EP3746188B1 - System and device for the doffing of a protective suit - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a passage arrangement for leaving a contaminated interior area into a non-contaminated exterior area, according to the preamble of claim 1, and a method for safely removing and disposing of a protective suit, according to the preamble of claim 6.

Full protective suits are used by workers in contaminated hazardous areas such as chemical, biological or radioactive areas. They protect the person by covering the entire body from head to toe, with the suits being fully sealed. Neither moisture nor heat escape through the suit material to the outside. When exiting the danger zone, the aim is to dispose of the contaminated suit in a controlled manner and not to spread the contamination to the outside world, based on the principle of not spreading any hazardous substances. Various lock systems and exit methods are known for this purpose. For example, the exit from the danger area leads through locks, where the person is exposed to a (water) mist to bind particles. After the suit has been removed, the breathing apparatus is placed in a small lock in the next lock and the underwear is removed. The hygiene shower is located in the next lock room.

From the DE 30 13 629 C2 an arrangement and a method for putting on and taking off a protective suit is known, with a foldable connecting hose being connected to the protective suit, which is used for the worker to get into the protective suit and can be connected to an access opening of a work area. The connection hose consists of a fusible foil material and is connected to the access opening for donning the suit. After the worker has entered the protective suit, the connection hose is closed by melting. The connecting hose is then cut off in such a way that the two ends are closed. To remove the protective suit, the hose section connected to the protective suit is fused to the hose section attached to the access opening in such a way that after the connection area formed by melting has been severed, the hose section connected to the protective suit is open and connected to the hose section which is attached to the access opening. The protective suit should be reused, and that Procedure is not suitable for safe disposal of the protective suit after each work step.

In the WO 2019/101664 A1 an arrangement for docking a protective suit and a method for safely undressing a protective suit is disclosed, so that when leaving the contaminated area and further when exiting the protective suit, a complete separation between the inner and outer area of a protective environment is achieved through a tube-like protuberance of the protective suit. The suit wearer can get through the hose on the suit and a passage opening and the uncontaminated outside area. The disclosed method also includes removing the containment from the contaminated area by inverting the containment over the opening so that the contaminated suit is inside out, and then detaching from the containment with the contaminated side inside, along with closing the Opening. The invention is based on the object of obtaining an arrangement for docking a protective suit and a method for safely undressing a protective suit, so that when leaving the contaminated area and further when exiting the protective suit, a complete separation between the inner and outer area of a protective environment is achieved , thus avoiding contamination from one side to the other. At the same time, the wearer of the protective suit should be able to get out of the contaminated area as normally as possible and reach a position in which the end of the exit tunnel and the passage hose can simply be slipped over them.

This object is solved by an arrangement having the features of independent claims 1 and 6. Further advantageous features of the invention are contained in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

Like the known arrangement, the solution according to the invention is designed for a protective suit that has a fusible connecting tube whose inner wall is designed to be separable, preferably peelable, at least in the connecting area. This connection area is the end of the connection tube facing away from the suit, through which the wearer of the protective suit can leave a contaminated inner area through a closable passage opening into a non-contaminated outer area can. For this purpose, the arrangement also has a passage hose made of flexible, hermetically sealed and preferably weldable material, adjoining this passage opening in the outer area and separating the inner area from the outer area. Furthermore, the inner wall is designed in such a way that it can be connected to the outer wall of the connecting hose in a connecting area in order to form a closable through-opening from the inner area to the outer area. The connection is preferably made by welding, but can also be an adhesive connection or a connection of two form-fitting surface areas. For this purpose, the connecting hose connected to the passage hose can be separated in the connection area.

The invention is now characterized in that an exit tunnel is inserted between the passage opening and the exit hose, with at least the section of the exit tunnel opposite the passage opening being made of flexible material, and with the passage hose being hermetically connected to the end section of the exit tunnel. This construction method is particularly simple and quick, as well as protecting against damage to the hermetic barriers safe exit of the wearer of the protective suit is guaranteed. Because of the flexibility of the exit tunnel and of course also the material of the passage tube, for example a tubular film, these elements can be placed in any position, the wearer of the protective suit can go normally from the inside into the exit tunnel, where he can be in any position after opening the Through opening the end of the exit tunnel and the passage hose can be slipped over. For hermetically safe separation of the connection to the contaminated interior, the penetration tube can then be guided to a suitable device again, independently of the position and position of the wearer of the protective suit.

An arrangement is particularly preferred in which the end of the exit tunnel is formed by a ring-shaped element that can be freely moved and oriented in space, preferably manually, and to which the passage tube is connected in a hermetically sealed manner. This means that the end of the exit tunnel and the passage hose can be easily and safely manipulated by assistants and also slipped over the wearer of the protective suit. If necessary, an automatic manipulation arrangement, for example a robot arm, can also take over this movement.

Advantageously, the ring-shaped element also serves as a reservoir for the passage hose, so that there is always enough material for the entire exit process, including the covering of the protective suit and its hermetic separation, but only enough material is released to cover the work and movements of the people and not to impede the equipment.

If the arrangement according to a further embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the exit tunnel is connected to a partition wall that hermetically separates the interior and the exterior and has a closable passage opening, the arrangement can be used as a replacement or supplement to conventional doors or gates between contaminated interior areas and clean exterior areas be used.

It is particularly advantageous to supplement the arrangement according to the invention with a welding device for connecting the connecting hose and the passage hose and/or by a separating device for separating interconnected sections of the connecting hose and the passage hose and/or a combined one Cut-off welding device with at least one cut-off welding element. If necessary, these devices can also be present as separate units, but a fixed connection, for example to the partition wall, by means of a manipulation arrangement that ensures the mobility of the devices is also conceivable.

Separation welding is understood to mean a process in which foil material is both welded, which applies in particular to foils lying flat on top of one another, and also separated, in particular in the adjoining areas in front of and behind the separating weld seam. The foil material is connected to one another by welding and a welding area is created. A separating seam is also applied in this welding area, so that there remains a welding area on both sides of the separating seam, in which the foils are connected to one another. In a preferred embodiment, the separating seam is a perforated seam at which the sides of the film can be torn off.

However, the present invention also relates to a method for safely removing and disposing of a protective suit when exiting a contaminated interior area that is shielded from an outside area, for wearers of protective suits with a hermetically sealed connection hose made of a fusible material, which allows a worker to get in and out of the protective suit serves. This connecting hose is connected in a connecting area to a passage hose that hermetically seals the inner area from the outer area, preferably by welding, and the protruding area is separated from it during the exit process. The connecting hose is torn open from the inside of the protective suit in such a way that a through opening is created through which the worker can get out of the protective suit. For this purpose, the connecting hose is preferably provided with a peelable layer or made from such a material.

According to the invention, such a method is characterized in that an arrangement according to one of the preceding paragraphs is used, that after the connection of the connecting hose and passage hose, the worker with the protective suit reaches the end of a flexible exit tunnel and the passage opening is made at its end, that then the passage opening and the end section of the exit tunnel are guided along the worker and the protective suit is also stripped off and is thus immediately turned over, and finally the protective suit is pulled through the passage opening with the inside out, the passage tube is welded behind the passage opening and the protective suit is thus encased by the material of the passage hose and finally the length of the passage hose encasing the protective suit is severed. The advantages associated with this method correspond to those which have already been explained above in connection with the arrangement according to the invention.

The exit process can be designed particularly conveniently and safely if, according to a preferred variant of the method, the ring-shaped element and the passage opening and the end section of the exit tunnel are guided along the worker essentially from top to bottom.

An optional embodiment variant according to the invention also contributes to safe handling and the rapid exit process, which is characterized in that the protective suit is at least partially turned inside out during the movement of the passage opening and the end section of the exit tunnel along the worker.

To dispose of the protective suit, the protective suit is pulled through the opening with the inside out. The clean inside of the protective suit now faces the outside of the protective environment. The penetration tube and the protective suit can preferably be closed by cut-off welding and separated in the welding area. In this way, the interior of the protective environment is never open to the outside and the protective suit can be safely disposed of.

Further advantages and features of the invention follow from the following description, in which the invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the schematic drawings.

• Fig. 1A-E einen Schutzanzug in perspektivischer Sicht mit und ohne Vorrichtung zum Trennschweissen,
• Fig. 2 die erfindungsgemässe Anordnung im Ausstiegsbereich zur Verwendung mit einem Schutzanzug, sowie mit einer Vorrichtung zum Trennschweissen im vertikalen Querschnitt,
• Fig. 3A-E die vorderen Enden des Durchtrittsschlauches und des Verbindungsschlauches im vertikalen Querschnitt in verschiedenen Stadien des Verfahrens, sowie den nach aussen gezogenen und am Ende des Durchtrittsschlauches abgetrennten Schutzanzug im vertikalen Querschnitt,
• Fig. 4A-B einen Vorratsbehälter im vertikalen Querschnitt,
• Fig. 5 den Ausstiegstunnel in perspektivischer Darstellung von der Seite,
• Fig. 6 den Ausstiegstunnel in perspektivischer Darstellung von oben, bei Ausstieg eines Schutzanzugträgers,
• Fig. 7A-B den Ausstiegstunnel mit ausgezogenem und umgedrehten Schutzanzug in perspektivischer Darstellung von hinten,
• Fig. 8A-B zwei unterschiedliche Ausführungsformen eines Vorratsbehälters in perspektivischer Ansicht,
• Fig. 9 einen Querschnitt durch den Trennschweissbereich einer Folie, und
• Fig. 10 eine Ausführungsform einer Vorrichtung zum Trennschweissen in perspektivischer Darstellung.

Show it:

• Figures 1A-E a perspective view of a protective suit with and without a device for cut-off welding,
• 2 the arrangement according to the invention in the exit area for use with a protective suit and with a device for cut-off welding in a vertical cross section,
• Figures 3A-E the front ends of the penetration hose and the connecting hose in vertical cross-section at various stages of the procedure, as well as the protective suit pulled outwards and severed at the end of the penetration hose in vertical cross-section,
• Figures 4A-B a reservoir in vertical cross section,
• figure 5 the exit tunnel in a perspective view from the side,
• 6 the exit tunnel in a perspective view from above, when a protective suit wearer exits,
• Figures 7A-B the exit tunnel with the protective suit removed and inverted in a perspective view from behind,
• Figures 8A-B two different embodiments of a storage container in a perspective view,
• 9 a cross-section through the cut-and-seal area of a foil, and
• 10 an embodiment of a device for cut-off welding in a perspective view.

In the figures, the same reference numbers have been used for the same elements and first-time explanations relate to all figures, unless expressly stated otherwise.

Figure 1A represents a protective suit 1, preferably for one-time use and subsequent disposal, for which the arrangement according to the invention is provided and from which the method according to the invention allows a safe, rapid and comfortable exit. It is made from a tear-resistant film, preferably from a thermoplastic or polypropylene, and has a connecting tube 10 on the front of the suit 1 . The connecting tube 10 preferably consists of a fusible, separable material, preferably of a peelable film material, particularly preferably of polyethylene, even more preferably of LDPE (low density polyethylene). The term peelability means the ability to separate a weld seam, also called a sealed seam, where z. B. a film without tearing, stringing or skin formation can be separated from another film. The separation can be done manually or with pressure.

Before starting work in a contaminated interior area 4, you climb into the protective suit 1 in the usual manner in accordance with the operating instructions. This is typically done through an entry in the back area of the protective suit 1 that can be closed hermetically by means of a sealable zipper. The contaminated interior area 4 is, for example, a treatment tent in medicine or Chemistry, a mobile laboratory or also a shielded area in a hospital or also on the road, where a contaminated area 4 is shielded from a clean area, typically the outside world. However, constellations are also conceivable in which an inner area is clean and an outer area is contaminated. Here, all statements made in this document apply analogously with reversed interior and exterior areas.

The connecting tube 10 has an open end 12 . It is particularly preferred that the outer edges at the end of the connecting hose 10 are folded inwards, as shown in the upper detail of FIG Figure 1A is shown. An improved and more stable sealing of the end of the connecting tube 10 can thus be achieved.

As in Figure 1B is shown, the protective suit 1 is hermetically sealed by welding the open end 12 of the connecting tube 10 by a weld seam 24 before working in a contaminated environment. This can preferably be done by a device 9 for cut-off welding, which has at least one welding element 11 for sealing fusible film materials and at least one separating element, preferably a perforating element, both of which can also be operated separately from one another. The welding elements 11 or separating elements can be moved in parallel relative to one another and a force can be applied towards one another in order to clamp the materials to be welded or separated between them. Other options for hermetically sealing the connecting tube 10 are also possible and known to those skilled in the art. Figure 1C shows the protective suit 1, the connecting tube 10 and the finished welded connection 24 at the outer end of the connecting tube 10. In the preferred embodiment variant, the ends that are folded inwards are welded together on the inside thereof. In Figure 1D the connecting hose is wrapped and covered in the protective suit 1 so that it is as flat as possible on the front side and fits properly and does not impede the work of the wearer of the protective suit. The receiving pocket for the tucked-in connecting tube 10 is preferably closed by means of an adhesive strip or a similar closing method.

The Figure 1E shows a further embodiment of a device 9 for cut-off welding, in which two welding bars 11 which can be pivoted in relation to one another in the manner of tongs are mounted on a light frame. After inserting the end 12 of the connecting hose 10, for example, the welding bars 11 are closed and kept pressed towards one another during the welding process by means of a bracket or snap closure in order to clamp the material to be processed between them and exert pressure on it.

After the work process in the contaminated environment, the wearer of the protective suit 1 goes as in figure 2 shown at the transition between the contaminated inner area 4 and the clean outer area 5, the hermetic separation of these areas typically being formed by an at best mobile partition 27 with a passage opening 30. On the outside of the partition wall 27, the passage opening 30 is adjoined by a movable exit tunnel 13, which is preferably completely flexible over the entire length and is typically made of a thermoplastic material. At least the end 31 of the exit tunnel 13 facing away from the partition 27 is flexible. This end 31 is also adjoined by a passage tube 8 made of flexible and hermetically sealed material, preferably a thin and/or transparent tubular film, which ensures the hermetic separation of the inner area 4 and the outer area 5 . The penetration tube 8 can be made of polyethylene or polypropylene, but is preferably made of polyethylene. Preferably, the material of the passage tube 8 itself cannot be separated, ie it is tear-resistant. It is preferably folded like a bellows in a preferably ring-shaped or frame-like element 7, so that this element 7 represents a reservoir for the passage hose 8, from which it can be pulled out as required and to the desired length. For arrangements that only have to be designed for a few ejection processes, a short passage hose 8 can be connected directly to the end 31 of the exit tunnel 13 without a storage container 7 having to be present.

Transparent materials that are as transparent as possible are particularly preferred for the through-tube 8, possibly also for the exit tunnel 13. The latter has at least one transparent section or a window-like transparent area for making contact with the person to be ejected.

As the first step in the process for safely removing the protective suit 1 and exiting the contaminated interior area 4, the connecting hose 10 is unwound from the protective suit 1 - a state as in FIG Figure 1C shown - and inserted with the welded end 24 into the passage hose 8 in such a way that the passage hose 8 encloses the connecting hose 10, as in FIG Figure 3A is shown. In principle, it is irrelevant how the end pieces of the two hoses 8, 10 are designed and whether they are tips, edges, ridges or the like, depending on whether the end sections of the hoses have a constant cross section or their cross section differs from the protective suit 1 way reduced.

The further steps for the process of safely undressing the protective suit 1 are in Figures 3A to 3D shown schematically. The protective suit 1 is connected to the penetration tube 8 via the connecting tube 10 . For this purpose, as in Figure 3A shown, the end of the connecting hose 10 of the protective suit 1 is inserted into the penetration hose 8 and in a connection area 17 the connecting hose 10 is welded on its outside to the inside of the penetration hose 8 . Within the connection area 17, the outer end of the passage tube 8 with the end of the connection tube 10 received therein is then severed with its welded seam 24 or other hermetic closure--as in Figure 3B is shown - and can be discarded. The end of the connecting hose 10 on the protective suit 1 and the penetration hose 8 are connected to one another by welding. After separating the end pieces of the two hoses 8, 10 facing away from the protective suit 1, the connecting hose 10 can be torn open from the inside, as in Figure 3C shown, resulting in a passage opening 6 in the connecting hose 10 and in the passage hose 8, through which the wearer of the protective suit 1 can leave it after he has also passed through the passage opening 30. In order to make it easier to tear open the connecting tube 10 to form the through-opening 6, a peelable layer 18 can be provided on the inside of the connecting tube 10 in the connecting area 17, or the latter is made of a peelable material overall.

Instead of a welded connection for the hermetic sealing of the connecting hose 10 or for the connection of the connecting hose 10 and the passage hose 8, adhesive connections, form-fitting connections of the surfaces, for example via complementary structures worked out therein, etc. can also be used.

The welding of the passage hose 8 and connecting hose 10 preferably takes place at the same time as the ends of these films are cut off, particularly advantageously by applying a cut-off weld seam 23 by means of the cut-off weld element 11 of the device 9 for cut-off weld 9. The cut-off weld element 11 preferably contains a combinable weld element and cut-off element, which however can also be used separately. If necessary, the separating element can be pulled up so that a weld seam is produced without a separating seam being formed at the same time, for example for hermetically sealing the end of the connecting hose 10.

The connecting tube 10 and the passage tube 8 are still closed to one another in the connecting area 17 on both sides of the separating weld seam 23 or the end sections that are otherwise separated from one another, so that no exchange between the contaminated inner area 4 and the clean outer area 5 can take place.

In Figure 3D a further optional step is shown schematically, in which the protective suit 1 and the connecting hose 10 are pulled outwards through the passage opening 6 and thereby turned inside out at the same time. If finally a further separating welding seam 23 is made again, if necessary other arbitrary but similarly functional precautions are taken, the passage tube 8 is welded on both sides of a separating area and hermetically sealed. This gives the detached protective suit 1 with the inside out as in FIG Figure 3E shown. This can be disposed of safely.

In Figure 4A a storage container 7 in a preferred embodiment is shown separately in section, with the storage area 14 for storing a supply of the passage tube 8, typically a tubular film material, being clearly visible, as well as a fastening element 15 for fastening to the exit tunnel 13 and a handle 16 for manual Manipulation. Figure 4B represents a section of Figure 4A on an enlarged scale.

In figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the exit tunnel 13, which is fastened to a partition 27 between the inner area 4 and the outer area 5 and is preferably movable, and the exit tube 8 is connected to the end area 31 of the exit tunnel. For this purpose, this preferably flexible end region 31 is connected to the annular, for example circular or elliptical, reservoir 7 from which the passage tube 8 can be pulled out as an extension of the exit tunnel 13 . The end of the passage tube 8 opposite the partition 27 is welded and thus hermetically sealed.

figure 6 shows the preferred implementation of the method step of stripping off the protective suit 1 and passing through the passage opening 6 by the wearer of the protective suit 1. To do this, he has gone through the passage opening 30 in the partition 27 into the exit tunnel 13 and is now in its flexible end section 31. There, the torn through opening 6, together with the connecting tube 10 on the inside and the passage tube 8 welded to it in the connecting area 17 on the outside, is guided from top to bottom along the worker shown here standing, which is only possible due to the mobility of the exit tunnel 13 and/or at least the flexibility of the end area 31 is made possible. The worker can then exit through this passage opening 6 by simply stepping out of the ring-shaped element 7 . The worker can pull the movable exit tunnel 13 over his head himself, but this process step can also be carried out by auxiliary personnel, who take hold of the storage container 7 by the handles 16 and orient it accordingly and guide it along the worker. As already mentioned above, the reservoir 7 can also be omitted and the wearer of the protective suit 1 then simply pulls the connection area between the exit tunnel 13 and the passage tube 8 over his head and body, in which connection area the passage opening 6 has been cleared.

It is also possible to bring about this movement and spatial orientation of the storage container 7 automatically by means of a driven manipulation arrangement, for example a robot arm. It is also possible for the worker to pass through or exit through this passage opening 6, and the protective suit 1 can also be pulled through with the inside out. as in Figure 3D and 3E is shown schematically. At the same time, this process causes the protective suit 1 to turn inside out, so that its contaminated side is covered on all sides.

Figure 7A shows the end region 31 of the exit tunnel 13 with the reservoir 7 and the passage tube 8 designed here as a tubular film, the connecting tube 10 pulled through and the protective suit 1 pulled through with the inside facing out. The dashed line indicates the area where, for example, with the device 9 for cut-off welding, a cut-off weld seam 23 is applied or with other devices a hermetically sealed separation of the section of the passage tube 8 remaining at the exit tunnel 13 from the longitudinal section of the passage tube 8 that hermetically seals off the connecting tube 10 is carried out . Figure 7B shows in addition to the in Figure 7A elements shown, the device 9 placed on the outside of the protective environment for cut-welding or otherwise separating the sections of the penetration hose 8, as well as the partition 27.

In Figures 8A and 8B Preferred embodiments of the annular reservoir 7 are shown in FIG Figure 8B without recorded passage tube 8. The reservoir of Figure 8A consists of a base ring 32 with an inner collar 33, the inside of which forms an opening through which the user of the protective suit 1 fits. On the outside of the inner collar 33 is the bellows or zigzag laid passage tube 8 and is held by the cover 34 . A cylindrical receiving space is formed between the inner collar 33 and the inside of the cover 34, which is closed off at the front by the inwardly protruding front face 35 of the cover 34, which thus prevents the entire passage tube 8 from falling out.

The reservoir of Figure 8B consists of an inner ring cylinder 21 and an outer ring cylinder 22 which are connected at the end directed towards the inner area 4 or the end area 31 of the exit tunnel 13 via the closed side 28 . An annular opening 29 is kept free on the side facing the outside area, so that, for example, a tubular film stored in the storage container can be pulled out through this opening 29 if necessary. Handles 16 permit manual manipulation of the reservoir 7.

figure 9 shows the separating welding seam 23 of a welded tubular film as the material of the penetration tube 8 with a welding area 19 which consists of a first welded connection 25 and a second welded connection 26 and a separating seam 20 . The separating seam 20 is preferably a perforated seam.

figure 10 shows an optional embodiment for the device for cut-off welding 9 with a combined welding element and separating element, the cut-off welding element 11. With this device, film material, as is typically used for the connecting hose 10 or the passage hose 8, can be welded and cut at the same time. The two jaws of the cut-off welding element 11 can be moved apart and towards one another here in a parallel arrangement and can also be subjected to a force towards one another in order to clamp the material to be processed between them and to exert pressure on it.

list of reference numbers

1 protective suit 28 closed side of the reservoir 2 exit area 3 protective environment 29 open side of the reservoir 4 interior 30 passage opening 5 outdoor area 31 End section of the exit tunnel 6 access opening 32 base ring 7 reservoir 33 Inner collar 8th passage tube 34 cover 9 Separating welding device 35 face 10 connecting hose 11 Separating welding element 12 open side of the connecting hose 13 exit tunnel 14 storage area 15 fastener 16 Handle 17 connection area 18 peelable layer 19 welding area 20 parting seam 21 inner ring cylinder 22 outer ring cylinder 23 separating weld seam 24 Welded connection of the connecting hose 25 first welded connection of the passage hose 26 second welded connection of the passage hose 27 partition wall

Claims (8)

1. A passage arrangement for leaving a contaminated inner area (4) into a non-contaminated outer area (5), comprising:

   a) a dividing wall (27) with a passage opening (30),

   b) a closable flexible tube (8) attached to said passage opening in the outer area (5) and made of flexible, hermetically sealed and weldable material, characterized in that

   c) an exit tunnel (13) is inserted between the passage opening (30) and the flexible tube (8), wherein at least the section (31) of the exit tunnel (13) opposite of the passage opening (30) consists of flexible material, and wherein

   d) the flexible tube (8) is connected to the end section (31) of the exit tunnel (13) in a hermetically sealed manner.
2. The arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the end of the exit tunnel (13) is formed by an annular element (7) which is preferably spatially manually freely movable and orientable and to which the flexible tube (8) is attached in a hermetically sealed manner.
3. The arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the element (7) serves as a storage container for the flexible tube (8).
4. The arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the exit tunnel (13) is attached to a dividing wall (27) which hermetically separates the inner area (4) and the outer area (5) and has a closable passage opening.
5. The arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a welding device for connecting the flexible connecting tube (10) and the flexible tube (8) and/or a separating device for separating sections of the flexible connecting tube (10) and the flexible tube (8) which are connected to each other and/or a combined separating/welding device having at least one separating/welding element (11) is provided.
6. A method for safely removing and disposing of a protective suit (1) when leaving a contaminated inner area (4) which is shielded from an outer area (5),

   a) wherein a hermetically sealed flexible connecting tube (10) made of a fusible material is affixed to the protective suit (1), which flexible connecting tube (10) serves for enabling a worker to enter and leave the protective suit (1), and wherein

   b) the flexible connecting tube (10) is, in a connecting area (17), connected, preferably by means of welding, to a flexible tube (8) which hermetically seals the inner area (4) off from the outer area (5), and the protruding area is separated,

   characterized in that

   c) using an arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 5

   d) after connecting the flexible connecting tube (10) and the flexible tube (8), the worker with the protective suit (1) reaches the end (31) of the exit tunnel (13) and the passage opening (6) is created,

   e) wherein the flexible connecting tube (10) is opened from the inside of the protective suit (1), preferably torn open, such that at the end of the exit tunnel (13), a passage opening (6) is created, through which the worker leaves the protective suit (1), after which

   f) the passage opening (6) and the end section (31) of the exit tunnel (13) are guided along the worker and the protective suit (1) is also stripped off during this process,

   g) that the protective suit (1) is subsequently pulled through the passage opening (6) with the inside out, the flexible tube (8) is welded behind the passage opening (6) and the protective suit (1) is thus enveloped by the flexible tube (8), and

   h) the length of the flexible tube (8) enveloping the protective suit (1) is ultimately separated.
7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the annular element and the passage opening (6) and the end section (31) of the exit tunnel (13) are guided along the worker substantially from top to bottom.
8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that in the course of the movement of the passage opening (6) and the end section (31) of the exit tunnel (13) along the worker, the protective suit (1) is at least partially already turned inside out.

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