JP5018639B2 - Method for carrying article from isolator and isolator - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an isolator that is used in a state in which the inside is maintained at a negative pressure, and in particular, an isolator that is provided with a bag port on a wall surface and takes out the article inside through a bag attached to the bag port, and the delivery of the article from the isolator. It is about the method.

  Isolators that handle gases, powders, radioactive substances, etc. that are harmful to the human body are used in a state where the inside is maintained at a negative pressure so that these harmful substances are not released to the outside. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an apparatus that takes out an article from a negative pressure isolator through a bag is known (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 3).

  In an isolator that is used in a negative pressure state, an opening (bag port) is formed on the wall surface to insert and remove articles, and a bag made of vinyl or the like is attached to the bag port, and a worker uses the isolator through a glove. After the internal article is stored in the bag, this bag is pulled out of the isolator, and the space between the part storing the article and the bag port side is sealed and cut to leak the atmosphere inside the isolator to the outside. The internal pollutants are taken out to the outside.

  However, in an isolator that is used while maintaining the negative pressure inside, the bag is pulled into the isolator due to a pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the isolator and swells when the bag is pulled out. In this case, there is a problem that it is difficult to store articles. The patent document 3 describes an invention made to solve such a problem. This invention describes an “outer bag having a take-out guide at an end portion and an inner bag having a simple crimping chuck at an opening portion. Are attached to a glove box (corresponding to the isolator according to the present invention) by means of an outer bag mounting ring.

In the invention described in Patent Document 3, when an article is stored in the inner bag, the integral outer bag and the inner bag are inserted into the glove box, and the inside of the inner bag continuous to the bottom of the outer bag is inserted. Store the goods. Then, after closing the inner bag chuck, it is pulled out of the glove box. At this time, the inner bag in which the article is accommodated is accommodated in the outer bag. Next, the outer bag is cut while being sealed with a sealer.
JP 2007-192558 A (page 5-7, FIG. 1) Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 63-66574 (2nd page, FIG. 1) Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 60-59197 (page 2-4, FIG. 5)

  The invention described in Patent Document 3 has a problem that a double bag having a special structure must be prepared. Moreover, when taking out the article in the isolator through the bag, it can be used multiple times by using a long bag and cutting it sequentially from the tip side. There was a problem that the bag had to be changed every time.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the bag is attached to a bag port formed on the outer wall of the isolator whose interior is maintained at a negative pressure, and after the article inside the isolator is stored in the bag, the article in the bag is In the method for carrying out an article from an isolator that seals, cuts and carries out the housed portion, an external opening and closing means is formed on the outer wall of the isolator so as to surround the bag port to form an external chamber and to open and close the external chamber to the outside And an internal opening / closing means capable of opening and closing the inside of the isolator of the bag port, and when unloading an article from the isolator, the internal opening / closing means is opened with the external opening / closing means closed, and attached to the bag port. After the article is stored in the bag, the internal opening / closing means is closed, and then the external opening / closing means is opened to store the bag article. It is characterized in that partial cut sealed out.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an isolator in which the inside is maintained at a negative pressure, the bag is attached to a bag port formed on the outer wall, and an article inside is stored and carried out in the bag. An external chamber that surrounds the port and is provided on the outer wall of the isolator, external open / close means that can open and close the external chamber, and internal open / close means that can open and close the bag port from the inside of the isolator. When taking out, the internal opening / closing means is opened and the article is stored in the bag. After the internal opening / closing means is closed, the external opening / closing means is opened, and the portion of the bag containing the article is sealed and carried out. It is characterized by.

  Furthermore, the invention described in claim 3 is provided with an air supply means for supplying air into the bag mounted on the bag port, and after closing the internal opening / closing means, the air supply means supplies air into the bag. The article is unloaded from the machine.

  The isolator according to the present invention and the method for carrying out an article from the isolator include an external opening / closing means for forming an external chamber surrounding the outer periphery of the bag port formed on the outer wall of the isolator, and opening and closing the external chamber to the outside, and the bag port The internal opening / closing means for opening and closing the inner side of the isolator is provided, so that when the article in the isolator is carried out, the bag attached to the bag port is sucked into the inside of the isolator and swells or is deflated outside the isolator Therefore, it is easy to insert the article into the bag and workability is improved. In addition, there is an advantage that no extra cost is required because it is not necessary to use a double bag or change the bag for each operation.

  A bag port for mounting a bag is formed on the outer wall of the isolator used in a state where the inside is maintained at a negative pressure, and an internal opening / closing means for opening and closing the bag port is provided on the inner side of the isolator of the bag port, On the other hand, an external chamber is formed surrounding the outer periphery of the isolator of the bag port, an external opening / closing means for opening and closing the external chamber is provided, and the external opening / closing means is provided when the article is carried out of the isolator. Open and attach the bag to the bag port in the external chamber, close the external opening and closing means, open the internal opening and closing means, store the items in the isolator inside the bag, close the internal opening and closing means, and then open and close the external opening and closing means The bag is pulled into the negative pressure isolator by opening the means and sealing and cutting and discharging the part of the bag containing the article. Or by eliminating that collapses the bag outside of the isolator, without damaging the bag, to achieve the goal of easily inserting the article.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an isolator according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a bag-out system provided on an outer wall of the isolator. An exhaust port 4 is formed in the upper part of the isolator 2, and a cylindrical filter casing 6 is attached to the exhaust port 4. The opening 6 a on the outside of the filter casing 6 is sealed with a lid 8. A blower (exhaust means) 12 for sucking air through the exhaust passage 10 is connected to the filter casing 6 near the outside opening 6a. Between the exhaust port 4 of the isolator 2 and the exhaust passage 10 connected to the filter casing 6, a plurality (two in this embodiment) of exhaust filters 14 (14A, 14B) are accommodated. By operating the blower 12, the gas in the isolator 2 can be exhausted through the filters 14A and 14B, and the inside of the isolator 2 can be maintained at a negative pressure.

  An air supply port 16 is formed in the upper part of the isolator 2 along with the exhaust port 4, and a cylindrical filter casing 18 is attached to the air supply port 16. The opening 18 a on the outside of the filter casing 18 is sealed with a lid 20. An air supply passage 22 is provided near the outer opening 18 a of the filter casing 18. A plurality of (two in this embodiment) air supply filters 24 (24A, 24B) are accommodated between the air supply port 16 and the air supply passage 22 connected to the filter casing 18. There is no blower on the air supply side, and external air is supplied from the air supply passage 22 through the filters 24A and 24B by suction force from the exhaust passage 10 side. The isolator 2 is provided with a pressure gauge 26 for measuring the internal pressure. The blower 12 is controlled on the basis of the measured value of the pressure gauge 26 so that the inside of the isolator 2 has a predetermined negative pressure including a set pressure. Maintain pressure.

  The outer wall 28 of the isolator 2 is provided with a bag-out system (generally indicated by reference numeral 30) which is a feature of the present embodiment. The bag-out system 30 will be described with reference to FIG. A circular opening 28a is formed in the outer wall 28, and a cylindrical member 32 is inserted into the opening 28a. The cylindrical member 32 is attached so that the inner side of the isolator 2 is short and the outer side protrudes long, and this cylindrical member 32 constitutes a bag port (bag attachment port). An internal opening / closing means (inner opening / closing door) 34 is provided on the inner side end face 32a (left side end face in FIG. 2) of the bag mounting port 32, and the inside of the isolator 2 can be sealed or opened. The inner opening / closing door 34 can rotate toward the inner side of the isolator 2 around the fulcrum 36a of the mounting portion 36 provided slightly below the bag mounting port 32 on the inner surface of the isolator outer wall 28. Yes. A handle 38 for opening / closing operation is provided at the upper end of the inner opening / closing door 34, and the handle 38 can be locked to a fixing member 40 provided slightly above the bag mounting port 32 by operating the handle 38. . When the inner opening / closing door 34 is locked in this way, the opening inside the isolator of the bag attachment port 32 is completely sealed.

  A cylindrical external chamber 42 is provided on the outer wall 28 of the isolator 2 at a position surrounding the bag attachment port 32. The opening 42a of the external chamber 42 is provided with an external opening / closing means (outside opening / closing door) 44. By opening and closing the outside opening / closing door 44, the inside of the external chamber 42 is opened and closed. can do. The outer opening / closing door 44 also has a lower end portion 44a that can rotate around a fulcrum 46 provided at the lower portion of the external chamber 42. It comes to be sealed.

  The bag 48 to be mounted on the bag mounting port 32 is fixed by fitting the rubber band 50 and the metal clamp band 52 with the opening portion covering the outer periphery of the outer side opening portion 32 b of the bag mounting port 32.

  The bag attachment port 32 is connected to an air supply means 54 for introducing outside air into the bag attachment port 32. This air supply means 54 is provided with a HEPA filter 58 and an opening / closing valve 60 in an outside air introduction pipe 56 that passes through the side wall of the bag attachment port 32 and opens inside the bag attachment port 32. When the opening / closing valve 60 is opened while the bag 48 is attached, the inside of the bag mounting port 32 and the outside of the external chamber 42 communicate with each other, so that outside air can be introduced into the bag 48.

A pair of gloves 64 and 64 are attached to the side wall 62 of the isolator 2. An operator inserts both hands into the isolator 2 from the gloves 64 and 64 so that the inside and the outside of the isolator 2 are completely connected. It is possible to work inside the isolator 2 in a state where it is shut off.

  An operation for carrying out an article from the inside of the isolator 2 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and FIGS. Here, as an article to be carried out from the isolator 2, the filter 14 </ b> A located below the exhaust side filter 14 is taken out as a used filter. The inner opening / closing door 34 provided at the inner side end 32a of the bag attachment port 32 is closed, and the inside of the isolator 2 is maintained at a negative pressure. First, the outer opening / closing door 44 provided in the opening 42 a of the external chamber 42 is opened, and the bag 48 is attached to the external end 32 b of the bag attachment port 32. The bag 48 has a sufficient length so that it can be used a plurality of times by sealing and cutting the bottom side each time an article in the isolator 2 is taken out. The opening of the bag 48 is put on the outer side end 32b of the bag mounting port 32, and the rubber band 50 and the metal clamp band 52 are fitted and fixed from the outer surface side (state shown in FIG. 3A). ).

  Next, the bag 48 attached to the bag attachment port 32 is hung in a contracted state so as to be superimposed on the outer peripheral surface of the bag attachment port 32 (the portion where the bag 48 is contracted is referred to as an unused portion 48a). After shortening the length to be accommodated in the external chamber 42, the outer door 44 is closed to seal the inside of the external chamber 42 (see FIG. 3B). Although the negative pressure is maintained inside the isolator 2, the inside of the external chamber 42 to which the bag 48 is attached once opened is at atmospheric pressure. The bag 48 and the bag attachment port 32 are also at atmospheric pressure.

  After the bag 48 is attached and the outer opening / closing door 44 is closed, the inner opening / closing door 34 provided at the inner side end portion 32a of the bag attachment port 32 is opened, and the inside of the bag attachment port 32 and the inside of the bag 48 are isolated. 2 communicates. Since the isolator 2 has a negative pressure and the external chamber 42 has an atmospheric pressure, the bag 48 tends to be drawn into the isolator 2. However, since the internal volume of the external chamber 42 is smaller than that of the isolator 2, only the bag 48 is pulled slightly, so that the negative pressure inside the external chamber 42 is the same as that in the isolator 2, and the isolator 2 of the bag 48. Pulling in is prevented. In the bag 48 in this state, the used filter 14A inside the isolator 2 is accommodated in the bag 48 by hand using the glove 64 provided on the side wall 62 of the isolator 2 (FIG. 3). (See (c)).

  Thereafter, the inner opening / closing door 34 is closed, and the inside of the isolator 2 and the inside of the bag 48 are blocked. Subsequently, the open / close valve 60 of the air supply means 54 is opened to introduce outside air into the bag 48. After the inside of the bag 48 is communicated with the outside of the external chamber 42 to be at atmospheric pressure, the outside door 44 is opened to bring the inside of the external chamber 42 to atmospheric pressure. The used filter 14A housed in the bag 48 is brought close to the bottom side of the bag 48 (the part on the bottom side of the bag 48 housing the used filter 14A is indicated by reference numeral 48A), and the filter 14A is housed. Two portions between the portion 48A and the portion on the opening side of the bag 48 (this portion is denoted by reference numeral 48B) are fastened by a binding band 66 (see FIG. 3D). When the inner opening / closing door 34 is closed, the inside of the bag 48 is under negative pressure. When the outer opening / closing door 44 is opened from this state, the bag 48 is exposed to atmospheric pressure and contracts, and the stored filter 14A is moved. In addition, since the binding band 66 is difficult to hang, the air supply means 54 introduces outside air into the bag 48 before opening the outer opening / closing door 44, and the bag 48 is contracted by bringing the inside to atmospheric pressure. It is preventing. Next, the middle of the fastening portion of the bag 48 by the two binding bands 66 is cut, the portion 48A containing the used filter 14A is taken out from the external chamber 42, and the remaining bag 48B is subjected to the next operation. Therefore, after the unused portion 48a is pulled out so as to have an appropriate length, the outer door 44 is closed. When the outer opening / closing door 44 is closed in this way, the state becomes similar to the state shown in FIG. 3B, and the next take-out operation becomes possible.

  In the configuration according to this embodiment, the article carrying-out operation can be performed a plurality of times while gradually pulling out the bag 48 folded as described above. 4 (a) to 4 (a) to FIG. 4 (a) to FIG. 4 (b) for the operation when replacing the remaining bag after a plurality of uses (the bag 48 that has been used by pulling out all unused portions 48a). This will be explained by c). First, the outer opening / closing door 44 is opened with the inner opening / closing door 34 closed, the clamp band 52 is removed, and only the rubber band 50 is applied, and the opening of the used bag 48C is placed outside the bag mounting port 32. Shift to the end of the end 32b of the side opening (see FIG. 4A).

  Next, a new bag 48 is attached from the outside of the used bag 48C so as to cover the used bag 48C. At this time, the opening of the new bag 48 is covered to a position closer to the outer wall 28 of the isolator 2 than the position of the opening of the used bag 48C, and the rubber band 50 is hung on the opening of the new bag 48. Furthermore, the new bag 48 is fixed by hanging the clamp band 52. Thereafter, the rubber band 50 that has been put on the used bag 48C from the outside of the new bag 48 through the new bag 48 is removed, and the rubber band 50 and the used bag 48C are dropped into the new bag 48 (see FIG. 4B). .

  The used bag 48C and the rubber band 50 accommodated in the new bag 48 are indicated by a part accommodated separately (the part accommodating the rubber band 50 is denoted by reference numeral 48D, and the part accommodating the used bag 48C is denoted by reference numeral 48E. ) And the other portion 48F with two binding bands 66 (see FIG. 4 (c)), the middle of each of these two binding bands 66 is cut, and the used bag 48C is discarded. The rubber band 50 is reused.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an isolator. Example 1 It is an expanded sectional view of the bagout system provided in the isolator. FIGS. 4A to 4D are cross-sectional views sequentially showing a process for taking out an article from the isolator. Drawing (a)-Drawing (c) are sectional views showing sequentially the process of exchanging a used bag.

Explanation of symbols

2 Isolator 14A Article (Used filter)
28 Isolator outer wall 32 Bag port (bag attachment port)
34 Internal opening / closing means (inner door)
42 External chamber 44 External open / close means (outside open / close door)
48A A part containing a bag item

Claims (3)

The bag is attached to a bag port formed on the outer wall of the isolator whose internal pressure is maintained at a negative pressure, and after the article inside the isolator is stored in the bag, the portion of the bag storing the article is sealed and cut. In a method for carrying out an article from an isolator to be carried out,
An external chamber is formed on the outer wall of the isolator so as to surround the bag port, and an external opening / closing means capable of opening / closing the external chamber to the outside and an internal opening / closing means capable of opening / closing the inside of the isolator of the bag port are provided. ,
When carrying out the article from the isolator, the internal opening / closing means is opened with the external opening / closing means closed, the article is stored in the bag attached to the bag port, the internal opening / closing means is closed, and then the external opening / closing means is closed. A method for carrying out an article from an isolator, wherein an opening / closing means is opened, a portion of the bag containing the article is sealed, cut and carried out. In an isolator in which the inside is maintained at a negative pressure, the bag is attached to a bag port formed on the outer wall, and an article inside is stored and carried out in the bag,
An external chamber that surrounds the bag port and is provided on the outer wall of the isolator; external open / close means that can open and close the external chamber; and internal open / close means that can open and close the bag port from the inside of the isolator,
When taking out an article, the internal opening / closing means is opened and the article is stored in the bag. After the internal opening / closing means is closed, the external opening / closing means is opened, and the portion of the bag containing the article is sealed and carried out. An isolator characterized by that.   An air supply means for supplying air into a bag attached to the bag port is provided, and after closing the internal opening / closing means, the air is supplied into the bag by the air supply means and then the article is carried out. The isolator according to claim 2.

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