GB2271074A

GB2271074A - Glove box

Info

Publication number: GB2271074A
Application number: GB9220231A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martyn Ryder; Neil Cocker
Original assignee: Extract Technology Ltd
Current assignee: Tetra Pak CPS Ltd
Priority date: 1992-09-24
Filing date: 1992-09-24
Publication date: 1994-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-09-24
Also published as: GB2271074B; GB9220231D0

Abstract

A glove box comprises a front face (11) and a rear face (12) and side faces (13) and (14). The glove box front face comprises an in dented portion (15) having two inward faces, (16, 17) each of which comprises a glove port (18) and (19) respectively. A transfer hatch includes a housing (50) and a transfer carriage movable between the housing and the glove box interior. The housing has a door external to the glove box and an interlock prevents the door being opened when the carriage is within the housing. Vertical laminar air flow may be provided within the glove box. <IMAGE>

Description

GLOVE BOX This invention relates to a glove box of the type used to handle toxic chemicals, drugs or the like.

Glove boxes are used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry to handle pharmaceutical and other hazardous materials. The materials handled in a glove box may be solid or liquid or gaseous. The material may be placed in a glove box via an entry/exit port, after which the material may then be handled as desired. For example, the material may be dispensed from a large container into smaller containers, or the material may be mixed with other materials to form a compound.

In known glove boxes, access to the materials within the glove box is via gloves positioned in glove ports, which are themselves positioned on a front face of the box. An operator wanting access to materials within the glove box may insert each of his arms into a glove, in order to handle the materials as desired.

A problem with known glove boxes is that the front face of the glove box, in which the glove ports are positioned is substantially flat. This is unergonomic allowing only elbow joint articulation. In addition, the operator has very limited access and restricted movement within the glove box, and large portions of the glove box are unaccessible.

Materials are inserted into a known glove box via an entry/exit port. It is often difficult to insert materials through such a port whilst at the same time ensuring that the outside atmosphere does not become contaminated by the possibly contaminated air within the glove box. Additionally, the act of lifting the bulk container out of the entry/exit port in the glove box is difficult.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a glove box comprising: a front face comprising at least one glove port, characterised in that the front face comprises an indented portion comprising at least one inward face, extending inwardly from the front face, the at least one glove port being formed in the inward face.

The presence of the indented portion and the inward face results in improved access for an operator, and brings the glove port to should socket position.

Preferably, the glove box comprises two oppositely positioned inward faces, with one glove port being positioned in each inward face.

An operator may then stand within the indented portion and may have access to substantially the entire glove box and is able to move his arms radially. The glove box according to the first aspect of the invention is thus of an ergonomic design.

Conveniently, the glove box further comprises air flow means for providing a vertical laminar air flow. This minimises surface contamination within the glove box, which may arise from power transfer.

Advantageously the glove box further comprises a transfer hatch, through which materials may be introduced and/or removed from the glove box.

Conveniently, the transfer hatch comprises a housing mounted in a face of the glove box, the hatch further comprising a container carriage slidable within the housing between a first position, in which the container carriage is positioned within the housing on the outside of the glove box and a second position in which the container carriage is positioned within the glove box.

Preferably, the face in which the housing is mounted is angled relative to the front face.

When the carriage is in the first position materials which are to be placed in the glove box may be inserted in the carriage.

The carriage may then be moved to the second position at which point the materials may be removed from the carriage and placed within the glove box.

Preferably, the hatch comprises a loading door formed in the housing through which materials may be inserted into the carriage when the carriage is in the first position.

Advantageously, the hatch further comprises locking means for locking the door in a closed position when the carriage is in the second position. This ensures that the door may not be opened when the carriage is positioned within the glove box.

This avoids contamination of the surroundings due to hazardous materials escaping from the glove box.

Preferably, the locking means comprises a locking pin attached to the loading door, and engageable in a groove attached to the carriage. The locking pin is engageable with the groove when the carriage is in the second position.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a glove box comprising a transfer hatch comprising a housing mounted in the face of the glove box, the hatch further comprising a carriage slidable within the housing between a first position, in which the carriage is positioned outside of the glove box and a second position in which the carriage is positioned within the glove box.

Preferably the housing of a hatch further comprises a loading door formed in the housing through which materials may be inserted into the carriage when the carriage is in the second position.

Preferably the locking mechanism comprises a pin attached to the loading door, and engageble in a groove associated with the carriage, when the carriage is in the second position.

The invention will now be further described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a glove box according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the glove box of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the glove box of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a more detailed representation of the transfer hatch of the glove box of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a more detailed representation of the locking mechanism associated with the hatch of Figure 4.

Figures 6 to 8 are further representations of a glove box according to the present invention.

Referring to the figures, a glove box according to the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10.

The glove box comprises a front face 11 and a rear face 12, and side faces 13 and 14. The glove box provides a substantially sealed environment in which hazardous materials may be handled with reduced risk of contamination to the environment. The glove box 10 comprises an indented portion 15 having two inward faces 16, 17. Each of the inward faces 16, 17 comprises glove ports 18, 19 respectively. Gloves may be attached to the glove ports in order to allow an operator access to the inside of the glove box 10. The indented portion 15 of the glove box 10 provides a convenient position for the operator to stand. Due to the positioning and angle of the inward faces 16, 17, the hands of the operator when inserted into gloves in the glove ports 18, 19 have access to a large area within the glove box.

The glove box further comprises a transfer hatch 50 comprising a housing 51 and a slidable carriage 52, slidable within the housing 51. The housing has an outward face 53 and an inward face 54. The outward face 53 is exposed to the environment surrounding the glove box, whereas the inward face 54 is in contact with the inside of the glove box 10. The carriage is slidable between a first position in which the carriage is positioned within the housing 51, and a second position (as shown in Figure 4), in which the carriage extends within the glove box 10.

The housing comprises a loading door 55 which is openable to allow materials to be positioned within the carriage. The transfer hatch 50 further comprises a locking mechanism (Figure 5) which ensures that the loading door can only be opened when the carriage is in the first position. When the carriage is in the second position, ie positioned within the glove box 10, the locking mechanism ensures that the loading door 55 may not be opened, this reduces the risk of contamination.

Referring to Figure 6 the locking mechanism comprises a pin 61 mounted on a rod 62, extending from the loading door 55. The pin is engageable in a groove 63 formed in a rod 64 associated with the carriage 52. When the pin 61 is located within the groove 63 it is not possible to open the door 55. The pin 61 is engageable with the groove 63 when the carriage 52 is positioned within the glove box 10.

Claims

1. A glove box comprising: front face comprising at least one glove port, characterised in that the front face comprises an indented portion comprising at least one inward face, extending inwardly from the front face, the at least one glove port being formed in the inward face.

2. A glove box as claimed in claim 1 comprising two oppositely positioned inward faces, with one glove port being positioned in each inward face.

3. A glove box as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising air flow means for providing a substantially vertical laminar air flow.

4. A glove box according to any one of the preceding claims further comprising a transfer hatch, through which materials may be introduced and/or removed from the glove box.

5. A glove box according to claim 4 wherein the transfer hatch comprises a housing mounted in a face of the glove box, the hatch further comprising a container carriage slidable within the housing between a first position in which the container carriage is positioned within the housing on the outside of the glove box, and a second position in which the container carriage is positioned within the glove box.

6. A glove box according to claim 5 wherein the face in which the housing is mounted at an angle relative to the front face.

7. A glove box according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the hatch comprises a loading door formed in the housing through which materials may be inserted into the carriage when the carriage is in the first position.

8. A glove box according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the hatch further comprises locking means for locking the door in a closed position when the carriage is in the second position.

9. A glove box according to claim 8 wherein the locking means comprises a locking pin attached to the loading door, and engageable within a groove attached to the carriage.

10. A glove box comprising a transfer hatch comprising a housing mounted in a face of the glove box, the hatch further comprising a carriage -slidable within the housing between a first position, in which the carriage is positioned outside of the glove box and a second position in which the carriage is positioned within the glove box.

11. A glove box according to claim 10 wherein the housing of the hatch further comprises a loading door formed in the housing through which materials may be inserted into the carriage when the carriage is in the second position.

12. A glove box according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the hatch further comprises locking means for locking the door in a closed position when the carriage is in the second position.

13. A glove box according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein the locking means comprises a pin attached to the loading door and engageable in a groove associated with the carriage when the carriage is in a second position.

14. A glove box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.