CAROUSEL ISOLATOR

Abstract

Work on or in an isolator assembly is made difficult by the gloved intervention points also with regard to the movement space. Any facilitation can contribute to a lower physical effort and to a lower error quota. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the isolator assembly, this can therefore have operating devices for operating a rack and/or for operating the control device of the isolator assembly for users, in particular by keypad at a gloved intervention point and/or via voice recognition and/or by foot pedals. Details relating to these devices can be obtained from the application WO 2011/124 209 A, the relevant content of which is also made the content of the present application.

Claims

1. Isolator assembly for producing and maintaining a sterile environment, in particular for plant cultivation or animal research or preparation of medicaments comprising a cylindrical rack with a vertical axis, containers (cages) (each for accommodating at least one object as the contents thereof) arranged circumferentially in the rack (and accessible in a radial direction), a worktop in the immediate vicinity of the rack with a foot region situated underneath/in front of the worktop, a tent for the joint sterile shielding of both the rack and at the same time the worktop with respect to the surrounding area, with gloved intervention points in the tent for operating and/or processing the containers and/or the contents thereof between the rack and the worktop, an air lock device in the tent for introducing sterile material into the tent and for removing contaminated material from the tent, (in each case) a device for repositioning the rack relative to the worktop in an axial direction and in a rotational direction.

2. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by (in each case) a motor drive for repositioning the rack relative to the worktop preferably outside the tent.

3. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the rack comprises individual horizontally running disk-shaped plates on which the containers can be placed.

4. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a spindle elevating drive or a scissors elevating drive as the device for axial repositioning.

5. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a rotatable device for the axial repositioning of the rack relative to the worktop.

6. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a multi-part structure of the tent from sections which can be coupled together.

7. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a control device for controlling the movements of the rack and/or for controlling processes with containers and/or work on objects in the containers and a database for recording the objects and for documenting processes with and work on containers and/or their objects.

8. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by identification devices of the containers for the individualization thereof and by corresponding reading devices on the isolator assembly.

9. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by an air lock device integrated in the worktop.

10. The isolator assembly according to claim 9, characterized by two openings in the worktop and a repositionable closure which allows access to either the one or the other openings.

11. The isolator assembly according to claim 10, characterized by a latching mechanism of the safety container on the air lock device and by a coupling of the latching mechanism to the closure of the air lock device so that only an activated latching mechanism allows an actuation of the closure.

12. The isolator assembly according to claim 11, characterized by a lifting device for cages in the safety container.

13. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the worktop is configured so that it can be folded out or folded down out from a horizontal plane.

14. Isolator assembly, characterized by operating devices for operating a rack according to claim 1 for users by keypad at a gloved intervention point and/or via voice recognition and/or by foot pedals.

15. The isolator assembly according to claim 1, characterized by containers closed on all sides with microfilters on radially opposite container sides and a fan for central extraction of air from the tent into the surrounding area.

16. Isolator assembly, characterized by operating devices for operating the control device of the isolator assembly according to claim 7 for users by keypad at a gloved intervention point and/or via voice recognition and/or by foot pedals.

Description

[0051] The principle of the invention will be explained once again hereinafter with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0052] FIG. 1: shows a first perspective view of the isolator assembly,

[0053] FIG. 2: shows a second perspective view of the same isolator assembly,

[0054] FIG. 3: shows a perspective view of a further embodiment of the isolator assembly,

[0055] FIG. 4: shows a rotating and lifting device of the isolator assembly,

[0056] FIG. 5: shows a multipart shell of the isolator assembly and

[0057] FIG. 6: shows a lifting device.

[0058] FIGS. 1 and 2 show perspective views of the same isolator assembly, in each case viewed from an operating side b. Four supports 2, which bear a cover plate 3 and a cubic transparent shell 4, rise up from a foot plate 1. The shell 4 does not reach down completely to the foot plate 4 but leaves free an intermediate space 5 between its underside 6 and the foot plate 1. In its interior, the shell 4 accommodates a cylindrical rack 7 with a vertical axis a, which rack each accommodates ten circular-sector shaped cages 9 on eight disk-shaped rack plates 8. The rack plates 8 are carried by a central centre column 10 on the vertical axis a of the rack 7. The centre column 10 is hollow and is rotatable and also displaceable vertically along the vertical axis a.

[0059] Alternatively, a hollow centre column can be formed in each case of axial tube sections on the rack plates approximately at the height of a cage. The tube sections can be configured to be conical at least in sections so that they can be placed inside one another in a frictionally connected manner. The tube sections can additionally contain air connections for the ventilation or aeration of the cages. If the rack plates are additionally rotatably coupled amongst one another, they can be twisted independently of one another and a single rack plate can be twisted independently of the rest of the rack.

[0060] The supports 2 inside the shell 4 also bear a worktop 11 which projects on one side on the user side b of the isolator assembly. This worktop is slightly wider than the diameter of the cylindrical rack 7 and affords a working space of at least the depth of a cage 9. Three cages 9 can be conveniently placed on said worktop and can be manipulated thereon and inside the shell 4. For this purpose, the shell 4 has two gloved intervention points 12 above the worktop 11, which provide access inside the shell 4 to the cages 9 facing the gloved intervention points 12 in the rack 7 and on the worktop 11.

[0061] Under the worktop 11 the shell 4 is set back in the direction of the rack 7 and thereby exposes a foot space 13. This foot space extends under the overhang of the worktop 11 and thus extends from its front edge facing the user 22 as far as the first two supports 2 in front of the cylindrical rack 7. Cubic safety containers 14 can be inserted into the foot space 13 and coupled in an airtight manner to an air lock device 15, not shown in detail, from below on the worktop 11. The safety containers 14 can accommodate five cages 9 and can be sterilized together with their contents. Via the air lock device 15, the cages can be actuated through the opened, for example, partially unfolded or pushed-on worktop 11, namely removed and placed on the remaining worktop 11. In order that the safety containers 14 can be operated and reached from the gloved intervention points 12, the safety containers 14 have a lifting device shown in FIG. 6 for lifting the cages 9 approximately to the level of the worktop 11.

[0062] In order that the cages 9 of the uppermost and the lowermost rack plates 8 and the rearmost cages 9 when viewed by the user 22 can also be reached from the gloved intervention points 12, the rack plates 8 and with them the cylindrical rack 7 can be twisted and moved vertically. For this purpose the isolator assembly has a lifting motor 16 and a turning motor 17 in the intermediate space 17 (FIG. 2). These motors are arranged outside the shell 4 and therefore cannot adversely affect the sterile and germ-free atmosphere inside the shell 4. In addition, these motors can easily be reached for maintenance and repair work without the interior of the shell 4 being adversely affected thereby.

[0063] A first and a second fan 18 are arranged on the upper side of the isolator assembly and there on the cover plate 3, which fans blow in air into the shell 4 via a filter and extract it again through the hollow centre column 10. The fans 18 allow the pressure in the cages 9 to be regulated precisely. This is because the cages 9 are configured to be closed and have a cover (not shown) as well as respectively one air passage (not shown) with a microfilter on their curved front side facing the user 22 and on their narrow rear side facing the centre column 10. As soon as the centre column 10 extracts air via the first fan 18. a negative pressure is formed in the cage 9. It can be regulated by the second fan blowing filtered air into the shell 4. Thus, the pressure in the cages 9 can be regulated precisely by blowing and sucking. In addition, animals in the covered cages 9 are separated olfactorily, which is not usually the case in conventional animal isolators. Finally the air is filtered several times: the first time when flowing into the shell 4 and a further time when flowing into the cages 9. Even the possibly contaminated air from the cages 9 is filtered on exit from the cages 9 through a microfilter on the rear side thereof. Thus, high hygiene requirements can also be satisfied for protection of the operator 22 of the isolator assembly.

[0064] Depending on the application of the isolators, they can be operated at positive or negative pressure, in the case of infectious diseases usually at negative pressure to protect the user 22, in the case of gnotobiotic application at positive pressure to protect the animal. Positive pressure and negative pressure can be set by a corresponding activation of the fans 18. In addition, by activating the fans 18 the air flow through the cages 9 can also be reversed. To this end air is blown into the cages 9 through the centre column 10 and extracted from there via the remaining interior of the shell 4.

[0065] The isolator assembly additionally has a computer 19 with a screen 20 on which there is contained a control device for the and possibly further (not shown) isolator assemblies and a database with data relating to the content of the cages 9 and possibly further cages. For a more rapid access or view of the computer 19, the isolator assembly additionally has a screen 21 on the outside on the right next to the gloved intervention points 12, which screen is touch-sensitive (touchscreen). In addition, the user 22 wears a small touchscreen or keypad clipped to the underarm (not shown) which he can actuate through the gloved intervention points 12 during work on the cages 9 without needing to pull off the gloved intervention points 12.

[0066] The user 22 of the isolator assembly can firstly inspect the database relating to the cage contents on the computer 19, register on the screen 21 as a user and the like. He performs activities in the isolator assembly by actuating the gloved intervention points 12. Now he can perform work on the cages 9 or their contents inside the shell 4 and carry out activities. To this end he can place individual cages 9 on the worktop 11 and process them. Since the gloved intervention points 12 only allow a restricted movement and the cages 9 of the upper and the lower rack plates 8 cannot be reached without assistance, the user 22 can turn and raise and lower the rack in a motor-driven manner by controlling the foot pedal or by input on the keypad. Thus, each cage 9 can be brought into the range of the gloved intervention points 12.

[0067] New cages 9 or new material enter into the isolator assembly via the safety containers 14. After coupling onto the air lock device 15, fresh cages 9 from the safety container 14 can be placed on the worktop 11 optionally by means of the lifting device and further processed there. Contaminated material or contaminated cages 9 can be unloaded conversely via the second safety container 14. On the screen 21 orwithout interrupting his workon the keypad, the user 22 can register his procedures and work and/or record proposed and implemented procedures and work, whereupon the datasets in the database are updated.

[0068] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of an isolator assembly according to the invention. This isolator assembly has a fundamentally comparable structure to those of FIGS. 1 and 2, namely comprising a cylindrical rack 7 which comprises six rack plates 8 each having eight cages 9. The cylindrical rack 7 is surrounded by a cylindrical shell 30, a worktop 11 projecting on the user side b of the shell 30. In a triangular working area above the worktop 11 in a side view, two gloved intervention points 12 are accommodated. Under the worktop 11 cylindrical safety containers 24 can be latched in the manner described above and actuated. On its upper side the isolator assembly has two fans 18 which supply fresh air to the interior of the cylindrical shell 30 and the cages 9 in the manner described above and extract used air.

[0069] A difference is that the isolator assembly of FIG. 3 has a cylindrical and removal supporting ring 31 having a somewhat smaller diameter than the shell 30. The shell 30 rests on this supporting ring. The supporting ring 31 surrounds a rotational leg 25 which is driven by a rotary motor 26 and which is set in rotation in the manner explained in detail in FIG. 4. Located on the rotational leg 25 is a partially concealed lifting motor 27 which also performs a twisting of the rotational leg 25 via the rotary motor 26. The lifting motor 27 has a spindle lifting mechanism 28 which moves the rack 7 upwards and downwards along a vertical axis. Both the lifting motor 27 and also the spindle lifting mechanism 28 are arranged outside the stationary shell 30. Whereas the lifting motor 27 is positioned underneath the shell 30, the spindle lifting mechanism 28 ensheathed by a bellows 29 projects into the shell 30. The bellows 29 is a quasi-vertically deformable but rotationally fixed section of the stationary cylindrical shell 30 which creates an airtight transition between the interior of the shell 30 and the rotational and lifting forces acting from outside on the ensheathed cylindrical rack 7. Thus, on the one hand the contents of the cylindrical shell 30 and in particular the cylindrical rack 7 remain sealed in an airtight and sterile manner with respect to the surroundings. On the other hand , the lifting motor 27 and the rotary motor 26 can be maintained and optionally repaired from an outer side of the cylindrical shell 30 without adversely affecting the hygiene conditions inside the cylindrical shell 30.

[0070] FIG. 4 shows the vertical and rotational drive of the rack 7 in detail: the rotary motor 26 and the lifting motor 27 sit together on the rotational leg 25. The rotational leg rotates about the vertical axis a and extends radially as far as an internally toothed sprocket 32, which is arranged coaxially to the vertical axis a. The spindle lifting mechanism 28 is also mounted coaxially on the rotational leg 25, which mechanism can be driven by the lifting motor 27. This comprises a telescopable lifting rod 33 comprising five cylindrical segments 34 having the height h. The lifting rod 33 can thus be extended to approximately five times the height h of a segment 34. Located at the top end of the lifting rod 33 is a rotatable disk 35 as part of rotary seal of the stationary bellows 29 (FIG. 3) not shown with respect to the rotatable rack 7. The disk 35 can be twisted with respect to the bellows 29 but hermetically seals the atmosphere inside the shell 30 (FIG. 3) with respect to the surrounding area.

[0071] The rotational leg 25 engages in the sprocket 32 at its radially outer end 36 via a concealed toothed wheel. The rotary motor 26 drives the toothed wheel and sets in rotation the rotational leg 25 and with this itself, the lifting motor 27 and the spindle lifting mechanism 28. The rotational leg 25 thereby sweeps a coaxial sliding ring 37 which cooperates with siding contacts arranged in a concealed manner on an underside of the rotational leg 25. The sliding ring 37 is connected via a power line 38 to a conventional power source and supplies energy both to the rotary motor 26 and also to the lifting motor 27.

[0072] This therefore results in a drive for the vertical and the rotational movement of the rack 7 which requires an extremely small installation height and therefore can be advantageously placed under the rack 7 without it taking up storage space which can be used for cages 9. At the same time, the motors 26, 27 can be arranged outside the shell 30 (FIG. 3) with the result that they are easily accessible for maintenance and repair work and the atmosphere inside the shell 30 is neither adversely influenced thereby nor by its operation as intended.

[0073] FIG. 5 shows a schematic reproduction of a multipart cylindrical shell 40. This shell is composed of a plate-shaped cover 41, an identical base 42, and a transparent cylinder casing 43, which can be divided into individual casing sections 46 by intermediate rings 44 in the vertical direction. The cover 41 has a collar-shaped shoulder 45 as a connection to the fans 18 (FIG. 3). The base 42 supports the shell 40 on the supporting ring 31 (FIG. 3). The intermediate rings 44 allow the casing 43 to be broken down into several casing sections 46 so that the shell 40, for example, can be adapted to a changed height of the rack 7. In addition, these intermediate rings make it possible to exchange damaged casing sections 46 without the casing 43 needing to be completely replaced. Finally the height of the gloved intervention points 12 (see FIG. 3) which are mounted on a special casing section not shown can be adapted to changed conditions by inserting or removing individual casing sections 46. A sealing of various casing sections 46 can be achieved by sticking over the joins between the casing sections 46 and the intermediate rings 45 with transparent adhesive tape.

[0074] In addition to the isolator assembly shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 shows a lifting device 47 not shown there in the safety containers 24. This lifting device comprises a bellows-like cylindrical air cushion 48 which can be expanded by inflating, which rests on a container base 49 of the safety container 24. The air cushion 48 carries a disk-shaped plate 50 on which a cage 9 is placed. An air hose 52 runs through the plate 50 and out via an upper side 51 of the safety container 24, which air hose can be connected via couplings and valves not shown to an air line from the fan 18 as compressed air source, also not shown.

[0075] As soon as the safety container 24 is coupled under the worktop 11 to the air lock device 25 there in an airtight manner, the user 22 (FIGS. 1 to 3) can open the safety container 24. If it is completely filled, the user can remove an uppermost cage 9. If only one cage 9 is located therein however, his scope for movement in the gloved intervention points 12 is not sufficient to grip right into the safety container 24. He thus connects the air hose 52 provided in the safety container 24 in the area of its upper side 51 to the fans 18 as compressed air source. These fans then expand the air cushion 48 which lifts the cage 9 vertically until the user 22 can remove it.

REFERENCE LIST

[0076] 1 Foot plate [0077] 2 Support [0078] 3 Cover plate [0079] 4 Shell [0080] 5 Intermediate space [0081] 6 Underside [0082] 7 Cylindrical rack [0083] 8 Rack plate [0084] 9 Cage [0085] 10 Centre column [0086] 11 Worktop [0087] 12 Gloved intervention point [0088] 13 Foot space [0089] 14 Safety container [0090] 15 Air lock device [0091] 16 Lifting motor [0092] 17 Rotary motor [0093] 18 Fan [0094] 19 Computer [0095] 20 Screen [0096] 21 Screen (Touchscreen) [0097] 22 User [0098] 23 Working area [0099] 24 Safety container [0100] 25 Rotational leg [0101] 26 Rotary motor [0102] 27 Lifting motor [0103] 28 Spindle elevating mechanism [0104] 29 Bellows [0105] 30 Cylindrical shell [0106] 31 Supporting ring [0107] 32 Sprocket [0108] 33 Lifting rod [0109] 34 Segment [0110] 35 Disk [0111] 36 Outer end [0112] 37 Sliding ring [0113] 38 Power line [0114] 40 Shell [0115] 41 Cover [0116] 42 Bottom [0117] 43 Casing [0118] 44 Intermediate ring [0119] 45 Shoulder [0120] 46 Casing section [0121] 47 Lifting device [0122] 48 Air cushion [0123] 49 Bottom of safety container 24 [0124] 50 Plate [0125] 51 Top of safety container 24 [0126] 52 Air hose [0127] a Vertical axis [0128] b User side [0129] h Height of a segment 34