EP4055615A1

EP4055615A1 - Device for sealed connection between two containment enclosures for improved sealing

Info

Publication number: EP4055615A1
Application number: EP20816273.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Julien FELIX; Jean-Luc SCHNEIDER; Thierry Girard
Original assignee: ABC Transfer SAS
Current assignee: ABC Transfer SAS
Priority date: 2019-11-05
Filing date: 2020-11-05
Publication date: 2022-09-14
Also published as: JP2023501268A; US20220397195A1; FR3102823A1; WO2021089950A1; FR3102823B1; CN114787942A

Abstract

Device for a sealed connection between two doors provided, respectively, with a coaxial complementary flange having a cylindrical coupling interface, one of the doors and the flange of the other door being provided with at least one peripheral seal, wherein each of the peripheral seals comprises an annular seal body extended in the outer peripheral portion thereof by an annular bead, and wherein the door and the flange having the seals comprise a tubular bearing surface complementary to the outer peripheral face of the seal body on the one hand and a circular groove for engagement with the bead on the other hand.

Description

WATERPROOF JUNCTION BETWEEN TWO CONTAINMENT ENCLOSURES PROVIDING IMPROVED WATERPROOFING

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sealed junction device between two enclosures respectively delimiting a confinement volume, each enclosure comprising a door provided respectively with a complementary coaxial flange, the door of one of the enclosures and the flange of the door of the other enclosure. being provided with at least one peripheral seal.

By enclosure is meant in the present application any product, equipment or installation delimiting a volume. Thus, it can be an insulator, a container, a container, a bag.

By confinement volume is meant a closed volume isolated from the external environment. It may be in particular, but not exclusively, a volume of preparation, storage and / or handling of products that must not be in contact with the outside or with a user.

The junction device according to the invention is intended in particular, but not exclusively, to connect two enclosures in order to transfer products from one to the other without breaking the containment. This may be for example the transfer of hazardous products such as certain biological, chemical or radioactive products, the transfer of components such as caps, vials, plungers, syringes, etc., the transfer of environmental control devices such as pressure plates. culture medium, particulate counters, etc., the transfer of cleaning systems, the transfer of liquids, powders, tools, the transfer of waste to the outside of the enclosure and / or the transfer of any element necessary for production or maintenance of the production line.

STATE OF THE ART

The transfer of products from one volume to another without the confinement of these volumes being broken is a difficult problem to resolve. To respond to this, sealed double door junction devices have been developed. Let us cite for example those described in patent applications FR2777822 and FR3036054 and patent US6591662. The double door junction devices described in these documents are formed by a first and a second door / flange assemblies, one of the door / flange assemblies being that of the enclosure in which the products must be transferred, the other door assembly. / flange being that of the enclosure from which the products will be transferred. One of the enclosures to be connected may, for example, be a waste collection receptacle, of the container type, the other enclosure possibly being a handling enclosure. The flanges of each set delimit a passage opening closed respectively by a door, the sealing between the flanges and the doors of each of the enclosures being provided by a seal generally made of elastomer.

In patent applications FR2777822 and FR3036054, the connection of the enclosures to each other is made by a so-called bayonet system, male ears of the flange and of the container door respectively engaging in female ears of the flange and of the door of the other enclosure, followed by a rotation of the container allowing the locking of the container flange on the flange of the handling enclosure, as well as that of the container door on the enclosure door, the locking of the doors connected to one another being achieved by unlocking the doors from their respective flanges.

The seals conventionally used in this type of junction device are lip seals in the shape of a fir tree (or harpoon). Figures 1a to 1c show an example of a double door arrangement with such seals. These junction devices are generally satisfactory. However, the rotational movements to ensure the locking of the flanges and doors between them on the one hand and the unlocking of the doors of their respective flanges to place the volume of the enclosures in communication on the other hand, and vice versa, exert recurring constraints of the makes repetitive transfer operations on the joints. This generates a risk of deformation, twisting and displacement of the seals when connecting the enclosures to each other given their arrangement, and therefore the occurrence of a sealing problem generating a rupture of the containment of the enclosures. .

In patent US6591662, the connection of the enclosures is ensured by magnetic means carried by the door of each of the enclosures or by pneumatic means acting between the doors. There is no rotational movement between the doors. It is therefore a so-called static environment. The gaskets used in this type of junction device are solid gaskets, the latter offering a better plating and ensuring a satisfactory sealing. Such seals, however, remain unsuitable in a dynamic environment such as that of junction devices which can be actuated by rotational movement.

The invention aims to remedy these problems by providing a sealed junction device between two containment enclosures providing a seal between said reinforced, stable and durable enclosures.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention provides a sealed junction device between two doors provided respectively with a complementary coaxial flange advantageously having a cylindrical coupling interface, one of the doors and the flange of the another door being provided with at least one peripheral seal, said device being remarkable in that each of said peripheral seals comprises an annular seal body extended on its outer peripheral part by a disc heel, the door and the flange bearing the seals comprising a complementary tubular bearing surface of the outer peripheral face of the seal body on the one hand and a circular groove for the engagement of said tubular heel on the other hand, the seal body preferably comprising at least one contact face with one of the flanges and / or one of the doors which is not smooth.

Thus, thanks to the arrangement of the seals and their assembly with the part carrying them, the seals fitted to the junction device have a greater resistance to the friction encountered during the rotational movements of the elements one by one. compared to others when connecting one speaker to another and opening when transferring a component from the speaker to another, and vice versa.

Advantageously, the seals have an "L" cross section. This configuration offers the advantage of being easy to machine. It thus reduces the risk of a sealing problem, and therefore of the containment breaking, as a result of poor machining.

Advantageously, the seals are reversed symmetrically with respect to the transverse plane when the doors and the flanges are connected together.

Advantageously, the outer peripheral face of the seal body is smooth. Advantageously, the seal body has a non-smooth tubular internal peripheral contact face and / or a non-smooth annular front contact face. This thus makes it possible to promote friction during the connection of the container to the handling chamber and thus to strengthen the seal.

Advantageously, the joint body has a thickness greater than that of the disc heel.

Advantageously, the seals are made in whole or in part from a silicone material or other materials minimizing the phenomena of charged remanence or having an anti-friction surface treatment.

Advantageously, the seals include a reinforcing insert.

The advantage of such a junction device is that it can be implemented with a rotary mechanism for locking and unlocking doors and flanges while providing a reinforced, stable and durable seal similar to that of a static seal.

The invention also relates to a seal for a flange or a door intended to form a junction device as described above, comprising an annular seal body extended at its outer peripheral part by a disc heel, said seal body having advantageously a non-smooth tubular internal peripheral face and / or a non-smooth annular front face. The tubular internal peripheral face and the annular front face define faces intended to be in contact with one of the flanges and / or one of the doors of the junction device.

The invention also relates to a door fitted to a containment enclosure, provided with a seal as described above.

The invention also relates to a containment enclosure, provided with a seal as described above.

The invention also relates to an insulator comprising a flange delimiting an access opening to the interior of the enclosure, a door sealingly closing the access opening and a seal as described previously carried by the flange or door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description of the invention which will follow with reference to the appended figures and in which: FIG. 1a represents a view in cross section of a sealed junction device of the prior art, between two enclosures; Figure lb shows a cross-sectional view of one of the constituent parts of the junction device of Figure la; Figure 1c shows a cross-sectional view of the other component part of the junction device of Figure la; FIG. 2 represents a view in cross section of a sealed junction device between two enclosures according to the invention; FIG. 3 represents a view in cross section of one of the constituent parts of the junction device of FIG. 2; Figure 4 shows the seal of the constituent part of the junction device of Figure 3; FIG. 4a represents an alternative embodiment of the seal of the constituent part of the junction device of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 represents a cross-sectional view of the other constituent part of the junction device of FIG. 2; FIG. 6 represents the seal of the constituent part of the junction device of FIG. 5; FIG. 6bis represents an alternative embodiment of the seal of the constituent part of the junction device of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 represents the junction device of FIG. 2, the enclosures being open towards one another without breaking the confinement; FIG. 8 represents an alternative embodiment of the constituent part of FIG. 3; FIG. 8bis represents an exploded perspective view of the door constituting the constituent part of FIG. 8; FIG. 9 represents an alternative embodiment of the constituent part of FIG. 5; FIG. 9bis represents an exploded perspective view of the flange constituting the constituent part of FIG. 9.

For greater clarity, identical or similar elements of the various embodiments are identified by identical reference signs in all of the figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In relation to Figures 2 to 7, there is described a sealed junction device between two enclosures isolated from the external environment. Each enclosure has a flange 3, 7 and a door 2, 5 sealing off the opening delimited by the associated flange.

According to a particular embodiment, one of the enclosures is fixed while the other enclosure is a transportable enclosure. The fixed enclosure may be a handling enclosure while the transportable enclosure may be a container or a bag. The handling enclosure thus comprises a flange 7 and a door 5, preferably circular, sealing off the opening delimited by the flange 7. The door 5 is mounted articulated with respect to the flange 7 about a tangential axis. to the latter. Likewise, the container comprises a flange 3 and a door 2 sealing off the opening delimited by the flange 3. The door 2, also circular, is dimensioned to fit into the opening delimited by the flange 7 of the door 5 of the handling enclosure so as to allow it to pass through the opening.

The junction device comprises two parts provided respectively with a complementary coaxial flange having an advantageously cylindrical or conical coupling interface. Each part consists of the door of one of the enclosures, the complementary flanges being the flanges delimiting the access openings of the respective enclosures.

The junction device further comprises two seals 1, 4 peripheral. In the embodiment shown, one of the seals 4 is carried by the door 5 of the handling chamber while the other seal 1 is carried by the flange 3 of the container. It is of course obvious that an inverted arrangement of the seals can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.

Each seal 1, 4 has an annular seal body 10, 40, of advantageously parallelepipedal section, extended on its outer periphery by a disc heel 11, 41. According to a preferred embodiment, each seal 1, 4 has a substantially "L" cross section (Figures 4 and 6).

Each seal 1, 4 is received in a housing of mating shape provided for this purpose in the part carrying it (door or flange). Each joint is thus arranged to fill the housing completely, leaving no gaps or gaps with the doors and flanges to which it is associated. As shown in Figure 2, when the container is connected to G handling enclosure, the seal 4 of the door 5 of the handling enclosure is in contact against a circular surface 22 of the door 2 of the container, while that the seal 1 of the flange 3 of the container is in contact against a circular surface 72 of the flange 7 of the handling chamber (Figure 2).

Thus, and more particularly, the door 5 of the handling chamber has a circular groove 50 in which the disc heel is forcefully engaged (Figure 3). The groove opens onto the outer peripheral face 51 of the door 5 and against which the associated flange 7 is placed to bear when the door of the handling chamber is closed. The groove 50 of the door is delimited by a tubular bearing surface 54 complementary to the outer peripheral face 44 of the seal body 40 (Figures 3 and 4).

Likewise, the flange 3 of the handling chamber has a circular groove 20 in which the disc heel 11 is forcefully engaged. The groove 20 opens on the inside of the flange 3. The groove 20 of the flange 3 is delimited by a tubular bearing surface 34 complementary to the outer peripheral face 14 of the seal body 10 (Figures 5 and 6).

In the illustrated embodiment, the grooves 20 and 50 are arranged so as to have a flat bottom and a single ridge. This thus makes it possible to facilitate the positioning of the seals 1 and 4 in their respective grooves 20, 50 and to preserve the general geometry of the seals during their insertion.

In place in the part carrying it, the seal body of each seal 1, 4 has two faces ensuring the seal between the part carrying the seal and the other part of the same part on the one hand and the parts with the same functionality (door / door seal or flange / flange) on the other hand when the two enclosures are connected.

Thus, and more particularly, the internal peripheral face 42 and the annular (outer) front face 43 of the seal body 40 respectively define a first sealing face 42 providing the seal between the flange 7 and the door 5 and a second face sealing 43 ensuring the seal between the door 5 carrying it and the door 2 of the container. The term “front face” is understood to mean the face oriented towards the outside of the enclosure taken individually (ie without connection to another enclosure). The door seal 4 is arranged so that the sealing face 42 in contact with the flange 7 extends in the same plane as the outer peripheral face 51 of the door 5 and thus defines a sealing interface of conical shape when the door 5 of the handling enclosure is closed but also when the container is connected to the handling enclosure, the doors being closed.

Likewise, the inner peripheral face 12 and the front (or outer) face 13 of the seal body 10 respectively define a first sealing face 12 providing the seal between the flange 3 and the door 2 and a second sealing face 13 ensuring the seal between the door 2 carrying it and the door 5 of the handling enclosure.

The flange seal 1 is arranged so that the sealing face 12 in contact with the door 2 extends in the same plane as the internal peripheral face 21 of the door 2 and thus defines a sealing interface of conical shape when the door 2 of the container is closed but also when the latter is connected to the handling enclosure, the doors being closed.

The sealing face 43 of the seal body 40, resting on the bearing surface 22 of the door 2 of the container, defines an annular sealing interface when the container is connected to the handling chamber, whether the doors are locked on their respective or unlocked flanges. When the doors are unlocked from their respective flanges to allow communication between the two enclosures, the sealing of the two doors 2, 5 is ensured by the seal 4 via the sealing face 43 while the sealing of the two flanges 3, 7 is provided by the seal 1 via the sealing face 13.

As shown in Figure 2, when the enclosures are connected to each other, the seals are located inverted symmetrically with respect to the transverse plane.

In the embodiment described, and as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the sealing faces 12, 13, 42, 43 are non-smooth so as to promote friction when connecting the container to the handling chamber, thus improving connection efforts. This also makes it possible to limit the friction between the surface of the seal and the contact surface of the flange or of the door, as the case may be. The sealing faces can thus be provided with ridges, crenellations, teeth, pins or have a surface condition that promotes friction. In the embodiments which have just been described and shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, the grooves 20, 50 are arranged directly in the parts bearing the seals, namely the door 5 of the handling chamber and the flange 3 of the container, the seals 1, 4, 100, 400 then being force-fitted in these grooves. In order to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the seals, an alternative embodiment is provided in which the parts bearing the seals are formed in two distinct parts. Figures 8, 8bis, 9 and 9bis illustrate such an arrangement.

Thus, and as shown in these figures, the door 5 consists of an upper part 5A and a lower part 5B between which the seal 4, 400 is interposed. The parts 5A, 5B are arranged to define, when assembled, the groove 50 receiving the heel 41 of the seal 4, 400.

Likewise, the flange 3 consists of an upper part 3A and a lower part 3B between which the seal 1, 100 is interposed. The parts 3A, 3B are arranged to define, when assembled, the groove 20 receiving the heel 11 of the seal 1, 100.

Besides the fact of facilitating the assembly of the seals 1, 100, 4, 400, this configuration in two distinct parts of the parts carrying the seals has the advantage of allowing reinforced retention of the seals due to the pinching of the heel 11, 41 between the upper and lower parts of the door 5 and of the flange 3, which gives the joints better strength when opening the two assembled doors.

The annular seal body of the seals has a thickness greater than that of the disc heel. In the illustrated embodiment, the ratio is three. This is of course an exemplary embodiment, and a different thickness ratio can be provided without departing from the scope of the invention. By thus making the part of the peripheral joints subjected to the stresses during the implementation of the junction device (connection of the enclosures to each other and opening of the doors) more "massive", the risks of deformation, torsion, displacement of the joint are reduced.

Advantageously, the seals 1, 4 are made of a silicone material or other materials minimizing the phenomena of remanence. Provision can also be made for the seals to be made of a bacteriostatic material in order to prevent the proliferation of bacteria. An example of a bacteriostatic material is described in application EP316052. In the embodiment described above, the seals 1, 4 are made of a single material. However, provision can be made for the seals to include an insert in order to stiffen said seals and thus to improve their strength. An example of this type of seal is shown in Figures 4bis and 6bis. In this example, each seal 100, 400 is formed of two parts, one of the parts forming the flexible part 100A, 400 A of the seal (advantageously made of silicone material or any other material minimizing the persistence phenomena), the other part being an insert 100B, 400B, preferably metallic. In the illustrated embodiment, each insert 100B, 400B has an L-shaped cross section, the longest arm of which is arranged to define the disc heel of the joint concerned, the other arm being housed in a groove 110, 410 of the shape conjugate formed in the flexible part 100A, 400A.

The shape of the seals 1, 4, 100, 400 according to the invention and their arrangement with the doors and flanges of the junction device makes it possible to create a “full” sealing zone, that is to say without cavity or void (referred to as hidden areas) unlike prior art seals which include such areas which promote retention of liquids and bacteria.

The shape of the seals 1, the invention and their arrangement with the doors and flanges of the junction device also makes it possible to minimize the annular zone of contamination (zone in contact with the external environment).

The shape of the seals according to the invention and their arrangement with the doors and flanges of the junction device also allows easy assembly and disassembly of the gaskets in the relevant doors and flanges of the enclosures and thus offers better cleanability.

The invention has been described in connection with the connection of a container to a handling chamber. It is of course obvious that the invention is not limited to such a use, other types of loudspeakers being able to be connected together.

The invention is described in the foregoing by way of example. It is understood that a person skilled in the art is able to carry out different embodiments of the invention without however departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Watertight junction device between two doors (2, 5) provided respectively with a complementary coaxial flange (3, 7), one of the doors (5) and the flange (3) of the other door (2) being provided with at least one peripheral seal (1, 4, 100, 400), characterized in that each of said peripheral seals (1, 4) comprises an annular seal body (10, 40) extended at its part external peripheral by a disc heel (11, 41), the door and the flange carrying the seals comprising a tubular bearing surface (34, 54) complementary to the external peripheral face (14, 44) of the seal body (10, 40) on the one hand and a circular groove for the engagement of said heel (11, 41) on the other hand, the seal body comprising at least one contact face with one of the flanges and / or the 'one of the doors not smooth.

2. A sealed junction device according to claim 1, characterized in that the seals (1, 4, 100, 400) have an "L" cross section.

3. A sealed junction device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the seals (1, 4, 100, 400) are inverted symmetrically with respect to the transverse plane when the doors and the flanges are connected between they.

4. A sealed junction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer peripheral face (14, 44) of the seal body (10, 40) is smooth.

5. A sealed junction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal body (10, 40) has a tubular internal peripheral contact face (12, 42) which is not smooth.

6. A sealed junction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal body has an annular front contact face (13, 43) which is not smooth.

7. A sealed junction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seal body (10, 40) has a thickness greater than that of the heel (11, 41).

8. A sealed junction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seals (1,4, 100, 400) are made in whole or in part in a silicone material or other materials minimizing the phenomena of charged remanence or having an anti-friction surface treatment.

9. A sealed junction device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the seals (100, 400) comprise a reinforcing insert (100B, 400B).

10. Seal (1, 4) for a flange or a door intended to form a junction device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an annular seal body (10, 40) extended at its outer peripheral part. by a disc heel (11, 41), said seal body (10, 40) having a tubular internal peripheral face (12, 42) that is not smooth and / or an annular front face (13, 43) that is not smooth.

11. Door fitted to a containment chamber, provided with a seal according to claim 10.

12. Flange fitted to a containment, provided with a seal according to claim 10.

13. Insulator comprising a flange delimiting an access opening to the interior of the enclosure, a door sealingly closing the access opening and a seal according to claim 10 carried by the flange or the door. .