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Google patents automated system for quick fermentation sampling

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

This patent describes a machine that automatically pulls small liquid samples from a fermentation tank and filters them into a multi-well plate. It uses a pump, valves, and a motorized base to move the plate so each sample lands in a new well, while also injecting liquid nitrogen to freeze the sample immediately.

Why it mattersThis improves the speed and consistency of taking samples in biological or chemical manufacturing, reducing the need for manual handling.

In the filing’s own words

Platforms, systems, and methods for rapid fermenter sampling. According to one aspect, there is provided A rapid sampling system for obtaining samples from a fermentation system, comprising: a sample inlet fluidly connected to the fermentation system; a pump fluidly connected to the sample inlet and configured to draw a sample from the fermentation system; a first valve fluidly connected to an outlet of the pump; a second valve fluidly connected to a liquid nitrogen chamber; a multi-well filter plate, wherein an individual well of the multi-well filter plate is configured to collect and filter the sample; a motorized base operatively connected to the multi-well filter plate configured to adjust a position of the multi-well filter plate; and a control unit including one or more processors and one or more memories operatively connected to the pump, the first valve, the second valve, and the motorized base.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. A rapid sampling system for obtaining samples from a fermentation system, comprising: a sample inlet fluidly connected to the fermentation system; a pump fluidly connected to the sample inlet and configured to draw a sample from the fermentation system; a first valve fluidly connected to an outlet of the pump; a second valve fluidly connected to a liquid nitrogen chamber; a multi-well filter plate, wherein an individual well of the multi-well filter plate is configured to collect and filter the sample; a motorized base operatively connected to the multi-well filter plate configured to adjust a position of the multi-well filter plate; and a control unit including one or more processors and one or more memories operatively connected to the pump, the first valve, the second valve, and the motorized base, the control unit configured to automatically initiate and perform a plurality of sampling operations at predetermined time intervals, wherein each sampling operation comprises: controlling the operation of the pump to obtain the sample, controlling the operation of the first valve to dispense the sample into a first well of the multi-well filter plate; controlling the operation of the second valve to dispense liquid nitrogen into the first well of the multi-well filter plate; and controlling the operation of the motorized base to move the multi-well filter plate to position a second well beneath the first valve and the second valve.

Facts

Company
Google (X Development LLC)
Official title
Platforms, systems, and methods for rapid fermenter sampling
Patent number
US12755814B2
Application number
19337758
Filed
Sep 23, 2025
Granted
Oct 6, 2026
Inventors
2
Claims
12

Classified under

G16B 40/00 Physics & computingC12M 23/12 Chemistry & metalsC12M 29/00 Chemistry & metalsC12M 33/14 Chemistry & metalsC12M 41/44 Chemistry & metalsC12M 41/48 Chemistry & metals
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.