator of  claim 1 , wherein a sterilizing gas is introduced into the incubation chamber before or during gas in the incubation chamber is circulated between the first area and the second area. 
     
     
         20 . The sterilization method of  claim 19 , wherein the vent panels comprises a top panel and side panels, the top panel and the side panels are disposed on a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing, and the vent openings are disposed in the top panel and the side panels; the second area comprises side channel s formed by side surfaces of the inner wall of the housing and the side panels, and a top channel formed by a top surface of the inner wall of the housing and the top panel, and the first area is an area delimited by the side panels, the top panel and a bottom surface of the inner wall of the housing; wherein, the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area, the top channel, the side channel and the first area under the actuation of the blowing device, or the gas forms a circulating flow which sequentially passes through the first area, the side channel, the top channel and the first area under the actuation of the blowing device.