US 12,269,217 B2
Bioprinter and method for calibration of the bioprinter
Anton Andren, Mölndal (SE); Peter Faltpihl, Gothenburg (SE); Erik Sternå, Mölndal (SE); Adam Micha, Gråbo (SE); Ali Cakir, Gothenburg (SE); Hector Martinez, Gothenburg (SE); and Erik Gatenholm, Gothenburg (SE)
Assigned to Cellink Bioprinting AB, Gothenburg (SE)
Appl. No. 17/922,095
Filed by Cellink Bioprinting AB, Gothenburg (SE)
PCT Filed May 3, 2021, PCT No. PCT/SE2021/050409
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 28, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/230789, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 18, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2050555-8 (SE), filed on May 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0166455 A1, Jun. 1, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B29C 64/112 (2017.01); B29C 64/209 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); C12M 1/42 (2006.01); C12M 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 64/393 (2017.08) [B29C 64/112 (2017.08); B29C 64/209 (2017.08); C12M 21/08 (2013.01); C12M 35/04 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bioprinter comprising
at least one printhead, said printhead being provided with a nozzle,
a printbed onto which the printhead is arranged to print an ink,
an ultrasonic sensor arrangement arranged at the printbed, said ultrasonic sensor arrangement comprising a first sensor arrangement being arranged to provide a first ultrasound cone extending in a first direction perpendicular to an extension of the nozzle and a second sensor arrangement being arranged to provide a second ultrasound cone extending in a second direction perpendicular to the extension of the nozzle, wherein the first and the second sensor arrangement are arranged to detect when the nozzle has entered its ultrasound cone, the first and second directions being perpendicular to each other, and
a controller arranged to control movement of the printhead,
said controller being arranged to perform calibration of the printhead, said calibration comprising controlling the printhead in accordance with a calibration scheme, and to determine a relation between the printhead and the first and second ultrasonic cones based on the detections by the first and second sensor arrangements while the nozzle is moving according to the calibration scheme, wherein in said calibration, the controller is arranged to control the nozzle to move according to a position determination scheme controlling the nozzle in the second direction in relation to the first ultrasound cone, wherein the first ultrasonic sensor arrangement is arranged to detect a location of a border of the first ultrasound cone in the second direction, wherein the controller is arranged to control the nozzle to move according to a position determination scheme controlling the nozzle in the first direction in relation to the second ultrasound cone, said position determination scheme being based on the location of the borders of the first ultrasound cone and a spatial relation between the first and the second ultrasonic sensor arrangements, wherein the second ultrasonic sensor arrangement is arranged to detect a location of a border of the second ultrasound cone in the first direction, whereby the position of the nozzle in the first and second directions can be determined based on the locations of the borders of the first and second ultrasound cones,
whereby a calibrated position of the printhead at least in the first and second directions and in the direction along the extension of the nozzle can be obtained, and
said controller further being arranged to control movement of the printhead in accordance with the performed calibration.