Sealed system for handling, manipulating and formulating materials in an isolated environment

A method for sealingly coupling a portable isolation system for handling, manipulating and formulating materials and an autoclave fixedly mounted to a building wall, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing the isolation system having an interior at least partially defined by a plurality of walls and a transfer port positioned on one of the walls;
• providing the autoclave having an interior accessible through an opening, the building wall having an opening in registry with the opening of the autoclave;
• providing a substantially outwardly extending trough of predetermined configuration surrounding one of the transfer port and the opening, the trough having a sealing substance disposed therein;
• providing a substantially outwardly extending blade of predetermined configuration surrounding the other of the transfer port and the opening, the configuration of the blade corresponding to the configuration of the trough;
• positioning the isolation system with respect to the autoclave such that the blade and the trough are proximate one another and in registry;
• and
• sealingly coupling the blade to the sealing substance within the trough to prevent external matter from passing into the isolation system and the autoclave through the transfer port and the opening, the interior of the coupled autoclave being accessible from the interior of the isolation system through the transfer port and the opening.

A sealed system for handling, manipulating and formulating materials in an isolated environment, the system comprising:

• a portable isolation system for performing at least a portion of the handling, manipulating, and formulating, the isolation system having an interior at least partially defined by a plurality of walls, an inlet port for allowing air to flow into the interior, an outlet port for allowing air to flow out of the interior, and a transfer port positioned on one of the walls for transferring items into and out of the isolation system;
• an autoclave for receiving items from the isolation system, sterilizing the items, and returning the items to the isolation system, the autoclave being fixedly mounted to a wall of a building and selectively coupled to the transfer port of the isolation system and having an interior for accepting the items, the interior being accessible through an opening, the opening and transfer port being in registry when the autoclave is coupled with the isolation system, the wall having an opening in registry with the opening of the autoclave;
• and
• a sealing device interconnecting the isolation system and the autoclave and sealingly engaging the transfer port of the isolation system to the opening of the autoclave to prevent external matter from passing into the interior of the isolation system and the interior of the autoclave through the transfer port and the opening.