Cell flange for double-sealed door with reduced disconnection effort
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2024004144
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-04
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-04-22
Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Cell flange for double watertight door with reduced disconnection forces Technical field
[0001] The invention relates to the sealed transfer of objects from a sealed container to a cell, with a double-door connection system. STATE OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] In various industrial sectors, tasks are carried out in a confined atmosphere, to protect the environment, for example, from radioactivity or toxicity, or to carry out these tasks in an aseptic atmosphere.
[0003] The transfer of objects from a container to a cell, without breaking the seal, is ensured with a double-door connection device, known for example from documents FR2695343 and US8950624.
[0004] Such a device can be used for packaging drugs when using an isolator or an aseptic filling line. In this case, it is necessary to transfer small objects such as bottle caps to supply this line.
[0005] The confined enclosure or cell is equipped with a flange which is closed on the inside by a door mounted on a hinge fitted to this flange, commonly called the Alpha part, and the Beta part, such as for example a container or a bag, the mouth of which is provided with another flange fitted with another door. The flanges are provided with ears separated by notches. The shapes and dimensions of the ears of one of the flanges correspond to the shapes and dimensions of the notches of the other flange so as to be able to form a bayonet connection.
[0006] The connection consists of engaging the container flange (Beta part) in the cell flange (Alpha part), and pivoting it on itself, which has the effect of:
[0007] - secure the two flanges to each other by engaging a first connection at bayonet called flange-flange connection;
[0008] - secure the two doors to each other by engaging a second connection to bayonet called door-door connection;
[0009] - detach the container door from its flange by disengaging a third bayonet connection called flange-door connection.
[0010] After connection, the cell door is pivoted inwards to open it: the container door then being rigidly secured to that of the cell by the door-door connection, it is taken with the cell door to extract it from the container flange.
[0011] When the objects have been transferred, the cell door can then be folded down against this opening with the container door it carries.
[0012] The Beta part is then pivoted on itself in the opposite direction, which has the effect of:
[0013] - secure the container door to the container flange;
[0014] - separate the container door from the cell door;
[0015] - separate the container flange from the cell flange.
[0016] When connecting the container to the cell, a volume of air is confined in substantially cylindrical boundary spaces delimited by an external face of the cell door, an external face of the container door, and their respective peripheral seals, and delimited by an external face of the cell flange, an external face of the cell door, and their respective peripheral seals. At the end of the container disconnection operations which bring the ears of the container flange opposite the notches of the cell flange, the operator must exert traction on the container to detach the Beta part from the Alpha part. The traction exerted on the container must be sufficient to overcome the suction effect that the expansion of the confined air volume between the external faces of the two doors, and / or between the external faces of the two flanges, exerts against a separation of the Beta and Alpha parts.Such traction is particularly important and difficult to apply for large container diameters and the fact that the separation occurs abruptly is a possible source of accidents.
[0017] Finally, such efforts exerted repetitively can tire the operators, which presents the risk of a loss of vigilance and therefore the occurrence of a connection fault of the container which could lead to breaking the isolation of the cell, which has significant consequences on the quality of production.
[0018] The aim of the invention is to provide a solution to overcome this drawback, without integrating filters like most current solutions on the market. Description of the invention
[0019] For this purpose, a cell flange is provided comprising an annular flange body of main axis and which is provided with means for fixing it to a wall of a cell, the flange body defining an internal passage, the flange having a cell door which can selectively close the internal passage and a set of external ears projecting radially internally from a circumferential wall of the flange to delimit with an external face of the flange body a groove comprising at least one notch separating two ears of the set of ears in order to form an external bayonet connection system with a container, the cell flange having a device intended to reduce a force of disengagement of the container from the bayonet connection.
[0020] According to other particular, non-exclusive and optional embodiments of the invention:
[0021] - the device comprises an annular groove made in the cell flange;
[0022] - at least one detachment portion which projects from the external face and which is intersecting with a plane comprising the external face along a junction curve, a tangent to the detachment portion at a point on the junction curve forming a first angle of between fifteen and sixty degrees with the external face;
[0023] - the first angle is between twenty-five and forty-five degrees with the face external ;
[0024] - the detachment portion is integral with a removable assembly attached in such a way reversible on the cell flange;
[0025] - the detachment portion is attached by screwing onto the cell flange, the cell flange preferably comprising a counterbore for receiving the detachment portion;
[0026] - the detachment portion is located directly above a notch.
[0027] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of particular non-limiting embodiments of the invention. Brief description of the drawings
[0028] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the figures which represent:
[0029] - [Fig.l] [Fig.l] is a schematic sectional view of a cell provided with a flange according to a first embodiment of the invention;
[0030] - [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a schematic front view of the flange of [Fig.l] whose door is shown closed;
[0031] - [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a schematic perspective view of an external face of the flange of [Fig.l];
[0032] - [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a schematic exploded perspective view of a flange of container and a container door;
[0033] - [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a schematic sectional view of the container flange and the container door of [Fig.4];
[0034] - [Fig.6] [Fig.6] is a partial schematic sectional view of the flange of the [Fig.l];
[0035] - [Fig.7] [Fig.7] is a schematic perspective view of a first stage of connection of a container to the flange of [Fig.l];
[0036] - [Fig.8] [Fig.8] is a view identical to [Fig.7] after a second step of connection of a container to the cell flange of [Fig.l];
[0037] - [Fig.9] [Fig.9] is a view identical to [Fig.7] after a third step of connection of a container to the cell flange of [Fig.l];
[0038] - [Fig. 10] [Fig. 10] is a schematic perspective view of a final stage opening a connection between a container and the cell flange of [Fig.l];
[0039] - [Fig. 11] [Fig. 11] is a schematic perspective view of a cell flange according to a second embodiment of the invention;
[0040] - [Fig. 12] [Fig. 12] is a schematic perspective detail view of a flange of cell according to a second embodiment of the invention;
[0041] - [Fig. 13] [Fig. 13] is a schematic perspective detail view of the flange of [Fig. 12];
[0042] - [Fig. 14] [Fig. 14] is a projection representation of a junction curve of a portion of the flange of [Fig. 13] with a plane.
[0043] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS
[0044] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a wall 100 of a cell (not shown) is equipped with a cell flange 200. This cell flange 200 has an internal face 4 facing the inside of the cell that it equips, and an external face 7 facing the outside of the cell that it equips.
[0045] The cell flange 200 comprises an annular flange body 201 with a main axis AX and which is provided with means for fixing it to the wall 100. The flange body 201 defines an internal passage 202. The flange 200 has a cell door 15 which can selectively close the internal passage 202. The cell flange 200 is provided on the inside of the cell with a hinge 14 on which the cell door 15 is mounted. The cell door 15 can occupy an open position towards the inside of the cell to release the internal passage 202 from the flange 200. The cell door 15 can also occupy a folded position on the internal passage 202 to close it, which corresponds to the configuration of FIGS. 1 and 2. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the hinge 14 extends along an axis AY which is parallel to the wall 100 and which is here oriented vertically. The flange 200 also includes a set of four external ears 203 to 206 visible in [Fig.3] - which project radially from the inner periphery 207 of a circumferential wall 208 of the flange 200 and which are capable of forming an external bayonet connection. The external ears 203 to 206 extend at a non-zero axial distance from an external face 210 (i.e. facing the outside of the cell) of the flange body 201 to define four portions 223 to 226 of an external groove 220 - of which only the groove portions 223, 224 and 226 are visible in [Fig. 3]. The groove 220 comprises a first notch 213 which separates the ears 203 and 204. A second notch 214 separates the ears 204 and 205. A third notch 215 separates the ears 205 and 206. Finally, a fourth notch 216 separates the ears 206 and 203.
[0046] The cell door 15 also comprises a cylindrical portion 16 which projects from its outer face 17 (i.e. facing towards the outside of the cell). The cell door 15 comprises a set of four internal ears 18 to 21 which project radially from the cylindrical portion 16 and which are capable of forming an internal bayonet connection. The cell door 15 also comprises an annular lip seal 22, two lips 23 of which bear on the flange body 201.
[0047] As visible in [Fig.l], and according to a first embodiment of the invention, the cell flange 200 comprises an annular groove 270, here produced in the portion 210 of the cell flange 200.
[0048] As visible in figures 4 and 5, the container flange 3 comprises a straight cylindrical body of revolution along the axis AX, a cylindrical internal face 5 of which defines an internal passage 6. The internal passage 6 comprises four internal tabs 10 to 13 regularly distributed around a central main axis AX of the container flange 3. Two of these internal tabs 10 and 13 are visible in [Fig.4], these internal tabs 10 to 13 protrude radially towards the axis AX.
[0049] The body of the container flange 3 also comprises an externally projecting outer face 8 from which four container ears 3.1 to 3.4 come.
[0050] The container flange 3 is provided with a container door 30 which rests on a lip seal shown in [Fig.5].
[0051] The container door 30 comprises a cylindrical body 31 of revolution along the axis AX projecting outwardly from which come four door lugs 48, 49, 50 and 51 (51 not visible) capable of forming a door bayonet connection with the internal tabs 10 to 13. The body 31 also defines a blind cylindrical housing 32 of axis AX and which is open on its front face 33. The housing 32 comprises a wall 34 projecting radially from which comes a set of four internal tabs 35, 36, 37 and 38 capable of forming the internal bayonet connection with the internal tabs 18 to 21 of the cell door 15.
[0052] With reference to Figures 7 to 10, the connection of the container flange 3 to the cell 200 consists of engaging the container ears 3.1 to 3.4 of the container flange 3 in the cell flange 200 so as to present the container ears 3.1 to 3.4 of the container flange 3 in the notches 213 to 216 of the flange 200 (Figures 7 and 8). In this configuration, the internal ears 18 to 21 of the door 15 extend between the internal tabs 35 to 38 of the door 30.
[0053] The container 3 is then pivoted around the axis AX - here a rotation of sixty degrees clockwise as shown in Figures 8 and 9 - to form the external bayonet connection and connect the container 3 to the cell flange 200, and during this rotational movement the following steps take place:
[0054] - the container ears 3.1 to 3.4 engage in the portions 223 to 226 of the groove 220 - during rotation of the container flange 3 relative to the door 15, the internal tabs 35 to 38 of the container door 30 connect with the internal ears 18 to 21 of the cell door 15 to engage the internal bayonet connection, also called door-door connection and not visible in the figures. The internal bayonet connection secures the container door 30 to the cell door 15;
[0055] - the four door ears 48 to 51 are also positioned between the internal legs 10 to 13 for separating the container door 30 from the body 31.
[0056] At the end of these operations, the coupling of the container door 30 with the cell door 15 is completed. The opening of the cell door 15 then makes it possible to free the internal passage 202, taking with it the container door 30 ([Fig. 10]).
[0057] In the same way, when the transfer has been carried out, the cell door 15 is folded down before applying a rotation around the axis AX in the counterclockwise direction (as shown in [Fig.9]) to the container 3. This has the effect of locking the door 15 on the flange 200, disengaging the internal bayonet connection - which separates the cell door 15 and the container door 30 - and engaging the door bayonet connection - which secures the container door 30 to the container flange 3. The ears 3.1 to 3.4 are then located in the notches 213 to 216 and the operator can extract the container 3 from the cell flange 200 by exerting a tensile force on it in a direction substantially parallel to the axis Ax.The annular groove 270, by significantly increasing the volume of air confined between the cell flange 200 and the container flange 3, makes it possible to reduce the tensile force required to extract the container 3 from the cell flange 200.
[0058] A cell flange 200 is thus obtained, the particular arrangement of which allows a considerable reduction in the overall force to be applied by an operator to overcome the suction force exerted against extraction of the container 3 from the flange 200.
[0059] Elements identical or analogous to those previously described will bear a numerical reference identical to this in the following description of a second embodiment of the invention.
[0060] According to a second embodiment shown in figures 11 and 12, the external face 210 of the flange 200 comprises a first counterbore 230, a second counterbore 240, a third counterbore 250 and a fourth counterbore 260 respectively located directly above the notches 213, 214, 215 and 216. The counterbores 240, 250 and 260 are not visible. Since the counterbores are all identical, only the counterbore 230 will be described.
[0061] The counterbore 230 accommodates a first assembly 231 called a ramp, screwed into the counterbore 230 and which has a first detachment portion 232, here a flat portion, which projects from the external face 210. The portion 232 intersects with a plane P comprising the external face 210 according to a junction curve 233.
[0062] The curve 233 comprises, here, a section 233.1 extending substantially radially, two sections 233.2 and 233.3 extending substantially tangentially from end points 233.4 and 233.5 of the section 233.1. A semi-circular section 233.6 connects the sections 233.2 and 233.3. The portion 232 is arranged so that a tangent 234 to the portion 232 at any point of the section 233.1 of the curve 233 forms a first angle al of between fifteen and sixty degrees with the external face 210, here an angle al equal to twenty-five degrees.
[0063] Identical to this, the counterbores 240, 250 and 260 respectively accommodate a second assembly 241, a third assembly 251 and a fourth assembly 261 which have a second portion 242, a third portion 252 and a fourth portion 262.
[0064] When connecting the container flange 3 to the cell flange 200, the container ears 3.1 to 3.4 of the container flange 3 are engaged in the cell flange 200 so as to present the container ears 3.1 to 3.4 of the container flange 3 in the notches 213 to 216 of the cell flange 200. The container ear 3.1 comes into contact with the portion 232 and is guided towards the groove portion 224. The operations for connecting the container 3 to the flange 200 are identical to those previously described.
[0065] During disconnection, a rotation around the axis AX in the counterclockwise direction (as shown in [Fig.9]) is applied to the container 3. This has the effect of disengaging the internal bayonet connection - which separates the container door 30 and the cell door 15 - and of engaging the door bayonet connection - which secures the container door 30 to the container flange 3. During this rotation, the ears 3.1 to 3.4 engage in the notches 213 to 216 and come into contact with the assemblies 231 to 261. The operator, by continuing to rotate the container flange 3 relative to the cell flange 200, causes the ears 3.1 to 3 to slide.4 on the portions 232, 242, 252 and 262 which cause the container 3 to move away from the alpha part of the cell 1, thus breaking the air confinement between the doors 15 and 30 and between the cell flange 200 and the container flange 3 and thus canceling the suction effect between the two doors 15 and 30 and the two flanges 200 and 3.
[0066] The operator can then extract the container 3 from the cell flange 200 without having to exert excessive tensile force.
[0067] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described but encompasses any variant falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
[0068] In particular,
[0069] - although here the number of annular grooves is one, this number can be greater and adapted to the design of the seal;
[0070] - although here the number of counterbores and ramps is four, it can advantageously be independent of the number of ears and can therefore be between one and the total number of ears;
[0071] - although here the first angle is equal to twenty-five degrees, the invention applies also to other values of the first angle such as for example a first angle between fifteen and sixty degrees, preferably a first angle between twenty-five and forty-five degrees;
[0072] - although here the operations of connecting and disconnecting the container and the cell flange require a relative rotation of the container and the cell flange by an amplitude of sixty degrees, the invention also applies to other values of the angular amplitude such as for example an amplitude of thirty degrees;
[0073] - although here the door is mounted to rotate relative to the flange, the invention also applies to a door mounted free relative to the flange and the cell;
[0074] - although here the external flange comprises a set of four external ears, the invention also applies to a bridle whose set of external ears comprises a different number of ears such as two, three or more than four external ears;
[0075] - although here the detachment portion is integral with a removable assembly attached by screwing onto the flange, the invention also applies to other types of reversible connection such as for example a snap-on connection;
[0076] - although here the detachment portion is screwed into a counterbore reception made in the flange, the invention also applies to a detachment portion attached directly against the external face of the flange.
Claims
Claims
1. Cell flange (200) comprising an annular flange body (201) of main axis (AX) and which is provided with means for its attachment to a wall (100) of a cell, the flange body (201) defining an internal passage (202), the flange (200) having a cell door (15) capable of selectively closing the internal passage (202) and a set of external ears (203-206) projecting radially internally from a circumferential wall (208) of the flange (200) to delimit with an external face of the flange body a groove comprising at least one notch separating two ears of the set of ears in order to form an external bayonet connection system with a container, the cell flange having a device intended to reduce a disengagement force of the container from the bayonet connection.
2. The cell flange (200) of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an annular groove (270) formed in the cell flange (200).
3. Cell flange (200) according to claim 1, comprising at least one detachment portion (232, 242, 252, 262) which projects from the external face (210) and which intersects with a plane (P) comprising the external face (210) according to a junction curve (233), a tangent (234) to the detachment portion (232) at a point on the junction curve (233) forming a first angle (al) of between fifteen and sixty degrees with the external face (210).
4. Cell flange (200) according to claim 3, wherein the first angle (al) is between twenty-five and forty-five degrees with the external face.
5. Cell flange (200) according to any one of claims 3 or 4, in which the detachment portion (232) is integral with a removable assembly (231) reversibly attached to the cell flange (200).
6. Cell flange (200) according to claim 5, in which the detachment portion (232) is attached by screwing onto the cell flange (200), the cell flange (200) preferably comprising a counterbore (230) for receiving the detachment portion (232).
7. Cell flange (200) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, in which the detachment portion (232) is located directly above a notch (213).