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US 9,789,480 B2Granted
Aseptic manipulation system and object-introducing method for aseptic manipulation system
AssigneeShibuya Corporation
InventorsTakuya Funazuka, Masaharu Shomura
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aseptic manipulation system comprises first and second operation chambers, an aseptic manipulation chamber, and a control unit. The control unit controls the ventilation of the first operation chamber for more than a first specified number of times, after an object is introduced into the first operation chamber, and ventilates the second operation chamber for more than a second specified number of times that is greater than the first specified number of times, after the object is transferred into the second operation chamber from the first chamber.
Claims9
An aseptic manipulation system, comprising:
- an aseptic manipulation chamber, an air pressure of which is positive compared to an ambient pressure, so that interior of the aseptic manipulation chamber is kept in an aseptic condition;
- a series of decontamination chambers provided for removing microbes adhering to an object prior to the object being introduced into the aseptic manipulation chamber, the decontamination chambers including:
- a first operation chamber provided with an inlet portion that can be closed,
- a second operation chamber connected to the first operation chamber and the aseptic manipulation chamber, a connecting portion to the aseptic manipulation chamber being provided with an outlet portion that can be closed,
- a communication portion configured to facilitate communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, the communication portion being able to open and close,
- an inlet portion door configured to open and close the inlet portion,
- an outlet portion door configured to open and close the outlet portion, and
- a communication portion door configured to open and close the communication portion;
- a first ventilation mechanism configured to ventilate interior of the first operation chamber, and to adjust an air pressure present in the interior of the first operation chamber by increasing or decreasing volume of air supplied to or discharged from the first operation chamber;
- a second ventilation mechanism configured to ventilate interior of the second operation chamber, and to adjust an air pressure present in the interior of the second operation chamber by increasing or decreasing volume of air supplied to or discharged from the second operation chamber;
- and
- a computer that is configured to monitor open-closed states of each of the inlet portion door, the outlet portion door, and the communication portion door, and is configured to control operations of the first ventilation mechanism and the second ventilation mechanism,
- wherein
- the computer is configured to ventilate the interior of the first operation chamber with the first ventilation mechanism for more than a first specified number of times after an object is introduced into the first operation chamber from an outside environment and the inlet portion is closed while the communication portion is closed, and to ventilate the interior of the second operation chamber with the second ventilation mechanism for more than a second specified number of times, which is greater than the first specified number of times, after the object is transferred into the second operation chamber from the first chamber and the communication portion is closed while the outlet portion is closed,
- the computer is configured to control the air pressures in the first and second operation chambers to be positive compared to the ambient pressure and less than the air pressure present in the interior of the aseptic manipulation chamber, and
- each of the aseptic manipulation chamber and the decontamination chambers is provided with gloves installed therein, the gloves being accessible from an exterior of each of the aseptic manipulation chamber and the decontamination chambers.
13 more elements
A method for introducing an object into an aseptic manipulation system comprising:
- an aseptic manipulation chamber, the air pressure of which is positive compared to the ambient pressure, so that interior of the aseptic manipulation chamber is kept in an aseptic condition;
- a series of decontamination chambers provided for removing microbes adhering to an object prior to the object being introduced into the aseptic manipulation chamber, the decontamination chambers including:
- a first operation chamber provided with an inlet portion that can be closed,
- a second operation chamber connected to the first operation chamber and the aseptic manipulation chamber, a connecting portion to the aseptic manipulation chamber being provided with an outlet portion that can be closed, and
- a communication portion configured to facilitate communication between the first chamber and the second chamber, the communication portion being able to open and close;
- a first ventilation mechanism configured to ventilate interior of the first operation chamber, and to adjust an air pressure present in the interior of the first operation chamber by increasing or decreasing volume of air supplied to or discharged from the first operation chamber;
- and
- a second ventilation mechanism configured to ventilate interior of the second operation chamber, and to adjust an air pressure present in the interior of the second operation chamber by increasing or decreasing volume of air supplied to or discharged from the second operation chamber;
- the method comprising:
- opening the inlet portion while the communication portion is closed and ventilating the first operation chamber with the first ventilation mechanism for more than a first specified number of times after introducing the object into the first operation chamber from an outside environment and closing the inlet portion;
- opening the communication portion while closing the outlet portion, and ventilating the second operation chamber with the second ventilation mechanism for more than a second specified number of times that is greater than the first specified number of times after transferring the object from the first operation chamber to the second operation chamber and closing the communication portion;
- decontaminating the object in at least one of the first operation chamber and the second operation chamber being ventilated;
- and
- opening the outlet portion to transfer the object from the second operation chamber to the aseptic manipulation chamber,
- wherein
- the air pressures in the first and second operation chambers are maintained to be positive compared to the ambient pressure and less than the air pressure present in the interior of the aseptic manipulation chamber, and
- each of the aseptic manipulation chamber and the decontamination chambers is provided with gloves installed therein, the gloves being accessible from an exterior of each of the aseptic manipulation chamber and the decontamination chambers.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.