isolator

Abstract

The invention relates to an isolator (8) having a staging plate (14) for arranging a substance processing unit (16) and having an isolator cabin (34), wherein the isolator cabin (34) has a housing (36) having a door (38) which is openable and closable relative to the housing, which in the open state enables access to an interior space (50) of the isolator cabin and which in the closed state delimits the interior space at least laterally jointly with the housing, wherein the door has a lowermost frame section (56) with respect to the direction of gravity (22), which in the open state of the door opens a horizontal transport path with respect to the direction of gravity for horizontal introduction of a substance processing unit arranged on the staging plate into the interior space and which in the closed state of the door prevents horizontal extraction of a substance processing unit arranged on the staging plate from the interior space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an isolator. Background Technology

[0002] Isolators are known, for example, by DE 10 2007 030 789 A1, and are used particularly in the pharmaceutical and food industries for the purposes of producing, processing and / or packaging substances.

[0003] In the pharmaceutical and food industries, a variety of different material processing units are typically used to handle very large quantities of substances that vary greatly in their properties, such as toxicity. These substances also differ in their susceptibility to contamination from external sources. The same applies to preventing cross-contamination between different substances.

[0004] In principle, it is conceivable to provide dedicated isolators for a given material processing unit and a given material. However, when setting up an isolator, the isolator not only occupies a defined storage area (“footprint”), but also requires space in its immediate surrounding environment for the placement of peripheral equipment, for the supply of initial materials and the output of products, and for access to the isolator and its interior space for operators and maintenance personnel.

[0005] Due to the aforementioned conditions, it is common practice in practice to use isolators for different substances, and to thoroughly clean the material handling unit, at least when switching to a different substance. In this case, the isolator cannot be used for production, processing, or packaging purposes. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Based on this premise, the objective of this invention is to provide an isolator capable of achieving an improved load rate.

[0007] According to the present invention, this task is solved by the isolator according to the present invention.

[0008] The isolator according to the invention enables, more precisely, unimpeded access to the isolator compartment in the open state. In this open state, the side inlet to the interior space of the isolator compartment's shell is open; this allows for the side introduction of a material processing unit arranged on a mounting plate. Therefore, the interior space of the isolator compartment can be very quickly and easily filled with the material processing unit arranged on the mounting plate. Such loading allows for the rapid replacement of material processing units with the same type or a different type. In any case, cleaning of the material processing unit is simplified and can be performed outside the isolator compartment. Replacement of the material to be processed can also be performed particularly quickly and easily. Furthermore, in the case of providing two isolator compartments according to the invention, it is possible to quickly and easily transfer the same material processing unit from the first isolator compartment to the second isolator compartment. This transfer can especially be accompanied by a change in sterility level if the second isolator compartment has a different sterility level than the first isolator compartment.

[0009] Preferably, the isolator compartment is arranged on a frame in a particularly fixed position. Such a frame allows the isolator compartment to be separated from the ground of the production environment and provides free space for arranging the scaffolding and, if necessary, for arranging components located below the scaffolding and, if necessary, connected to the scaffolding.

[0010] Preferably, the erection platform and material processing unit are provided via a mobile unit. In its simplest form, this could be a rollwagen capable of moving across the ground in the production environment and carrying at least the erection platform and the material processing unit arranged on it. However, such a rollwagen is also preferably used to arrange components located beneath the erection platform. Such components could be, for example, actuators or power supply devices for the material processing unit.

[0011] When the door is closed, the door and the housing together form at least a lateral boundary of the internal space of the isolator. Therefore, it is preferable that the door and the housing are sealed relative to each other by means of a door seal when the door is closed.

[0012] To enable access to the interior space of the isolator compartment even when the door is closed, it is preferable that the door and / or housing have an access opening for accessing the interior space of the isolator compartment. This access opening may optionally have a handschuheing riff or a quick-transfer port.

[0013] To further simplify the insertion of the material handling unit into the isolator, it is preferable that the erection plate and the material handling unit are provided via a first assembly unit. This first assembly unit may, for example, be the previously described movable unit. Furthermore, it is preferable that the isolator compartment forms a second assembly unit, and that the first and second assembly units are capable of engaging and disengaging from each other along a vertical axis about the direction of gravity. This enables a particularly simple connection between the edge of the erection plate on one side and the edge of the isolator compartment on the other.

[0014] To simplify such assembly, it is preferable that the isolator has an erection plate lifting actuator for raising and lowering the erection plate. Such an erection plate lifting actuator is preferably integrated into the first assembly unit, and in particular into the previously described moving unit.

[0015] Attached to or replacing the slab lifting drive, it is possible to provide an isolator compartment lifting drive for raising and lowering the isolator compartment. Such an isolator compartment lifting drive can be, in particular, a crane commonly available in production environments. Alternatively, the isolator compartment lifting drive may also be capable of transporting the isolator compartment in a horizontal transport plane or along a horizontal transport axis, for example, by using a bridge crane. This is particularly advantageous when the material handling unit is positioned in a fixed location.

[0016] According to the invention, a circumferentially closed mounting plate seal is arranged between the mounting plate and the mating sections of the isolator compartment, which extend in a closed manner along the circumferential side. This is particularly advantageous for embodiments having a first assembly unit and a second assembly unit capable of moving relative to each other along a vertical axis, and it enables simple manufacturing and allows for sealing between the mounting plate and the isolator compartment during the engagement of the two assembly units. Such a seal is easily broken during the disassembly / separation of the assembly units.

[0017] According to the invention, the first sub-region of the mating section is formed by the lower edge of the lower frame section of the closed door, and the second sub-region of the mating section is formed by the lower edge of the housing. This enables the simultaneous sealing of the mounting plate not only relative to the door but also relative to the housing of the isolator compartment.

[0018] Furthermore, preferably, the isolator has a quick-change interface for detachably connecting the isolator compartment and the erection plate. For this purpose, a first interface belonging to the isolator compartment and a second interface belonging to the erection plate are provided.

[0019] Preferably, the material processing unit is a capsule filling machine or a tablet compressor. It is possible to provide multiple moving units that carry different material processing units, for example, differing in the type of capsule filling.

[0020] It is possible that the door can pivot relative to the shell, especially about a vertical pivot axis about the direction of gravity.

[0021] It is also possible that the door can be displaced relative to the shell, more precisely, along a horizontal or vertical displacement axis about the direction of gravity.

[0022] Other features and advantages of the present invention are the subject of the following description and illustrations of preferred embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0023] In the attached diagram,

[0024] Figure 1 A perspective view showing one embodiment of an isolator having an open isolator compartment and a movable unit arranged outside the isolator compartment;

[0025] Figure 2 Showing the corresponding Figure 1 The view shows the material handling unit of the mobile unit arranged inside the isolator compartment;

[0026] Figure 3 Showing the corresponding Figure 2 A view showing a closed isolator compartment;

[0027] Figure 4 Showing the corresponding Figure 3 The view shows the moving unit and the isolator compartment joined together along the vertical axis;

[0028] Figure 5 A vertical cross-section showing the transition area between the shell and door of the isolator compartment and between the mounting plate of the moving unit and the shell and door;

[0029] Figure 6 A perspective view showing the isolator's optional quick-change interface. Detailed Implementation

[0030] One implementation of the isolator is in Figure 1 The isolator 8 is shown in the figure and is generally indicated by reference numeral 8. The isolator 8 includes a moving unit 10 having a table 12 that supports a mounting plate 14, which in turn is used to arrange the material processing unit 16, schematically shown. The material processing unit 16 is, in particular, a capsule filling machine or a tablet compressor.

[0031] The table 12 is capable of moving on the floor 18 of the production environment. For this purpose, the moving unit has casters 20 and, if necessary, a moving drive (not shown).

[0032] The moving unit 10 has a platform lifting actuator 24 integrated into the table 12, which is capable of adjusting the height of the platform 14 (i.e., the distance from the ground 18) along a height adjustment axis 26 parallel to the gravity direction 22. See [reference needed] Figure 1 , 3 And 4.

[0033] The moving unit 10 forms the first assembly unit 28 of the isolator. The second assembly unit 30 of the isolator 8 includes a frame 32 fixedly arranged on the ground 18, which carries the isolator compartment 34 such that the isolator compartment 34 is spaced apart from the ground 18.

[0034] The isolator compartment 34 has a housing 36 and a door 38 that can be opened and closed relative to the housing 36. The door 38 is supported on the front side of the housing 36 in a manner that allows it to pivot about a vertical pivot axis 40.

[0035] The housing 36 has a rear wall 42 and side walls 44 and 46 opposite each other. The walls 42, 44 and 46, together with the ceiling section 48, define the internal space of the isolator compartment 34, indicated by reference numeral 50.

[0036] Door 38 is in the closed state (see Figure 3 and 4 The boundary section that forms the front side of the internal space 50.

[0037] The housing 36, for example, the rear wall 42 of the housing 36, has at least one functional opening 52 that enables access from the outside into the interior space 50. The door 38 has at least one functional opening 54 that also enables access to the interior space 50 when the door 38 is closed.

[0038] Door 38 has a lower frame section 56, which is preferably arranged obliquely relative to the vertical plane. In the closed state of door 38, the frame section 56 together with the lower frame sections 58, 60 and 62 of the walls 42, 44 and 46 of the housing 36 forms a funnel-shaped surface closed on the circumferential side.

[0039] The lower frame section 56 of the door 38 has a tab-shaped lower edge portion 64. The housing 38 has a tab-shaped lower edge portion 66, which is formed by the frame sections 58, 60 and 62 of the housing 36 and has an overall U-shaped orientation.

[0040] The lower edges 64 and 66 are arranged at the same height with respect to the direction of gravity 22. In the closed state of the door 38, the lower edges 64 and 66 form a sealing tab that closes circumferentially. This sealing tab serves as a mating section for the circumferentially closed slab seal 68, which is arranged on the upper side of the slab 14. See [reference needed]. Figure 1 and 3 .

[0041] In the initial empty / loading-ready state of the isolator compartment 34, door 38 is open, thus releasing the composite structure of the lower frame section 56 of door 38 and the lower frame sections 58, 60, and 62 of housing 36 that are closed circumferentially. The lower frame sections 58, 60, and 62 of housing 36 form a U-shaped boundary of the internal space 50, into which the moving unit 10 can be horizontally inserted, without the moving unit 10 or a portion thereof and / or the second assembly unit 30 or a portion thereof needing to move or be driven vertically. See [reference needed] Figure 1 and 2 .

[0042] With the material processing unit 16 introduced into the internal space 50, the mounting plate 14 is arranged below the housing 36 and is still spaced apart from the sealing plate 66. See [reference needed] Figure 2 and 3 .

[0043] After positioning the material processing unit 16 within the internal space 50, close the door 38, see [link / reference]. Figure 2 and 3 Preferably, the door 38 is sealed relative to the front edge 78 of the housing 36 by means of a door seal 76 in its closed state.

[0044] Next, the first assembly unit 28 and the second assembly unit 30 are joined together along the vertical axis 83, see [reference]. Figure 3 and 4 For this purpose, the erection plate 14 can be raised, for example, by means of the erection plate lift actuator 24 which is part of the first assembly unit 28, or the second assembly unit 30 can be lowered by means of (e.g., an external) isolator compartment lift actuator 80, until the lower edges 64 and 66 of the isolator compartment 34 are sealed against the erection plate seal 68, see [link to documentation]. Figure 4 and 5 Here, the lower region 84 of the door seal 76 impacts the seal in a T-shape against the mounting plate seal 68.

[0045] To replace the material handling unit 16, it is possible to separate the two assembly units 28 and 30 again along the vertical axis 82, open the door 38, and remove the material handling unit 16 from the interior space 50 of the isolator compartment 34 by moving the moving unit 10 on the ground 18. Next, the same material handling unit 16 can be reintroduced into the interior space 50, preferably in a cleaned state. Alternatively, the same type or different type of material handling unit 16 can be introduced into the interior space 50 and then removed again, either using the same moving unit 10 or using an additional moving unit.

[0046] The isolator 8 optionally has at least one quick-change interface 134 for a detachable connection between the mobile unit 10 and the isolator compartment 34 (see [link]). Figure 6 The quick-change interface has a first interface section 128 belonging to the mounting plate 14 of the mobile unit 10 and a second interface section 132 belonging to the isolator compartment 34.

[0047] The first interface section 128 is arranged, for example, in the edge region of the erection plate 14 or on the side of the erection plate 14. The first interface section 128 has, for example, a receiving element 136 for form-lockingly receiving and preferably electrically motor-driven locking the form-locking element 138 of the second interface section 132 of the isolator compartment 34.

[0048] In addition, the first interface section 128 may optionally have a fixed contact section 140 for electrically connecting the second contact section 142 of the second interface section 132.

Claims

1. An isolator (8) having a mounting plate (14) for arranging a material handling unit (16) and having an isolator compartment (34), wherein, The isolator compartment (34) has a shell (36) with a door (38) that can be opened and closed relative to the shell (36). When open, the door allows access to the interior space (50) of the isolator compartment (34), and when closed, the door, together with the shell (36), at least laterally delimits the interior space (50). The door (38) has a lowermost frame section (56) about the direction of gravity, which, when open, opens a horizontal transport path about the direction of gravity (22) for horizontally introducing material processing units (16) arranged on the erection plate (14) into the interior space (50). The lowermost frame section prevents the material handling unit (16) arranged on the erection plate (14) from being horizontally discharged from the interior space (50) when the door (38) is closed. The feature is that an erection plate seal (68) extending circumferentially closed is arranged between the erection plate (14) and the mating sections of the isolator compartment (34), wherein a first sub-region of the mating section is formed by the lower edge (64) of the lower frame section (56) of the closed door (38), and wherein a second sub-region of the mating section is formed by the lower edge (66) of the housing (36), wherein the lower edge of the door and the lower edge of the housing are sealingly engaged with the erection plate seal.

2. The isolator (8) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The isolator compartment (34) is arranged on the frame (32).

3. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The erection board (14) and the material processing unit (16) are provided by the moving unit (10).

4. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The door (38) and the housing (36) are sealed relative to each other by means of a door seal (76) when the door (38) is closed.

5. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The door (38) has an operating opening (54) for acting on the internal space (50) of the isolator compartment.

6. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The housing (36) has an operating opening (52) for acting on the internal space (50) of the isolator compartment.

7. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The erection plate (14) and the material processing unit (16) are provided by a first assembly unit (28), the isolator compartment (34) forms a second assembly unit (30), and the first assembly unit (28) and the second assembly unit (30) are capable of engaging and disengaging from each other along a vertical axis (82) about the direction of gravity.

8. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, An erection plate lifting driver (24) is provided for raising and lowering the erection plate (14).

9. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, An isolator compartment lift actuator (80) is provided for raising and lowering the isolator compartment (34).

10. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The isolator (8) has a quick-change interface (134) for detachably connecting the isolator compartment (34) and the erection plate (14).

11. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The material processing unit (16) is a capsule filling machine or a tablet press.

12. The isolator (8) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the isolator further comprises a second isolator compartment.

13. The isolator (8) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The isolator compartment (34) and the second isolator compartment have different sterility levels.

14. The isolator (8) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The frame (32) is in a fixed position.

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