GB1167603A - Methods and Apparatus relating to Sealed Enclosures - Google Patents

Abstract

1,167,603. Isolating chambers; seaming non- metallic sheet material. SNYDER MFG. CO. Inc. 5 Jan., 1967, No. 676/67. Heading B5K. [Also in Divisions A3, A5 and B8] An enclosure used to isolate a patient in hospital, or for use in biology or industry, is provided with means defining a port in the enclosure and with a bag-like member whose open end is sealed to the port defining means so as to close the port, the bag-like member having a sealable and severable intermediate portion for permitting an article to be transferred through the port while continuously sealing the interior of the enclosure. As shown, the enclosure, of exemplified transparent synthetic plastics material and having a top, bottom, and four sides, is provided with a port 76 defined by a flanged member 74, the port being closed by a bag 92 by which articles may be removed from the enclosure using the steps of Figs. 6-9 (not shown), whereby the article 98 is placed into the bag from the enclosure, the bag is closed by heatsealing at an intermediate portion, and the article contained in the closed outer part of the bag is separated from the enclosure at the heatseal. Further bags may be fitted to the port 76 using a technique illustrated in Fig. 10 (not shown), so that further articles may be removed. The enclosure may be provided with a second port (120) similar to the first port 76 but provided with a bag (152) extending into the enclosure and arranged to allow an article (130) sealed inside a separate bag (132) to be passed into the enclosure using a technique illustrated in Figs. 11-15 (not shown), while maintaining a continuous seal on the enclosure. A patient may be arranged on the bottom of the enclosure (42) which fits over a bed, and coats (52) (Figs. 4, 5, not shown) may be sealed into the wall of the enclosure so that a nurse may attend to the patient and to the transfer of articles while being supplied with air in the coat through a pipe (61). Air may be forced through a blower (64) and filter (66) into the enclosure and leaves the enclosure through a filtered outlet (68). The apparatus used to heat-seal and to separate the portions of the port in the enclosure and the bags in which the articles are introduced and removed comprises a bar member 102 having a cushioning tube 112 containing liquid, and a bar member 104 having an electric heating element 106. The pressure of the liquid in the tube may be varied (see also Fig. 1, not shown), by adjusting the height of a liquid reservoir (116). A bag containing an article to be introduced into the enclosure, is provided with a member (136) which separates the two sides of the bag so that they are not sealed together when the apparatus 102, 104 is applied.