Glove box

Abstract

The glove box has a rotatably supported bottom member (2, 11, 51) which is quipped with a number of product holders (14) positioned concentrically with the rotational axis of the bottom member. The product holders receive subassemblies or precursor products to be processed, partly within and partly without the glove box. Typical precursor products are discharge vessels for discharge lamps, of small size, for example having discharge vessel volumes in the tenths and hundredths of a cubic centimeter, which are to be flushed with a flushing gas, and then filled with an ionizable fill. Rotation of the bottom member delivers the products in the product holders to work-stations at which flushing, filling and other operations are carried out inside the glove box. Simultaneously, other operations such as pinching and sealing portions of the discharge vessels can be carried out outside of the glove box by suitable outwardly located operating stations (18). The bottom member is rotated in synchronism with the cadence or operating cycles of the respective operating stations. This permits simultaneous processing of the products within the glove box in a protective gas atmosphere while also operating thereon outside of the glove box.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.