JP4524886B2 - Sterilizer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a sterilization apparatus including a large-volume isolator (sealed chamber), in which the interior of the large-volume isolator is partitioned into a small-volume space by a partition wall and can be opened and closed by a shutter. The present invention relates to a structure for gas sterilization.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Large capacity isolators are limited in volume that can be sterilized by the capacity of sterilization gas supply devices that are generally used at present, so the interior is partitioned by a partition wall and divided into multiple small volumes, which are sequentially gas sterilized. I try to do it.
[0003]
The large-capacity isolator is configured so that an opening formed in a partition wall that partitions the inside can be opened and closed by a shutter, and when closed, a packing (seal member) attached to the shutter is pressed around the opening of the partition wall. Seal.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When the space on both sides partitioned by the partition wall is sterilized, the opening of the partition wall is sealed with packing, but the contact portion between this packing and the partition wall can be used for sterilizing either space on both sides. Since it is always in close contact with the wall surface of the partition wall, it does not come into contact with sterilization gas. Therefore, there is always a non-sterile part, and there is a problem that the interior of the isolator cannot be completely sterilized.
[0005]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sterilization apparatus that can completely sterilize the interior of an isolator without leaving a non-sterile portion on a shutter or a seal member. To do.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The sterilization apparatus according to the present invention has a chamber whose inside is sealed, a partition wall provided in the chamber and partitioning the inside of the chamber into a plurality of spaces, and movable to open and close the opening formed in the partition wall A shutter, a seal member that seals between the periphery of the opening of the partition wall and the shutter, and a sterilization gas supply unit that supplies a sterilization gas into the chamber. An annular first seal member that surrounds the opening of the partition wall and an annular second seal member that surrounds the outer periphery of the first seal member, and each of the first seal member and the second seal member, When the inside of the chamber is sterilized, the space on both sides of the partition wall is blocked by advancing one seal member and sealing the periphery of the opening. In which the other sealing member so as to sterilize by supplying sterilization gas to the space side is exposed.
[0007]
In the invention according to claim 2, each of the sealing members can be expanded by supplying air, and when sterilizing the chamber, one sealing member is expanded to open the opening. It is designed to be sealed.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the overall configuration of a sterilization apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The chamber (isolator) 2 of this sterilizer is a large-capacity space sealed inside, and the inside is partitioned into a plurality of small spaces 8, 10, 12 by partition walls 4, 6. In this embodiment, the two partitions 4 and 6 are divided into three spaces (first space 8, second space 10, and third space 12). It is not limited.
[0009]
Each space 8, 10, 12 includes a supply side valve (first supply side valve 14, second supply side valve 16, third supply side valve 18) and a discharge side valve (first discharge side valve 20). The sterilization gas supply device 26 is connected via the second discharge side valve 22 and the third discharge side valve 24). When sterilization is performed, the supply side valves 14, 16, 18 and the discharge side valves 20, 22, 24 of any one of the spaces 8, 10, 12 are opened and the other spaces 8, 10, 12 are opened. The supply side valves 14, 16, 18 and the discharge side valves 20, 22, 24 are closed, and sterilization is performed by supplying a sterilization gas only to the spaces 8, 10, 12.
[0010]
The partition walls 4 and 6 that partition the spaces 8, 10, and 12 have openings (not shown in FIG. 1) that communicate with the spaces on both sides, and shutters 28 and 30 that open and close the openings. Is provided. The configuration of the shutters 28 and 30 for opening and closing the opening will be described with reference to FIGS. Since the structures of the partition walls 4 and 6 partitioning the inside of the isolator 2 are the same, only the structure of one partition wall 4 and the shutter 28 will be described. A horizontally long opening 4 a is formed on the lower side of the partition wall 4. Vertical cylinders 32 and 34 are fixed above both ends of the opening 4a, and a bracket 36 having a U-shaped cross section is fixed to the tips of rods 32a and 34a of the cylinders 32 and 34. Both ends of the U-shaped bracket 36 extend outward from both ends of the opening 4a, and guide rollers 36a and 36b are attached to both sides thereof.
[0011]
On the other hand, vertically long attachment members 38, 40 are fixed to both sides of the opening 4a, and rails 42, 44 are attached to the inside thereof. The guide rollers 36a, 36b of the U-shaped bracket 36 are connected to the rails 42, 44, respectively. 44 is engaged. Accordingly, when the vertical cylinders 32 and 34 are operated, the bracket 36 is lifted and lowered by the guide rollers 36a and 36b on both sides thereof being guided by the rails 42 and 44. The mounting members 38 and 40 are provided with stopper bolts 46 and 48 for restricting the lowering limit of the bracket 36 (guide rollers 36a and 36b).
[0012]
The U-shaped bracket 36 is provided with two cylinders 50 and 52 for horizontal operation, and a shutter 28 is attached to the cylinders 50 and 52 so that the cylinders 50 and 52 can move forward and backward in the direction of the partition wall 4. It has become. As shown in FIG. 4, air is supplied to these cylinders 50 and 52 via a coil-shaped air tube 54 that can be expanded and contracted. Accordingly, the shutter 28 is moved up and down between the lowered position facing the opening 4a and the upper position outside the opening 4a by the operation of the cylinders 32 and 34 in the vertical direction, and the horizontal working cylinders 50 and 52 are moved. Is moved forward and backward toward the opening 4a.
[0013]
Around the opening 4 a formed in the partition wall 4, an annular first seal member 56 surrounding the opening 4 a and an annular second seal member 58 surrounding the outer periphery of the first seal member 56. Is provided. By bringing these seal members 56 and 58 into close contact with the shutter 28, the opening 4 a can be sealed and the first space 8 and the second space 10 can be blocked. Both the sealing members 56 and 58 can be inflated by introducing compressed air, respectively, via independent air supply passages 60 and 62 (see FIG. 5A described later). It is connected to an air supply source (not shown). Therefore, by introducing air into one of the seal members 56 and 58 and expanding the seal member 56 and 58, the seal member 56 and 58 can be brought into close contact with the shutter 28 to seal the opening 4a. The first and second sealing members 56 and 58 are annular, but this is not a limitation on the shape, and any shape such as a circle or a square can be used as long as the whole is continuous. Not too long.
[0014]
When the inside of the isolator 2 is sterilized by the sterilization apparatus according to the above configuration, the spaces 8, 10, and 12 partitioned by partitioning the inside of the large volume isolator 2 with the partition walls 4 and 6 are sequentially placed one by one. Sterilize. For example, assume that the right side of the partition wall 4 in FIG. 5A is the first space 8 in the isolator 2 and the left side is the second space 10. In the state shown in this figure, neither the first seal member 56 nor the second seal member 58 is supplied with air, and both are contracted.
[0015]
When sterilizing the first space 8 on the right side of the partition wall 4 from this state, first, compressed air is supplied to the first seal member 56 provided on the inner peripheral side around the opening 4a. While expanding, air is sent to the horizontal operation air cylinders 50 and 52 through the coiled air tube 54 to advance the shutter 28 toward the partition wall 4. Then, the expanded first seal member 56 and the front surface of the advanced shutter 28 are pressure-bonded, and the inside of the first space 8 and the inside of the second space 10 are completely blocked. At this time, the second seal member 58 is separated from the front surface of the shutter 28 in a contracted state, and a contact surface to the shutter 28 is exposed in the first space 8 (see FIG. 5B).
[0016]
In order to sterilize the first space 8, the first supply side valve 14 and the first discharge side valve 20 are opened, and the second and third supply side valves 16, 18 and the second and third discharge sides are opened. The valves 22 and 24 are closed, and the sterilization gas supply device 26 is operated to supply the sterilization gas into the first space 8. When the sterilization gas is sent to the first space 8 in this way and sterilized, the first seal member 56 is in close contact with the surface of the shutter 28, so that the close contact portion cannot be sterilized, but the second seal member 58 is in the first state. Therefore, it is sterilized together with the sterilization inside the space 8.
[0017]
Next, when sterilizing the second space 10, the air of the first seal member 56 is discharged and compressed air is supplied to the second seal member 58. Then, as shown in FIG. 5C, the second seal member 58 expands and comes into close contact with the front surface of the shutter 28, and the first seal member 56 moves away from the shutter 8. In this case, contrary to the case where the first space 8 is sterilized, the first seal member 56 is exposed to the second space 10 side. After the opening 4 a formed in the partition wall 4 at the boundary between the first space 8 and the second space 10 is sealed with the shutter 28 and the second seal member 58 as described above, the second supply side valve 16 is sealed. The second exhaust side valve 22 is opened, the first and third supply side valves 14 and 18 and the first and third exhaust side valves 20 and 24 are closed, and the sterilizing gas supply device 26 is operated to operate the second space. A sterilizing gas is supplied into the inside 10. When the sterilization gas is supplied to the second space 10 in this manner and the sterilization is performed, the portion of the second seal member 58 that is in close contact with the shutter 28 cannot be sterilized, but the first seal member 56 is simultaneously sterilized with the second space 10. Sterilized.
[0018]
As described above, the first space 8 and the second space 10 are sealed by the different seal members 56 and 58 and sequentially sterilized, so that the seal members 56 and 58 and the seal members 56 and 58 of the shutter 28 are obtained. The close contact portion can be sterilized, and all portions in the isolator 2 can be sterilized. Note that the shutter 30 that opens and closes an opening (not shown) formed in the partition wall 6 between the second space 10 and the third space 12 is also shown in FIGS. By performing an operation similar to the operation shown in (c), it is possible to completely sterilize.
[0019]
In the above-described embodiment, when compressed air is sent to the first seal member 56 or the second seal member 58 to be expanded, the shutter 28 is also moved forward by the operation of the air cylinders 50 and 52 for horizontal movement, thereby The members 56 and 58 and the shutter 28 are firmly attached to each other. However, if a sufficient sealing force is obtained by the seal members 56 and 58, a structure for moving the shutter 28 forward is not necessarily provided. Moreover, in the said embodiment, although both the sealing members 56 and 58 are provided in the partition walls 4 and 6, it cannot be overemphasized that you may provide in the shutter 28 and 30 side. Furthermore, both the sealing members 56 and 58 are not limited to the structure which can expand | swell by the above air, What is necessary is just to be able to move forward and backward and to contact | adhere to the other party member.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a chamber having a sealed interior, a partition wall provided in the chamber and dividing the chamber into a plurality of spaces, and an opening formed in the partition wall are opened and closed. In the sterilization apparatus, comprising the movable shutter, the seal member for sealing between the periphery of the opening of the partition wall and the shutter, and the sterilization gas supply means for supplying the sterilization gas into the chamber, the seal The member is composed of an annular first seal member surrounding the opening of the partition wall and an annular second seal member surrounding the outer periphery of the first seal member, and these first seal member and second seal member Are configured to be able to move forward and backward, and when performing sterilization in the chamber, one seal member is advanced to seal the periphery of the opening, so that both sides of the partition wall are sealed. Since the space is cut off and the sterilization gas is supplied to the space side where the other seal member is exposed, the seal member can be sterilized sequentially when each space is sterilized. The shutter part or the like has no non-sterile part, and more complete sterilization can be performed as compared with a conventional sterilization apparatus.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a simplified overall configuration of a sterilization apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration of a shutter and a seal member that opens and closes an opening of a partition wall that partitions an isolator in the sterilizer.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the shutter and a seal member.
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion near the ends of the shutter and the seal member.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the shutter and the seal member.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Chamber (isolator)
4 Partition Wall 4a Partition Wall Opening 6 Partition Wall 8 Space (First Space)
10 space (second space)
12 space (third space)
26 Sterilization gas supply device 28 Shutter 30 Shutter 56 First seal member 58 Second seal member

Claims (2)

A chamber sealed inside, a partition wall provided in the chamber and partitioning the chamber into a plurality of spaces, a movable shutter for opening and closing an opening formed in the partition wall, and the partition wall In a sterilization apparatus comprising a sealing member for sealing between the periphery of the opening and the shutter, and a sterilizing gas supply means for supplying a sterilizing gas into the chamber,
The seal member includes an annular first seal member that surrounds the opening of the partition wall and an annular second seal member that surrounds the outer periphery of the first seal member, and the first seal member and the second seal member. Each of the seal members is configured to be able to move forward and backward, and when performing sterilization in the chamber, the space on both sides of the partition wall is made by advancing one seal member and sealing the periphery of the opening. A sterilizing apparatus characterized in that a sterilizing gas is supplied to a space side where the other sealing member is blocked and sterilized by sterilization. 2. Each of the seal members can be expanded by supplying air, and when sterilizing the chamber, one of the seal members is expanded to seal the opening. The sterilizer described.

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