Assembly for freezing a plurality of conditioning tubes each filled with a predetermined volume of biological substance

Abstract

An assembly is provided for freezing a plurality of conditioning tubes each filled with a predetermined volume of biological substance, in which each of the tubes is driven in rotation in a flow of cooling agent, the assembly including a cooling enclosure configured in order to be passed through by the flow of cooling agent and a conditioning unit which is removable and placed in the enclosure; the unit is provided with a greater capacity than the plurality of tubes in order to directly receive this plurality of the tubes, the enclosure is fixed and the assembly includes a unit for driving the conditioning unit in rotation, which unit for driving in rotation is provided with a connection interface on which the removable conditioning unit is placed.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method for freezing a plurality of conditioning tubes each filled with a predetermined volume of biological substance, comprising:
 arranging the plurality of conditioning tubes ( 5 ) directly into the conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) placed in a cooling enclosure, ( 9 ;  209 );   then causing a flow of cooling agent to be passed through by a flow of cooling agent and simultaneously driving said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) in rotation; and   providing said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) with a greater capacity than a capacity of said plurality of conditioning tubes ( 5 );   wherein the step of arranging each said conditioning tube ( 5 ) directly into a conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) is carried out by placing said plurality of conditioning tubes ( 5 ) into said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ); and   wherein said step of driving said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) in rotation is implemented by setting each said conditioning tube ( 5 ) in motion with respect to said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) and with respect to others of said conditioning tubes ( 5 ).   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) is driven in rotation on itself. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) has at least one longitudinal side wall ( 27 ;  127 ) and an internal space ( 30 ;  130 ); and said plurality of said conditioning tubes ( 5 ) is placed in said internal space so that each said conditioning tube ( 5 ) extends longitudinally in the longitudinal direction in which said at least one side wall ( 27 ;  127 ) extends. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) is placed in said cooling enclosure ( 9 ;  209 ) so that said flow meets at least one side wall ( 27 ;  127 ). 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising introducing said at least one conditioning unit ( 6 ;  106 ;  206 ) into said cooling enclosure ( 9 ;  209 ).