JP6457150B2 - Goods delivery system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a system and method for transporting articles from a low clean space to a high clean space.

  Many clean rooms are designed to minimize the number of airborne particulates and airborne microbes in the air, including semiconductors, electronic parts, precision machinery, and other products such as regenerative medicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and foods. It is an indispensable basic facility in the research and development of the industry or the manufacturing site. Controlling suspended particulates and suspended microorganisms in a clean room leads to an improvement in the yield of manufactured products and prevention of contamination.

  In order to maintain cleanliness in the clean room, the worker must wear a dust-proof garment in the front room of the clean room, take an air shower to remove particulates adhering to the dust-proof garment, and enter the room. There are some rules. In particular, in the case of a bioclean room, a plurality of anterior chambers are provided so that not only fine particles but also microorganisms do not enter (Non-Patent Document 1), and fine particles and microorganisms attached not only to workers but also to items brought by workers It is necessary to increase the cleanliness step by step while removing and sterilizing by wiping.

  Furthermore, when carrying an article, an operator is arranged in each front room, and the operator moves only the article between rooms without going back and forth between the front rooms or between the front room and the clean room, The cleanliness of the clean room can be maintained more reliably. These operations are necessary to maintain cleanliness in the clean room. However, it requires a lot of work time and number of workers, as well as maintenance of dedicated structural equipment, increasing work costs and overall work efficiency. Bring about a decline. However, a technique for solving these problems is not known.

Modern Media, Volume 50, No. 3, 2004, pp. 54-60

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for carrying an article from a low clean space to a high clean space.

  The present inventor, while pursuing earnest research to solve the above problems, uses a plurality of anterior chambers and does not increase the cleanliness step by step for each anterior chamber. The present inventors have found that work efficiency can be improved by bringing the cleanliness of articles to a target level through the work process, and the present invention has been completed.

That is, the present invention relates to the following.
[1] A system for carrying an article from a low-cleanness space to a high-cleanness space, a fine particle removing unit for removing fine particles attached to the article, a microorganism removing unit for removing microorganisms attached to the article, and the article The cleanliness measuring part which measures the cleanliness of the said, The cleanliness in the said cleanliness measurement part is equivalent to the cleanliness of the space where the said cleanliness is high.
[2] The system according to [1] above, wherein the cleanliness in the cleanliness measurement unit is ISO or Classes 1 to 9.
[3] The air according to [1] or [2], wherein the predetermined high cleanliness air can be used in at least one selected from the group consisting of a fine particle removal unit, a microorganism removal unit, and a cleanness measurement unit. System.
[4] The system according to any one of the above [1] to [3], wherein predetermined high cleanliness air flows from a high cleanness space to a low cleanness space.
[5] The system according to [3] or [4] above, wherein the predetermined high cleanliness air is air in a clean space.
[6] The system according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the high clean space is a bioclean room.
[7] A method for carrying an article from a low clean space to a high clean place space, the step of removing fine particles attached to the article, the step of removing microorganisms attached to the article, and the cleanliness of the article The method, wherein each step is performed continuously and automatically.
[8] The method according to [7] above, wherein each step is performed using the system according to any one of [1] to [6].

[9] A system for carrying a frozen product from a low cleanness space to a high cleanness space, a fine particle removing unit for removing fine particles adhering to the frozen product, and a microorganism removing unit for removing microorganisms adhering to the frozen product The system comprising a thawing unit for thawing frozen products and a cleanliness measuring unit for measuring the cleanliness of frozen products, wherein the cleanliness in the cleanliness measurement unit is equivalent to the cleanliness of the high cleanliness space .
[10] The system according to [9] above, wherein the cleanliness in the cleanliness measurement unit is ISO or Class1-9.
[11] The system according to [9] or [10] above, wherein the predetermined high cleanliness air flows from a high cleanness space to a low cleanness space.
[12] The system according to any one of [9] to [11], wherein the fine particle removal unit, the microorganism removal unit, and the thawing unit can perform fine particle removal.
[13] The system according to any one of [9] to [12], wherein the high clean space is a bioclean room.
[14] A method for carrying a frozen product from a low-cleanness space to a high-cleanness space, the step of removing fine particles attached to the frozen product, the step of removing microorganisms attached to the frozen product, The method comprising the steps of thawing and measuring the cleanliness of the frozen product, wherein each step is performed continuously and automatically.
[15] The method according to [14] above, wherein the frozen product is a frozen cell, and in the step of thawing the frozen product, the frozen cell is thawed at a thawing temperature of 36 to 38 ° C. and a thawing time within 2 minutes.
[16] The method according to [14] or [15] above, wherein each step is performed using the system according to any one of [9] to [13].

[17] A system for carrying a packaged product from a low-cleanness space to a high-cleanness space, a sealing degree measuring unit for measuring the sealing degree of the packaged product, and a fine particle removing unit for removing fine particles adhering to the packaged product A microbe removal unit that removes microorganisms adhering to the packaged product and a cleanness measurement unit that measures the cleanliness of the packaged product, and the cleanliness in the cleanness measurement unit is equal to the cleanliness of the high cleanliness space The system.
[18] The system according to [17] above, wherein the cleanliness in the cleanliness measurement unit is ISO or Class1-9.
[19] The system according to [17] or [18] above, wherein the measurement of the sealing degree of the package is first performed.
[20] The system according to any one of [17] to [19], wherein air having a predetermined high cleanliness flows from a high cleanliness space toward a low cleanliness space.
[21] The system according to any one of [17] to [20], further including a defective product transport unit capable of transporting a defective product.
[22] The system according to any one of [17] to [21], wherein each unit has a module structure and is configured to be connected and separated from each other.
[23] A method for transporting a packaged product from a low-cleanness space to a high-cleanness space, the step of measuring the sealing degree of the packaged product, the step of removing fine particles adhering to the packaged product, and the method of attaching to the packaged product The method comprising the steps of removing the microorganisms and measuring the cleanliness of the packaged product, wherein each step is performed continuously and automatically.
[24] The method according to [23], wherein each step is performed using the system according to any one of [17] to [22].

  According to the system of the present invention, it is possible to increase work efficiency when carrying an article into a clean space and reduce facility costs and work costs. According to the system of the present invention provided with the thawing unit, the thawing work originally performed after carrying in can be performed during the carrying-in work, so that the overall work time can be shortened and the microparticles and microorganisms are frozen. It is possible to prevent being carried in while mixed in frost and condensation adhering to the product. According to the system of the present invention provided with the sealing degree measuring unit, it is possible to reliably prevent fine particles and microorganisms that have entered the packaged product from the pinhole of the packaged product and are brought into a clean space.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a system according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  One aspect of the present invention is a system for transporting an article from a low-cleanness space to a high-cleanness space, a fine-particle removing unit that removes fine particles attached to the article, and a microbial removal that removes microorganisms attached to the article And the cleanliness measuring unit for measuring the cleanliness of the article, and the cleanliness in the cleanliness measuring unit is equivalent to the cleanliness of the high cleanliness space.

  In the present invention, a “highly clean space” refers to a space in which temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, the number of fine particles, and the like are controlled, such as a clean room, clean booth, clean bench, and aseptic hospital room. In the present invention, the “low cleanliness space” refers to a space having a lower cleanness than the “high cleanliness space”, for example, a space having a larger number of fine particles than the “high cleanness space”. means.

  In the present invention, “cleanliness” refers to the cleanliness in US Federal Standard 209E, International Standard ISO 14644-1, ISO 14644-2, and JIS Standard JIS B9920, which are employed in clean rooms, for example. In this specification, the cleanliness will be described based on the ISO standard for convenience. Although the system of this invention is not limited, For example, the cleanliness of the cleanliness measurement part is comprised so that it may become ISO and Class1-9.

  In the present invention, the “particulate removal unit” refers to a part for removing particulates floating in the particulate removal unit and particulates adhering to an article in the particulate removal unit and confirming the degree of particulate removal. Therefore, in the present invention, “removing fine particles attached to the article” means removing fine particles attached to the article and suspended fine particles that may adhere to the article. In addition to dust and dust, the fine particles may further contain microorganisms attached to them. For example, fine particles may be removed indirectly by gas spraying, directly removed by a brush or the like, or may be shaken off by vibrating an article. Further, a mechanism for collecting the removed fine particles may be provided.

  In the present invention, the “microorganism removal unit” refers to a part for removing microorganisms floating in the microorganism removal unit and microorganisms adhering to articles in the microorganism removal unit and confirming the degree of microorganism removal. Therefore, in the present invention, “removing microorganisms attached to an article” means removing microorganisms attached to the article and airborne microorganisms that may adhere to the article. Microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, viruses, microalgae, protozoa, and the like. The microorganisms may be sterilized with a disinfectant or sterilized with heat, ultraviolet rays, ultrasonic waves, ozone, steam, or the like. Moreover, you may provide the mechanism for collect | recovering microorganisms disinfected / removed.

  In the present invention, the “cleanness measurement unit” refers to a part for measuring the cleanliness in the cleanness measurement unit. Therefore, in the present invention, “measuring the cleanliness of an article” means measuring the cleanliness in the cleanliness measurement unit in a state where the article is accommodated in the cleanliness measurement unit. The cleanliness in the cleanliness measurement unit is configured to be equivalent to the cleanliness of a highly clean space, and the cleanliness of the article is confirmed by measuring the change in cleanliness when the article is accommodated. can do.

  The system of the present invention may include a computer that can automatically operate the particulate removing unit, the microorganism removing unit, and the cleanliness measuring unit in addition to the above-described units, and a program for operating the computer.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for carrying an article from a low clean space to a high clean space, the step of removing fine particles attached to the article, the step of removing microorganisms attached to the article, and The method comprising measuring the cleanliness of an article, wherein each step is performed continuously and automatically.
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. Note that the size of each component in the figure is emphasized as appropriate for the sake of explanation, and does not indicate the actual ratio or size. In the following description, it is assumed that the article is conveyed from the downstream side toward the upstream side, and the space with high cleanliness is located on the upstream side. Further, the downstream side of each part may be referred to as an inlet and the upstream side may be referred to as an outlet.

[First Embodiment]
First, the system according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system includes a particulate removal unit 1, a microorganism removal unit 4 including a disinfectant spray unit 2 and a disinfectant removal unit 3, and a cleanliness measurement unit 5.

  The fine particle removing unit 1, the disinfectant spray unit 2, the disinfectant removing unit 3 and the cleanliness measuring unit 5 each have a box shape, and are arranged in this order from downstream to upstream. Doors D are provided on the entrance side and the exit side of each part, and each part forms a sealed space by closing the door D of each part. Each part is provided with an air tightness test apparatus, and it is possible to inspect whether a sealed state is achieved in each part. Further, each part is spatially connected to form a tunnel structure by opening the door D of each part, and the article is transported from the downstream side to the upstream side by the transport means T. Can do. The doors D on the inlet side and the outlet side of each part are configured to operate independently, and the parts can be spatially communicated with each other or isolated. Moreover, the infrared sensor S is provided in each part, and it can be confirmed whether articles | goods exist in each part.

The fine particle removing unit 1 includes a wind pressure generating device 11 for removing fine particles adhering to an article by wind pressure, and a fine particle measuring device 12 for confirming whether the fine particles are removed.
The “wind pressure generator 11” refers to an apparatus that can remove fine particles attached to an article by wind pressure. The wind pressure generator 11 has a structure such as an air nozzle that strongly pushes air from one side to the other. Even if air that circulates in the system is used, the air remains as it is. Alternatively, it may be used after purification. The air nozzle is preferably set in such a direction that fine particles are pushed out in the downstream direction of the system. Further, the air nozzle may be movable, the article may be rotatable, or a combination of the two may be used so that the wind spreads over the entire article.

  The “particulate measuring device 12” refers to a device that can count the size and number of particulates in the air, that is, a device that can measure the air cleanliness in the system. The fine particle measuring device 12 can use a particle counter or the like that can irradiate a laser or the like in the air and measure the size and number of the particles according to the scattering intensity of light from the fine particles.

  The “disinfectant spray unit 2” refers to a part for spraying a disinfectant on an article and confirming the degree of disinfection. The disinfectant spray unit 2 includes a disinfectant spray device 21 for spraying the disinfectant on the article, and a temperature detection device for confirming that the disinfectant is sprayed uniformly on the surface of the article based on the surface temperature of the article. 22.

  The “disinfectant removing unit 3” refers to a part for removing the disinfectant sprayed on the article surface and confirming the degree of disinfectant removal. The disinfectant removing unit 3 includes a wind pressure generating device 31 for removing the disinfectant sprayed on the article, and a humidity measuring device 32 for confirming that the disinfectant has been removed from the article.

  The “disinfectant spraying device 21” refers to a device that sprays a disinfectant onto an article using a nozzle or the like. The disinfectant is not particularly limited as long as it can kill microorganisms. Examples thereof include disinfectants including alcohols, peroxides, chlorines, iodines, and aldehydes. The temperature of the disinfectant at the time of spraying can be appropriately set according to the operating temperature of the disinfectant. Further, the nozzle may be movable, the article may be rotatable, or both may be combined so that the disinfectant spreads over the entire article.

  “Temperature detection device 22” refers to a device that detects the surface temperature of an article and can confirm whether or not the disinfectant is uniformly sprayed on the article surface. When a volatile disinfectant such as alcohol adheres to an article, the surface temperature of the article decreases due to the heat of vaporization of the disinfectant. It can be confirmed that there is no adhesion. The temperature detection device 22 can be composed of a device that visually displays a temperature distribution as an image, such as thermography, and an analysis device that analyzes the temperature distribution. Further, a mechanism for rotating the article may be provided in order to confirm the surface temperature of the article throughout.

  The “wind pressure generating device 31” has the same configuration and function as the wind pressure generating device 11 in the fine particle removing unit 1. Therefore, the wind pressure generating device 31 can remove not only the disinfectant on the article surface with the wind pressure but also fine particles that may remain on the article surface. Thereby, since removal of microparticles | fine-particles is performed twice, removal of microparticles | fine-particles can be performed more reliably. Further, the air nozzle may be movable, the article may be rotatable, or a combination of the two may be used so that the wind spreads over the entire article.

  The “humidity measuring device 32” refers to a portion for measuring the humidity in the disinfectant removing unit 3 and confirming the degree of disinfectant removal. When the disinfectant remains, the humidity is high due to evaporation of the disinfectant, and the humidity decreases as the disinfectant is removed. Therefore, the degree of disinfectant removal can be confirmed from the humidity. Therefore, the disinfectant removing unit 3 may include a mechanism for collecting the removed disinfectant.

  The cleanliness measurement unit 5 includes an air circulation device 51 for circulating air with high cleanliness and a fine particle measurement device 52 for measuring fine particles in the cleanness measurement unit 5.

  The “air circulation device 51” refers to a device for circulating air with high cleanliness, and the air with high cleanliness may be generated by filtering external air or air in a highly clean space. May be used. The air circulation device 51 may be configured such that high clean air circulates in the cleanliness measuring unit 5 or may flow from the upstream side to the downstream side of the system. Further, the air from the air circulation device 51 may be blown independently to each part through a duct (not shown) or the like so that it can be used by the wind pressure generator 11, the wind pressure generator 31, and the like. Thereby, the whole system inside can be maintained in a state with a high degree of cleanliness. The “particle measuring device 52” has the same function as the particle measuring device 12 in the particle removing unit 1.

  “Door D” refers to an open / close-type door that is provided on the inlet side and the outlet side of each part, and can make the inside of each part a sealed space. The door D may be shared by each part. For example, the door D1 on the outlet side of the particulate removing unit 1 and the door D2 on the inlet side of the disinfectant spraying unit 2 may be the same. In this specification, the door of each part may be named the door D generically. The “conveying means T” refers to a device such as a belt conveyor that can convey articles within the fine particle removing unit 1, the disinfectant spraying unit 2, the disinfectant removing unit 3, and the cleanliness measuring unit 5. The “air tightness test apparatus” refers to an apparatus capable of confirming gas leakage by setting a negative pressure or a positive pressure in each part. The “infrared sensor S” refers to a device that can confirm the presence of an article by irradiating each part with infrared light and confirming its reflection.

  Hereinafter, a method of using the system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described. In the following, in order to carry articles into the clean room, the cleanliness measuring unit 5 is connected to the cleanroom, and the air circulation device 51 sends the clean air in the cleanroom from the upstream to the downstream of the system. Each unit and each device will be described as being automatically operated by a computer provided in the system.

  When using the system of the present invention, first, an article is inserted from the inlet side of the fine particle removing unit 1. When the system detects the presence of an article with the infrared sensor S, the system closes the entrance and exit doors of the particulate removal unit 1 and seals the interior of the particulate removal unit 1. When the hermetic state is confirmed by the air tightness test apparatus, the wind pressure generator 11 is activated to remove and collect the fine particles attached to the article. The particle measuring device 12 counts the number of particles in the particle removing unit 1 and confirms the degree of particle removal. If the number of fine particles exceeds a predetermined reference value, the above procedure is repeated. In that case, the direction of the air nozzle and the rotation direction of the article can be changed.

  If the number of fine particles is equal to or less than a predetermined reference value, the door D on the inlet side and the outlet side of the fine particle removing unit 1 is opened, and the article is conveyed to the disinfectant spray unit 2 by the conveying means T. When the presence of the article is detected by the infrared sensor S, the doors on both sides of the disinfectant spray unit 2 are closed and sealed. When the sealed state is confirmed by the airtight test device, the disinfectant spray device 21 is activated, the disinfectant is sprayed on the article at a suitable operating temperature, and the microorganisms attached to the article are disinfected. Detect the surface temperature distribution and check the level of disinfectant spray. If the distribution of the surface temperature of the article is less than a predetermined reference value, the above procedure is repeated. In that case, the direction of the nozzle and the rotation direction of the article can be changed.

  If the distribution of the surface temperature of the article is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value, the door D on the inlet side and the outlet side of the disinfectant spray unit 2 is opened, and the article is conveyed to the disinfectant removing unit 3 by the conveying means T. When the presence of the article is detected by the infrared sensor S, the doors on both sides of the disinfectant removing unit 3 are closed and sealed. When the hermetic state is confirmed by the airtight test device, the wind pressure generator 31 is activated to remove the disinfectant adhering to the article. The humidity measuring device 32 measures a change in humidity in the disinfectant removing unit 3 caused by evaporation of the disinfectant, and confirms the degree of disinfectant removal. When the humidity in the disinfectant removing unit 3 exceeds a predetermined reference value, the above procedure is repeated. In that case, the direction of the air nozzle and the rotation direction of the article can be changed.

  If the humidity in the disinfectant removal unit 3 is below a predetermined reference value, the doors D on the entrance side and the exit side of the disinfectant removal unit 3 are opened, and the article is transported to the cleanliness measurement unit 5 by the transport means T. . When the presence of the article is detected by the infrared sensor S, the doors on both sides of the cleanliness measuring unit 5 are closed and sealed. When the hermetic state is confirmed by the air tightness test device, the particle measuring device 52 is activated and the cleanliness of the article is confirmed. Since clean air from the air circulation device 51 circulates in the cleanliness measurement unit 5, the cleanliness of the articles can be confirmed in an environment equivalent to a clean space at the destination. it can.

  When the cleanliness of the article is equal to or higher than a predetermined reference value, the doors on both sides of the cleanliness measuring unit 5 are opened, and the article is conveyed by the conveying means T to a high cleanliness space. When the cleanliness of the article is less than a predetermined reference value, the article is collected as a defective product, or the article is returned to the downstream side by the conveying means T, and the removal of fine particles and microorganisms is performed again. In the system, highly clean air from the air circulation device 51 flows from the upstream side to the downstream side, preventing fine particles and microorganisms from entering the clean room, and keeping the cleanliness in each part high. Can do.

  The wind pressure generating device 11 of the particulate removing unit 1 and the wind pressure generating device 31 of the disinfectant removing unit 3 can remove particulates and microorganisms by using air with high cleanliness sent from the upstream side. . In addition, since clean air is taken in from outside the system, it is not necessary to attach an expensive dust filter to the system itself.

The system according to the first embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this.
Even if the system of the present invention is used by connecting to a clean space, it is used outside the clean space, for example, in the front room of a clean room, and when an operator carries an article into the clean room. It may be used. When the system of the present invention is used in a bioclean room or the like, it is preferable to use a highly safe one such as a peracetic acid-based disinfectant, hydrogen peroxide, or ethanol as a microorganism disinfectant. An input unit and a display unit may be provided so that an operator can manually perform various operations such as each unit, a device provided in each unit, a door for partitioning each unit, and a conveying unit. The fine particle removing unit, the disinfectant spraying unit, the disinfectant removing unit, and the cleanliness measuring unit may be integrated into one area, that is, one box so that a series of operations are performed in the same space. Good. In this case, a wind pressure generating device, a fine particle measuring device, an air circulation device, etc. can be shared by each part.

  The system of the present invention may not include a door. That is, in the present invention, highly clean air can flow from the upstream side to the downstream side of the system, so even if there is no door, the removed particulates and microorganisms always flow to the downstream side of the system. The cleanliness measuring unit on the upstream side is not easily affected. As the conveying means, for example, a gantry on which an article is placed may be suspended by a magnetic force so that generation of fine particles or the like can be suppressed. Further, the system of the present invention may include another sensor that can detect the presence of an article, for example, a weight scale, instead of the infrared sensor S.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a system for carrying a frozen product from a low cleanness space to a high cleanness space, a fine particle removal unit for removing fine particles attached to the frozen product, and a microorganism attached to the frozen product. It has a microorganism removing part to be removed, a thawing part for thawing frozen products, and a cleanness measuring unit for measuring the cleanliness of frozen products, and the cleanliness in the cleanliness measuring unit is equivalent to the cleanliness of the high cleanliness space And relates to the system.

In the present invention, the “frozen product” is not particularly limited, but includes, for example, frozen cells, frozen raw materials (for example, FBS, serum such as human serum) and the like. The freezing temperature of the frozen product is, for example, -196 to 0 ° C.
In the present invention, the “thawing part” refers to a part for thawing a frozen product and confirming the degree of thawing of the frozen product. Therefore, in the present invention, “thawing a frozen product” means heating the frozen product until the degree of thawing of the frozen product reaches a predetermined reference value.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a system according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the system includes a microparticle removal unit 1, a microorganism removal unit 4 including a disinfectant spray unit 2 and a disinfectant removal unit 3, a thawing unit 6, and a cleanliness measurement unit 5. In the following description, the same parts as those of the system according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. In this embodiment, for convenience, the article that has been frozen, the article before being thawed, and the article after being thawed may all be expressed as frozen articles or articles.

The thawing unit 6 includes a temperature detection device 62 for confirming the temperature of the frozen product, and a hot air generator 61 for thawing the frozen product with warm air.
“Temperature detection device 62” refers to a device that detects the temperature of a frozen product and the internal temperature and confirms the degree of freezing of the frozen product. The temperature detector 62 is a device that visually displays the surface temperature of an object as an image, such as thermography, a device that visually displays the temperature inside the object, such as an ultrasonic thermometer, and analyzes these temperatures. It can be configured with an analysis device.
The “warm air generating device 61” refers to a device that generates warm air to thaw a frozen product. The hot air generator 61 includes an air nozzle that warms the air with a heater and sends out the warmed air from one side to the other. Even if the air circulating in the system is used, Either external air or clean air may be used.

  Hereinafter, a method of using the system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. In the following description, it is assumed that the frozen product has been processed in the fine particle removing unit 1, the disinfectant spray unit 2, and the disinfectant removing unit 3.

  When the presence of the frozen product is detected by the infrared sensor S, the system closes the inlet side and outlet side doors of the thawing unit 6 to seal the inside of the thawing unit 6. When the sealed state is confirmed by the airtight test device, the temperature detection device 62 is activated to detect the temperature of the surface of the frozen product or the internal temperature. The system adjusts the temperature, strength, operating time, etc. of the hot air generator 61 from the temperature distribution of the frozen product and the temperature distribution when the target frozen product is thawed, and blows the hot air to the frozen product. And defrost it. Then, the temperature detection device 62 confirms the temperature distribution of the frozen product, and when the temperature distribution of the thawed product exceeds a predetermined reference value, the thawed article is conveyed upstream. If the temperature distribution of the thawed product is less than a predetermined reference value, the above procedure is repeated. In that case, warm air can be blown by changing the direction of the air nozzle or the direction of rotation of the article. Moreover, since the removal of the fine particles can be performed by increasing the strength of the hot air of the warm air generating device 61, the removal of the fine particles can be performed three times.

  It is preferable to adjust the thawing temperature of the frozen product to the temperature of the high-cleanness space that is the delivery destination. Thereby, when an article is carried into a clean room or the like in which temperature and humidity are strictly controlled, the influence on the environment can be minimized. On the other hand, by setting the temperature of the warm air of the warm air generator 61 to a temperature at which microorganisms can be sterilized, microorganisms can be removed by the thawing unit 6, so that microorganisms are removed twice. be able to.

  When the frozen product is a cell, the temperature, strength, usage time, etc. of the hot air of the hot air generator 61 may be adjusted as appropriate to minimize damage to the cell. In this case, the thawing temperature is not particularly limited, but is typically set to 4 to 50 ° C, preferably 30 to 40 ° C, more preferably 36 to 38 ° C. The thawing time is not particularly limited as long as it does not significantly impair the viability and function of the cells after thawing, but it is typically within 2 minutes. Can be suppressed. Further, the thawing unit 6 may include a mechanism capable of thawing while inverting and mixing a container containing frozen cells, or vibrating left and right. In addition, by disposing the thawing unit 6 on the most outlet side, when the cells are frozen together with the cryoprotectant, the exposure time of the cryoprotectant to the cells after thawing can be reduced.

The system according to the second embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this.
In the system of the present invention, for example, the thawing unit 6, the fine particle removing unit 1, the disinfectant spraying unit 2, the disinfectant removing unit 3 and the cleanliness measuring unit 5 may be arranged in this order from the downstream side. In this case, for example, by removing frost covering the frozen product on the downstream side of the system, it is possible to remove fine particles or microorganisms that may be attached to the frost. Therefore, the thawing unit 6 may include a mechanism for collecting moisture or the like that may be generated when the frozen product is thawed, and a humidity measuring device for measuring the humidity in the thawing unit 6.

  Another aspect of the present invention is a system for carrying a packaged product from a low-cleanness space to a high-cleanness space, and a sealing degree measuring unit for measuring the sealing degree of the packaged product, and fine particles adhering to the packaged product. A space having a high degree of cleanliness in the cleanliness measuring section, including a fine particle removing section to be removed, a microorganism removing section for removing microorganisms attached to the packaged product, and a cleanliness measuring unit for measuring the cleanliness of the packaged product. This system is equivalent to the cleanliness of

In the present invention, the “packaging product” is not particularly limited as long as the product is packaged. For example, the packaging product is used in a clean space, and the plastic molding product is packaged. In addition, a package of containers containing cells or the like is included.
In the present invention, the “sealing degree measurement part” refers to a part for confirming the degree of sealing of a packaged product. Therefore, in the present invention, “measuring the sealing degree of the packaged product” means measuring the sealing degree of the packaged product in a state where the article is accommodated in the sealing degree measuring unit.
[Third embodiment]
Next, a system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a system according to the third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system includes a sealing degree measuring unit 7, a particulate removing unit 1, a microorganism removing unit 4 including a disinfectant spraying unit 2 and a disinfectant removing unit 3, and a cleanliness measuring unit 5. In addition, a defective product transport unit 8 is provided. In the following description, the same components as those of the system according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. In this embodiment, for convenience, a packaged article may be expressed as a packaged product, and a packaged product in which a defect is found may be expressed as a defective product.

The sealing degree measuring unit 7 includes a pressure adjusting device 71 for adjusting the pressure in the sealing degree measuring unit 7 and a pressure measuring device 72 for measuring the pressure in the sealing degree measuring unit 7.
The “pressure adjusting device 71” refers to a device that can make negative pressure or positive pressure in the sealing degree measuring unit 7 by sucking air in the sealing degree measuring unit 7 or sending in air. The “pressure measuring device 72” refers to a device that can measure a pressure change in the sealing degree measuring unit 7 and check whether a pinhole or the like exists in the packaged product. That is, the sealing degree measuring unit 7 pressurizes the inside of the sealing degree measuring unit 7 (negative pressure or positive pressure), and a packaged product (non-defective product) having no pinholes and a packaged product (non-defective) having pinholes or the like. Comparing the pressure change with the non-defective product, it is possible to inspect the leakage of the packaged product.

  The “defective product transporting part 8” is a part that is adjacent to each part and collects and transports articles determined to be defective in each part. It is preferable that the defective product transport unit 8 has a tunnel structure as described above so that an article is isolated from the outside. Moreover, you may comprise the inferior goods conveyance part 8 so that the gantry on which the article was mounted may be floated and conveyed by magnetic force.

Hereinafter, a method of using the system according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described.
When the system detects the presence of the package with the infrared sensor S, the system closes the inlet side and outlet side doors of the sealing degree measuring unit 7 and seals the sealing degree measuring unit 7. When the hermetic state is confirmed by the air tightness test device, the pressure adjusting device 71 is activated, for example, the inside of the sealing degree measuring unit 7 is set to a negative pressure. Then, the pressure in the sealing degree measuring unit 7 is measured by the pressure measuring device 72. The system calculates the differential pressure between the measured pressure change and the pre-measured non-defective pressure change to confirm the degree of sealing of the package. If the differential pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value, the packaged product is conveyed in the upstream direction. When the differential pressure is less than a predetermined reference value, sterility within the packaged product cannot be guaranteed, and the product is transported to the defective product transport unit 8 as a defective product. Thus, by providing the sealing degree measuring unit 7 on the downstream side, it is possible to prevent unnecessary work from occurring in the subsequent steps.

As mentioned above, although the system which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention was demonstrated, this invention is not limited to this.
For example, the defective product transporting unit 8 collects articles determined as defective by the cleanliness measuring unit 5 and transports them to the sealing degree measuring unit 7, the particulate removing unit 1, the disinfectant spraying unit 2, and the like. You can also set it to start over.
The system of the present invention may include all of the particulate removing unit 1, the disinfectant spray unit 2, the disinfectant removing unit 3, the thawing unit 6, the sealing degree measuring unit 7, and the cleanliness measuring unit 5. In this case, for example, a series of operations such as confirmation of the sealing degree of the packaged product in which the frozen cell container is packaged and thawing of frozen cells can be performed. In such a system, the carrying-in operation can be performed without using some functions according to the article. For example, when carrying a non-frozen product, the thawing unit 6 may be passed without using the function of the thawing unit 6. As described above, the system of the present invention includes a fine particle removing unit 1, a disinfectant spray unit 2, a disinfectant removing unit 3, a cleanliness measuring unit 5, a thawing unit 6, a sealing degree measuring unit 7 and defective products in accordance with articles. The transport unit 8 can be appropriately selected and used in combination. Further, each part may have a modular structure so that they can be easily connected and separated.

The system according to Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this. A person skilled in the art can design a system having different configurations by suitably combining the systems according to the above-described first to third embodiments and the devices used in these.
In the present invention, each component can be replaced with any component that can exhibit the same function, or any component can be added.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fine particle removal part 11 Wind pressure generator 12 Fine particle measuring device 2 Disinfectant spray part 21 Disinfectant spray apparatus 22 Temperature detection apparatus 3 Disinfectant removal part 31 Wind pressure generator 32 Humidity measurement apparatus 4 Microorganism removal part 5 Cleanliness measurement part 51 Air Circulating device 52 Fine particle measuring device 6 Defrosting unit 61 Hot air generating device 62 Temperature detecting device 7 Sealing degree measuring unit 71 Pressure adjusting device 72 Pressure measuring device 8 Defective product conveying unit T Conveying means D Door S Infrared sensor

Claims (12)

  A system for carrying an article from a low-cleanness space to a high-cleanness space, in which a particulate removal unit that removes particulates attached to the article, a microorganism removal unit that removes microorganisms attached to the article, and the cleanliness of the article The cleanliness measurement unit for measuring the cleanliness, and the cleanliness in the cleanliness measurement unit is equivalent to the cleanliness of the high cleanliness space.   The system of Claim 1 whose cleanliness in a cleanliness measurement part is ISO and Class1-9.   The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the predetermined high cleanliness air can be used in at least one selected from the group consisting of a particulate removal unit, a microorganism removal unit, and a cleanness measurement unit.   The system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the predetermined high cleanliness air flows from a clean space to a clean space.   The system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the predetermined high cleanliness air is air of high cleanliness.   The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the clean space is a bioclean room. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a thawing unit. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing degree measuring unit. The system according to claim 1, wherein the article is a frozen product. The system of claim 9, wherein the frozen product comprises frozen cells and / or frozen material. The system of claim 10, wherein the frozen material comprises FBS or human serum. A method for carrying an article from a low clean space to a high clean space, the step of removing fine particles adhering to the article, the step of removing microorganisms adhering to the article, and the step of measuring the cleanliness of the article The method, wherein each step is performed continuously and automatically using the system according to any one of claims 1-11 .