Port assembly for permitting material transfer between contained systems

A port assembly comprising:

• a male port assembly including a male frame sub-assembly having first and second hinged male frame members rotatable about a first axis, the first and second hinged male frame members being sealable therebetween;
• a first hinge joint configured to hingedly couple the first and second hinged male frame members;
• a first intra-locking mechanism disposed on the male frame sub-assembly and configured to releasably lock the male frame sub-assembly in a closed position;
• a first inter-locking mechanism disposed on the male frame sub-assembly;
• a first transfer sleeve attachable to the male port assembly and configured to operably connect the male port assembly with a first volume;
• a female port assembly including a female frame sub-assembly having first and second hinged female frame members rotatable about a second axis that is coaxially alignable with the first axis, the first and second hinged female frame members being sealable therebetween, the female frame sub-assembly being sealable with the male frame sub-assembly;
• a second hinge joint configured to hingedly couple the first and second hinged female frame members;
• a second intra-locking mechanism disposed on the female frame sub-assembly and configured to releasably lock the female frame sub-assembly in a closed position;
• a second inter-locking mechanism disposed on the female frame sub-assembly, the first and second inter-locking mechanisms being configured to matingly engage each other such that the male frame sub-assembly and the female frame sub-assembly remain coupled to each other when the first and second inter-locking mechanisms matingly engage each other;
• and
• a second transfer sleeve attachable to the female port assembly and configured to operably connect the female port assembly with a second volume.

A method comprising:

• sealingly closing a female port assembly;
• sealingly closing a male port assembly;
• sealingly mating the closed female port assembly and the closed male port assembly with each other;
• axially aligning a hinge joint of the female port assembly and a hinge joint of the male port assembly with each other;
• and
• opening the axially-aligned hinge joints of the female port assembly and the male port assembly.