US 12,070,198 B2
Specimen freezing rate regulator device
Rolf Erhardt, Mill Valley, CA (US); and Brian Schryver, Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed by Cool Lab, LLC, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Filed on Jul. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/443,728.
Application 17/443,728 is a continuation of application No. 16/115,277, filed on Aug. 28, 2018, granted, now 11,071,528, issued on Jul. 27, 2021.
Application 16/115,277 is a continuation of application No. 12/819,024, filed on Jun. 18, 2010, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2021/0353271 A1, Nov. 18, 2021
Int. Cl. B01L 3/00 (2006.01); A01N 1/02 (2006.01); A61B 10/00 (2006.01); B01L 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 10/0096 (2013.01) [A01N 1/0263 (2013.01); B01L 7/50 (2013.01); B01L 3/5082 (2013.01); Y10T 29/49826 (2015.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for regulating freezing of a specimen sample, said method comprising:
acclimating to a first temperature a specimen freezing rate regulator device, comprising:
a container formed of a first insulating material and comprising:
a base; and
an upper portion having a second insulating material, a sidewall, a bottom, and a central cavity;
a plurality of specimen containment chambers formed in the sidewall and positioned between the central cavity and an outer surface of the container, each specimen containment chamber and the central cavity having an opening, wherein a position of each specimen containment chamber is an exact geometric equivalent position with respect to the first insulating material between each specimen containment chamber, the bottom of the container, and the outer surface of the container, wherein a volume of the central cavity is at least two times as great as a volume of any one of the plurality of specimen containment chambers;
a first thermally conductive layer interposed between the upper portion and the base;
a cover configured to close and seal the central cavity, wherein the cover comprises a third insulating material that is different from the first insulating material; and
a second thermally conductive layer interposed between the base and the cover;
acclimating to the first temperature a specimen sample;
assembling the acclimated specimen freezing rate regulator device by:
inserting the acclimated specimen sample into one of the plurality of specimen containment chambers of the acclimated specimen freezing rate regulator device;
disposing the acclimated specimen sample into an acclimated sample tube vial;
inserting an acclimated thermal ballast into the central cavity; and
securing the cover to the container thereby enclosing the acclimated thermal ballast, the acclimated sample tube vial, and the specimen sample therein; and
placing the acclimated assembled specimen freezing rate regulator device into an environment having a second temperature that is less than the first temperature,
wherein when the acclimated specimen sample comprises a live cell suspension in 1 ml of a cryoprotectant solution and the first temperature is 20° C., the acclimated thermal ballast is configured to modify a temperature reduction profile of the live cell suspension to a degree such that when the specimen freezing rate regulator device is placed in a −80° C. freezer, the live cell suspension takes at least 30 minutes longer to reach a temperature of −60° C. compared to a live cell suspension in the same conditions but without the thermal ballast.