EP2303044B1 - Overalls for cleanroom and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A clean room suit including at least one first grasping means on an inner face for facilitating dressing.

Description

The present invention relates to a clean room combination comprising an outer face intended to be in contact with a surrounding medium and an inner face arranged to be in contact with a user, a first and a second leg section connected to each other. the other by an opening in a crotch zone, first and second sleeves and a body portion to which the first and second sleeves are connected by a tied end and the first and second leg sections also by a tied end said body portion including a head passage section.

Such combinations are used in clean room environments, in laboratories, which allow for example to manufacture drugs in an aseptic and sterile environment. In this type of room, it is necessary to isolate the body of the user so that it does not contaminate the environment in which it works or the product that it manufactures.

When a manipulator must work in a sterile environment, he must, before entering the clean rooms, put on suits in accordance with a specific protocol. Such procedures are very tedious and generally require the manipulator to dress in a way completely contrary to what he used to do and contrary to the way we would dress instinctively.

The existing combinations are therefore sterilized and supplied in sealed packages that must be easy to open for the manipulator, before entering the clean room, but enough resistant to avoid tearing that could result in contact with a contaminated environment.

The manipulator must then put the combinations without touching the outer face intended to be in contact with the sterile environment and especially, without touching the outer face of the body part (covering the chest). It follows therefore a whole manipulation in which some of the combination are folded, where the user climbs on a bench, puts on one leg, without it touching the ground, and then the other, while taking Be careful not to let go or touch anything, which requires gymnastics requiring exceptional dexterity and years of practice. Therefore, often, it results in a small manipulation error or an imbalance that requires a change of combination. Of course, such sterilely supplied combinations individually packaged beforehand are expensive and represent a relatively high operating cost for the company requiring such combinations.

Many developments have been made to simplify the dressing step of the manipulator who must go, sometimes several times a day in a clean room.

For example, document is known FR 2,810,855 , a combination as mentioned at the beginning which has an attachment member for lifting said accordion folded combination to a bracket and then put on the user from top to bottom when down.

Of course, this type of combination is easier to coat than conventional combinations. Unfortunately, it requires a device to suspend the combination and a certain volume space to lift the combination and down.

Of course, since the cleanroom environment is aseptic and sterilized, it is clear that requiring such a high volume of space represents a huge maintenance cost (about twice the height of a normal room). In addition, the combination according to the document FR 2,810,855 request a dressing procedure starting with how to suspend the suit at the stem before threading without touching the outside and ending with the threading itself. Therefore, we avoid untimely gymnastics, but it is clear that the dressing procedure is not particularly simplified.

Document is also known CH 505576 , a protective gown comprising a body and a skirt and a cap to cooperate with a figure mask.

The blouse therefore does not include first and second leg sections and is made of an impermeable material.

This gown includes tabs essential for folding and when sterilized, requires the help of an assistant for its threading among others because each sleeve is folded on itself until the half closest to its end forming a cuff surrounds the other half of the sleeve.

There is therefore still a need for a clean room suit that can be donned in a particularly easy way without a jib and without assistance, drastically simplifying the dressing procedures and involving a way of donning the very instinctive combination in order to avoid costly mistakes. Indeed, when an error occurs, the manipulator realizes it and he changes the combination. In this case, only the loss of time and the combination represent the extra cost generated. On the other hand, if the manipulator does not realize his mistake and contaminates a whole batch of vaccines, the loss is much greater.

The object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art by providing a combination which makes it possible to simplify as far as possible the steps and the dressing procedures and for which the dressing steps are particularly instinctive in order to avoid the errors of handling.

To solve this problem, it is provided according to the invention, a combination as indicated at the beginning characterized in that it further comprises a first gripping means, in contact with the inner face in the body part, and of preferably in the size section.

In this way, since the gripping means is in contact with the inner face of the combination, in the body part, when the manipulator grasps the combination by said gripping means, it is in a particularly advantageous position to simplify dressing. Indeed, when the gripping means is grasped by the manipulator, the inner face of the first and second leg section are exposed to the outside, that is to say that the outer face of the first and second leg section second leg section face the outer face of the body portion of said combination.

The inner part of the body part is therefore accessible to the user who, always having the gripping means in hand, can then easily put his free arm in the first sleeve, he then releases the gripping means and puts on his second arm in said second run. He then returns the suit over his head, thereby threading the body part onto his chest and passing his head through the head section. The first and second leg sections are then automatically unrolled along the legs of the user and the suit is thus coated without the outer face has been in contact with a body part.

As can be seen easily, such a combination is put in the same way that you put on a sweater every morning when you get dressed. This therefore represents a particularly instinctive dressing procedure for the manipulator.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the combination according to the invention further comprises a second gripping means, in contact with the inner face, in the body portion, preferably at the waist section. In this way, the manipulator can grasp with a first hand a first gripping means and using a second hand a second gripping means, which promotes a correct grip of the combination and avoids drop it when dressing.

Advantageously, the first and second gripping means are situated laterally, on either side of said opening, in the body portion, more preferably, at the level of the waist section. In this way, the first gripping means located laterally on one side of said opening can be grasped with the left hand or the right hand while the second gripping means located laterally on the other side of said opening in the body part can be grasped with the right hand or the left hand respectively. This means that when the two gripping means are grasped by the manipulator the combination according to the invention is located in the correct alignment with respect to the way of putting it on. That is, the combination faces the manipulator's body.

In a particular form of the invention, the first gripping means is differentiated from the second by a difference in texture, color, shape, relief or the like. In this way, the user knows with which hand he must take the first gripping means and with which hand he must take the second gripping means. Therefore, the combination already in the correct alignment is now also certain in the sense of dressing, that is to say that when the user puts on the combination, a dorsal section of the body part of the combination is will be found at the back of the manipulator while the front section of the body part of the suit will be on the thorax of the manipulator.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, said opening is equipped with one or more closure means chosen from a zipper, self-gripping means, snaps or the like, and optionally a flap tab. , which avoids contamination of the sterile environment by the body parts.

Advantageously, the combination according to the invention further comprises a hood connected to the body portion to the head section, possibly removable. In this way, when it is necessary and is often the case in such clean rooms, it is no longer necessary to put charlottes to cover the hair of the manipulator, the combination according to the invention already includes a hood integrated to the combination.

In an advantageous form of the combination according to the invention, the first and / or second sleeve comprises self-tightening means at a free end, opposite the bonded end such as elastic fabric cuffs, a snap or self-gripping means and the like. Indeed, if the opening of the sleeves is too wide, the outside environment could be contaminated by the skin of the arms.

In addition, the first and / or second leg section includes self-tightening means at a free end, opposite to the bonded end such as elastic cloth pegs, a snap or self-gripping means and the like. . This provides the same advantage that the self-tightening means of the sleeves and avoids the contamination of the external environment by the legs of the manipulator.

In an advantageous embodiment, said opening at the crotch of the combination according to the invention has a zipper whose male end is engaged and pre-assembled in the female slider in a non-separable manner. In this way, the movement of the sled of the zipper is simplified and the manipulator must not engage the lugs itself as this represents a tedious and difficult dressing step, especially when the hands are equipped with gloves.

In a particular form of the invention, the clean room combination further comprises a first and / or second glove respectively connected to the free end of the first and / or the second sleeve. In this case, it is not necessarily necessary to add a pair of gloves, the combination according to the invention already comprising these own gloves connected to the sleeves.

Advantageously, the combination according to the invention has, in the folded position: the inner faces of the first and second leg sections exposed towards the outside and the outer face of the first and second leg sections exposed towards the outer face of the section. body, said opening of the crotch being then arranged to provide access to the interior of the body portion and said one or more gripping means being exposed to the manipulator. In this way, the outer faces of the first and second leg sections which are exposed towards the outer face of the body section allows the outer face of the entire combination to be protected from accidental contact during dressing as the outer faces of all parts of the suit face each other.

In addition, since said one or more gripping means are exposed to the manipulator, grasping the combination is particularly easy.

Preferably, the combination according to the invention has, in folded position, first and second leg sections folded longitudinally on themselves and transversely on themselves in several (2, 3, 4, ...) parts. In this way, the combination is presented folded to the user, previously sterilized in such a way that it is compact and easily grasped by the manipulator.

Other embodiments of the combination according to the invention are indicated in the appended claims.

• exposition d'au moins un premier moyen de préhension vers l'extérieur par une saisie de celui-ci,
• rabattage d'une face extérieure d'une première et d'une deuxième section de jambe par passage d'une section d'entrejambe en position ouverte sur une face extérieure d'une partie de corps en maintenant ledit premier moyen de préhension exposé,
• pliage d'une partie latérale d'une première section de jambe sur elle-même et d'une partie latérale d'une deuxième section de jambe sur elle-même, dans une direction longitudinale des première et deuxième sections de jambe en maintenant ledit premier moyen de préhension exposé, et
• pliage en rabattant en plusieurs parties les sections de jambe ainsi pliées longitudinalement dans une direction transversale des première et deuxième sections de jambe, en maintenant ledit premier moyen de préhension exposé.

The invention also relates to a method of folding a clean room suit according to the invention comprising the steps of:

• exposing at least one first gripping means to the outside by gripping it,
• folding an outer face of a first and a second leg section by passing a crotch section in an open position on an outer face of a body portion while maintaining said first gripping means exposed,
• folding a lateral portion of a first leg section on itself and a lateral portion of a second leg section on itself, in a longitudinal direction of the first and second leg sections while maintaining said first leg section; exposed gripping means, and
• folding by folding in several parts the leg sections thus folded longitudinally in a transverse direction of the first and second leg sections, maintaining said first gripping means exposed.

Advantageously, the folding method according to the invention further comprises an exposure of a second gripping means to the outside by an input thereof.

• saisie d'un premier moyen de préhension par une première main d'un manipulateur pour positionner la combinaison de façon que la partie de corps de la combinaison soit accessible via l'ouverture de l'entrejambe de la combinaison,
• enfilage d'un deuxième bras du manipulateur dans une deuxième manche et, après avoir lâché le premier moyen de préhension, un enfilage d'un premier bras du manipulateur dans une première manche,
• passage de la tête du manipulateur dans une ouverture de la partie de corps et ensuite dans la section de passage de tête, et
• retournement des sections de jambe de façon que la face extérieure de celles-ci soit alors exposée vers l'extérieur et la face extérieure exposée vers les jambes du manipulateur.

Other embodiments of the folding method according to the invention are mentioned in the appended claims. The invention also relates to a dressing method for coating a clean room suit comprising the steps of:

• gripping a first gripping means by a first hand of a manipulator to position the combination so that the body portion of the combination is accessible via the opening of the crotch of the suit,
• threading a second arm of the manipulator in a second sleeve and, after releasing the first gripping means, threading a first arm of the manipulator in a first sleeve,
• passing the manipulator head into an opening of the body portion and then into the head passage section, and
• turning the leg sections so that the outer face thereof is then exposed to the outside and the outer face exposed to the legs of the manipulator.

In a preferred embodiment, the dressing method further comprises grasping a second gripping means with a second hand of the manipulator to position the combination so that the body portion of the suit is accessible via the opening the crotch of the suit. Preferably, the dressing method for coating the combination according to the invention also comprises a closure of said opening.

Other embodiments of the dressing method according to the invention are indicated in the appended claims.

• La figure 1 est une vue de face d'une combinaison suivant l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue d'en haut d'une combinaison suivant l'invention en position partiellement repliée.
• La figure 3 est une vue d'en haut de la combinaison en position partiellement repliée, dans laquelle le rabattage longitudinal a eu lieu.
• La figure 4 est une vue d'en haut d'une forme de réalisation de la combinaison suivant l'invention en position repliée et emballée.
• La figure 5 est une vue d'en haut d'une variante d'une combinaison suivant l'invention en position partiellement repliée.

Other details, features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description given below without any limitation and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

• The figure 1 is a front view of a combination according to the invention.
• The figure 2 is a view from above of a combination according to the invention in the partially folded position.
• The figure 3 is a top view of the combination in the partially folded position, in which the longitudinal folding has taken place.
• The figure 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the combination according to the invention in the folded position and packaged.
• The figure 5 is a view from above of a variant of a combination according to the invention in the partially folded position.

In the figures, identical or similar elements bear the same references.

The figure 1 illustrates a combination 1 for clean room comprising an outer face intended to be in contact with a surrounding medium and an inner face arranged to be in contact with a user or manipulator. The combination comprises a first leg section 2 and a second leg section 3 connected to each other by an opening in a crotch zone 14, it also comprises a first leg 4 and a second leg 5 and a portion 6. The first sleeve is connected by a linked end 4a and the second sleeve is connected by a linked end 5a. The first leg section 2 also includes a bonded end 2a and the second leg section 3 includes a bonded end 3a. The combination also includes a head passage section 7.

In a variant as illustrated here the combination according to the invention comprises a hood 8 provided with an opening for the eyes 9. As can be seen, said opening of the crotch zone 14 is equipped with a zipper 10 and includes a flap tab (not shown) below the zipper to prevent contamination by said zipper. Of course, the opening may be closed by other equivalent means such as self-gripping means (velcro), snaps or the like. Similarly, the hood 8 connected to the body portion at the head passage section 7 can also be removable and therefore connected either by a zipper, by self-gripping means, snaps or the like.

In an advantageous embodiment, the first handle 4 comprises self-locking means at the free end 4b in the form of elastic fabric wrists 11. The second sleeve comprises at the free end 5b also an elastic fabric wrist 11 The elastic fabric cuffs may also be replaced by a snap or self-gripping means or other conventional means. The first leg section 2 comprises a pressure lug 12 for clamping the free end 2b of the leg section. The second leg section 3 also includes a pressure tab 12 for adjusting the diameter of the leg section at the free end 3b.

In the variant shown, the end of the zipper 10 is pre-engaged and pre-assembled so as to simplify donning of the combination according to the invention.

The figure 2 illustrates the combination in the partially folded position. The inner face of the first leg section 2 and the second leg section 3 are exposed to the outside. The outer face of the first leg section 2 and the outer face of the second leg section 3 is exposed towards the outer face of the body section 6. Said opening of the crotch 14 allows access to the interior of the body portion 6 by a section called section size 15. In this way, the first gripping means 16 and the second gripping means 17 are exposed to the manipulator. Indeed, these are present on the inside of the suit and the fact of partially returning the leg sections on the body section can expose them to the outside. When a manipulator has donned a combination according to the invention to perform its work in a clean room, once work is done, it is necessary to remove the combination. This must then be washed and resterilized for later use. Such steps are either generally outsourced by external companies that bring the folded and packaged suits back into sterile packages. On other industrial sites, the suits will be folded and washed on the spot as well as reconditioned in an aseptic individual packaging. Therefore, to ensure easy dressing of the combination according to the invention, it is advantageous to follow the steps of a folding method according to the invention as mentioned here, the first step of which will be that illustrated in FIG. figure 2 .

During this step, the first 16 and the second gripping means 17 are exposed to the outside when the handler seizes them and it folds the outer face of a first 2 and a second leg section 3 by passage of a crotch section 14 open on an outer face of a body portion 6 holding the first 16 and the second exposed gripping means 17.

The second step of the folding process is that illustrated in figure 3 . In this step, the first leg section 2 is folded longitudinally on itself and the second leg section 3 is also folded longitudinally on itself while leaving the first and second gripping means (16 and 17) exposed to the manipulator. In addition, the last folding step of the combination according to the invention is illustrated by arrows at the figure 3 . Indeed, the combination 1 according to the invention thus folded will then be folded transversely on itself in two or three parts or more if necessary, depending on the size of the combination. Combination 1 thus folded is then packaged in an envelope 18 and sterilized, for example, in an autoclave.

When a user intends to wear a combination 1 according to the invention, he / she opens the packaging 18 illustrated in FIG. figure 4 for example by peeling the upper face, he grasps the first gripping means 16 by a first hand and the second gripping means 17 by the second hand and raises the combination 1. In this way, he obtains a combination 1 in the partially folded position as illustrated in figure 2 . The combination 1 is positioned so that the body portion is accessible through the opening of the crotch 14 of the suit, through the bending size 15. The manipulator then threads after releasing the second gripping means 17 the second arm in a second run 5 and, after releasing the first grip 16, he puts the first arm into the first stick 4. He then passes his head through an opening of the body part 6 via the 15 and then in the head passage section 7 before ending in the hood 8. It then returns the leg sections 2, 3 so that the outer face of the first leg section 2 and the second leg section. leg 3 are exposed to the outside and so that the inner face of the first leg section 2 and the second leg section 3 are exposed to the legs of the manipulator. Then, the manipulator positions his foot in the foot passage section 3b which has the pre-engaged zipper and closes said opening 14 to completely isolate his body from the outside environment.

As already mentioned above, the threading of the combination according to the invention is a particularly instinctive threading.

The figure 5 illustrates a variant of the invention in which a single gripping means 16 is present, in this way, the manipulator grasps the first gripping means 16 in one hand, he puts his second arm in said second sleeve 5 and, after having dropped the first gripping means 16, he puts the first arm in the first sleeve 4. The user then puts his head in an opening of the body portion 6 via the size section 15 and then in the passage section of the head 7 to end in the eventual hood 8, if present. By standing up, the leg sections 2 and 3 automatically turn on the legs of the manipulator and it has only to close the zipper.

It is understood that the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described above and that many modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

For example, the combination according to the invention can also be used in sterile rooms in hospitals to avoid contaminating patients whose immune defenses are weakened. In addition, it is clear that the combination according to the invention can also be used to protect the wearer of the external medium, for example to treat highly contagious patients.

In addition, means may be provided such as an elastic, a pocket, a slit or the like for engaging a finger thereon, located on the inner surface of said free end of the first or second leg section which includes the closure pre-engaged flash. In this way, the closure of the opening 14 of the crotch is simplified because these means in which a finger is engaged prevent the free end of the leg section to go up when the slider of the closure is reassembled.

Alternatively, an elastic, arranged to pass under the foot can also be provided, which would be connected at two points to the free end of the leg section. This elastic would also have a role to prevent the rise of the free end when the cursor of the zipper is pulled.

Claims (17)

1. A clean room suit (1) comprising an outer face provided for being in contact with a surrounding medium and an inner face laid out so as to be in contact with a operator, a first (2) and a second leg section (3) connected to each other through an opening (14) in a crotch area (14), a first (4) and a second sleeve (5) and a body portion to which are connected the first (2) and second sleeves (5) through a bound end and the first (2) and second leg sections (3) also through a bound end, said body portion (6) comprising a section (7) for letting through the head, characterized in that it further comprises a first grasping means (16) in contact with the inner face in the body portion.
2. The clean room suit (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a second grasping means (17), in contact with the inner face, in the body portion (6).
3. The suit (1) according to claim 2, wherein the first (16) and the second grasping means (17) are located sideways, on either side of said opening (14) in the body portion (6).
4. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said opening (14) is equipped with one or more closing means (10) selected from a zipper, self-adhering means, snap fasteners or the like, as well as possibly a placket.
5. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a balaclava (8) connected to the body portion (6) at said section (7) for letting through the head, which is optionally removable.
6. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first (4) and/or the second sleeve (5) include self-tightening means (11) at a free end (4b, 5b), opposite to the bound end (4a, 5a), such as elastic fabric cuffs, a flap with press stud or self-adhering means and the like.
7. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first (2) and the second leg section (3) include self-tightening means (12) at a free end (2b, 3b), opposite to the bound end (2a, 3a), such as elastic fabric ankle bands, a flap with press stud or self-adhering means and the like.
8. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said opening (14) at the crotch has a zipper (10), a male end of which is engaged into a female cursor in a non-separable way.
9. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the first grasping means (16) is differentiated from the second (17) by a difference in texture, colour, shape, relief and the like.
10. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a first and/or a second glove respectively connected to the free end (4b, 5b) of the first (4) and of the second sleeve (5).
11. The clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 10, having, in the folded-back position ;

    - the inner face of the first (2) and the second leg sections (3) exposed towards the outside and the outer face of the first (2) and second leg sections (3) exposed towards the outer face of the body section (6),

    - said opening (14) of the crotch then laid out so as to give access to the inside of the body portion (6) and

    - said grasping mean(s) (16, 17) exposed towards the operator.
12. The clean room suit (1) according to claim 11, having in the folded-back position, first (2) and second leg sections (3) longitudinally folded-back on themselves and transversally on themselves in two or three portions.
13. A method for folding a clean room suit (1) according to any of claims 1 to 12, comprising the steps of:

    - exposing at least one first grasping means (16) towards the outside by grasping the latter,

    - folding back an outer face of a first (2) and a second leg section (3) by passing a crotch section (14) in the open position on an outer face of a body portion (6), while maintaining said grasping means (16) exposed,

    - folding a side portion of a first leg section (2) on itself and a side portion of a second leg section (8) on itself, in a longitudinal direction of the first (2) and second leg sections (3) while maintaining said first grasping means (10) exposed, and

    - folding by folding back in several portions the thereby longitudinally folded leg sections (2, 3) in a transverse direction of the first and second leg sections (2,3) while maintaining said first grasping means (16) exposed.
14. A method for folding a clean room suit (1) according to claim 13, further comprising exposure of a second grasping means (17) towards the outside by grasping the latter.
15. A dressing method for putting on a suit (1) for clean rooms comprising the steps of :

    - grasping a first grasping means (16) with a first hand of a operator in order to position the suit so that the body portion (6) of the suit (1) is accessible via the opening (14) of the crotch of the suit (1),

    - slipping a second arm of the operator into a second sleeve (5) and, after having let go of the first grasping means (16), slipping a first arm of the operator into a first sleeve (4),

    - passing the head of the operator into an opening (14) of the body portion (6), and then into the section (7) for letting through the head, and

    - turning over the leg sections (2, 3) so that the outer face of the latter is then exposed towards the outside and the inner face exposed towards the legs of the operator.
16. The dressing method for putting on a suit (1) for clean rooms according to claim 15, further comprising grasping of a second grasping means (16, 17) with a second hand of the operator in order to position the suit so that the body portion (6) of the suit is accessible via the opening (14) of the crotch of the suit.
17. The dressing method for putting on a suit (1) for clean rooms according to claim 15 or 16, further comprising closing of said opening.

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