Fully automated and computerized conveyor based manufacturing line architectures adapted to pressurized sealable transportable containers

Fully automated and computerized conveyor based manufacturing line architecture (15) for the storage, handling and transporting of articles for the treatment thereof in a plurality of processors (500);

• said manufacturing line being installed in an average cleanliness ambient including:
• a) pressurized sealable transportable containers (100) of the type comprising a box-shaped housing (102) provided with an access opening (104) sealed with releasable door means (124) and gas injection valve means (129) enclosing a workpiece therein;
• b) conveyor transportation means (401-1);
• c) a gas supply installation means (700-1) comprising a compressed ultra pure neutral gas supply source (701-1) and a delivery system (702-1);
• d) dispatching apparatus means with a gas distribution system (300-1) comprising:
• storage/gas feeding means (302-1) for storing the containers said storage/gas feeding means comprising a frame supporting a number of support stations, each support station being provided with gas injector means connected to said gas supply installation means (700-1);
• handling means (301-1) for transferring said containers between said support stations and said conveyor transportation means;
• e) pressurized interface apparatus means (201-1) adapted to receive said containers and transfer the workpiece enclosed therein to a processing equipment (500-1) comprising:
• container receiving means for receiving/sending a container from/to said conveyor transportation means;
• a pressurized port zone provided with transfer robot means interfacing said container receiving means with said processing equipment;
• actuator means for moving said container on said container receiving means;
• and,
• f) computer means (600) for overall control of said conveyor transportation means, dispatching apparatus means, gas supply installation means, interface apparatus means and said processing equipments.